Diversity Welcome
The Diversity Welcome is a spoken opening ritual in which the facilitator welcomes, one after another, the many identities, backgrounds and states of mind that may be present in the room. It was published by Training for Change as a tool for creating inclusion at the start of a gathering. Participants hear themselves named before the work begins, and differences that usually stay unspoken are acknowledged as part of the group.
Facilitation script
- 1
Introduce the welcome in one or two sentences so people know what is coming.
1 min - 2
Speak the welcome, one dimension at a time, with pauses and eye contact.
6 min - 3
Invite additions from participants and welcome each one.
3 min - 4
Close with the acknowledgment of ancestors and land and a final welcome, then bridge to the agenda.
2 min
Tips
The welcome works through tone and pace, and a hurried list sounds like a compliance exercise.
Tailor the list to the actual group and context, and when naming a dimension name its range, including majority identities, so that nobody is singled out.
If a land acknowledgment is part of the closing, learn the specific history of the place beforehand instead of using a generic line.
Common pitfalls
Reading the list quickly from paper without looking up, so it lands as a formality and people disengage in the first minutes of the event
Naming only minority identities, which marks those people as the 'diverse' ones instead of showing that everyone has a place on each dimension
Using terms that are outdated or wrong for the local context, which tells the people concerned that the facilitator has not done the homework
Skipping the invitation to add what was missed, so anyone left out of the list has no way back in
Opening with this welcome and then running a session that ignores access needs, language or airtime, which makes the ritual ring hollow
Variations
The welcome can be long or short: a brief version with five or six dimensions suits a business setting, a full version suits a multi-day training. Two co-facilitators can alternate lines. Online, add dimensions that belong to the format, such as time zones, people with caring duties in the background, different levels of comfort with the technology and feelings about meeting on screen, and let participants add their own in the chat. Training for Change offers the tool in English and Spanish.
Where it fits
When to use it
A gathering brings together people from different communities, organisations or countries who do not yet know each other
The topic of the session touches identity, power or inclusion and you want to set the tone before content starts
Some participants are likely to arrive wondering whether they belong, for example newcomers in an established group
A multi-day training needs an opening that is more than logistics
An online meeting spans time zones and living situations that are invisible unless named
When not to use it
A small team that works together every day and meets for a routine session; a simple Check-in fits better
You have not been able to learn anything about who is in the room, since guessing at identities risks naming wrongly or leaving people out
The organisation would treat it as a box-ticking gesture with no inclusive practice behind it, which breeds cynicism
You as facilitator are not comfortable saying the words; a stiff or apologetic delivery does more harm than a plain welcome
Naming a characteristic could expose someone, for example in a very small group where only one person fits a named identity
Related methods
Frequently asked questions
What is Diversity Welcome?▾
The Diversity Welcome is an opening ritual published by Training for Change. The facilitator welcomes aloud the range of identities, backgrounds and feelings that may be present, one dimension at a time, and invites participants to add what was not named. Its purpose is to create inclusion before the work starts.
How long does a Diversity Welcome take?▾
The source gives no fixed time and notes that it can be long or short. In practice a short version takes about five minutes and a full version with additions from the group up to twenty.
Is the Diversity Welcome an icebreaker?▾
Not in the usual sense. Participants mostly listen, and the facilitator does the speaking. It sets a tone of inclusion and is often followed by an interactive check-in or introduction round.
Which identities should be named?▾
Choose the dimensions that are relevant to the group and context, and name a range within each instead of single categories. Typical dimensions are gender, ethnicity, language, class background, disability, sexual orientation, age, faith and how people are feeling on arrival. Always leave room for participants to add their own.
Does the Diversity Welcome work online?▾
Yes. Add what is specific to the format, such as time zones, caring responsibilities at home and comfort with the technology, and invite additions in the chat. Slow delivery matters even more on video, where a list is easy to tune out.
Plan your next workshop with AI
Workshop Weaver helps you combine methods like Diversity Welcome into a complete, timed agenda in minutes.
Try it freeMethod descriptions on Workshop Weaver are original content written by our team, based on established facilitation practices. This method was inspired by work from Training for Change.