‘Intercultural Leadership’ workshops in Medicine Hat promote unity in diversity

The association’s events and programs are open to everyone who wants to learn and connect with local and international participants.

Yusuf Mohammad, founder of the organization, explained that it can be a struggle for some to integrate into a workplace of varying ethnic cultures.

“Coming from a different part of the world, every one of us have visions and dreams, and you’re hoping that when you connect with an organization or workplace, that it will be a place that you would have valuable contribution,” he said.

“Sometimes it takes a lot of time to be able to navigate that, just because of different processes of thinking, different styles of doing things.”

Aimee Yee, a volunteer with the Connection, hopes that the workshops can bring attention to the significance of diverse workplaces.

She said that being conscious of varying cultures in the workplace can build bridges to create an efficiency that may not have been accessible before.

“Cultures have a lot of different layers on it, and it’s difficult when you don’t know where your company or where you stand at,” she said.

“There is that aspect that if you remain in your roots, but at the same time there is a fusion, not in a way that you’ll forget your roots, but you’ll honour it,” she added.

“Basically, the goal is not forgetting who you are.”

Marijana Agicic, executive director with Saamis Immigration Services, says that communication can certainly be affected by cultural differences, even apart from language alone.

“One of the biggest challenges, that we actually even talked in this training, was communication. And how we all take it for granted that if we just all spoke English that that would be enough, and we’d perfectly understand each other,” she said.

“But it’s actually far from the truth. There is so many things that are involved in communication and they’re very culturally coloured and defined by the person’s culture.”

Mohammad says that involved in the workshop today were several different organizations, with staff from different parts of the world.

Presented is the opportunity to have discussions that one may not typically be able to be a part of, with voices that represent businesses across the city.

“Having a conversation with ten or more different organizations, people from different parts of the world represented right here in this room, definitely adds to the conversation and to the value,” he said.

“You’re able to hear different perspectives, you’re able to gain some solutions that you would have not probably thought of, and that’s what is valuable to have different people come together to have these conversations.”

The diversity in Medicine Hat grows by the day, and organizations such as The Connection want to promote those intercultural relations for a productive workplace.

Through understanding and empathy, different cultures can collaborate, without having to sacrifice their roots.

by Jayk Sterkenburg

‘Intercultural Leadership’ workshops in Medicine Hat promote unity in diversity

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