A blue and white Texas porcelain tray is nestled beautifully among other cherished gifts on the office coffee table of Madam Nie Meisheng. She is the former Chairwoman of the Chinese Real Estate Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, China. When I gifted this eye-catching, artfully scalloped ‘made-in-Texas, USA’ tray, I intended it to be a special item [...]
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay When looking to expand abroad or partner with a multinational firm, even the most successful business professionals get blindsided by unexpected cross-cultural differences. The reality is that certain business practices- including regulation, contract mediation, and decision making- vary widely according to the cultures in negotiation. Before you [...]
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Worldwide, as well as within the U.S., organizations are recognizing the importance of globally diverse teams for achieving success. Although its origins are unknown, Global Diversity Awareness Month is celebrated annually in October. It is an excellent time to learn about how a culturally diverse organization builds [...]
Image: silosandsmokestacks.org Many people are ready to venture out and explore the world again. A recent study at the Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin) in Germany has determined that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is far lower in museums and theaters than in supermarkets, restaurants, offices, or public transportation. Since today is Smithsonian Magazine [...]
Image by falco from Pixabay Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the most significant holiday in Judaism. It is a day when the Jewish people ask forgiveness for the wrongs they have committed over the past year. It is the holiest day of the year and is traditionally observed [...]
Plaza Espana Seville Spain: Image by David Mark from Pixabay From distinguished politicians driving social change to recognized STEM field innovators, Hispanics continue to make monumental contributions to the United States, as well as worldwide. With over 60 million U.S. American citizens of Latino or Hispanic heritage comprising 18 percent of the U.S. population, our country flourishes with [...]
Photo by thanhhoa tran from Pexels National Rice Month began in 1991 when President George H.W. Bush signed an official proclamation designating September as the month. The president and the United States Rice Federation created this month-long celebration to encourage the consumption of this tiny, mighty grain in our daily dining. Today, we celebrate the [...]
Image by Sharon Schweitzer - Hue, Vietnam Capturing the moment with a photograph in a new place, enjoying the sunrise, or the sunset on the coast, taking a photo can be an instinctive reaction for many people. Experts tell us almost every household in Western Europe and the U.S. owns a camera. Snapping [...]
Image: by Sharon Schweitzer at Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island, Hiroshima Japan Japan’s Obon (or Bon) Festival, also known as the Festival of Souls or Lantern Festival, begins August 13 and ends on August 16, 2021. This annual Buddhist three-day festival has been celebrated for over 500 years in Japan and is dedicated to honoring [...]
Image: Sharon Schweitzer Cape of Good Hope South Africa National Women's Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated annually on August 9th. On this day in 1956 approximately 20,000 women of all races marched to Pretoria’s Union Buildings to protest against the Urban Areas Act of 1950. The Urban Areas Act [...]
