Going Gaga

By virtue of attending the first of the series in Edinburgh some years ago, I'm on a mailing list for the British Council's "Going Global" conference series. I may not be for much longer. The latest communication warms us up for the next such event, to be held in the Dubai World Trade Centre, with a theme relating to knowledge-based economies. So why is this worth blogging? The answer is that the newsletter included the following gem:

Remember that this message comes from the British Council, our official cultural relations organisation. What's wrong with it? What's right with it?

1. In all my years of living and dealing with the Arab/Islamic world, I never heard anybody say "Happy Ramadan". Ramadan is supposed to be a month of fasting, self-denial, prayer, cleansing. It is the holy month of Ramadan. OK we know that it is also in reality a period with a lot of midnight feasting, but that is, as it were, by the by. You just don't say "Happy Ramadan".

2. Ramadan did NOT begin on 20th July across the world. In fact the date of the start of Ramadan was (not for the first time) bitterly contested. In the most populous Moslem country in the world - Indonesia - Ramadan began on July 21st.

3. And what is this nonsense about wishing "everybody across our regions" a happy Ramadan? Everybody? Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Mormons (as we may have to get used to saying)? Are all to have a Happy Ramadan? And what, for heaven's sake, are "OUR" regions? Jeez.

And you know, don't you, that the people who write this stuff can't - despite their majority cultural heritage - bring themselves to say Happy Christmas or Happy Easter. Or even Happy Lent.

OMG.

 

Comments

[Jane]

Well spotted and blogged, David. This organisation wants to be everything to everyone, doesn't it? Not the top of my list of cultural relations experts!

Meanwhile, let's drink to a happy something or other... the dissolution of the British Council would be a good start!

[neil robertson]

It is of course quite ridiculous that British Council enjoys 'charity' status whereas Creative Scotland doesn't .... that anomly becomes even more stark now that British Council Scotland has moved into the 4th floor of Waverley Gate which also houses Scotland's international arts & cultural promotion organisation

IMPORTANT NOTICE

British Council Scotland is moving this weekend (21-22 July) to its new premises at Waverley Gate in Edinburgh. Staff will be contactable by email and phone as normal (our numbers and email addresses remain unchanged), but there may be difficulties with IT provision for the coming weeks. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience should this be the case.

[neil robertson]

I wonder if the creeps from British Council will avert their eyes if they end up having to share an elevator moment with Creative Scotland's Vena Dhupa - who they fired .... :) http://dblackie.blogs.com/the_language_business/2008/04/final-funk-for.html

[Henry]

Nothing wrong with having absolute respect for all other cultures, but this is no more than the reduction of 'religion' to soap bubbles - around which these BC people gather, clap hands and make squealing noises, without anything more than wafer-thin empathy with those they claim to embrace on the UK's behalf.

[Cloe]

I completely agree on the ignorance of these British Council idiots. When asked why a teacher decided to show a kissing scene to a class full of Arab Muslim students, her incredibly stupid retort was, they're adult enough to handle it. That's cultural sensitivity for you.