On December 2, 2023 (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM local time) at the COP28 – United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, UAE Dr. Vera Kuklina from George Washington University (USA) organizes a panel discussion on the collaboration between Western academia and nomadic cultures to address the critical issues of climate change.
Nomadic cultures, known for their sustainable relationships with nature, have preserved biodiversity for centuries. However, the impact of climate change on Indigenous and remote communities with nomadic cultural heritage is disproportionately severe. Mongolia, home to the largest nomadic population, ranks eighth on the climate risk index. Arctic communities, acting as climate change sentinels, face rapid warming four times higher than the global average. While these communities are actively adapting and mitigating climate change, this session will explore how to inclusively involve them in academic endeavors.
Key Questions to be Addressed:
- Inclusive Knowledge Transfer: How can we ensure the inclusion of diverse forms of knowledge in research and education to pass it on to the next generations?
- Environmental Decision-Making: How can the convergence of different forms of knowledge be implemented for informed environmental decision-making and achieving broader sustainability goals?
- Co-Creating Science: How can we co-create science with respect to Indigenous sovereign data and Indigenous empowerment?
This discussion brings together stakeholders from various backgrounds to explore innovative solutions and collaborations for a more sustainable future. We invite academics, researchers, students, and anyone passionate about addressing climate change to participate in this crucial conversation.
- Introduction by Dr. V. Kuklina, Research Professor, the George Washington University
- Tackling Climate Impact and Biodiversity Conservation by Dr. Janchivlamdan Choikhand, Director, Climate Change Research and Cooperation Centre, under the MET
- Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform by Gideon Sanago (Maasai), SIRGE Coalition
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge Inclusion in Climate Action Plans by Vyacheslav Shadrin (Yukagir), Council of Yukagir Elders
- Western Academia and Nomadic cultures’ Collaborations with Indigenous Activists by Galina Angarova (Buryat), CEO, Cultural Survival
- NSF Initiatives to Support Knowledge Co-production (video presentation) by Jennifer Mercer, Head, Arctic Sciences Section, GEO-Directorate, National Science Foundation
The panel includes artistic reflections on the theme through Digital Artworks created by Indigenous artists within the Arts, Science, Local and Indigenous Knowledge (ArtSLInK) international transdisciplinary initiative:
1. Lusuud
by Aryuna Bulutova (Buryat-Mongolian) (in collaboration with Dissolving Earth)
New media artist Aryuna Bulutova turns to Indigenous practices and epistemologies in a quest to heal our relationship with the world beyond the human. Inspired by Lusuud, a Buryat Shamanic ritual, Bulutova’s video artwork interweaves ancestral knowledge with climate awareness.
More at: https://dissolving.earth/commissions/lusuud/
2. Edaxàdats’eetè (We save ourselves)
by Sadetło Scott (Tlicho) with support from Arctic Indigenous Film Fund
Edaxàdets’eetè is a 5-minute short documentary that explores the connection between climate action and Indigenous language revitalization. Produced during a climate crisis in her own community, Sadetło Scott combines dance and film as a love note to the land and the trees.
More at: www.aiff.no
3. Spruce Gum
by Casey Koyczan (Dene) @caseykoyczanart
Casey Koyczan is a Dene interdisciplinary artist from Yellowknife, NT, that uses various mediums to communicate how culture and technology can grow together in order for us to develop a better understanding of who we are, where we come from, and what we will be.
More at: www.caseykoyczan.com
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to contribute to the global dialogue on climate change and be part of the solution.
Let’s work together for a more sustainable and inclusive future!
