Knowledge societies are based on various types of knowledge in which science plays an important role, yet not unique. Local knowledge, which can also be called traditional or ancestral knowledge, which is unique for a culture or a society, has been the basic for agriculture, food preparation, health care, education, preservation and other activities that underpin societies in many parts of the world, in a sustainable way.

One of the remaining challenges of the region is to incorporate the indigenous and traditional knowledge to STI policies, with the objective of contributing to the common good in a more extensive way. Although various countries have already put in place STI policy instruments to this effect, making progress in terms of exchange, identifying good practices and disseminating existing measures within the region. UNESCO Montevideo encourages exchange, the identification of good practices and dissemination through the SPIN platform, providing researchers and policy-makers with measures of implementation/putting at the disposal of researchers and policy-makers the implementation of indigenous and traditional knowledge systems for STI policies in the region.