MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

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with the natural environment. Many different terms are used for this type of knowledge: local
knowledge, traditional knowledge, indigenous knowledge, ethno-biology/ ethno-botany/ ethnozoology,
ethno-science, folk science and folk knowledge.
Local knowledge is a growing area of interest, especially in Europe. It has been present for
centuries and contains the roots of medicine, the cosmetics industry, meteorology and
agriculture. It is becoming increasingly understood that this type of knowledge has central
importance for such diverse fields as the prevention of natural disasters, intellectual property,
heritage preservation, information technologies, biodiversity governance, self-determination,
intercultural dialogue and the eradication of poverty. Throughout the Euro-Mediterranean
region there is important local knowledge which can help with all of these issues.
The use of plants in particular, but also of animals and minerals, for health and beauty
purposes is one of the best-known and most popular elements of local knowledge. Health
practices and theories based on plants, animals or minerals are used to treat, diagnose and
prevent illness, or to maintain health and beauty. Plants are used especially for health and
beauty. For this reason, ethno-botanists are continually seeking new information from local
people all over the world.
The Euro-Mediterranean region is rich in cultural and biological diversity. The people living
here have a long history of interaction with their environment. Because it was a major centre
of commerce for centuries, the region was like a magnet for bringing local knowledge from
all over the world. This region possesses particularly important local knowledge, accumulated
over centuries, of medicinal and aromatic plants.
What are these plants and where are they to be found? They are all around us, from northern
Europe to the countries of North Africa: daisies, jasmine, peach, cucumber, thyme, apple,
arnica, olive, the sandalwood tree, fig tree, carob tree, poppy, aloe vera and so on.
The misuse of traditional medicines and practices can obviously have dangerous or detrimental
effects and it is important to distinguish between local knowledge and superstition. It is also
important not to over-harvest the natural resources in the Euro-Mediterranean region, particularly
in view of the growing interest in herbal/natural health and beauty care, and the commercialisation
of this sector worldwide. If not controlled, harvesting can cause the extinction of
endangered species and destruction of natural habitats and resources; this is a danger in most
Mediterranean countries.
Adapted from C. Durmuskahya, “Natural beauty”, Atlas magazine, Turkey (December 2006).
Further reading, articles and references
Traditional knowledge in the European context –
www.iddri.org/iddri/telecharge/id/id_02_kiene_tk.pdf
A human rights approach to traditional knowledge –
http://sippi.aaas.org/Annual%20Meeting/Hansen.pdf
Plants for a future: edible, medicinal and otherwise useful plants for a healthier world –
www.pfaf.org/
Planta Europa – www.plantaeuropa.org
Medicinal plants in the Balkans under threat –
www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/europe/what_we_do/danube_carpathian/news/
index.cfm?uNewsID=8768
MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work