The IMAM Center, a Shia Muslim organization in the United States, commemorated the UN’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21 by highlighting the deep alignment between Islamic teachings and global calls for cultural understanding.
In an editorial viewed by Shia Waves Agency, the center emphasized that Islam not only recognizes cultural diversity but regards it as a divine sign, referencing Quranic verses such as: “And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and colors” (30:22), and “We created you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another” (49:13).
The article pointed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s Farewell Sermon, which rejected racial and ethnic superiority, affirming equality through piety. It also cited Imam Ali’s words: “People are of two types—either your brother in faith or your equal in humanity” as a foundational ethic for coexistence.
Referencing UNESCO data, the center noted that the cultural and creative industries employ over 48 million people worldwide—half of them women and two-thirds under 30. It concluded by urging global engagement with values of compassion and justice to foster sustainable peace through cultural dialogue.
