Waterloo, Ontario, Friday, October 30, 2015

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What a pleasure to be back here on this wonderful campus for the official opening of this impressive new building.

How exciting to think of the study of languages and culture taking place here!

A grasp of languages and cultures is essential to success in our world today—a world of change and profound globalization.

I’ve been fortunate as governor general to take part in 43 international visits to different countries. And I can tell you that a literal world of opportunity exists for those who can engage with and understand cultures and languages.

This new building is all about global engagement, so let me talk a little about some of the benefits of international education and experience. I sometimes illustrate this with the example of my five daughters, who began their international study experiences at the age of 12.

Four wonderful things happened to them when they went abroad to learn.

First, their natural curiosity was stimulated. The question “Why?”—which we’re all born asking—was prompted by the exposure to new people, cultures and languages.

Second, their tolerance for diversity was broadened. Having no choice but to face the unfamiliar, they learned to appreciate and respect change and people who were different from them in custom and belief.

Third, their judgment was improved. They became aware of the limitations of their knowledge, and thus grew hesitant to jump to conclusions. They grew in wisdom.

And fourth, something very human: they became more empathetic. Not only were they better able to feel the pain of another’s discomfort, but they also learned to place themselves in another person’s shoes.

Now, I may indeed be demonstrating some bias here as a proud father, but I think all of you would agree that international experience and a global outlook can help people to develop these qualities of curiosity, tolerance, judgment and empathy.

And in the complex, diverse and globalized world we live in, these qualities can only help us to succeed.

This is not to mention the learning of languages, which are so critical to understanding and appreciating others.

I often speak of the benefits of practising “the diplomacy of knowledge,” by which I mean conducting our learning across international as well as disciplinary borders.

As Saint-Exupéry writes in Le Petit Prince, “I am different from you, but because I am different, I don’t diminish you; I enhance you.”

All of you who are working and studying here at Renison University College are engaging with others in this important sense.

This new building can be a beacon for global engagement through language and cultures. I am inspired to think of the learning that will continue to take place here.

Thank you all for enhancing this campus and our country. I wish you the very best.