Today, on the 10th of November 2019 we celebrate World Science Day for Peace and Development. The 2019 theme is “Open science, leaving no one behind.'' This day brings awareness to the crucial role science plays in our society in engaging the international public through debates on rising scientific issues. The World Science Day for Peace and Development encourages us to be more informed about developments in science. Hereby, expanding our knowledge on the beautiful and exceptional planet we call our home. This day gives us an opportunity, from young learners to government officials to reflect and take action around the topic of science for peace and development.
“The objectives of World Science Day for Peace and Development are to:
*Strengthen public awareness on the role of science for peaceful and sustainable societies; Promote national and international solidarity for shared science between countries;
*Renew national and international commitment for the use of science for the benefit of societies;
*Draw attention to the challenges faced by science and raising support for the scientific endeavour”.
The theme “Open science, leaving no one behind,'' does not refer to open science as “open access” or “open data”, but to a science open society. In our world today, we still witness great disparities when it comes to accessing and enjoying science, technology and innovation (STI). Therefore “open science, leaving no one behind,'' is a vital step in the right direction. Open science is the growing global movement to make science accessible to all, through what lies at the very heart of the scientific process such as communication of scientific results, hypotheses and opinions.
World Science Day for Peace and Development 2019, was celebrated at the UNESCO headquarters. On the UNESCO campus, a conversation on open science was held with school students, partner organizations and UNESCO permanent delegations. Additionally, the policy roundtable, attended by experts and policymakers discussed the benefits and challenges of “opening science to society” and “opening the society to science”. The day of awareness also included a moderated dialogue on open science with scientists and innovators that have benefited from Open Science.
Open science has been proven to have the potential of significantly increasing scientific collaboration and discovery of technologies. It may be a breakthrough in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically in Africa, developing countries and small island developing states (SIDS). UNESCO has a crucial role to play in raising awareness about open science and exploring its potential in bridging the world’s STI gaps.
Now, why is the World Science Day for Peace and Development so important to UNICEF?
In March of 2019, UNICEF launched the “Water under Fire” campaign to draw international attention to the other three fundamental areas where there is an urgent need of secure and access to safe and sustainable water and sanitation. 420 million children lack basic sanitation and 210 million children lack access to safe drinking water in fragile conflict zones. This campaign links to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, drawing out crucial connections in presenting practical and evidence-based solutions to water and sanitation in fragile conflict areas. This day is broadly dedicated towards all our children, to ensure open science will improve and safeguard their right to water and sanitation.
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