With an expected number of 600 participants from all over Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, the 9 ^th AIBR International Conference of Anthropology will be held for the first time at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), under the theme “The Intercultural Challenge: Dialogue and Diversity”. We live in a world full of uncertainties, which has impacted our ability to create more inclusive societies. While the world is still trying to recover from the consequences of a devastating pandemic, other problems are on the rise: the aggression to the environment that has led to a drastic climate change, the scenarios of conflict, violence, war, and nuclear threats, the rise of social inequality and xenophobic extremism, or the massive exodus experienced by numerous communities that are forced to migrate. These are some of the topics that will be addressed in hundreds of panels at the 9 ^th AIBR International Conference of Anthropology.

In this climate, we encourage conference participants to reflect on the contributions of Anthropology to the creation of intercultural societies, and how the challenges of intercultural coexistence can be tackled from an interdisciplinary perspective. One of the foundational principles of nation states like Mexico, for example, is the secular coexistence of numerous ethnic groups and distinct cultural traditions. With 65 ethnic groups and 68 different languages, Mexico is one of the most diverse countries in Latin America, and it has a long tradition of research that focuses on interculturality. Nevertheless, it continues to face multiple challenges to acknowledge the rights of this diverse population, especially those of indigenous, Afro-Mexican, and immigrant communities. Papers and panels in our conference will tackle some of these questions: how is knowledge generated in culturally diverse and intercultural societies? In these societies, is the legislation to protect indigenous communities effective? How can anthropologists participate in institutions such the Human Rights Council in the United Nations to help preserve indigenous cultures and languages? How can underrepresented populations become key stakeholders in these institutions?   How can anthropologists and other professionals from the social sciences and humanities contribute to the resolution of conflicts among different societies and inside intercultural societies?

The 9 th AIBR International Conference of Anthropology will be held for the first time at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Considered as one of the best universities in the world, the UNAM has always distinguished itself for welcoming academic events of great social significance, and for creating meeting spaces for national and international researchers. Its premises have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is a great privilege for AIBR to host its 9 th International Conference of Anthropology at this great Mexican University.