Ethnocentrism

• Ethnocentrism is the act of using one's cultural norms to make assumptions and judgments about the cultures and customs of other people. This aspect of cultural prejudice may not be seen clearly in actions, as it may not result in an outright display of rejection or hostility toward another culture. However, it can distort your perception of another culture and can hinder your ability to communicate with others in different cultures. Ethnocentrism can be as overt as rejecting another cultural group or as subtle as placing greater importance on your own culture over that of others.
  
  

Xenophobia

• A xenophobe is defined by Merriam-Webster's dictionary as being someone who has a "fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign." Xenophobia is a form of cultural prejudice that can lead to hostility or even outright violence against people of another culture; sustaining that fear can be a barrier to peace and even a catalyst for war between cultures. According to Psychology Today, "We may not admit it, but we are all plagued with xenophobic tendencies," due to a fear of that which is unfamiliar to us.
  
  

Multiculturalism and Diversity

• The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy says that "mere toleration of group differences [falls] short of treating members of minority groups as equal citizens" and that "multiculturalism" shares "a commitment to revaluing disrespected identities and changing dominant patterns of representation and communication that marginalize certain group" including religion, language, ethnicity, nationality and race. The importance of multiculturalism is found in individual freedom, personal autonomy, the preservation of culture and human rights.
  
  

Tolerance

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had long worked to end discrimination in every area of life. Part of this work is to bring awareness to the concept of "tolerance" as a catalyst for peace. According to UNESCO, "Tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference. It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human. Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others. People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe."