Background to
the
International Symposium on Indigenous Knowledge and
Sustainable Development
In recent years, academics and
development practitioners have shown growing interest in the
relevance of indigenous knowledge to sustainable development.
The International Symposium on Indigenous Knowledge and
Sustainable Development provided a forum where people working
in the field of indigenous knowledge and development could
meet and exchange views, information and ideas. The symposium
also offered a unique opportunity for members of the
international IK network to meet.
Aspects of
indigenous
knowledge
During the symposium it became
obvious again that indigenous knowledge covers a broad area
dealing with all facets of human life and management of the
natural environment. The conceptual framework of indigenous
knowledge requires analysis at various levels. Sustainable
development requires the application of indigenous knowledge.
The symposium discussed three ways of doing this.
Abstracts of
papers
At the symposium 36 papers were
presented, expressing the wide range of subjects covered by
indigenous knowledge. The abstracts of a selection of 25
papers are presented below. Most of the papers can be obtained
from the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction
(IIRR) in Silang, Cavite, The Philippines.
Recommendations and
Action Plan
The recommendations and plan of
action are a source of inspiration for those, both in
South and North, who are interested in the potential role of
indigenous knowledge in development. The recommendations
provide good insight into the problems associated with
providing information on indigenous knowledge. The plan of
action indicates the first steps to be taken, given the goals
and the rules of the game of international networking. An
evaluation of the five years following Silang would be
interesting.
Agenda and list of
participants
The agenda included general discussions on IK and sustainable
development,
sessions devoted to specific topics, and group and plenary
discussions to formulate recommendations, formalize and
strengthen
the IK network, and work out an action plan.
The list of
participants in the Symposium is also included in this
section.