Intercultural Communication
    
    To understand what is Intercultural communication for our nations and countries, we should first clarify what “Intercultural communication” means in general. We can explain it through the term “Interculturalism”. This is obviously not a synonym of “Internationalism” and it is more difficult to define. Interculturalism occurs when there is communication between people with perceived cultural differences. 
    Interculturalism refers to constantly changing realities, while internationalism implies physical entities with fixed borders. International relations are part of complex political and economic systems, in which individuals are not personally involved with their experiences and emotions; intercultural relations always imply direct experiences and mutual exchanges. 
    For better understanding the concept of  “Intercultural Communication” we should do it through the terms “Culture” and “Communication”. Once we understand those terms it will be clear to us what “Inter-cultural communication” means. 
    Let’s first discuss the term Communication.
    Well, our definition of communication is the following.
    Communication, in general, represents a process of delivering and receiving certain messages by means of a certain clear notification or hidden statement. During that time the attempt appears for connection, for contact with another entity or system. The purpose is achieved on the whole when such an attempt finishes with an exchange of the contents of a double benefit: it is partially successful with a one-sided delivering of the content – the message.
    The field of human communication concerns relations between individuals, groups, the correlation between the parts of the personality structure, the relation toward living and not living objects form the inner and outer world. At the same time it is a bridge which could be established at any part of the network of singles or systems in the course of releasing contents and energy confined or blocked in some of them. It is always with the aim of establishing a new network system with more powerful units in the group matrix with a free flow of contents and energy among them. It is at the same time a sharing of their particular riches and an exchange of the mutual benefit without losing one’s identity. 
    The next term we need to discuss is “culture”. What is Culture (flip chart)? (ask them ....)
    There are number of definitions for culture. We chose this one to present to you. 
    CULTURE is the attitudes, values, beliefs, and ideas that a group of people have in common. It is also common to present, define the term CULTURE through an iceberg.
(Flip chart).
    “An iceberg always has a part above water that we can see, but the largest part of the iceberg is below the water, which we cannot see”. We all have some understanding of other cultures from the books and magazines we have read, from television. But our current knowledge of the cultures only represents the tip of an iceberg. Even a tourist, who doesn’t really communicate with people from the country he visited, is not considered to be familiar with the country’s culture. What one thing all tourists take with them when they travel ? – a CAMERA. With this camera he takes pictures of monuments, mountains etc., but he can never take a picture of values such as optimism, personal responsibility, etc. So, in order to really understand a culture, one must communicate, talk, listen, ask questions, and be open to changes as we said successful communication assumes changes in people’s thinking, behavior and why not culture. Although one very important thing here is the ability to be open to changes and at the same time not let these changes be the reason of one’s identity loss. 
      Now after definding the terms “CULTURE” “COMMUNICATION” and “INTERCULTURALISM”, now we can summarize and give a definition of “Intercultural communication”. Intercultural Communication is a process, during which people with perceived cultural differences are being in contact with each other, they deliver and receive certain messages and during this process they are being influenced by the values, beliefs and ideas of a different culture, without losing their identity. 
     As we see this process assums direct communication. so it is not sufficient to just know about other cultures. This knowledge has to be complemented by experience and individual trial and error in intercultural situation. And this is why we are here for. (Sunglasses)
   To better understand the view of Intercultural Relations of Armenia and Armenians, I would like to do a small historical preview.      
    It is said, as if Caucasus is some kind of a cultural cross road for Europe and Asia. Armenians, who also live in Caucasus, are Indo-European by their language and the cultural model, but are Western Asian by their genesis, and they greatly synthesize Asian and European cultures.
    The intercultural communications, relations and influences between East and the West have got a new shadow in 4 century BC. Alexander Macedonian’s invasions to the East brought with him the Hellenistic culture from the West. Armenian cultural life beared this influence as well.  
     Some later in 1st  century the Armenian king Tigran the Second brought representatives of different nationalities to Armenia from the countries he conquered (Jewish, Asirians, Greeks etc.). They brought essential cultural influence to the urbane population of the country (fine arts, architecture etc.). 
     In 301 Armenians were the first nation who adopted Christianity as a state religion. Since then, religion has a great impact and importance on the cultural development of the country and has a great influance on formation of the ethnic identity of Armenians. Lots of the architectural monuments were built connected with the new religion. The churches took the function of the schools. Some later  (since 7th century) a specific Armenian national architectural monument cross-stone (Khatchcars) appeares..
     In 4th century a conflict between Armenia and Persia (Iran) started. And during this conflict Armenia was divided into two parts (by Persia and Beuzand). So the western part of the country was called Western Armenia, and the eastern part was called Eastern Armenia. So there were two parts of the country, which develop separatly. 
   The Eastern part of Armenia was under cultural (especially religious) and political pressure of Persia. The country suffers from the wars between Beuzand and Persia (a cross-road for East and West). 
    The cultural and political influence of Persia and Beuzand in Armenia continued until 7th century. In 7th century Arabic influence started in Armenia. Since then, the role of Christianity raised in Armenians’ life. Religion became one of the most important arms against the Muslim enemy. Besides this in Southern Caucasus Christianity became a National religion. This means that until Georgians became mono fizziest, they were under the big religious influence of Armenia. So Christianity was the most important religion in Southern Caucasus.
     The Arabic influence was so big, that even the maintenance of Armenian National Epos is connected with them. 
