To be a Cultural Mediator, the Real Peace Maker
(Original)

Eunji Kim
(Age 16, South Korea)
Gimhae Foreign Language High School, Jinju-si

Starting my study in a foreign language high school, many people began questioning me what I wanted to be in the future. I have often told them that I would be a cultural mediator one day, a dream I have had since I was in middle school. However, my answer would usually confuse them, and they would ask over what a cultural mediator is. Cultural mediators have various tasks without being specifically limited to a job. They mediate cultures between different countries. Nonetheless, I do not think that they ask me because they do not understand the literal meaning of the words. What they actually want to question me is whether cultural mediators perform tasks that are needed in this world.

There have been numerous wars and regional conflicts around the world. One of the backgrounds of these tensions is cultural difference among them. If they cannot properly understand the cultural difference, they may worsen the situation that leads the war in the end. I learned this precious lesson through my one-year stay in the United States in 2004.

Staying in the United States, a country where all kinds of cultures are blended together, I experienced various cultures, which would have been impossible by just staying in Korea. In lunchtime, some of my Indian friends would enjoy their pancake-like lunch with hand, while some of my Japanese friends enjoyed theirs with chopsticks. At the same time, my French friends used fork and knife. By just being in the cafeteria, I realize again the existence of different cultures in the world. However, all kinds of cultures did not always combine in fine and peaceful ways. There were many situations in which students had conflicts due to different thoughts and cultural roots. They often misunderstood other people’s behavior. Furthermore they disliked and hated each other. Sometimes they tried to resolve problems by quarrelling and even fighting. I realized that all the conflicts and tensions have deep roots. One of the roots is related to cultural factor. Like everyone's fingerprint is unique, not all cultures are identical. For the peaceful world, therefore, everyone should be aware of other cultures in the world, and be able to understand them. To live in a world that we call a global village, it is more important to understand diverse cultures in the world.

To prevent any more hatred or struggles caused by cultural misunderstanding, mediators should be there to bridge different cultures. With mediators’ help, people can understand others’ cultures. Nevertheless, in a large stage such as the world, I do not think it is easy for the mediators to perform the task. The mediators need supporters for their work. I believe the media should be one of their supporters.

With development of information and communication technology, the media became a powerful tool to spread out ideas and cultures. Through television, radio or newspapers, people learned what they needed to learn. In addition, with the advent of the Internet and the mutual communication mechanism it provided, people could at last make interactions without being restricted by time or space. The Internet and new communication network have rapidly become influential to the world. Particularly, the Internet has attracted young generations who absorb other cultures quickly and are expected to lead the world in the future.

In this situation, the newly developed media should play key roles to mediate the cultural difference. As the language roots indicate, the media should exist in the middle of various entities. Unlike the conventional role of a controller to the mass, the media should be fair. In addition, the media keeps firm standing points to support for the peaceful world. They should be means for cultural interaction as well as providers of information to build the peaceful world.

However, depending on users, media and communication technology can turn into constructive tools or destructive tools. Therefore, it is our role to put our own effort into making these tools to build a peaceful world. We also should keep in mind that exchanging cultures through the Internet is a starting point of cultural understanding for people can get much information as well as learn about other cultures through the Internet. A cultural mediator should also do one’s own best to make the world peaceful with the newly developed information and communication technology.

If the world interacts starting with the smallest things like this, there is no doubt that peaceful world will come. Peace is not something too far to approach, nor something that glows faraway from where we are. Understanding each other, being able to feel in others' shoes is the very first step towards achieving it. With a little bit of help from mediators, this planet can finally be a place we call as 'the peaceful world', where every human being can live with dignity.