The unfamiliar in oneself confronted by the familiar in the stranger... - or vice versa: the contact with other cultures constitutes an area of tension that encompasses both opportunity and a not inconsiderable potential for conflict. Creating this awareness, demonstrating the enrichment on the one hand and the trap of stereotypes or unconsidered attributions on the other, is the declared intention of this FORUM.
Of all people, we as co-workers of an international organisation are often torn in two separate directions: the organisation we work for creates a common reference framework; a joint experience, laughing about the same things, being annoyed about the same things - it all creates togetherness. But at the same time we are often surprised by different modes of behaviour, interpretations, demands and so on and so forth...
In this sense this FORUM is about empathy and respect, but also about knowledge and having fun learning - both learning the theoretical concepts as well as learning from the experiences that are described herein.