May 2025 - Cultural Awareness Day
- Hot Topics
- May 2
- 10 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
They say April showers bring May flowers, and this May feels like a good time for fresh perspectives. It is the fifth month of the year, coming right after the fourth—and fittingly, four divides neatly into two. That number will reappear throughout this month's Hot Topic, whether hidden in plain sight or openly referenced.
The first among many is the two bank holidays: the Early May Bank Holiday on the 5th and the Spring Bank Holiday on the 26th. Additionally, there are two cultural events worth discussing. First is Cultural Awareness Day on May 21, officially called the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.
This was first established by the United Nations in 2002, following the adoption of UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, a framework designed to promote and protect diverse traditions, foster dialogue, and celebrate how shared communication and education can lead to a broader understanding of the world.
Alongside this global observance is yet another, perhaps even peculiar, celebration that will have more profound relevance in a later passage.
In the spirit of exploring culture, we shall examine two prominent cultural figures this month. Both are iconic, both have sparked considerable debate, and both have been honoured with a French award recognising substantial contributions to arts and literature. Interestingly, each also shares a unique connection to May, and each has ties to the unknown, as it were.
Why is cultural awareness relevant?
Before we get into who they are, it's worth pausing to ask: why does cultural awareness matter? The world does not stay the same for long; ideas shift, ethics are questioned, values evolve, and trends come and go. Being attuned to different cultures helps us see beyond our own perspective, hear new rhythms, and gain a deeper understanding of the forces that shape the world around us. Whether we notice it or not, change is always in the air.
There are numerous tales as old as time that resonate with wisdom and expression. Whether whispered legends, paintings, ballads, written stories, or symbols, they have always found a way to survive and resonate. Culture, after all, persists, adapting to every new era. Some of these old echoes still inspire and provoke questions today, proving that the past is not just history; it is a living canvas for debate, curiosity, and growth. It holds space for the unknown, the contested, the questionable, and the ever-evolving, allowing memories to become more than just memories.
Take artificial intelligence, for instance. Think of everything, from the mind-blowing to the mundane, that has led up to this current chapter: the existential idea of what it means to be alive, the ones and zeros, the motivations. Now, can any of these ideas be put to names?
The Tales
The Mechanisms and Enlightenment
The Code
The key takeaway is that AI is the latest iteration of an old concept. Knowing about the past and present allows us to make better choices about its future, and ask tricky questions such as whether or not it is morally acceptable to perform the taboo dark arts of digital necromancy to reanimate deceased individuals for various purposes.
Now, onto the dynamic and decisive cultural forces teased earlier. Each has their own methods to convey their stories: one armed with a guitar, the other wielding a pen. Stay with me as we tell the story of two personas named Robert.
A tale of Two... Roberts?
The final verse. The crescendo. The way to bring this Hot Topic back home. All that buildup… for two people named Robert. Surprised?
Do not be deceived, for these are not just any unfamiliar Roberts but the tale of two more hidden identities who have moulded and adapted to culture in their own ways. Names often have their cultural origins or inspirations. Some also offer something birth names may not: distance, protection, and reinvention.
From Zimmerman to Dylan: The Birth of a Cultural Icon
Birth Name: | Robert Allen Zimmerman |
|---|---|
Date of Birth: | May 24th, 1941 |
Place of Birth: | Duluth, Minnesota, USA |
Breakthrough Moments: | His first two albums: Bob Dylan and The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan |
French Accolade: (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) | Received the highest grade of Commander in 1990 |
Interesting Fact: | Dylan refused to attend the Nobel Prize ceremony in person in 2016 |
Cultural Contribution: | Voice of the 1960s counterculture and a Nobel Laureate in Literature |
Robert Allen Zimmerman, later known as Bob Dylan, emerged from the heartland of America. Raised in a Jewish household in Minnesota, young Robert was captivated by the raw, storytelling power of folk and blues legends like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
In 1962, after moving to New York City, he adopted the name Bob Dylan, shedding his given name and fully embracing a new identity, as his father witnessed. That same year, he released his debut album. Although it was mostly filled with covers, the album gave listeners a glimpse into the poetic force and cultural criticism Dylan offered.
Dylan's significance extends far beyond music, though. He became the voice of civil rights, anti-war protests, and social unrest in the 1960s, writing and performing topical songs including:
When the Ship Comes In
Blowin' in the Wind
Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Only a Pawn in Their Game
The last of which addressed the assassination of Medgar Evers, a Black civil rights activist. Dylan argues that the assassin was not the only one to blame; instead, they are used as a pawn for powerful interests to uphold discord through racism and division.
Despite this, Dylan was no stranger to living by the words he wrote and sang about. He experimented with more electric instruments as he embraced the acoustic folk movement. So much so that his performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, which featured an electric guitar and band, shocked his folk audience.
Many of the more traditional folk listeners viewed this electric set (at a folk festival, no less) as a move away from the more politically charged lyrics and genuine artistry behind his songs, essentially thinking that he had compromised his integrity to the folk revival movement to become yet another rock star.
