The UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition is proud to announce the formal recognition of ‘UFMS Rock Trail: Innovations and social technologies in the Bioeconomy’ as an outstanding initiative in humanities-anchored, transdisciplinary sustainability science.
BRIDGES Recognition Programme: The Mission in Practice
The Recognition Programme was established to advance the BRIDGES mission: encouraging transdisciplinary research that is inclusive of the humanities and co-produced with communities.
The BRIDGES recognised initiatives exemplify our mission to foster transdisciplinary, humanities-inclusive solutions, offering innovative approaches to building socio-ecological resilience in real-world contexts where transformation is most critical.
Each project demonstrates that we cannot solve sustainability issues without understanding the social and cultural contexts that drive them.
UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES recognition follows a rigorous evaluative process assessing alignment with UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES’ principles and UNESCO’s sustainability science approach, with particular emphasis on transdisciplinary, socially responsible, ethical and transformative practice.
Influencing Global Policy
BRIDGES recognition provides a mechanism for these initiatives to inform international policy. By highlighting these projects as exemplary models, the actionable knowledge they generate will:
This social initiative stands as a leading example of how academic research can be woven into the fabric of local communities to foster sustainable territorial development, offering a "path of art, history, sustainability, technology and regional development.
Led by the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), this university extension initiative focuses on the valuation, preservation, and dissemination of the archaeological, paleontological, and natural heritage within the interior of Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, specifically in the Alcinópolis region.
Bridging the Invisible Gap
In the interior of Brazil, cultural and natural heritage often faces significant challenges, including invisibility, fragile conservation policies, and a lack of sustainable income for local communities. The Rock Art Trail initiative addresses these issues directly by transforming heritage sites into catalysts for social innovation and community leadership.
Impact and Future Horizons
The Rock Art Trail initiative is currently in a phase of consolidation and expansion. Its impact is measured not just in academic papers, but in the generation of jobs within the bioeconomy and tourism sectors.
Moving Forward
The team is seeking to broaden international support through organisations; especially those linked to culture, education, science and sustainable development, whilst developing a regional fund through intermunicipal consortia.
Through these strategic alliances, the initiative continues to prove that preserving the past is a fundamental step toward building a sustainable future.
Expected benefits for society
The benefits of the initiative occur at multiple levels:
Locally, the program contributes to strengthening creative and community economies, with job and income generation from activities such as handicrafts, tourist routes, production of traditional foods and provision of cultural services. The direct involvement of the population in the actions favors the appropriation of heritage assets and engagement in their protection.
Globally, the program aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UNESCO agenda for the protection of tangible and intangible heritage. The intergenerational perspective is central: by preserving millennia-old vestiges and promoting their understanding by new generations, the initiative ensures that this cultural and environmental legacy is transmitted meaningfully and relevantly over time.
The work of ‘UFMS Rock Trail: Innovations and social technologies in the Bioeconomy’ strengthens the global UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES network and contributes meaningfully to transformative, humanities-anchored community-led initiatives.
Transdisciplinary
The initiative is structured around a range of diverse yet interconnected thematic areas — archaeology, paleontology, bioeconomy, tourism, ceramics, botany, food, pharmaceutical chemistry, and architecture. Through this transdisciplinary structure the programme promotes educational, scientific, and cultural actions with a focus on social innovation, sustainability, and the popularization of science.
By integrating these diverse fields, the initiative works to strengthen regional identity and include traditionally marginalised territories in global scientific and cultural circuits.
A Dialogue of Knowledge
At the heart of the programme’s methodology is a continuous dialogue between academic science and ancestral knowledge. The project employs ethnographic approaches and critical pedagogy to ensure that rock art is understood not merely as a static archaeological object, but as a living ancestral language, whose preservation requires respect for local memories and practices. This process involves:
Artistic Mediations: Workshops with master craftsmen and sensory experiences.
Social Museology: Discussion groups with traditional communities to integrate local memories.
Digital Innovation: The use of augmented reality, georeferenced databases, and digital maps to make science accessible to the public.
Collaborative and Co-Created
The transdisciplinary nature of the programme allows for a complex, integrated understanding of the territory. The design of every action, from tourist routes to educational games, is co-created through public active listening sessions and participatory workshops. The choice of a transdisciplinary and participatory methodology is essential to guarantee social legitimacy, local appropriation, and the sustainability of the actions. By considering heritage as an educational, symbolic, and economic resource, the program promotes the community-based integration of preservation practices.
This effort is supported by a robust network of partners:
UFMS: Responsible for scientific and academic coordination.
FUNDECT: Providing essential financial partnership.
IPHAN: Acting as a technical partner for safeguarding and standardisation.
Local Protagonists: Teachers, tour guides, artisans, and family farmers from Alcinópolis and neighbouring municipalities who lead the execution of the thematic areas.
International Academia: Participation of global universities in scientific exchange and training.
Sustainable Development Goals
BRIDGES recognises the importance of championing transdisciplinary initiatives that address complex, multi-faceted societal challenges in innovative ways to stimulate transformative change for the benefit of societies, people and planet.
A criteria of the BRIDGES Recognition Programme is the initiative addresses specific global, regional or local challenges encompassed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The ‘UFMS ROCK TRAIL: INNOVATIONS AND SOCIAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BIOECONOMY’ initiative serves as an exemplary case of how bridging diverse knowledge bases can provide innovative solutions to the SDG’s.
By aligning specifically with SDG 4: Quality Education; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities; and SDG 11.4 Sustainable Cities and Communities; the programme ensures that millennia-old vestiges remain relevant for future generations.
The initiative also addresses several other SDG’s including SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; SDG 13: Climate Action; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
SDG's in detail -
SDG 4: Quality Education
The initiative promotes lifelong, inclusive learning via:
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The project stimulates the local economy through its focus on the Bioeconomy.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
The initiative combats social and territorial disparities by:
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities (Target 11.4)
This is a primary focus. It works to protect and safeguard the world's cultural and natural heritage by:
SDG 13: Climate Action
Through its primary mission as a heritage project, it supports climate resilience through promoting environmental awareness and the preservation of the Cerrado-Pantanal corridor.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
The initiative addresses SDG 17 by fostering transdisciplinary collaboration and linking local heritage conservation to international sustainability agendas.
Affiliated websites:
UFMS - Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul
Social Media: Instagram: @trilharupestre https://www.instagram.com/trilharupestre/
