Source: James Cook University
An international academic forum beginning in Cairns on Sunday is seeking answers on how people can avoid harm from natural disasters and climate change by among other things using indigenous knowledge.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is organising an Experts Meeting on "Indigenous Knowledge and Changing Environments: Biological and cultural diversities in transition" from Sunday, August 19, until Thursday, August 23.
James Cook University's Cairns-based Australian Tropical Forest Institute (ATFI) and the University's Department of Anthropology, Archaeology and Sociology are co-hosting the event with funding support from The Christensen Fund and the Australian National Commission for UNESCO.
ATFI's Professor Steve Turton said the conference would discuss the threats that indigenous communities face from environmental changes such as global warming and habitat loss.
"Climate change is now considered a major threat to indigenous communities, and includes impacts associated with rising sea levels, more severe weather events and loss of cultural and biological diversity," Professor Turton said.
"And the UNESCO experts groups will develop practical, community-based solutions to deal with these threats."
Professor Kenneth Wiltshire AO, the past chair of the Australian National Commission for UNESCO, and Australian representative on the UNESCO Executive Board, said the conference would offer academics the chance to study the knowledge that indigenous people have of their environments.
"The major challenges facing today?s world can only be addressed by developing greater intercultural understanding.
"This is true of all cultures but finds special meaning given the long overdue but welcome recognition of the rich tapestry of indigenous knowledge and understanding," Professor Wiltshire said.
He said UNESCO's LINKS program was at the cutting edge of the endeavour to capture and harness the synergy between indigenous and western knowledge.
"This meeting will lay the foundations for a significant contribution to global peace and human development."
Professor Wiltshire said the conference was an event not to be missed for those concerned about climate change and indigenous culture.
"This is an exciting and timely conference that will provide a great opportunity to be informed about the knowledge systems indigenous cultures possess in dealing with the environment."
The UNESCO International Experts meeting will be held at the Rydges Tradewinds hotel in Cairns August 19-23
Members of the public are invited to attend a public forum at the conference from 6.30 pm on August 23 at the Rydges Tradewinds hotel.
Contact:
Professor Steve Turton 07 4042 1292
Birgit Kuehn 07 4042 1288
JCU Media Liaison Jim O'Brien 4781 4822 or 0418892449