     It is also important to notify, that Armenia and Armenians were not only being influenced by other cultures, but Armenian culture itself had a great deal of influence on the nations under whose pressure the country was. A prove of this is the fact, that a part of turk-seljuks, who entered the country in 11th century, became Christians (hons).
    Later in 13th  century Armenia was under the pressure of Mongols which did not last very long. 
    From this time till the beginning of the 19th century there was some kind of a collapse of the national culture of  Armenia.  
    In 19th century the cultural center of Eastern Armenia becomes the capital of Georgia Tbilisi. Poetry, theatre, fine arts and other spheres of the culture develop in this city. And also all the intellectual movements develop here. It is said as if Tbilisi became a real Armenian city. Even the citizens of the city all spoke Armenian. There was a known Armenian poet-singer Sayat Nova, who was writing in the 3 languages of  Southern  Caucasus, and is known as a national poet for all three nations living in this territory. 
   The Armenian investors (oil, etc) were actively working in Baku, and there is an important thing connected with this. Armenians who lived in Baku mostly spoke Russian. This shows the Russian influence on Azerbaijan and the nations living there (who were mostly Armenians).
   At this time the cultural life of Western Armenia was also developing. The cultural center of western Armenia was Istanbul. At that time Turkish people did not have alphabet and Armenians translated most of the world literature for them. They were translating it writing Turkish words in Armenian letters.
   This cultural development continues in Western part until the Armenian genocide (1915), which becomes one of the most important problem of all Armenians in the world, and in the Eastern part until the Soviet Union period (1920). 
    The cultural development of the Western part of the country came to its end, because Armenians mostly left Western Armenia, and  spread all over the world. Most of them justified in Europe (Bulgaria, Romania, France) in USA and in Arabic countries  (Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Iraq etc.). This is the time when the formulation of  Armenian Diaspora started, which was going to play a huge role in the future life of Armenia. There are three main models of Armenian Diaspora (Europe, USA and Asia). 
    In 1920 the confederation of Soviet Union was formed, and there were over 15 republics under the federation of Russia. Eastern Armenia was also included in this union. So here comes a new period of  cultural life of the nation. Russia brings new rules and new values. Because of this, a lot of  values of national culture are being dropped out, and often changed to the ideological level. An example of this is not letting people go to churches. Also there was a limitation in sphere of communication with other nations (including Europe). Communications mostly took place inside the confederation, that is, people mostly moved around in the territory of the Soviet Union. Some kind of  close communities were formed, where people developed their worldview by reading books, magazines, watching films. 
    But we should also mention, that Armenia had many priorities concerning this. Since 1940 - 50 a great number of Armenians started returning (repatriation) to their country from different parts of the world. These were the ones who migrated from Western part of Armenia in the beginning of the century. They brought with them the culture of the nations they had been living with. So this was a way, an opportunity, for Armenians living inside the country to understand the real view of the world. 
    The destiny of the Western Armenians developed in another way. Here we see a big difference between the Armenians living in  Muslim countries and the Armenians living in Europe and the United States. 
    The Armenians who went to live in Muslim countries after the genocide, were not communicative with the population of that countries. This was because a psychology formed after the genocide. The word Turkish was assimilated with the word enemy, and the word Muslim was assimilated with the word Turkish. So in the Muslim countries Armenians mostly lived in close communities. And because of the absence of the relations between them,  the intercultural communication was not successful. 
    There is another view concerning the Western Armenians, who were displaced to Europe and the USA. They were more communicative, and the cultural  influence on them was rather large. Some of them even assimilated with this nations. But there was also some influence from their side on the host culture. 
    The situation of Eastern Armenians and Armenia under the Soviet Union, continued until 1990. The cultural influence of Russia lasts until our days. Since 1920 Russian schools, universities, theatres and other cultural institutions were opened. A huge number of Russian literature entered the country. The second language of the nation became Russian. 
    Since 1990, the country became an independent one. So that meant that the development of  diplomatic and the cultural relations between the independent Armenia and the other countries had mostly begun since that time. 
    The view is different inside the country. Here we have unique models of Intercultural communication.    
    Armenia is a mono ethnic country. There are over 20 national minorities living in the country (Aserians, Ezidies, Kurds, Georgians, Russians, German people etc.). Though they are only the 3% of the population they sometimes have essential cultural and political communities in Armenia. E.g. There is Russian Theatre named by Stanislavsky. And most of this national minorities have NGOs, schools, universities and other important institutions. 
    However, all this national minorities are living with Armenians in the country for a rather long time and are having their important input in almost all spheres of  the country’s life. 
      A part of the national minorities of Armenia shared the destiny of Armenians. E.g. Ezidies, Aserians  and Greeks came to live in the country in the beginning of 20th  century from Eastern Armenia because of the political pressure and the genocide. 
      Though this minorities live in Armenia they sometimes have different cultural orientations. This we can mainly see from the language they speak. E.g. Most of them are mono linguistics. These are mostly Russians, German groups and Jewish, who speak Russian. Bilinguistics have two models. 1. The national language and Russian (Aserians, Georgians)
2. The national language and Armenian (Ezidies, partly Greeks).
    There are two minorities living in close communities (Ezidies and Malakans). Here we don’t  notice international marriages. But other two minorities (Greeks and Aserians) are actively communicating with the population of the country .
    There is also an interesting thing connected with the Georgians living  in Armenia. These are only the women who  married Armenians and came to live in the country. 
    This is the view of Intercultural communications of our country and the nation. We hope it helped you to better understand what it is for us. 

