Intercultural Dialogue Institute Calgary

Intercultural Dialogue Institute is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to promote respect and mutual understanding among people of all cultures and faiths through partnership with other communities, cultural, religious and inter-religious organizations by organizing educational and cultural activities such as seminars, conferences, discussion panels, luncheons, interfaith family dinners and cultural exchange trips. Intercultural Dialogue Institute aims to promote enduring interfaith and intercultural cooperation, tolerance and dialogue by sharing the differences and similarities in cultures in an effort to achieve global peace in the foreseeable future. The Institute aims to eliminate or reduce false stereotypes, prejudices and unjustified fears through direct human communication. By this mission IDI aims to contribute to improvement of diversity, pluralism and multiculturalism throughout Canada. Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) grew out of the need to address the question, “How can citizens of the world live in peace and harmony?” From this question a conversation took root and began to grow. The founding members of the IDI knew from personal experience that a discussion on cultural differences did not have to digress into confusion, fighting, and anarchy. On the contrary the founding members understood that peace could be achieved by sharing different perspectives by listening to each other from the space of love, respect, tolerance, mercy, and compassion. Headquartered in Toronto, Intercultural Dialogue Institute currently has branch offices and sister organizations in nine cities throughout Canada. The people who initially thought about the necessity founded Intercultural Dialogue Institute were Turkish Canadians; however, our members increasingly come from diverse cultures, faiths and nations. Intercultural Dialogue Institute welcomes especially members and volunteers from diverse traditions, faiths, races and nations.