Why is it important to create opportunities for cultural exchange among nations?

 

The short answer is: to reveal secrets and to make community. Without the revelation of the human spirit that comes through metaphor, there is nothing to take us beyond the daily grind of our existence, to give it meaning. If one has the point of view that art is essential to life, it is important to find ways to share the artistic experience, to connect to others and to the world for mutually enriching results. There is a fundamental paradox in that the art of a particular culture is specific and distinctive, but, at its core, it demonstrates the universal within the framework of its individuality. This is what the global village should always contain – the exchange of a nation's very best cultural artifacts, to promote understanding and meaningful communication. This is why American plays should come to Ireland and Irish plays must be performed in the United States.