World Science Day for Peace and Development 2020

BACKGROUND

The World Science Day for Peace and Development, celebrated every year on 10 November, was established by UNESCO in 2001 to highlight the important role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging and important contemporary issues relevant to science. As this year has been marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme of the 2020 celebration is Science for and with Society in dealing with the global pandemic.

The Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us of the extent to which today’s world is complex and how intricately our health, economy, food security, climate, biodiversity and peoples’ well-being are interdependent and interconnected. In term of science and society interface, there are several lessons that we have learned from this pandemic.. First, science, technology and innovation are essential to humanity’s collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, the use of scientific evidence in policymaking varies across governments and societies. Third, collaborations across science and technology communities have grown in response to the current crisis, holding promise for enhanced cooperation in the future. However, there is still a lot more to be done globally.

Throughout this crisis, UNESCO and its partners have endeavoured to address the increased need for international cooperation, the sharing of data and information, the exchange of best practices, awareness-raising campaigns, and the dissemination of evidence-based information about the pandemic.

Now, more than ever, we need to embrace systems thinking or, in other words, an integrated, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach to development. Celebration of the 2020 World Science Day provides a perfect opportunity to mobilize the entire UNESCO’s science family and the broader scientific community to bring science closer to society and bolster the international community to promote science for, and with, society in UNESCO’s areas of competency being science policy and capacity building, environmental sustainability and water security.

CELEBRATION

The convening power of the World Science Day provides us with an opportunity to share good practices and provide guidance to improve the interlinkages between science and society to resolve global challenges such as the current pandemic.

ACTIVITY

UNESCO in collaboration with COMSATS, COMSTECH, ECOSF, PSF and PAS is organizing an event on Tuesday, 10 November 2020.

Distinguish experts and speakers will cover the following areas:

• The role of science for society and the future of science;
• Key issues concerning people–nature interactions, including some references to nature based-solutions for sustainable development with an emphasis on biodiversity and water issues;
• Impact of science for and with society from the youth perspective;
• Improving dialogue among scientists, government, and citizens;
• Enhancing national capacities for evidence-based policymaking;
• Sharing in-time knowledge and data;
• Strengthening international scientific cooperation.

METHOD & TIMING

The celebration will be organized at the auditorium of COMSTECH on Tuesday 10 November 2020, and live streamed as well at 10am (Pakistan time).

PARTICIPANT

Scientists, students, teachers, researchers, science communicators who work in science centres and science museums, independent science communicators and science journalists.

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME