The Centre of Biomedical Ethics and Culture (CBEC) at the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation (SIUT) concluded its two-day international conference titled “Warp and Woof of Human Morality,” marking the Centre’s 20th anniversary.
The conference featured a range of distinguished international and national speakers who delved into various facets of human morality. The opening day began with a session led by Professor Farhat Moazam, the Founding Chairperson of CBEC, followed by a keynote address delivered virtually by Dr. Caesar Atuire, a leading scholar in Bioethics and Global Health from Ghana. Dr. Atuire, who is also the President of the International Association of Bioethics (IAB), provided global insights on the subject.
Afternoon sessions on the first day explored gender-related challenges in Pakistan, with Dr. Arfana Mallah from Jamshoro and Dr. Fatima Hassan from Karachi addressing the evolving landscape for women in the country. On the second day, discussions continued with Dr. Paul Lombardo, a historian and bioethicist from the United States, who highlighted the contributions of the Muslim philosopher and physician Ibn-e-Sina.
Dr. Syed Noman-ul-Haq, a scholar from IBA, examined the story of Ḥayy ibn Yaqẓān by the renowned philosopher Ibn-Tufayl. Dr. Nauman Faizi, from the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at LUMS, critiqued current bioethical frameworks and explored solutions for addressing the ‘wicked problem’ of uncertainty in bioethics.
The conference culminated with an insightful Urdu literary session that explored the profound connection between Urdu literature and human values. This session featured renowned poets Iftikhar Arif and Zehra Nigah, with writer and poet Harris Khalique moderating the discussions. The event illuminated how literature and poetry reflect and shape societal values, drawing on the deep moral teachings embedded within the Urdu literary tradition.
