Islands of Heritage: Conservation and Transformation in Soqotra

Soqotra, the largest island of Yemen’s Soqotra Archipelago, is one of the most biologically diverse places in the world. A UNESCO natural World Heritage Site, the island is home not only to birds, reptiles, and plants found nowhere else on earth but also to a rich cultural history and the endangered Soqotri language. Within the span of a decade, this archipelago went from being among the most marginalized regions of Yemen to being promoted for its outstanding global value. Discussing the 21st-century environmental conservation, development, and heritage projects in Soqotra that affected this change, as well as the islanders’ deep-rooted connections to the UAE, this talk examines how everyday Soqotrans came to assemble, defend, and mobilize their cultural and linguistic heritage in transformative ways.

Speakers

• Nathalie Peutz, Author of "Islands of Heritage: Conservation and Transformation in Yemen" (Stanford University Press, 2018); Program Head of Arab Crossroads Studies and Associate Professor of Anthropology, NYUAD

Hosted by

• NYU Abu Dhabi Institute

In Collaboration with