> > Subject: 7th Congress of the International Society of Ethnobiology
>
> > The Department of Anthropology is hosting a major international
> Congress at the Georgia Center from October 23rd through October 27th:
> the 7th Congress of the International Society of Ethnobiology. The
> Congress will focus on a diversity of issues related to ethnobiology,
> such as a natural resource use environmental education, public health,
> intellectual property rights and benefits sharing. Several hundred
> delegates from dozens of countries will attend this Congress and we are
> working very hard to help resource-poor, developing country
> representatives attend. To that end, we are spreading the word
> throughout the University and Athens community, asking that individuals
> interested in sharing their home with an international visitor for the
> week of October 23rd - 27th please contact us. This is a wonderful
> opportunity to demonstrate the warmth of Athens hospitality and learn
> more about cultures from around the world. Please contact David Cozzo in
> the department of Anthropology if you are interested. His e-mail is
>dcozzo who-is-at arches.uga.edu. If you are interested in attending the Congress,
>please see the ISE web page at http://guallart.dac.uga.edu/ise for
>detailed information, including program and registration.
>please see letter below for Congress and ISE background information:
> >
> > Dear UGA Colleagues,
>
> > It is with great pleasure that we invite you to participate in the 7th
> > Congress of the International Society of Ethnobiology. Hosted by the
> > department of Anthropology, the Congress will take place to at the
> Georgia Center from October 23rd through 27th, 2000. The International
> Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) is a non-profit scholarly organization
> devoted to the promotion and maintenance of traditional indigenous
> knowledge of biological resources throughout the world. It is unlike
> other international societies in that every two years it brings together
> academic professionals and indigenous peoples to discuss issues relating
> to biocultural diversity and conservation of the earth=B9s natural
> resources. It has a strong commitment to action as well as research and
> has been instrumental in developing a new awareness of indigenous
> intellectual property.
>
>The ISE was founded in 1988 in Bel=E9m, Brazil, and has been meeting
>regularly every two years since then. International membership in the
>society is close to 350 people and attendance at its Congresses
>continues to grow. Over the years, delegates from over 50 countries
>have been represented. After the first Congress in Bel=E9m, Congresses
>have been held in Kunming, China, (1990); Mexico City, (1992); Lucknow,
>India, (1994); Nairobi, Kenya, (1996); and Whakatane, New Zealand,
>(1998), there hosted by the Maori Nation. We anticipate an attendance of
>approximately 400 delegates and, given the symbolic importance of the
>new millennium, we hope to make it a major event. Your participation,
>of course, would go far toward achieving that end.
> >
> > The Congress theme is "Earth 2000: Ethnobiology, Biocultural Diversity,
> and Benefits Sharing." In addition to the traditional concurrent
> sessions on recent advances in ethnobiological research, we have received
> funds from the Office of the Provost to host a State-of-the-Art
> Conference on "Ethnobioprospecting and Benefits Sharing". The
> State-of-the Art Conference will take place October 20th and 21st at the
> Georgia Center, 10 am to 6 pm each day. The Conference and Congress will
> bring together a cadre of international leaders in the fields of
> biodiversity conservation, environmental and health policy, indigenous
> rights and just compensation to share lessons learned and insights gained
> at the close of the 20th century. One major goal of the Congress is the
> creation of a platform for establishing policy on bioprospecting and
> benefits sharing that will be expressed in the form of a declaration that
> reflects the view of men and women from throughout the world represented at t!
>!
>he Congress. It is believed that such a declaration will serve as a
>useful guide for decision-makers addressing these important issues and add
>much to ongoing international dialogue focused on biocultural
>conservation. Posters of the Congress and the State of the Art Conferencer
>will be displayed in departmental offices/message boards in the next few
>days. This Conference is free and open to the public. Registration is
>required for the ISE Congress and can be done though the ISE Congress web
>page at http://guallart.dac.uga.edu/ise2E
>
> > As in the past, major efforts has been made to secure traditional
> peoples B9 participation in the Congress. Funding will be provided in
> part by the Ford Foundation, which has supported our Congresses since the
> founding of the Society, to partially cover the costs of airfare and
> lodging of developing country delegates, most of whom are indigenous
> peoples. We expect a large contingent of Native American delegates at
> the Congress and we anticipate that traditional peoples of Latin America
> and other continents will also be well represented.
>
> > We plan to hold a number of special events during the Congress and in
> > several pre-Congress workshops. A three-act play has been commissioned
> from the Maya theater group "Lo=B9il Maxil" that recreates the origin of
> corn my th of the Tzeltal and Tzotzil Indians of the Highlands of
> Chiapas, Mexico. There will be a rich and varied series of musical
> events throughout the week that feature Native American drumming,
> singing, and dancing representing many American Indian peoples. We plan
> to have continuous film presentations, displays of Native American and
> southeastern US folk art, photographic exhibits, and live demonstrations
> of Native American technology and tool manufacture. Local Athens and
> Atlanta artists have also been approached with requests for works that
> relate to biodiversity, conservation, and ethnobiological themes that
> will be shown during the Congress in collaboration with the Lynden House.
>
>Since the Congress=B9 theme builds on the University of Georgia=B9s own
>commitment to environmental consciousness and the strengthening of
>international ties, it should be warmly received by UGA faculty,
>students, and staff, as well as many other participants from throughout
>the US. Coverage from the media is expected to be considerable and we
>are currently working closely with major media contacts to make certain
>that the event receives proper exposure in the United States and
>internationally.
> >
> > Most sincerely,
> >
> > Dr. Elois Ann Berlin Dr. Overton Brent Berlin
> > Co-Chairs, Organizing Committee,
> > 7th Congress of the International Society of Ethnobiology
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Nov 01 2000 - 01:01:14 PST