Dialogue Workshop on Knowledge for the 21st Century:
Indigenous knowledge, Traditional knowledge, Science and
connecting diverse knowledge systems
Usdub, Guna Yala, Panama, 10 – 13 April 2012
Conveners:
The Resilience and Development Programme
(SwedBio) at Stockholm Resilience Centre
NAPTEK at the Swedish Biodiversity Centre and
International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity
Local host:
Fundación para la Promoción del Conocimiento
Indígena, Panama
Donors was Sida, IUCN, The Ministry of
Environment Finland
Participants: Scientists, Governments, Indigenous
peoples and local community representatives,
international organization, NGOs
Aims
•
To contribute to strengthened exchange and cross-fertilization between
knowledge systems concerning ecosystems and human-nature relationships in an
equal, legitimate, and transparent way.
•
To outline the context of connecting diverse knowledge systems, including
indigenous knowledge, traditional knowledge, local knowledge and experiential
knowledge as well as scientific knowledge with the final aim of contributing to
ecosystem governance for a sustainable future
•
This includes exchange of views on:
– ideas and perspectives from science, policy, NGOs, and Indigenous Peoples and
local communities to map and discuss the state of the art and challenges
ahead related to connecting diverse knowledge systems.
– relevant definitions
– mechanisms for exchange including participatory approaches in knowledge
generation, ecosystem assessment and science-policy processes
•
To contribute to novel approaches for inclusion of diverse knowledge systems
into knowledge generation, ecosystem assessments and capacity building in
knowledge related processes such as in the IPBES.
Issues Discussed
• Biological and Cultural Diversity and Diverse Knowledge
Systems – What is it? – for understanding and respecting
diversity of knowledge systems
• Experiences of exchange between knowledge systems
regarding ecosystem assessment, management, ecosystem
functions, and ecosystem services – for insights of successful
cases
• Experiences of knowledge validation from diverse
knowledge systems and barriers and bridges for adaptation
and exchange - for understanding of potentials and
limitations
• Documenting, storing, sharing, and controlling access
to and benefits from knowledge and information
from different knowledge systems, including access to
and benefits from scientific knowledge by Indigenous
Peoples and Local communities – to understand
options, advantages and limitations
• Promoting Diversity of Knowledge as an Underlying
Principle and Cross- cutting approach in ecosystem
assessments and the work of Intergovernmental
Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services (IPBES) - to find positive synergies
It was acknowledged that indigenous,
traditional, local and scientific knowledge
systems are different manifestations of valid and
useful knowledge systems which can contribute
to the sustainable management of ecosystems
Some reflections
• Some underlying principles were discussed in relation to
exchanges between diverse knowledge systems including:
Respect of diverse knowledge systems, Trust, Reciprocity- and equal
sharing, Complementarities of knowledge systems, the interrelations between biological and cultural diversity
• Reflections for IPBES:
- Full and effective participation of knowledge holders, not just as
stakeholders, cross-cutting at all levels and functions, in
assessments, knowledge generation, capacity building, policy
support tools and methodologies
- Intercultural dialogue is needed
- CBD Tkarihwaié:ri code of ethical conduct as well as Akwé: kon
Guidelines for impact assessment and lessons from the Nagoya
protocol is useful.
- Funding for knowledge holders participation is needed.
• Side event:
Tuesday 1.15 to 2.45 at Sheraton Hotel
Lunch will be served
• UNEP/IPBES.MI/2/INF/9
Knowledge for the twenty-first century: indigenous
knowledge,traditional knowledge, science and connecting diverse
knowledge systems
• IPBES and traditional and local knowledge
An initial assessment of relevant sections in IPBES background
documents
• Web
Dialogueseminars.net
IIFB.Indigenousportal.com