Education is the single most powerful tool that can help us change the world. Since 2018, we come together on 24th January to honour the role of education in fostering peace and development in our society. This year, the International Day of Education focused on AI, under the theme AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation. At SASA, we’re focusing on something more important: the decline of interest in ancient studies - but these two topics might not be as separate as you might think. As technology advances, and modern education integrates AI models and digital programmes into the curriculum, let us remember that the past is not an ancient relic, it is an important part of who we are and where we come from.
To think about ancient studies in the context of this year's theme of AI literacy might lead to some interesting results. In a time when students rush to learn digital technologies, and when universities push for lucrative STEM courses, it would do well for us to use what we know about AI to help us learn more about our past. We need to get past the distinct divide between science and humanities and try to have a mutually beneficial relationship between the two. As AI powered systems become more advanced, it would be useful to apply the benefits of AI and other digital tools to archive ancient languages, document heritage, digitize manuscripts and record any data that might be at the risk of being forgotten. Doing so will not only make sure that our heritage is preserved but can also bring valuable data to audiences in interactive forms.
Fields like Archaeology, Ancient Languages, History and Philosophy are not stuck in the past. With the number of myth-fic movies that are coming up, and our general affinity for all things historic, it might seem like ancient studies are thriving now more than ever. However, the truth is that we are at an all- time low when it comes to scholarly interests in ancient studies. For a more numerical view on things, take a look at the data from SASA’s research.
All the charts point at one thing: lesser and lesser people are enrolling themselves into programs studying ancient cultures, and we need to do something about it. Instead of viewing the ancient world as something that belongs just to the past, we must realize that it is very relevant in the present time as well. Think about the last time you read about democracy, or last the time you had ginger and turmeric to help with stress and anxiety- these traditions originated in ancient Greece and ancient India and are still very much in use. Therefore, to think that ancient studies have no place in the modern world would surely be a mistake. That is why the decline in interest is troubling: if we do nothing about it, we risk losing our cultural heritage to time.
Education is not just about preparing oneself for the workforce- it is about learning how to make use of our abilities to bring about a positive effect in the world. As we reflect on this International Day of Education, let’s take a moment to appreciate and stay connected to our roots!
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