Presented on the 3nd meeting of the multilateral school partnership Our TRESAURES in Zagreb (May, 2011) EFFECTIVE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION – We all know that communication is the foundation of our community life. Effective communication occurs only if we understand each other and is essential for both, our personal and professional life. However, our world and the society itself have transformed into globalized ones including economic, technological and socio-cultural changes causing the integration of national economies into the international one. Consequently, understanding people of different cultures, backgrounds and communication patterns has become our everyday reality thus emphasizing the importance of effective intercultural communication. In other words, developing and broadening our cultural awareness, promoting clearer communication, breaking down barriers, building trust, strengthening relationship, and achieving better results in terms of business success have become an essential part of our school. This way we broaden our knowledge about multiculturalism by developing intercultural competences thus stressing the importance of mutual respect and understanding.

1. Private Economics High School INOVA EFFECTIVE INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION Theme 3