Culture and Communication. Within the sphere of their respective competences, the Parties shall cooperate in the field of information, culture and communications, both to create a better mutual understanding and to strengthen cultural ties between them, including, inter alia, through studies and technical assistance for the preservation of cultural heritage. The Parties also recognise the importance of cooperation in the fields of telecommunications, the information society and multimedia applications which contribute to increased economic development and trade. The Parties consider that cooperation in this area, within the sphere of their respective competences, may facilitate:
Culture and Communication. Communication – including with respect to cultural differences – is part and parcel of the city link. If the two partners have different values, atti- tudes and practises, misunderstandings may easily arise. Add to these dif- ferences in language, and the cooperation can quickly be derailed. So you must not try and gloss over misunderstandings, but make an effort to ad- dress them through xxxxx dialogue. Discuss the cultural differences togeth- er, and use them as a source of inspiration. The starting points for discussion are: – People everywhere in the world have the same basic needs and experi- ences. Education and social care may not be the same in the South and North, but they are essential, and so they are found both here and there. The Guatemalan delegation: “We have seen that not just parents, but grandparents, too, work hard. So children get left in nurseries or with childminders. We do not understand how you can leave your children so easily.” – Everyone can be receptive to another culture without slavishly accept- ing or letting themselves be dominated by it. Restaurants in China often have a spittoon by the table, which is normal there. Belching after eat- ing is a sign of politeness, indicating that one has enjoyed the food. It is part of their culture, so do not sit in judgement on it. The Chinese, for example, find it unhygienic not to cover the mouth and nose when hav- ing a cold. If you take the person you are dealing with seriously and treat them with respect, cultural differences pose no threat. Communication is naturally a language issue The Guatemalan delegation at the end of their working visit: “Language is a key aspect that enables knowledge to be exchanged; but translation is of- ten a problem because a language has a soul which cannot always be mir- rored. Over that three week visit, we discovered something of that soul, we saw what concerned people here.” So, the importance of talking to one another is again highlighted. But what do you do before and after working visits? – Provide means of communication: a telephone and fax are essential (for submitting reports and giving feedback, for sending invoices). It is also useful if you have an email address, so you can communicate more quickly. – Agree on what language you will use. As it will be a foreign language for one or both of you, it is a good idea to translate the key technical terms (the co-operation agreement, subsidy application file, working visit pro- grammes, evaluation ...
