Wisdom Conversations

As part of the global outreach initiatives, the Wisdom Conversations seminar brought together artists, activists and scholars and in a collaborative dialogue on the essential role of rivers in sustaining life and livelihoods. This hybrid event, was held on November 10, 2024, at NED University (City Campus). It was a collaborative project with KB24, the London Borough of Richmond Arts and Ideas Festival and São Paulo’s Rafael Vilela. It also supported the Guarani YVYRUPA Commission in Brazil as part of the year-long program Imagining the Forest: Cross-Cultural Conversations.

Moderated by Nusrat Khawaja, the seminar invited participants to exchange knowledge and experiences related to three major rivers – the Tietê in Brazil, the Indus in Pakistan, and the Thames in the UK. Through this cross-cultural dialogue, the event explored the intersections of water, food security, and community resilience. Inspired by Riverine Resilience, the sub-theme of Rizq I Risk, the conversation emphasized the vital role of rivers in food production and distribution.

Onsite attendees at NED University participated in a rich exchange of ideas alongside online participants, including students, thinkers, and professionals from across the globe. The event was further enriched by an engagement with the works by Anna Konik, Lundahl and Seitl, Qadir Jhatial, and Sadequain Riaz exhibited at the location, which highlighted the complexities of water and food security.