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Video of the conference on 15 May 2024 – Dialogue between ancestral knowledge and scientific knowledge

On Wednesday 15 May 2024, the Espace Landowski in Boulogne-Billancourt came alive with an exceptional encounter between the ancestral knowledge of the Kogi people and scientific understanding. Organised by the Tchendukua – Ici et Ailleurs association and the town of Boulogne-Billancourt, this conference brought together a large number of people with a keen interest in preserving our planet.
In October 2023, the Tchendukua – Ici et Ailleurs association brought together five representatives of the Kogi indigenous people and around fifty European scientists and experts. Together, we carried out an assessment of the health of vulnerable areas, mainly located in the Rhône catchment area. This conference provided an opportunity to share the initial findings and outlook for this cross-disciplinary assessment of territorial health, known as Shikwakala.

Several specialists shared their thoughts on the insights and guiding principles we can draw from Kogi knowledge to heal the Earth together. Claire Laurant (anthropologist and ethnobotanist), Gilles Mulhauser (biologist and ecologist), Isabelle Houot and Maël Loquais (educational scientists), Jérôme Gaillardet (geochemist), Nathalie Michel (physicist) and Gilles Montavon (radiochemist) provided valuable insights into this fundamental issue.

Through these discussions, we were able to celebrate the richness of cultural diversity and the need for interdisciplinary dialogue to tackle the environmental challenges we face. A message of hope resonated throughout the evening, encouraging every citizen to commit to a more sustainable future.

Thank you to all the members and partners who made this event possible: UNESCO, the Île-de-France Region, Boulogne-Billancourt, the Maison de la Planète, the Hauts-de-Seine Department and the Une Goutte d’Eau pour Notre Planète Foundation. Thank you also to Michael Lez (EZEL Video Prod) and his team for the video and editing.

This conference marks an important milestone in our dialogue with the indigenous peoples of the Sierra. We hope it will inspire new initiatives and collaborations for a future that is more respectful of the environment and promotes intercultural exchange.

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