The Minister of Science and Technology, Mrs Naledi Pandor, will officially open the 2010 Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Expo to be held at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC), on Monday, 26 July, at 08h00.
The expo, themed: “Our indigenous knowledge, our pride, ulwazi lwethu ukuzigqaja kwethu”, will run until 30 July.
Minister Pandor will be accompanied by the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Zweli Mkhize and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Professor Malegapuru Makgoba.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal and the provincial Department of Health will host a national conference on traditional medicines and HIV and AIDS as part of the expo activities.
Through the IKS Expo, the Department of Science and Technology hopes to raise public awareness and understanding of IKS in South Africa. The expo will also demonstrate the relevance of indigenous knowledge and technologies to the country’s economy and rural and community development. In addition, it will provide an opportunity for KwaZulu-Natal to showcase its activities on indigenous knowledge.
Information about what government departments, science councils, higher education institutions, civil society and communities are undertaking to promote, develop and protect indigenous knowledge will also be shared, including progress made with regulatory issues relating to bio-prospecting, access and benefit-sharing agreements.
For more information contact:
Lunga Ngqengelele
Tel: 012 843 6802
Cell: 082 566 0446
E-mail: lunga.ngqengelele@dst.gov.za
