This article draws a comparison between the modern global guidelines intended to promote “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” according to current Western liberal notions and the traditional principles of respect for the customs and rules of other societies usually practised by traders across Eurasia during past centuries. The author presented these observations at the Tashkent International Forum of Central Asia in May 2024. He concludes that the best way to create peace and mutual understanding between peoples and nations is not to try to change or erase local identities.
