AKHP Hosts 4th Annual International Conference on Humanities and Environment

UCA’s Aga Khan Humanities Project (AKHP) held its 4^th Annual International Conference entitled “Teaching and Learning Humanities in Central Asian Contexts: Environmental Aspects.” The event held in Dushanbe was also accessible online, drawing participation from 25 leading scientists and scholars representing prominent universities and academies across UCA’s founding states  –  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

In his opening remarks delivered virtually, Professor Christopher Gerry, UCA Rector highlighted the pivotal role of humanities in addressing environmental challenges. He underscored that understanding and solving environmental issues requires insights into human behavior, cultural values, and societal frameworks—domains deeply rooted in humanities disciplines.

The conference featured two panels on Ecology and Environmental Protection in the Context of History, Religion, and National Traditions of Central Asia and Digital Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Gender, and Natural Science Discourses on Ecology in Central Asia and a roundtable discussion focused on the role of human factors — beliefs, behaviors, and practices—in shaping our understanding of global environmental challenges. Participants debated how subjects within the humanities can transform attitudes towards nature and foster sustainable practices.

Looking ahead, AKHP announced plans to develop a new anthology titled “Environmental Humanities.” This anthology will integrate perspectives from various humanities disciplines to address environmental challenges and will be incorporated into curriculum materials taught at AKHP’s partner universities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.