Intercultural Fiesta on Imaginary Countries and Cultures

Aims of the tool

- To introduce participants to creative aspects of intercultural learning and stimulate them to experience it and learn from it;
- To challenge the standard, 'tourist-type" of cultural representations of countries and regions and this way also to challenge cultural stereotypes;
- To introduce the "culture-mix" concept in a dynamic relation with cultural (self)perception.

Description of the tool

This is an interactive group-building exercise that is based on intercultural learning via creativity.

What is essential is the innovative approach to presenting own/other`s/imaginary culture, created by a small group of participants, based on a mixture of cultural artifacts from their own cultures.

This way they explore an imaginary "Melting Pot" (or "Cultural Mix") process and are challenged to (re-view) their own culture in dynamic relation with other cultures.

Participants are divided in small groups of 4-5 people who work together to construct a new culture/ country and present its:
1. Name, History;
2. Geographic Location and Nature;
3. Language (especially specifically sounding phrases or songs);
4. Food (interesting ways of cooking, serving and eating habits);
5. Music (including musical instruments), songs, dances;
6. Body language and culture of communication (for example how you greet people, how you express happiness, interest in someone, sadness, frustration).
7. Most interesting habits/traditions. (for example - interesting ways of doing business, treating children, getting married...)
8. Names of people and places (for example creating a human name and explaining the etymology behind it, linking it with the culture).

Each country/culture has 5 to 15 min (depending on the number of countries in the group) to present their culture/country, using the newly created name of culture/country, interesting historical artifacts, traditions, body language, culture of communication, food, music and dances.

Presentations are encouraged to be performed in an interactive way and involve actively the rest of the group with quizzes, games, dances and traditional fun rituals (for example involving traditional ways of eating, drinking, communicating).

Videos, power points or prezi presentations are not recommended, unless they are been presented only for 1-2 min and used just to visualize an interactive verbal presentation, quiz or simulation exercise with the rest of the group.