The coexistence of various cultures from all sectors of the globe is important when one seeks to promote social diversity. When discussing the definition of cultural harmony, the world does not simply subsist on one unified heritage or civilization. How the world consists of differing cultures, each bearing their customs and traditions that are unique to them, which collectively function tranquilly and soundlessly, is what stimulates and advocates the ideal social diversity that all societies strive to acquire.
Award-winning books such as American novelist Jay McIrney’s 1984 “Bright Lights, Big City” centralizes around the atmosphere of New York City, a city that is regarded as the boiling pot of all cultures as it contains a diverse array of races, ethnicities, and languages (with over 800 being spoken). McInerney portrays New York City as a multi-layered living entity with innumerable European, African, and Asian societies that inhabit the city. The allowance for all cultures, disregarding ethnic or theological differences, assists in fostering the intelligence of the nation’s people by introducing the assorted variants of cuisine, architecture, and music.
Through examining the culturally diverse cities of Harbin in the People’s Republic of China and the metropolis of Wellington in New Zealand, the harmony of cultural existence is imperative for every society to encourage the growth and development of social diversity.
Harbin is a major Chinese city well-respected for its scientific and political standing in the country and its stance as the capital city of the Chinese province of Heilongjiang. Since the 1800s, the city consisted of more than 10 villages and 30,000 citizens until maturing into a modern city with great Eastern European influence in 1898. Harbin acted as a Russian administration center over the Trans-Siberian railway, which linked the cities of Dalian and LĂĽshun.Â
By 1917, Harbin contained a population of 100,000 citizens, 40,000 of whom were ethnic Russians. Fifty-three nationalities comprise the city, with individuals of Ukrainian, Armenian, Polish, Latvian, Estonian, and Lithuanian descent. Additionally, many Polish Catholic, Ukrainian Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox churches are established in Harbin, such as the Church of Saint Sophia. Therefore, what cultural coexistence has allowed for in Harbin is the allowance for both Chinese and Eastern European customs to act in harmony with each other, irrespective of racial or cultural differences. Discrimination of culture is non-existent in the city. Thus Harbin is one such example of a culturally diverse city with various cultures thriving and blossoming with one another peacefully.
Lastly, the multicultural city of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, is located near the North Island’s southernmost point on the Cook Strait. The nationalities and communities of Wellington are seemingly blended in a homogeneous manner. For example, Te Reo Maori is one of the city’s official languages, and many churches throughout Wellington and New Zealand often integrate Maori traditions in their greetings. Although the city of Wellington mainly consists of New Zealand citizens of European inheritance, by adopting Maori customs, churches can also speak to those in the city who are of Maori lineage, which allows for inclusion and cultural coexistence.
Moreover, students in New Zealand whose birth locations originate from countries such as Papua New Guinea are welcomed by Lutheran churches in Wellington, which provides a sense of tolerance for all cultures. Consequently, the non-discrimination of cultures and tolerance for people of all cultures invokes cultural coexistence, which promotes social diversity.
In the end, cultural coexistence is vital to encourage the growth of social diversity. Through analyzing cities such as Harbin in China which contains populations of Eastern European and Chinese citizens as well as Eastern European architecture, or cities such as Wellington in New Zealand, which provides tolerance and welcomes the cultures that settled in the country, social diversity is achievable in all societies if the harmony of cultural coexistence is preserved.
