Thousands of people migrate across borders on a daily basis, start a new life, and bring along their own narrative to new locations in the globe. This round-the-clock motion enriches our neighborhoods, the workplace, and our friendships with diversity and variance in ways that light up the world.
It is not an easy feat to immigrate to another country. Imagine taking all your life, leaving behind friends and the known, and venturing into the unknown. Just like with the majority of Nigerian professionals who were able to settle in other countries, migrants often find themselves encountering the language barrier, must endure intricate paper work, and begin anew professionally. However, they struggle on with visions of a better future to come for themselves and their families.
These acts of courage are not just beneficial to the doers. When people take their heritage, talent, and perspective to new communities, everyone wins. Local businesses gain new skills, schools become more diverse, and neighborhoods are enriched with new celebrations, cuisine, and friendships. Stroll through any urban city, and you'll see thriving communities living their culture in food, music, and arts.
Cultural diversity does make our everyday life richer in so many ways. The music we listen to these days usually is a combination of sounds from all over the world - think about how African rhythms, particularly Nigerian Afrobeats, have influenced global pop music. The same goes for food - some of the things we love to eat came into existence when different culinary cultures met and merged.
Our urban centers are changing, becoming more cosmopolitan and vibrant. Streets once similar now have shops that offer goods from across the world. Community centers host cultural festivals at which neighbors can learn about each other's traditions. Schools teach children about different cultures, paving the way for life in our global world.
Young people today grow up with friends from various backgrounds, automatically learning to appreciate differences. They're showing us how straightforward it is to embrace diversity - by shared interests, sport, music, and plain curiosity about each other's existence.
The future is bright if we welcome diversity. Diverse groups make companies perform better. Societies are healthier when they feel everyone is included. New ideas emerge when different perspectives merge. Some African nations, including Nigeria with over 250 ethnic groups, demonstrate how diversity can be a creativity and strength force.
Migration and cultural diversity are not abstractions - they're living individuals meeting in real terms. They're the Syrian refugee who opened a successful restaurant in their new adopted home town. The Indian information technology specialist who helps train local youth. The Nigerian doctor who works in rural Canadian communities. Each adds his or her unique thread to our shared tapestry.
Let's welcome this natural movement of people and ideas. Our diversity makes us stronger, our diverse backgrounds make us smarter, and our common experiences make us human. Most of us, after all, have families who relocated somewhere new at some time or another in search of better lives.
The world is getting smaller day by day, and our prosperity lies in how well we cooperate from culture to culture. By embracing diversity and assisting new-comers in our societies, we're not being nice - we're creating a better future for all.
Keep in mind, of course, that cultural diversity is not loss of who we are, but rather how we share our uniqueness with others and come together as a whole. By opening ourselves to others by heart and mind, we create communities where everyone can thrive.
So next time you meet someone of another background, consider it an opportunity. Share stories, gain insight, and become part of the rich tapestry that makes our world so different. Because at the end of the day, we're all on this together, and as so many African cultures say - together we go far.
The image used is AI generated.
This is a submission for today's prompt in the #marchinleo daily writing prompts challenge for the #humanitas community.