International Society of Ethnobiology Congress 2024: Biodiversity and Cultural Landscapes

The 18th International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) Congress took place from 15th to 19th May 2024 at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, Morocco, gathering almost 400 academics, activists, practitioners, and visionaries from over 70 countries to explore the theme of “Biodiversity and Cultural Landscapes: Scientific, Indigenous, and Local Perspectives.” 

The congress was co-organised with the International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE), Cadi Ayyad University (CAU, Morocco), the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) at Universität Bern (Switzerland), the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD, France), and the Moroccan Biodiversity and Livelihoods Association (MBLA, Morocco). Local partners, such as LE 18, Dar Bellarj Foundation, Les étoiles de Jemaa El Fna, and Um Mami – Melting Pot, also played a vital role in the event’s success.

About the ISE Congress 2024

The ISE, founded in 1988, is a global network focused on preserving the links between human societies and the natural world. It provides a unique platform for participants to share research and initiatives from diverse disciplines related to human-nature relationships. Set against the backdrop of the High Atlas Mountains, the 18th edition of the congress invited participants to delve into the deep connection between biodiversity and cultural landscapes.

Key Congress Themes

The congress explored five major themes:

  1. Landscape Stewardship: Focused on management, preservation, and Indigenous-led conservation.
  2. Agriculture, Nutrition, Health, and Well-being: Examined food sovereignty, biocultural landscapes, and alternative health systems.
  3. Decolonial, Inter-, and Transdisciplinary Approaches in Ethnobiology: Engaged with community-led action, decolonial research, and transformative learning.
  4. Global Change: Analysed the effects of migration, urbanisation, and climate change on landscapes and people.
  5. Spirituality, Art, and Cultural Identities: Celebrated Indigenous cultures and their connections to landscapes.

Keynote Speakers

The ISE Congress 2024 featured five distinguished keynote speakers:

Programme Highlights

Over 5 days, attendees participated in 56 sessions, including panels, roundtables, workshops and poster presentations. The congress embraced an unconference format, encouraging interactive dialogue and collaborative learning. Two field trips were also organised to Oukaimeden and Sidi Bou Othmane, offering participants the chance to explore Morocco’s rich biocultural diversity.

Committees and teams 

  • Honorary Committee: Blaïd Bougadir (CAU President), El Hassan EL Mouden (Dean of the Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, CAU) 
  • Congress Chairs: Mohamed Cherkaoui (CAU) and Sarah-Lan Mathez-Stiefel (ISE, CDE).
  • Overall Coordination: Francesca Masoero (GDF, lead), Youssef Rochdane (GDF), Emily Caruso (GDF), Lorén Elhili (GDF), Rachid Ait Babahmad (MBLA). 
  • Scientific, Indigenous and Local Committee: Ugo D’Ambrosio (GDF, lead), Mohamed Cherkaoui (CAU), Sarah-Lan Mathez-Stiefel (ISE, CDE), Bronwen Powell (ISE), Govind Singh Rajwar (ISE), Nessie Reid (GDF), Abdellah Aghraz (MBLA), Soufiane M’Sou (MBLA), Irene Teixidor-Toneu (IRD), Julien Blanco (IRD). 
  • Communications: Simran Rawat (GDF, lead), Jelena Brezjanovic (ISE), Khalla Tarik (UCA), Ibtissam Bouseta (MBLA), Aude Mathieu (IRD), Gaby Allheilig (CDE). 
  • Indigenous and Local Knowledge Forum: Abderrahim Ouarghidi (lead), Juarez Pezzuti (ISE), Verna Miller (Pepeyla; Nlakapamux First Nation), Sarah-Lan Mathez (ISE), Ugo D’Ambrosio (GDF), Francesca Masoero (GDF). 
  • Emerging Ethnobiologists Pre-Congress Workshop: Janelle Baker (ISE, lead), Abdullah (ISE), Nicholaas Pinas (ISE).

