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Chad: A workshop strengthens regional dialogue on indigenous knowledge systems and climate change adaptation
Post date: 
2022/10/17
Regional workshop on indigenous knowledge systems and climate change adaptation, October 2022, N'Djamena, Chad

ⓒ UNESCO

 

As part of the UNESCO’s approach to strengthen the cooperation or dialogue between indigenous peoples, scientists and policy makers, a regional workshop on indigenous knowledge systems and climate change adaptation was held from 8 to 9 October 2022 in N'Djamena, Chad.

 

In an interactive dynamic, work carried out by UNESCO and the Association des Femmes Peules et Peuples Autochtones du Tchad (AFPAT) has outlined the first elements necessary for the conduct of a process of development of a framework for the protection and preservation of traditional knowledge systems, within the framework of the free, informed and prior consent (FPIC) process. As Mrs. Hindou Oumarou IBRAHIM, Coordinator of AFPAT, noted in her opening remarks, addressing these indigenous women and men holders of traditional knowledge in several disciplines: "Even if you do not speak French and English, be aware that all the knowledge you have makes you doctors and has as much value as the greatest diplomas"

 

In addition, the workshop also provided an opportunity to present the results of a six-years community-based research undertaken within the framework of UNESCO project "Knowing our changing climate in Africa " and to define the modalities for setting up an innovative system for storing data on indigenous peoples and their knowledge.

 

Regional workshop on indigenous knowledge systems and climate change adaptation, October 2022, N'Djamena, Chad ⓒ UNESCO

 

Organized by UNESCO's Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS) Programme, in collaboration with AFPAT, this workshop, under the high patronage of the Minister of Livestock and Animal Production, His Excellency Abdelkerim AWAT ATTEIB, brought together 25 participants from indigenous communities, scientific and governmental institutions. Over the course of two days, these indigenous communities, traditional knowledge experts, scientific experts, lawyers and policy makers explored, in detail, the contours of the promotion, valorization and legal protection of traditional knowledge.

 

At the end of the workshop, eight key recommendations were addressed to UNESCO, AFPAT and the Government of the Republic of Chad, including the establishment of a mechanism for the legal protection of indigenous peoples and their traditional knowledge, the popularization of this knowledge and the establishment of databases on traditional knowledge.

 

In his closing speech, Mr. Abdelkerim AWAT ATTEIB highlighted the obvious scope of this workshop on the economy, education, the national adaptation plan, and the Socio-Cultural Dimension of Chad.

 

More information

 

URL:

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/chad-workshop-strengthens-regional-dialogue-indigenous-knowledge-systems-and-climate-change

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