World Science Day, which falls on November 10, is celebrated to highlight the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives. It is also observed to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues.
World Science Day is organised by UNESCO, an international organisation dedicated to promoting peace and cooperation between nation-states.
Though UNESCO is primarily associated with world heritage sites, their interest in science is as a mechanism for bringing nations closer together and enabling solutions to economic, social and environmental challenges. The following is a quote from their website on the significance of scientific cooperation:
“As no one country can achieve sustainable development alone, international scientific cooperation contributes, not only to scientific knowledge but also to building peace. “
World Science Day for Peace and Development 2020: Theme
When the world is struggling with the global Covid-19 pandemic, the focus of World Science Day is on “Science for and with Society in dealing with the global pandemic.”
The theme for World Science Day for Peace & Development 2020 is “Science for and with Society in dealing with Covid-19.”
Background
The organization of a focused event related to the commitment to science and society was one of the positive outcomes of the 1999 World Conference on Science in Budapest. It was considered an opportunity to reaffirm each year the commitment to attaining the goals proclaimed in the Declaration on Science and the Use of Scientific Knowledge and to follow up the recommendations of the Science Agenda: Framework for Action.
Since its proclamation by UNESCO in 2001, World Science Day for Peace and Development has generated many concrete projects, programmes and funding for science around the world. The Day has also helped foster cooperation between scientists living in regions marred by conflict – one example being the UNESCO-supported creation of the Israeli-Palestinian Science Organization (IPSO).
On the occasion of World Science Day on Tuesday, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu took to Twitter to share a meaningful message. Stating that this day meant for ‘peace and development’ reminds us of the ‘ultimate aim of science’, VP Naidu pointed out that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a lot about the ‘scientific community’.
