November 7, 2024
by Muhammad Ibrahim, Save Cultural Heritage Group
2024 marks the thirteenth year of International Archaeology Day (IAD) celebrations worldwide, and the eighth year of celebrations by the Save Cultural Heritage Group. This year, we continued the tradition of promoting archaeology with our signature event, ArchTalk Season 03, on October 19th.
ArchTalk remains committed to providing an open-access online virtual conference that fosters international, inclusive, and accessible participation and dialogue from a variety of disciplines related to archaeology and cultural heritage. This year’s event featured a keynote session and three thematic sessions, building on the success of previous seasons and further enriching the global conversation around archaeology.
Keynote Session: We replayed the pre recorded keynote of our esteemed guest, Dr. Gino Ramon Caspari, a Swiss archaeologist and founder of the Foundation for ArchaeoExploration. Dr. Caspari shared his valuable insights on the impact of digitization and social media on archaeology and cultural heritage, a topic that remains highly relevant to our event this year.
Archaeology of the Heart: Our first session of ArchTalk 3.0, was a thought-provoking exploration of emotional landscapes in archaeological practice; exploring trauma, distress, and the human experiences in the ancient world. The session brought together a diverse panel of speakers, including a psychiatrist, archaeologist, museologist, cultural heritage professional, visual artist, and sociologist, to discuss the interconnectedness of emotions, ethical concerns, culture, and the archaeological record. The speaker shared their insights on the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing across disciplines, cultures, and communities; deciphering the subterranean chambers of hearts adornments of the mughal edifice, wazir khan mosque; and the ethical concerns of representation in cultural practices.
Artificial Intelligence & Cultural Heritage: Our second session of ArchTalk 3.0, was a fascinating exploration of the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on cultural heritage research, communication, and practice. The session brought together a diverse panel of speakers, including a visual artist, archaeologist, museologist, digital marketing expert and historian, to discuss the applications and implications of AI in cultural heritage. We delved into the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, from preserving and conserving cultural heritage to improving documentation and digitization, enhancing interpretation and analysis, and creating better visitor experience to cultural heritage sites and museums. The speakers shared their expertise on the use of generative AI in art and design, predictive modeling and pottery classification, and digital marketing strategies in museums and cultural heritage.
Nature, Culture, and Museum: Our third session of ArchTalk 3.0, was a thought-provoking exploration of the intricate relationships between nature, culture, and museums. The session brought together a panel of experts, including museum professionals, archaeologists, and cultural heritage specialists, to discuss how museums negotiate the boundaries between nature and culture. The speakers explored the changing paradigm of museums in the face of global warming, climate change, environmental degradation, decolonization, and indigenous approaches. Moreover they discussed the intersection of archaeology and climate change, highlighting how archaeological material and museum spaces can be used to discuss human responses to environmental changes throughout history.
Each session consisted of speakers delivering 10-minute presentations or prepared statements on their assigned topics, followed by a separate panel discussion for each session to address audience questions and facilitate further conversation.
The conference wrapped up with a thanks and closing session, where we extended our heartfelt appreciation to all our partners, speakers, attendees and volunteers for their invaluable contributions, which made the event a resounding success.
Furthermore, we also highlighted the significant role of AIA (Archeological Institute of America) in IAD (International Archaeology Day) and actively promoted it throughout our event.
This year’s IAD celebrations highlighted crucial themes, including the intersection of archaeology and human emotions, the role of AI in Cultural Heritage practices, and the importance of nature and culture in the museum sector. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all participants, speakers, partners, volunteers, AIA and viewers on social media for their engagement and contributions. For individuals who were unable to participate in the live event, replays of the recordings are available on our official YouTube channel for their convenience. We hope that this year’s discussions have been informative, thought-provoking, and enriching for all!
