Cross-cultural Listening and Dialog

Here is a video excerpt of the interview (Montreal, August 10, 2009), “The myth of pluralism. A dialog with Robert Vachon" (former director of the Institut Interculturel de Montréal, founder and director of the magazine Interculture).

In his life devoted to cross-cultural dialog and through his explorations in the Institut Interculturel de Montréal of the cultures of the world and the dialog among them, Robert Vachon has acquired knowledgeable wisdom in the area of dialog and attention.

He has shared his interesting discoveries and intuitions for more than 40 years through the magazine Interculture, which he founded in 1968.

In this excerpt, he shares his experience in cross-cultural listening and dialog.

Conducting a dialog is no easy matter. Dialog is not only made of words, it also made of silence. It can take the form of music, dance, or experience sharing, among others. Its basic condition is listening. How does one truly listen?

Robert Vachon often mentions two intuitions, which I find to be very deep:
"Others are not a void to be filled, but a fullness to be discovered.”
“Cross-cultural dialog is crucifying, but liberating.”

Listening is opening up to others, to the situation. This can be very destabilizing, but makes it possible to open up our view of the universe and make us discover the marvels and wealth of the “pluriverse."

In this excerpt, Robert Vachon shares what he has learned from dialog with and listening to his Mohawk friends, Tom Porter in particular.

Happy listening to you all, and thanks to Robert for all he has said... and has not said!

Christoph Eberhard
Human Rights and Cross-cultural Dialog


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	Here is a video excerpt of the interview (Montreal, August 10, 2009), “The myth of pluralism. A dialog with Robert Vachon" (former director of the Institut Interculturel de Montréal, founder and director of the magazine Interculture). In his life devoted to cross-cultural dialog and through his explorations in the Institut Interculturel de Montréal of the cultures of the world and the dialog among them, Robert Vachon has acquired knowledgeable wisdom in the area of dialog and attention. He has shared his interesting discoveries and intuitions for more than 40 years through the magazine Interculture, which he founded in 1968. In this excerpt, he shares his experience in cross-cultural listening and dialog. Conducting a dialog is no easy matter. Dialog is not only made of words, it also made of silence. It can take the form of music, dance, or experience sharing, among others. Its basic condition is listening. How does one truly listen? Robert Vachon often mentions two intuitions, which I find to be very deep: "Others are not a void to be filled, but a fullness to be discovered.” “Cross-cultural dialog is crucifying, but liberating.” Listening is opening up to others, to the situation. This can be very destabilizing, but makes it possible to open up our view of the universe and make us discover the marvels and wealth of the “pluriverse." In this excerpt, Robert Vachon shares what he has learned from dialog with and listening to his Mohawk friends, Tom Porter in particular. Happy listening to you all, and thanks to Robert for all he has said... and has not said! Christoph Eberhard Human Rights and Cross-cultural Dialog