ABSTRACT
We live in a world that is characterised by events and other trading activities conducted and developed across national boundaries. The global marketplace is essential to the success of many international events and it is necessary to have an understanding of the various cultures, customs, and values of these highly individual societies the event engages with. The influence of these trading activities and cultural norms penetrates much deeper than just crossing borders, as travelling will include direct interactions with people from different cultural backgrounds. This movement across borders will bring with it stimuli that will have an impact on those who travel and those who are encountered along the way. Globalisation, as is discussed in Chapter 9, has increased the number of international events, meaning an increase in cultural engagement. These cultural stimuli will be different in many respects and the engagements are able to affect the people in the recipient area as well as those visiting.
Considering the influence some events have in their own community, when travelling away from the community or place of origin, new ideas with potentially significant consequences are conveyed (both positive and negative), on values, rituals, thoughts, and ways of life. Culture is the distinctive ideas, customs, social behaviour, or products of a particular nation, society, or people (OED, 2016). These different ways of life create a sense of belonging, and international events are capable of cultivating as well as corrupting them.
This chapter discusses the various complications an event will come across when crossing borders and experiencing different cultures. It discusses the ways in which cultures and borders can be plainly evident as well as remaining invisible. The chapter also discusses how important it is for the organisers to prepare well in advance to ensure the event and all its parts are successfully transported to and from one culture to another, as well as preparing for the changes the event and staff will have to adapt to when they are away from the customs of their usual habitat.
