After a week internationally where the worst aspects of the human condition have been on display the value of our interpersonal relationships and the need to nurture them have become more apparent than usual. Alone in this world without the possibility of understanding or relating to each other our existence would be empty and unfulfilled if it were not for the opportunity to bridge the differences between us all and reach a deeper understanding of both our own and others' place in the world.

While the modern political system is a dichotomy which naturally divides the populace things do not have to be this way. While division and unhappiness may suit the agendas of some who hold power the general wish of the majority is to find a place in the world where understanding and purpose meet and where they can live out their days with a sense of satisfaction and achievement. It could be that the relationships we nurture in a business world are just as important for the betterment of society as those we pursue for personal reasons. And is it not the case through history that the acts of giving and receiving have proven themselves to be a way in which to create lasting bonds of respect and understanding between people.

Governments and politicians are keen to promote the idea that they have an exclusive mandate on wisdom and future vision. It is through their efforts in visiting the equivalent heads of states of other countries and engaging in rigid formalities with them that relationships and understanding is developed between the populations of both countries. The reality, however, is that the important exchanges between people are more practically based and understanding and respect for each other comes from the everyday exchanges of good wishes and good manners which are important to every culture on the planet.

Handing our promotional merchandise as part of the process of relationship building is a recognised way to enhance connections between companies and people in different markets. Not only does the right promotional gift item say something about your company and the message you carry to the world, it offers a tangible reminder to all involved that a relationship has been struck and that an emotional exchange exists between two otherwise unassociated groups of people.

It's always been trade and commerce which were at the forefront of diplomacy between the peoples of the world. Traders seeking profit and novelty left their home shore long before the official parties who followed in their footsteps. When they arrived in new lands they greeted their new friends not with high-sounding platitudes or outlandish promises instead thy handed over small gifts and trinkets which are in fact the universally accepted gesture of those trying to make a good impression.

Think perhaps how the world could have been a different place if instead of taking up arms and killing armies were sent to foreign lands bearing gifts, equipped with machinery to improve the local infrastructure rather than destroy it and with the intention to leave with nothing but the knowledge that they had created goodwill and friendship. Think about how your company relates to those it meets and what advantages are inherent in the process of gifting compared with the politics of taking.