SIMI-UISG Webinar: Bridging Cultures: Understanding, Representing, and Communicating Across Cultures

On June 3, 2026, the Scalabrini International Migration Institute (SIMI) and the UISG International Network for Migrants and Refugees continued their joint training program which supports women religious accompanying migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, victims of human trafficking, itinerant people, and their families. The topic of this webinar was “Bridging Cultures: Understanding, Representing, and Communicating Across Cultures.” Veronica De Sanctis, the project, research and communications manager for SIMI, presented on this topic and explained how one can better understand cultural differences and become a better intercultural communicator. The webinar was held online and over 150 people registered for this event.

The presentation began with a broader framing of the importance of communication, especially within today’s highly integrated and interconnected world. Given this deep interconnectedness, collaboration and effective communication are essential to address global issues, such as welcoming and integrating migrants while respecting and promoting their rights, protecting the environment, and upholding international law. In order to communicate effectively, it is important to understand culture and the different cultural frameworks that impact how people communicate with others, and how they perceive and understand communications. 

The presentation then turned to focus on culture, defining it and describing some issues that can emerge in intercultural settings. These include biases, stereotypes, and misunderstandings of spoken or non-verbal communication, which occur because of ethnocentrism and different norms and styles surrounding communication. In contrast, when engaging in ethnorelativism, one interprets the actions and communications of others within the context of their culture, seeking to understand the intended meaning.

Within communication specifically, different styles of communication and interpretations of words can have a large impact on meaning. Language plays a large role in shaping how each of us views and thinks about the world around us. This also means that misunderstandings can often arise in intercultural settings, as different people interpret language in different ways, according to their own cultural framework and perceptions of meaning. Because of this, it is essential to take the time and effort to seek to understand others and engage in open dialogue to achieve mutual understanding.

In order to reach this place of mutual understanding, the webinar concluded by providing a set of tools and examples to overcome cultural bias and build bridges across cultural differences. This included examples of different styles of communications, and how the same message would be communicated in different cultural contexts to convey its meaning in a respectful and appropriate manner. All messages contain embedded cultural context and assumptions, so it is important to critically examine these assumptions and be aware of them when communicating in intercultural settings. These tools also focused on how to ensure that intercultural communication is inclusive of others in a dignifying and empowering way, one that does not lead to cultural appropriation or oversimplification. 

This webinar will be offered again in Italian and Spanish on Wednesday, June 10, and you can register here.

JD Sniegocki
Intern at SIMI