18th International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE) Congress 2024 “Biodiversity and Cultural Landscapes: Scientific, Indigenous and Local Perspectives” held at Cadi Ayyad (Qazi Ayyaz), University Marrakech, Morocco.
The 18th ISE congress was organized by the International Society of Ethnobiology, Cadi Ayyad University, Global Diversity Foundation, the Centre for Development and Environment, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, the Moroccan Biodiversity and Livelihoods Association and several other local organizations. The meeting was hosted in Marrakech, nestled in a broad arc of High Atlas landscapes, which has been a crossroads of biological and cultural diversity for centuries. The congress encompassed two major parts: Pre-Congress activities and Main Congress events. The pre-congress events were organized in a high-elevation cultural landscape of the Zerkten village situated in the Atlas Mountains where a proper training workshop was arranged for the ‘Emerging Ethnobiologists’ on 11-14 May 2024 followed by extensive field trips. Eleven mentors mostly from the ISE board, namely Dr. Sarah-Lan Mathez, Dr. Mohamed Cherkaoui, Dr. Shujaul Mulk Khan, Dr. Janelle Baker, Dr. Nemer E Narchi, Dr. Katie Kamelamela, Dr. Alain Cuerrier, Dr. Gary Martin, Dr. Raj Puri, Dr. Juarez Pezzuti, and Dr. Abdullah spent four full days with students by giving talks, hands-on training sessions and field activities at the Zerkten School Complex, Atlas, Marrakech in Morocco.
The main event i.e., the 18th ISE Congress, was held at Cadi Ayyad University on 15-19th May 2024. This momentous event brought together 500+ academics, activists, practitioners, and visionaries from 72 different countries. More than 300 oral and 100+ posters presentations from all around the globe portrayed a beautiful glimpse of diversity in terms, of academia, researches, cultures, traditions and colors. The event covered innovative sessions, inspiring keynote speakers, and a liberating unconventional format! Via delving into biodiversity and cultural landscapes as conceptualized and contested by de-colonial, Indigenous, and local practitioners and scholars.
There were number of World’s renowned Ethnobiologists who also kept the responsibility as Chief Editors & Editors of the world’s well-known peer reviewed ISI journals. Emerging Ethnobiologist and students from all over the world got the chance of having had formal as well as informal conversations with them about publications and related procedures. All the participants also had a chance to meet the council of Elders of ISE including some of the former presidents i.e., Dr Rick Stepp, Dr Verna Miller, Alain Cuerrier, Dr Jack Miller, Dr Andrea Pieroni, Dave Stephenson and other former board members. Jenele.
Fundamental themes of academia, advocacy, activism and indeginiety were discussed under the umbrella of Ethnobiology in number of parallel sessions including the session of Council of Elders. Meetings of the ISE Boards, and General Assembly were held where various decisions were taken and resolutions passed regarding the code of ethics, membership fee and appointments of the ISE boar etc. Jelena Brezjanovic, the Treasurer of ISE briefed out the finances of the society as well as the new website to be launched soon.
The event ended with the speeches of the co-chairs of the congress Dr. Sara-Lan & Dr. Mohamed Cherkaoui where they thanked all the organizers, sponsors, and participants for their contributions towards the successful congress. Dr. Shujaul Mulk Khan, the incoming president of the International Society of Ethnobiology, announced the 19th Congress of ISE to be held in the last week of July 2026 at Cairns Australia. He welcomed all the participants, their students, and collaborators to the upcoming congress and urged the importance of teamwork for making the earth’s planet a better place to live in general and ISE a successful forum in particular.
This congress turned into a huge success while exploring the rich connections between biodiversity and cultural landscapes, celebrating the intimate relationships between people, animals, and plants.
By Shujaul Mulk Khan