Understanding Culture and Minorities  The enormous significance of culture, the value systems through which we see, define, and express ourselves as group members, is very under-appreciated - much to the detriment of all human affairs from education, health, arts, to international relations. Arguably, our values define us more than anything else. The world community and the complex societies therein simply require cross-cultural competency, including an appreciation of our own biases. It comes at a staggering price to our organizations and societies to ignore the role of culture and to lack an effective intercultural vision for the future. Throughout the world, tensions between dominant and non-dominant views traditionally defined clash beyond control. From epidemiology to immigration, from law enforcement to marketing, psycho-therapy to economic development, security to interfaith dialogue, the success of virtually all our collective efforts and the stability of our societies hinges on our ability to manage intercultural differences. Despite the price we all pay for our neglect of this highly sensitive issue, we often act as though it is all business as usual. At Solidaris, we are not so confused. We know that the just competent inclusion of minorities is key to the welfare of all. Based on our research data, we address this crucial area head-on. Through the prism of language, religion, and race – the principal pillars of culture – we apply an effective formula for fostering intercultural understanding in organizations, communities, nations, countries, and internationally.

Unique Consulting Model

Traditional intercultural consulting involves training for expatriates or business travelers. It often focuses on two particular cultures, seeking to facilitate relocation or communication for middle-class members of dominant countries such as Japan or the US. At Solidaris, we aim to contribute to social change with a more critical mindset. Our vantage point is not dominance, our goal not the status quo. We understand and promote the overall cultural justice that alone can support a peaceful society. Our understanding of the dynamic of sustainable relations between disparate cultures is truly exceptional. Even when, for instance, international projects or cross-cultural policies are developed with local input, the issues are not as profoundly understood as at Solidaris. As a result, the many avoidable ethnic and sectarian conflicts that plague the world, as well as its looming "clash of civilizations," are met with often tragically ineffectual efforts to forestall specific outcomes without a grasp of their universal underpinnings. By contrast, the Solidaris Model is rooted in a universal understanding of disparate intercultural relations, as well as being informed by local values. Therefore, our unique approach, research data, and methodology enable us to achieve exceptionally effective cross-cultural interventions. We:

• Conduct effective social inclusion projects for cultural minorities
• Inform interethnic policies, both within and between countries
• Address cross-cultural workforce & marketing issues
• Organize intercommunity cultural events

Besides enjoying access to a network of consultants to tackle particular social, institutional, or policy problems using the Solidaris Model, we also recruit expert professionals to satisfy temporary or full-time organizational staffing needs that involve sensitive or minority cultures. Professionals recruited by Solidaris can serve as our subcontractors or your direct hires. In either case, Solidaris does not require up-front recruitment fees. Instead you pay, as-you-go, a fee for services rendered. What sets professionals recruited by us apart, is that they are not only superbly qualified, but also, true to Solidaris form, especially adept at promoting harmonious intercultural relations. Therefore, they will doubtless be of exceptional value to your organization.