Open A Window to World Culture

What happens when you open a window?

You let in light and fresh air.  Perhaps you see something you've never seen before.  Or maybe you look at something you might look at every day, but see it in a different way.

For nearly 10 years, CultureALL - a non-profit based in Central Iowa - has been opening windows to world cultures for thousands of K-12 students and teachers in Iowa classrooms.  CultureALL recruits individuals from more than 50 different countries and trains them to become Cultural Ambassadors who share aspects of their cultures through hands-on, interactive workshops.  

Today, more than 100 Cultural Ambassadors are visiting Central Iowa schools, opening windows to more than 50 world cultures for thousands of young people.  With Cultural Ambassador Zeljka Krvavica, students share Bosnian coffee and learn about her family’s journey from war-torn Sarajevo, to a refugee camp in Croatia, and finally to Iowa.  From Yuki Shozaki, they learn how Japanese people conserve their limited resources through the art of Furoshiki – wrapping gifts and carrying objects using decorative pieces of cloth that can be used over and over.  From Sonal Mistry, they learn about the games, dances, and cultural traditions of India, and walk away with an intricate  henna design on their arm.

CultureALL’s mission is to  create discovery-filled experiences that strengthen cultural understanding and appreciation in our daily lives.  Our education programs:

• Help students gain greater awareness and appreciation of global cultures and feel more comfortable interacting with classmates from different backgrounds.
• Help teachers develop additional strategies for including global education in their curriculum and for successfully interacting with students and families from different cultures.
• Help immigrants and refugees feel more welcome and at home in their community by sharing stories and traditions.

What Students Say About CultureALL’s Education Programs:

   •  “I thought people from different cultures were weird, but they’re like me.”
   •  "You don't really know about somebody’s life until you meet them.”
   •  "No matter how we are different, we should respect everyone.”
   •  "CultureALL’s program helped me to realize that I should not judge a person based on the differences I see before finding out about their culture. By just talking to people and helping them become more comfortable in sharing their culture, I can make a difference.”



What Teachers Say:

• “Before this afternoon, my students never experienced different cultures in such a positive and real way.”
• “CultureALL opens the eyes and hearts of students and they will never forget what they learned.”
• “I am so grateful for the many opportunities offered by CultureALL. I can’t take my students to these different places to let them be consumed by the experience but, luckily, I can give them glimpses, offer experiences that at least put them in touch with different cultures in hopes that they will want to learn and experience more. That’s what education is to me . . . opening some doors and windows . . .offering as many opportunities to experience the world from different points of view. You all make that possible and for that I will always be grateful.”

What Cultural Ambassadors Say:

• "For me, it's a responsibility to share my culture. Not a lot of people understand their culture, but I like to know where I'm from. I love my story, my country and my family's story. I try to learn the true culture and teach it. I try to do it the best." -- Julio Santos, Cultural Ambassador from Brazil
• "I have always felt concerned about what people know about Africa: not that they don’t know enough, but that they know too much that isn’t so. I get a lot of pleasure in  sharing my knowledge and culture. The CultureALL experience is priceless!” –- Josie Shaw, Cultural Ambassador from Kenya
• "There was a time when you couldn't play certain kinds of music in certain parts of town. Now I want to share the essence of my culture and be accepted. Sharing my culture allows me to be who I am: an artist, a musician, and a person full of culture.” –- R.J Hernandez, Cultural Ambassador from Mexico