Kohima, 19 December (MTNews): The Highland Institute in Kohima hosted its 11th annual Highlander Lecture on December 19 at De Oriental Grande Hotel, marking the culmination of a six-day international conference titled “Collaborative Methodologies in Global Environmental Humanities.” The event, part of the EKOLOGOS Project, brought together scholars, community leaders, and junior scholars from Nagaland and beyond to explore innovative approaches to environmental studies.
This year’s Highlander Lecture featured renowned anthropologist Professor Antonio Guerreiro from the State University of Campinas, Brazil. The distinguished speaker addressed the audience on the topic “Risks to Indigenous Heritage Related to Watercourses in the Amazon: Kalapalo Management of Rivers, Lakes and Riverine Life in a Changing Environment.”
The Highlander Lecture series was inaugurated in 2013 and has since become a significant platform for intellectual discourse and knowledge exchange. The event serves as a capstone to the broader international conference, which ran from December 14th to 19th, exploring collaborative methodologies in global environmental humanities.
The conference, comprising a winter school for junior scholars and a summit for senior scholars and community leaders, has fostered interdisciplinary discussions. Scholars from diverse fields such as anthropology, archaeology, environmental science, food culture, film studies, and marine science participated, contributing to a rich tapestry of perspectives.
Dr. Viketoulie Pienyu, a Highland Institute Board Member, highlighted the significance of the event, stating, “This vibrant event brings eminent scholars from five academic institutions and four countries to Kohima to discuss how new educational methods could boost climate resilience in the world’s most vulnerable environments.”
EKOLOGOS Project
Funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education, and coordinated by UiT The Arctic University of Norway; the Institute of Marine Research, Norway; the State University of Campinas UNICAMP, Brazil; RV University, Bangalore; Doctors For You, Mumbai; and the Highland Institute, Nagaland, EKOLOGOS aims to strengthen higher education for a sustainable future, particularly in the critical zones of rapid climatic change in the Arctic, Amazon, South Asia, and the Himalayas.
Dr Michael Heneise, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, explained: “In addition to funding student exchanges between countries, EKOLOGOS will enable partnerships between institutions as well as with and between local communities. As well as in-person events, the project will create a digital space where knowledge can be shared and disseminated to strengthen intercultural resilience.”