 

Indigenous, Local and Community Knowledge Forum 

A central aspect of the congress was the Indigenous, Local, and Community Knowledge Forum, which invited traditional knowledge holders to lead discussions on topics such as biocultural diversity, food sovereignty, and pastoralism in a changing world. At the 18th Congress, the forum opened with an introduction and a musical performance by an Amazigh Indigenous singer.

Participants then divided into three discussion circles: 

  • Circle I: explored the relationships between traditional medicine and biomedicine. 
  • Circle II: covered the role of Indigenous Community Conservation Areas (ICCA) in promoting biocultural diversity and advocacy. 
  • Circle III: engaged in discussions on enhancing collaboration in biodiversity and natural resource monitoring. 
  • Circle IV: focused on the challenges faced by pastoralism amidst social, economic, and environmental change. 
  • Circle V: examined the impact of climate change on food sovereignty. 
  • Circle VI: engaged in conversations on organising around biocultural landscapes and the challenges of cooperative efforts.

 

Special Events and Field Trips

Remembering the Nakba: Film Screening Night 

This commemorative event, co-curated by QANAT, Harvest Festival (GDF), LE 18, and Dar Bellarj, featured a screening of the documentary film “Palestine Blues” by Nida Sinnokrot, held on the anniversary of the Nakba.

 

Collective Dinner Gathering and Party on Friday, 17th May

The Collective Dinner Gathering at DaDa, a multipurpose venue in Jemaa El Fna square, welcomed nearly 200 delegates. The evening featured:

  • A buffet dinner showcasing contemporary interpretations of traditional Moroccan cuisine on the rooftop terrace overlooking Jemaa El Fna.
  • Cultural Activities:
    • Installation of short video artworks.
    • Performance by Saad Elbaraka and Mokhtar Hsina of Studio Noujoum Gironde as part of the Sma W Lma project.
    • DJ set by DJ Guedra Guedra.
  • Harvest Festival Parallel Programme

A series of cultural events were organised by the Harvest Festival (led by GDF) throughout the Congress. For extensive descriptions, (see here).

Parallel Activities at the Biocultural Forum Space

At the heart of the Congress venue, the Biocultural Forum served as a dynamic, multi-purpose space for diverse activities running alongside the main sessions. It featured collaborative art installations, poster sessions, ethnobotany breaks, seed exchanges and resource-sharing libraries. The space also included areas for relaxation and child-friendly zones, offering participants a place to connect and recharge.

For the 18th Congress, two participatory artworks were introduced:

  • Tarraingt / Green Rope Project by William Bock: Participants crafted an Irish Sugán rope from local wild plants, fostering cross-cultural connections through this collaborative and hands-on process.
  • The Patchwork of Belonging by Nessie Reid: This mobile artwork invited stories and songs, exploring how we find belonging and connection to land, place, and food through practices like seed saving and agroecological farming.

Sessions and contributors, including Indigenous and Local Knowledge Forum 

Detailed Daily Overview: See here. 

Session Descriptions See here.

 

Participants, Abstracts and Topics

The Congress attracted 377 attendees, supported by over 30 volunteers who assisted in the preparation, execution, and finalisation of the event. Participants represented 69 nationalities across 64 countries. Including the 76 countries involved in research and practice based on submitted abstracts, a total of 95 countries were represented at the Congress.

The event featured 56 distinct sessions, encompassing 230 contributions, 171 in sessions and 59 in posters. You can find the book of abstracts available for download (here).

 

Departing Words

The ISE Congress served as an effective platform for sharing recent research and projects while cross-pollinating ideas in ethnobiology and related disciplines. It facilitated valuable networking among practitioners and academics from diverse backgrounds and geographies across 5 continents.

The participants’ time in Morocco also provided opportunities to explore the biocultural diversity and richness of the host country, fostering the potential for collaborative research and action among attendees. We hope this meeting encouraged innovative and interactive exchanges, delving into biodiversity and cultural landscapes as conceptualised and contested by decolonial, indigenous, and local practitioners and scholars.

Photo Folders

  • Day 1 – 15 May: Photos here
  • Day 2 – 16 May: Photos here
  • Day 3 – 17 May: Photos here
  • Day 4 – 18 May: Photos here and here
  • Day 5 – 19 May: Photos here