Each year on May 21, the world comes together to celebrate the UN’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. This day recognises that diversity is strength, dialogue is power, and inclusion is essential for peace and progress.
At King’s College London, where our student body brings together over 150 nationalities, this day carries a particularly profound meaning. It's a reminder that our differences don’t divide us, they deepen our learning, expand our empathy, and equip us for a more connected, compassionate world.
Why Does This Day Matter?
The 21st of May is more than symbolic. It’s a response to:
- Cultural intolerance, xenophobia, and shrinking spaces for minority voices.
- The need to create societies where heritage, language, identity, and belief are celebrated, not erased or homogenised.
- The recognition that cultural dialogue isn’t just a moral good, but a developmental necessity for inclusive societies, sustainable cities, and global justice.
In short, it’s about creating equity through empathy and building bridges, not barriers.
What Can You Do in London?
London is one of the most multicultural cities on Earth, and there are countless ways to use this day to learn, connect, and act.
Here are just a few ideas:
1. Explore Cultural Institutions with a Purpose
Use the day to visit:
- The Migration Museum in Lewisham- stories of movement, belonging, and Britain’s changing identity.
- The Black Cultural Archives in Brixton- the UK's only national heritage centre dedicated to Black British history.
- The Jewish Museum, SOAS’s Brunei Gallery, or London Buddhist Centre- to engage with different traditions, struggles, and contributions.
Reflect: How have these communities shaped London? How are they still marginalised?
2. Eat with Intent: Cultural Food Trails
Try food from communities you’ve never encountered, but go beyond the menu:
- Read up on the origins of the dishes.
- Tip generously and ask about the stories behind family-run places.
- Reflect on how food is a form of cultural expression.
Good starting points:
- Brick Lane (Bangladeshi),
- Southall (Punjabi),
- Brixton Village (Afro-Caribbean),
- Chinatown.
3. Start (or Join) a Conversation
Engage meaningfully with dialogue:
- Join an interfaith or intercommunity discussion: places like St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation run events on cultural healing and bridge-building.
- Host a film night and discussion with friends: pick a movie that tells a story from a marginalised culture (The Farewell, Persepolis, Rocks, Minari, Flee).
- Or simply ask someone at KCL about their cultural background, not to exoticise, but to listen.
Rule of thumb: Ask questions with care, and listen with curiosity.
4. Advocate for Cultural Equity at King’s
Use your voice to:
- Engage with KCLSU Liberation and Culture societies, from the Afro-Caribbean Society, KCL India Society, to KCL Pride.
- Attend (or run!) workshops on anti-racism, cultural identity, or allyship through the KCLSU Campaigns Hub.
Remember: Celebrating diversity must go hand-in-hand with challenging inequality.
Diversity Is More Than a Word
True cultural diversity is about power, presence, and participation. It means ensuring that all cultures are not only welcomed, but heard. That they’re not just represented, but respected.
This World Day for Cultural Diversity, challenge yourself:
- To listen more widely,
- To engage more deeply,
- And to see culture not as a barrier, but as a resource for dialogue, for development, and for change.
Where to start?
And most of all: Celebrate the culture(s) you belong to and open your heart to the ones you don’t yet understand.