This year, embrace the inter-cultural awareness that comes with the World Cup
Tuesday, 13th April 2010
Aside from the Olympics, the Football World Cup is probably the most international and most widely-watched sporting event in the world.
Of course, everyone wants their country’s team to win the cup, whether they’re die-hard supporters, or fair-weather fans who are more excited by the afternoons watching games in the pub than the actual games themselves! Whatever the case, the competition represents a few weeks when patriotism reigns high, but when there is also a surge in the amount of coverage in the media that is dedicated to other cultures and languages.
Football has a huge power to bring people of different cultures together, whether this is within teams, or within international competitions. In fact, the World Cup probably offers one of the best global stages that there is for cultures to interact and to learn about each other – ironic really, in that so many conscious efforts to do this fail.
Football offers a relaxed and informal atmosphere for global interaction, and whilst it would be wrong to brand the World Cup ‘a bit of fun’ given the huge importance that so many people place on it, it is undeniably an event that is less imposing than other global events that become very political, or open to only a few sections of society. With football, everyone can get involved, irrespective of their gender, race, wealth or religious/political persuasion, and no matter whether they can afford to attend a game in person, or they head to their local bar or restaurant to watch it with friends and relations.
Of course, sometimes certain cultures find themselves highlighted in the media during the Cup for all the wrong reasons – hooliganism amongst British fans being one prime example. Let’s hope this year we Brits are remembered for more positive reasons – like, for example, the way that our fans live up to our reputation as a polite, gracious - and of course optimistic - race when we bring home the Cup!
There are lots of ways to use the World Cup to highlight different cultures, particularly within the workplace or at school. One great idea is to organise a sweepstake, and to encourage everyone to bring in food, music or cultural artefacts of the country that they have selected.
Another great option when it comes to the later stages of the tournament is to watch any big quarter or semi-final matches in restaurants or bars that are specific to one of the countries competing – this will enable you to really get involved in the atmosphere, and to watch the game in a really exciting environment.
If you want to get really involved, take a look at our translations of the good old football clichés – this way you can bring them out irrespective of who you’re watching the game with!
Tags: world cup, football, course, language, languages, italian, culture, french, spanish
Posted by Laura Lippert 2010-04 under Experience Cultures,
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