Indian Ambassador Pavan K. Varma gives a talk on Culture, identity and Globalization in RIM this afternoon.

 

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Issue of culture and identity are important because culture has content and identity has a background said the Indian Ambassador Paven K. Varma in RIM Talk Series this afternoon. He said culture and identity are not specific to one place so it is global. His Excellency said there is no single concrete definition to culture but he said its elements are definitive. According him,
there are five important aspects when we consider culture and identity. These are antiquate, continuity, relevance and diversity. His Excellency said culture consists of tradition, history, beliefs, mythology, religion, faith, values, customs, rituals, behavior and response. He added that it also consists of symbols, attires, folklore, community behavior, skills, music, flora, fauna, ethos and homes.
He further said that homes and ethos are exceptionally important element of culture citing examples from various countries. He emphasized that it is important to build bridges between various cultures but warned not to interchange the culture. He said that by interchanging cultures, it will devalue both the cultures.
He said that successful colonization is not complete physical control but the colonization our mind. It is because “your mind give you culture and culture gives your identity”. He says that culture in mind happens by the process of “osmosis by the age of 15” which then may mutate.
On the relation between the culture and globalization, he said globalization is silent process which is often irreversible and if our culture is lost in the process, it will be lost permanently. He cited example of Beijing Olympics 2008, where Chinese culture in Beijing is almost completely lost.
On Bhutan’s culture and identity he said that although globalization has made some impact on the Bhutanese culture, but still there is a lot of scope to keep it for the future. He added that this is because there are three elements present in Bhutan. These are vision (GNH by His Majesty the 4th King), reserve (Institutionalization of culture through Constitution) and articulation of culture. He said that Bhutan made a choice, the choice to preserve culture and that is what we need in the global world.
He warned that culture should not be just taken as a token by wearing attire or performing rituals. Instead acquiring knowledge on one’s own culture is very important. He ended by saying that “it is better to be in its original form and not good of being photocopy of someone else”.
Numerous questions were raised on the youth and culture, language and culture and economic growth and culture and also on the Indian investment on Cultural preservation.
Over two hundred participants comprising the faculty members, students and trainees of RIM and Language of Cultural Studies, Simtokha attended the talk in RIM Hall. This was the last in the Series of Talks organized by the Royal Institute of Management for the academic year 2009.