Interculturality

People from different parts of the world discussed the theme «Interculturality and Curriculum» in the Pedagogical Section from 8 to 11 September 2022. A contribution by Dorothee Prange in «Anthroposophy Worldwide».

The aim is to stimulate research through joint work in order to contribute to educational perspectives of an intercultural society. For more and more we are confronted with the question of possibilities of living together in all diversity.

The image of diversity was already offered by the participants of the meeting: they came from Argentina, Brazil, Germany, France, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, South Africa and the USA. They brought in their own experiences and questions.  

The participants presented Waldorf education for all in Israel, multicultural work in a school in the USA, introducing children, young people and adults to Jewish and Muslim culture and religions in general, outreach work for traumatised people and Waldorf curriculum issues.

Rich conversations developed from this. Do I see every human being? Do I perceive the child? Do I respect otherness and help otherness to understand each other? How do we perceive the fact of diversity as the starting point of human reality in pedagogy? How does the school shape itself in the face of adversity and inequality?

The encounters gave hope to find new forms for pedagogy in these challenging times. Developing these in the different areas of the world, the different cultures, is a great task. Both the joy and the insight into the necessity of working on these questions were great.