国际英语新闻：Ban warns of dangers of losing cultural differences as world grows closer

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday cautioned against the erosion of diversity and rise of discrimination as the forces of globalization and technology bring disparate communities across the world closer together.

    The secretary-general made the statement in his message marking the International Day for Tolerance, observed annually on Nov. 16.

    In the message, Ban said that "Internet chatrooms and social networking sites enable us to connect with more people than we can hope to meet."

    "Global branding and the growth of international social and cultural movements expose us on a daily basis to the tastes, opinions and habits of our fellow men and women," said Ban.

    He said that there are more ways than ever to communicate and to benefit from cross-cultural exchanges. "And as we grow closer, there is also a danger that the human propensity to build walls will assert itself, separating people into 'us' and 'them.'"

    All too often these divisions lead to the victimization of some of the most vulnerable groups in society, defined along lines of nationality, ethnicity and religion among other markers that single out minorities, he said.

    "Tolerance does not mean indifference or a grudging acceptance of others," said Ban. "It is a way of life based on mutual understanding and respect for others, and on the belief that global diversity is to be embraced, not feared."

    On behalf of the "most vulnerable communities, and for all humanity, let us work together to promote tolerance," he said.

    In 1996, the UN General Assembly invited member states to observe the International Day for Tolerance on Nov. 16, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public. This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1993.

    The International Day for Tolerance can serve as an annual occasion for tolerance education as well as for wider social and political reflection and debate on local and global problems of intolerance. It is a moment to take stock of the progress made during the year and to propose fresh policies to close remaining gaps.