UNESCO Courier latest issue: How Indigenous knowledge drives scientific discovery

The new issue is dedicated to Indigenous Knowledge, the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. Too often considered irrational and inferior to Western-style scientific knowledge, it actually represents an ancient and equally valid worldview, which has often ensured the development of thriving cultures in harmony with nature and society.

UNESCO has long been fighting to recognize the commonalities and many nuances that exist between these epistemological typologies, as well as to foster exchanges between different approaches to knowledge, especially through its programme dedicated to Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS), but also through transversal programmes, such as Intangible Cultural Heritage , which protects, among other things, traditional knowledge about nature and the cosmos.

In this issue, you will find interesting articles on how indigenous knowledge is an essential resource in the fight against climate change, from Brazil to Africa, or on traditional Chinese medicine practices, such as acupuncture and moxibustion, inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

This issue also features the celebrated Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of acclaimed novels that address issues of crucial importance to UNESCO, such as racism and the role of women in contemporary society. In this detailed interview, the writer reflects on the importance of writing and narrative as transformative elements of reality.

Read the issue here.