    As we have already mentioned, that Intercultural communication assums direct communication between people, it is very important to discuss Intercultural Communication in individual level. For this we need to go over the qualities one must have in order to be successful in Intercultural communication. (Ask them and write it on the flip chart) (Then after discussing the things they said – add) All this qualites (flexibility, listening, talking, adaptibility) are very important, but we would like to mantion two things without which Intercultural commnication would not be successful. These things or so called qualities are;
1.	One must accept that there are no good or bad cultures. It’s just that they are different. 
2.	We should avoid stereotyping while engaging in Intercultural communication.
 There is a good  expression, that says; “Equally, logical but different” (flip chart)
“Different” is a key word here. Being different (not good or bad), these different cultures not only have the right to exist, but they also have the chance to contribute to other cultures by bringing their specific richness. 
  
    An intercultural communication exists when “the others” are not simply observed and described. It is necessary that it establishes dynamic relationships, which imply that others are accepted with their differences. This is certainly not an easy task as intercultural relations usually clash   against the ethnocentric perspectives that we all have. 
    Although we all have ethnocentric perspectives, people can move from the ethnocentrism to ethno realism. The stages of development are illustrated with typical statements and behaviors that can be used to diagnose levels of sensitivity.

Stages of Development of Intercultural Sensitivity (flip chart)

1.	Denial - may occur when physical or social isolation precludes any contact at all with significant cultural differences. We may not find out at this stage that differences exist. This position represents the ultimate ethnocentrism, where one world view is unchallenged as the central to all reality. 
2.	Defense – This stage represents a development in intercultural sensitivity beyond denial. Negative stereotype-the undesirable characteristic is present at this stage. This strategy is the assumption of cultural superiority. People may feel the culture superiority. 
3.	Minimization  attempt to preserve the centrality of ones own world view. This involves an attempt to bury difference under the weight of intercultural similarities. People may tend to see the similarity. The basic perception is enough to communicate with other culture (the basic patterns are sufficient). On the other hand people may trivialize differences. 
4.	Acceptance of cultural difference represents a move from ethnocentrism to ethno relativism.          
      At  this  stage,  cultural  difference  is  both   acknowledged  and  respected.  Difference  is 
      perceived  as  fundamental,  necessary  and  preferable  in  human  affairs.  Particular cultural 
      differences simply exist at this stage.  Here we find also two  levels of acceptance-one  is the 
      acceptance  of  behavioral  difference  and  second is acceptance  of underlying cultural value 
      differences. 
5.	Adaptation - This is the stage of empathy. Adaptation means also cultural pluralism – the ability to shift into two or more rather complete cultural world views. Multiculturality
6.	Integration is the application of one’s own – self created, identity without absolute culture identification. It is also the ability (contextual evaluation) to evaluate phenomena relative to cultural context. The difference is perceived like essential and joyful aspect of life. People are in the process of becoming the part of and the part from the cultural process.

    Other thing to do to be successful in intercultural communications is to understand that we don’t talk or think about people by stereotyping. Stereotyping is a thing, which can lead to a problem during the communication, or even bring to conflict between the sides. 
    “A stereotype is an oversimplified fixed idea, positive or negative, held to be true about an entire group of people”. (picture stuff – describe).
     While there may be some truth in the stereotyped impression, it is never true of all members of a particular group. When it comes to looking at people, we often make many judgements based on first impressions and stereotypes. The problem comes in when judgements are wrong and incorrect assumptions are made about a person. Then the behaviors that follow give incorrect messages, resulting in a total lack of communication and respect.
    (Discussing the pictures...)