Do you think that a society is richer by including and recognising people from different cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds?

Do you enjoy being and/or working with people with different perspectives, points of view, practices?

Do you seek to learn more about a culture or religion different from your own, for example by reading, travelling...?

Do you recognise situations where you may have made a comment or had an attitude or behaviour based on a stereotype or prejudice about a particular person / group?

Do you show acceptance of other people's values, beliefs or behaviours, even if they seem strange to you, by trying to put yourself in their place?

If your answer to the above questions was 'yes', you are taking important steps to further develop your intercultural competences.

Intercultural competence is a key element in building a democratic and socially cohesive society. It is one of the highly valued competences in the labour market, especially in healthcare professionals, so that they are able to recognise their own cultural norms, understand the patient's unique way of seeing / thinking / feeling about certain issues and, based on this knowledge, adjust behaviours and practices to maximise the care provided.

Interculturality therefore implies understanding the pluralistic nature of our society and world, and the richness of the relationships between different cultures. It implies understanding that notions of time, value systems, beliefs, verbal and non-verbal communication, the way we deal with death, among many other aspects, may be different between cultures. By knowing this plurality, it will be easier to overcome the challenges that may arise in interactions with people perceived as culturally different from us.

Many of the challenges encountered in an intercultural situation are based on stereotypes and prejudices which prevent us from seeing the other beyond the category / label created for him / her, leading us to make generalisations or disregard information that contradicts the initial perception.

The truth is that all of us, at some point in our lives, create stereotypes or develop prejudice towards certain groups.

One of the great dangers of stereotyping and prejudice is the discriminatory behaviour that can result from them. Insulting, assaulting, ignoring, preventing access, disadvantaging, or any other type of unequal treatment based on the skin colour, ethnic or cultural origin, nationality or religion, are discriminatory behaviours and can be considered criminal offences (Caetano, 2021).

How can this key competence be promoted?

Intercultural competence is not innate but develops throughout life. Therefore it needs to be taught and practised.

Important steps to take [1]:

• Investing in self-knowledge – to be aware of our own values, knowledge and behaviour when facing a person, perceived as culturally different from us.
• Recognise and value cultural diversity and realise that culture has an impact on the identity, behaviours and attitudes of individuals and groups.
• Knowing cultural specificities about different cultures (e.g. travel to culturally diverse areas, learning a foreign language, interacting with members of other cultures, researching historical, artistic, gastronomic aspects of a country or locality).
• Deconstructing stereotypes and prejudice  
  • • We all have prejudice and create stereotypes
• Ask yourself "What stereotypes and prejudice do I have?". This acknowledgment is not easy, but it plays an essential role in the relationship.
  • Beware of expressions like "Everyone is…”
    • Pay attention to the language we use (e.g. expressions, jokes or generalisations). Avoid expressions like "Africans are...", "All refugees want...".
• • Much more is what unites us!Avoid an "us" vs. "them" stance. Focusing on similarities can help to strengthen the relationship. 
• • Getting rid of preconceived ideas
    • Fact-checking, using different sources of information to learn about the perspectives of different target groups from their own voices.
  • Being a "cultural detective”
• • Not to presume something about a person. Make room for dialogue, ask, seek to know more and get to know life stories and the reasons behind behaviours / ideas / opinions...
• Practice 6 gestures and behaviours on a daily basis:
  • Intencionality – wanting to discover the other / finding meeting points;  
  • Empathy – recognise the individuality and identity of each person;
  • Decentralisation – show curiosity, openness to understanding, and ability to take perspective of the other person;
  • Tolerance to ambiguity – in the face of difference (of opinions / behaviour / ...) show tolerance in order to be able to deal with difference in a constructive way;
  • Cultural humility – assume that we don't know everything about others and be open to learning;
  • Action – Saying 'no' to discrimination is our responsibility. Therefore it is important to think about these issues and create procedures to prevent and deal with situations of discrimination.