المنتدى

The Arab Council for the Social Sciences organized a two-day conference on Safeguarding Knowledge Production in the Arab Region, on October 28 and 29, 2024. Initially planned to take place in Beirut, the conference had to be relocated to Istanbul due to the situation in Lebanon. The conference aimed to foster discussions across different types of knowledge institutions within the Arab region and across regions concerning practices and responsibilities for the protection of knowledge production. Participating organizations and individuals represented a broad range of disciplines, nationalities, and professional backgrounds including academics, experts, and associations interested in the question of safeguarding scholars and research at risk. Participants examined experiences with silencing and censorship in democratic and non-democratic contexts, particularly highlighting the challenges faced in conducting, producing, and disseminating academic research amid wars, and crises. Institutions, practitioners, and scholars exchanged best practices, shared learning experiences, and engaged in critical reflections on the future of knowledge production and dissemination, as well as strategies for protection and potential pathways forward.