‘Climate crisis a major issue we all face today’

ALIGARH : The Anthropocene denotes the current geological age in which human activity has a dominant influence on climate and environment. This is a phenomenon that has already been measured and verified across disciplines. The earth has entered an entirely new geological epoch. Humans and the non-human (living forms) have been impacted by the numerous outcomes of Anthropocentric activities.

To address this burning issue around the globe, the 19th international biennial symposium on literature and culture in the Asian-Pacific Region on “literature and the non-human: abrogating the Anthropocene” has been organised by the department of English, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. The two-day (November 26-27) symposium is organised in a hybrid mode.

In his welcome address, Prof Mohammad Asim Siddiqui spoke about the relevance of the topic and he also gave a brief introduction of the university and the department of English with regard to its academic journey.

Prof Sami Rafiq, the convener of the symposium, highlighted the significance of organising the conference on such a relevant theme. She said that the symposium would attempt to explore solutions to the complex outcomes of human activity on the planet.

The opening remarks were delivered by Prof (Emeritus) Dennis Haskell, founder, the Asia-Pacific Organisation, from the University of Western Australia, Australia. He pointed out that the climate crisis is a major issue facing all of us today, “No matter where we are in the world”.

His opening remarks were followed by the launch event of an anthology of poems, Woman in the Trees by Prof Sami Rafiq, focussing on her association with nature and the environment.