The purpose of the Center for Cultural Awareness, Religious Sensitivity and Social Development is to promote an understanding of the importance of culture and religion in society as well as that of social development and the interrelationship among these three sets of factors.

Many societies are multicultural in nature and the world itself is a vast multicultural melting pot; there are frequent misconceptions about cultures, particularly those that may not be well known. Awareness in this context is to make a particular effort to understand and accommodate different cultures.

Religion is central to the lives of most peoples; religion is a source of societal norms and of the higher principles governing human behavior per se and in relation to the others; religion is also a source of inspiration and/or consolation. Religion strives to bring out the best in people; however, religion can also be misused and be a source of division, friction and at times outright conflict. Here again, the importance of understanding and accommodation cannot be under estimated. Social development of all members of society (of all societies when seen in the context of the world at large) is the most important goal of human endeavors; social development efforts vary depending upon a particular context but always aim at bringing about improvement to the lives of the members of a particular society. Religion plays an important role in fostering social development.

The critical vision is that of an effort of 'inclusion' so that cultures are included in national societies and the international community.

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