Loss of cultural diversity

Cultural holocaust
Declining cultural diversity
Endangered human cultural diversity

Nature

Cultural diversity is a reflection of people's connection to their local environment, to the living world. Centuries of conquest, colonialism and "development" have already eroded much of the world's cultural diversity, but economic globalization is rapidly accelerating the process.

Background

The loss of cultural diversity emerged as a global concern in the late 20th century, as rapid globalization, urbanization, and mass media accelerated the erosion of minority languages, traditions, and knowledge systems. International forums, such as UNESCO’s 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, marked a turning point in recognizing the scale and urgency of the issue, prompting scholarly and policy attention to the irreversible consequences of homogenization for humanity’s shared heritage.

Incidence

Loss of cultural diversity is evident on a global scale, with UNESCO estimating that one language disappears every two weeks, leading to the erosion of unique traditions, knowledge systems, and identities. Urbanization, globalization, and the dominance of major languages and cultures have accelerated the decline of minority languages, traditional practices, and indigenous arts, affecting communities across continents and threatening the world’s intangible heritage.
In 2022, the Ainu people of Japan faced renewed challenges as their language and customs continued to decline, despite government recognition. Efforts to revitalize Ainu culture have struggled against limited resources and the pervasive influence of mainstream Japanese society.

Claim

Cultural diversity is more than appearance, more than folklore, song and dance. It is the embodiment of values, institutions and patterns of behaviour. It is a composite whole representing a people's historical experience, aspirations and world-view. Deprive a people of their language, culture and spiritual values and they lose all sense of direction and purpose.

Counter-claim

The so-called “loss of cultural diversity” is vastly overstated and not a pressing problem. In today’s interconnected world, shared languages and values foster unity and progress. Clinging to outdated traditions only hinders innovation and global cooperation. Cultures naturally evolve, and it’s neither practical nor necessary to preserve every custom. Instead of lamenting change, we should embrace a more unified, efficient global society that benefits everyone.