As the newest member of the Intercultural Learning (ICL) team I take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name, Arturo, is a Spanish name, so you could guess that I speak Spanish. But not everyone calls me that, some people in my family call me “Artur”, with an emphasis on the ending “-tur”. My family speaks both Spanish and Catalan, and “Artur” is the Catalan version of my name. That is the story of my name. A few months ago, I explained this during a class activity on multiculturalism and conflict and one classmate said to me: “I had no idea that names could have stories, sometimes I think I am oblivious to the diversity around me.”

A compilation of activities that highlight diversity, including “The Story of My Name,” can be found in this list of Multicultural Awareness Activities. This compilation of resources has been created by Paul C. Gorski, a Social Justice activist on the site EdChange.org. The site offers an array of activities from icebreakers to group games to introspective individual activities. These activities revolve around issues of multiculturalism, but can also expand the focus of study to issues of community or race.  A good example of that is the activity “The Depth and Breadth of ‘Multicultural’” in which the students engage and define culture and its complexities with their own words.

Instructions for the “Story of My Name” activity can also be found on this compilation by the Wilderdom Store, along with other activities. An activity in this list that can be used as an icebreaker is “Hello in Different Languages,” in which you may ask the members of a group in how many languages they can say hello or greet someone. Even if you think that your group is not very diverse, remember that people have often studied foreign languages or may have family members or friends who speak different languages and who have taught them or been very influential.

Sometimes it may be easy to ignore the multicultural diversity around us during a busy day, or the complex stories that shape the identity of those with whom we interact on a daily basis. As global citizens, how can we become more aware, or make those around us more aware of this diversity? Whether as icebreakers or full-fledged activities, the activities in these two compilations can help us acquire the knowledge and critical thinking necessary for a global society.

“Circles of my Multicultural Self” is an activity that has been used by some in AFS to differentiate between stereotypes and generalizations, and to address the many facets of identity that our cultures shape for us. In developing an increased awareness of how our identities and our names can be rooted in culture we can enhance our ability to recognize the diversity around us, and the richness and impact of our cultures.