On the other hand, some fans seized on this sudden shift in tone, recognising that Dylan had always been a man reluctant to follow the crowd and be perceived solely as a folk-protest songwriter. Instead, his blend of folk, country, and rock differentiated him from the crowd.
Aside from this festival, he has also had many other moments of controversy:
In 1978, following a show in San Diego, an audience member threw a small silver cross onto the stage. While he is used to the usual thrown objects, this unexpected gesture led to his sudden conversion to Christianity and the release of several gospel-inspired albums.
He constantly denies being a hero or belonging to any specific works, preferring to make vague statements and humorous quips that some say are part of his personality and mystique.
In 2016, he became the first songwriter to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, but received the most criticism for taking two weeks to acknowledge the award.
He did not attend the official Nobel ceremony because of "pre-existing commitments." In his absence, Patti Smith (fellow songwriter and poet) performed in his honour but faltered midway through a performance of A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall.
While attendance at the ceremony was not required, all recipients must deliver a Nobel Lecture to formally accept the prize before a certain deadline. Staying true to his unpredictable nature, he submitted a recorded lecture just five days before the deadline. Later, the lecture faced backlash and increased criticism for alleged plagiarism to a popular revision website used by school students.
From Galvaraoth to Rowling: Murder, Magic and May 2nd
Birth Name: | Joanne Rowling |
|---|---|
Date of Birth: | July 31th, 1965 |
Place of Birth: | Yate, Gloucestershire, England |
Breakthrough Moments: | Published two fictional series of books under two pen names: The Harry Potter series (Fantasy by J.K. Rowling, published in 1997) The Cormoran Strike series (Crime under Robert Galbraith, published 2013) |
French Accolade:(Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) | Received the lowest grade of Knight in 2009 |
Interesting Fact: | Rowling's secret identity was revealed when a partner at a law firm disclosed the information to his wife's best friend. |
Cultural Contribution: | Reignited youth literature, inspired a global reading movement and created one of the most beloved fictional universes - all because of a late train |
Cast your mind back to the very introduction of this month's Hot Topic, for May 2 also marked the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. Although this is not an official holiday, this day is one of the biggest for fans of the Harry Potter series, as it marks the most climactic moment in J.K. Rowling's beloved series about a boy who lived under some stairs.
Growing up in a small village, J.K. Rowling had an affinity for reading—an affinity so strong that she began writing her own stories at the age of six. After studying French and Classics at the University of Exeter in 1986, she began working in London, jotting down her ideas on napkins and scraps of paper that would later form the early chapters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (also titled Sorcerer's Stone in the US).
It took her twelve different publishers and encouragement from her daughter to not give up before she found one willing to take a chance on her completed manuscript. Under their guidance, Rowling adopted a gender-neutral pen name and added another letter to pay tribute to her grandmother (K for Kathleen) to enhance the book's marketability to appeal to younger boys.
However, it achieved much more once it reached teachers and librarians, who recognised its core themes addressing profound, real-world issues beneath the clever worldbuilding. It soon garnered critical acclaim worldwide and inspired a successful film franchise.
She did not stop there, though. Under the brand new guise of Robert Galbraith, she launched a gritty detective series called Cormoran Strike, inspired by Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers. The series follows Cormoran Strike, a war veteran turned private detective, and his resourceful assistant and eventual business partner, Robin Ellacott, as they solve complex crimes across the UK.
Rather than ride off the high expectations she had built over time, her motivation was to return to the roots of what she adored and do it in secret. The name and background of the "author" painted them as a military man working in security, excusing her from revealing her cover in public or through pictures. Until it accidentally leaked in 2013 because a solicitor happened to tell his wife's friend, who then published it on social media, who then caught the interest of a very determined journalist.
Even when the disguise (or polyjuice potion) wore off, she still published the other books under that pen name to keep the genres apart. The second reason was that she had fun pulling off a trick that also had other crime authors fooled.
Rowling is also no stranger to controversy:
Her social media activity and public comments, especially regarding gender identity and free speech, have drawn sharp criticism and intense debate, dividing fans and sparking wider cultural conversations, even when not explicitly involved.
Following the enactment of Scotland's Hate Crime and Public Order Act in April 2024, she deliberately misgendered several trans women on social media and challenged authorities to arrest her.
Recently, following the Supreme Court's ruling that defined a woman based on "biological sex" and excluded transgender women from protections against discrimination, Rowling made several social media posts in which se referred to the ruling as "TERF VE Day" and concluded a thread with a photo of herself drinking and smoking a cigar.
Discussion points for Tolerance, Mutual Respect, Diversity and Literature
How can we balance respect for cultural traditions with the need for progress and change in literature?
Do authors need to portray cultural diversity and challenge stereotypes in their work?
How can reading or listening to literature from different cultures help break down prejudices and encourage mutual respect?
How do historical events and cultural narratives shape tolerance and diversity today?
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