“One Size (Does Not) Fit All”: The Importance of Cultural Values and Multilingual Realities in International Crisis Communication.

As crises become increasingly global, effective crisis communication must account for diverse cultural values and multilingual realities. This paper examines how these factors influence the effectiveness, reach, and understanding of international crisis communication strategies. Findings highlight that dominant theories like the Situational Crisis Communication Theory and Image Restoration Theory often neglect cultural nuances, resulting in communication failures across different societies. Moreover, the lack of multilingual communication exacerbates vulnerabilities among minority-language speakers during crises. On the other side, the paper argues for the integration of cultural awareness and multilingual strategies into crisis communication practices to enhance audience engagement and response. Recommendations include culturally tailored messaging, long-term cultural training for crisis responders, and the use of multilingual media strategies supported by translation technologies.