Nomadic Futures: Cultural Rights, Knowledge Systems, Climate Resilience
19-21 August 2026 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Organized by the International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilizations under the auspices of UNESCO (IISNC), this international interdisciplinary conference will coincide with COP17 and IYRP 2026. The conference will examine the status of cultural rights and political recognition for mobile pastoralists and nomadic peoples, exploring cultural rights, knowledge systems, mobility, land tenure, climate resilience, and political participation as interconnected dimensions of sustainable futures. The conference responds to recommendations of the 2024 United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples regarding Mobile Indigenous Peoples and contributes to ongoing international discussions recognizing pastoral mobility as a culturally embedded practice and an important element of living heritage.
International Exhibition
The World of Mongolian and Italian Pastoralism: Surviving Climate Change and Modernity
21-23 August 2026 | Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Jointly organized by the Italian Association for Ethnoarchaeology (IAE) and IISNC under the auspices of UNESCO, this exhibition will introduce participants and visitors to the rich cultural, historical, and contemporary dimensions of Mongolian and Italian pastoralism. Through a comparative and diachronic approach, the exhibition will explore the resilience of pastoral communities and the challenges they face today, including climate change, desertification, modernization, and socio-economic transformation. It will highlight the crucial role of pastoralists in safeguarding cultural heritage, biodiversity, and sustainable land management practices.
International Institute for the Study of Nomadic Civilizations
under the auspices of UNESCO
Central Cultural Palace - 7, 8th khoroo, Sukhbaatar district
Ulaanbaatar 14200, Mongolia
Tel: (976-11) 315100
Website: https://unesco-iisnc.org/