This October the University of Pisa had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Bezawork Afework Bogale, an esteemed scholar and co-investigator of the Ethiopian-Italian BRIDGES project.
During her stay, she was invited to give a seminar, titled “African Women in Conservation and Traditional Knowledge: Implications for Climate Resilience”, which explored the vital role of traditional knowledge, often transmitted from woman to woman across generations, in addressing the effects of climate change. Professor Afework highlighted how these indigenous practices, long undervalued or overlooked by formal research and threatened by cultural erosion, are now gaining recognition for their power to strengthen communities’ resilience, particularly in regions where women disproportionately bear the impact of environmental crises.
The seminar inspired a vibrant discussion among students and faculty. Topics ranged from gender equality and climate justice to the importance of integrating local wisdom into global sustainability frameworks. The exchanged underline how universities should represent spaces where academic inquiry meets real-world challenges, taking into consideration a wide range of voices to reach a common solution.
The visit was also an unvaluable opportunity for a BRIDGES team reunion, which lead to productive meetings that explored new perspectives and future collaborative opportunities within their ongoing partnership. The academic discussions were complemented by moments of informal exchange, such as a convivial lunch featuring traditional Italian cuisine. These moments of hospitality further strengthened the bonds of cooperation and mutual understanding between the visiting scholar and the University of Pisa community.
Professor Afework’s visit was not only an incredible occasion for academic exchange but also a reminder of how collaboration across cultures and disciplines can enrich our understanding of the natural world and the impact we have on it
