Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research (SIETAR) is the world’s largest interdisciplinary network for people working in the intercultural field. Its main purpose is to encourage the development and application of values, knowledge and skills that promote and reinforce beneficial and long-lasting intercultural relations at the individual, group, organization, and community levels.
It started out in the USA in 1974, then became an international NGO. But in 1999, they decided to do away with the international organizational structure and re-create themselves as a global network of regional, national, and local societies. This, in my opinion, was an important move in order for them to pursue their purpose. This new structure helps them extend their reach within the boundaries of their communities and cultures, and at the same time would limit a single culture or region from dominating their organization. One downside would be a lack of a powerful centralized structure that would make execution more efficient and timely. Also, since it is now a network of local chapters rather than an international organization, there is certainly a limit to what they can achieve as an international body. Perhaps that’s exactly the point – not to achieve things on their own but to facilitate and process it together as a network.
Simply put, SIETAR is the United Nations of intercultural professionals and practitioners, and I am privileged to be a member. There will be a global conference in October 2008 in the historic city of Granada, Spain. What a fabulous choice for their first global conference! You can check out this conference at www.sietarglobal2008.org.
