Second National Symposium on Indigenous Knowledge, Cultural Diversity and Heritage Management makes a grand start.
The second national symposium on Indigenous knowledge, cultural Diversity and Heritage management in Ethiopia has started today in collaboration with FDRE Ministry of Culture and Tourism and presenters and delegates are participating from all over Ethiopia in this two day event.
Dr. Fantahun, Director for Research Directorate officially welcomed the delegates to this seminar. He said that research symposia are vital in creating link with stakeholders. Different scholars come together andbring knowledge. Being the 5th symposium in Arba Munch University, this shows that AMU is committed to research, and it is interested in working with collaborators, he said.
In his opening speech Dr. Agena Anjulo, Academic Vice President says, “Indigenous knowledge is unique and it is a building block for poor. It should not be abused” He stressed the rich traditions of Ethiopian culture, Amharic language and indigenous knowledge in bringing out books which are different and unique. On behalf of President, AMU, he profusely thanked Ministry of Culture and Tourism for supporting the symposium Hesays,on this occasion, “Our university likes to express the interest and readiness to promote co-operation started into a strong partnership to work together on various cultural issues tourism development and heritage management.
The Key note speech was delivered by Mr. Hagos Kidane of Ministry of Culture and Tourism who stressed the importance of this symposium and using indigenous knowledge for gaining cultural diffusion.
After the inauguration, the symposium has been broken into different sessions and the first session had two paper presenters: one on role of Indigenous knowledge presented by Mr. Abreham Genet of Ministry of Culture and Tourism who spoke on relevance and efficacy of indigenous knowledge and other by Mr. Dagnew Mache who spoke on Documentation of Traditional Cross Making in Aksum.
Mr. Genet spoke on who listic approach to indigenous knowledge and how folk knowledge can be gained and the cost effective approach of this learning. Mr. Mache showed visually how traditional crosses are made by black smiths in Aksum, detailing the endangered trade. How these black smiths are not allowed to intermarry and how as the tradition continues in Aksum was vividly stated by Mr. Mache. The two paper presentations were followed by lively question and answer sessions chaired by Dr. Yechale Kebede, Dean continuing education dept.
The other paper presentations include Digital and Contextual analysis of Guma by Mr. Emana Beyene, Craft workers marginalization in Dembeche by Mr. Birhanie Alemu, and multilingual education in Eastern Ethiopia and one more paper by ministry of Culture & Tourism personnel are in progress. Two papers to be presented are Ethiopian women’s Agency in Revitalizing Indigenous clothing by Mr. Sintayehu kidane and one more paper from a professor from Dilla University
The symposium is to go for one more day and no doubt has arrested the interest of scholars and teachers of social science division of Arba Minch University as well as other scholars from outside.