‘Knowledge and Future’
World Science Day fell on Nov. 10 :
by Indunil Thenuwara
 Most of you science aficionados
would have taken part in some event or the other, held to celebrate
World Science Day on November 10. Many events were organized all over
the world with the intention of raising awareness of the benefits of
science.
In Sri Lanka, the main celebrations related to the Science Day were
organized by the National Science Foundation (NSF). One such event was
the World Science Day 2009 - School Program organized under the theme
‘Information and Communication Technology for National Development’.
This was held on November 6 at the BMICH with the participation of
over 1,200 schoolchildren from all over the country including the North
and East. The high point of the event was the presentation of awards to
the winners of the science competitions conducted earlier.
The World Science Day for Peace and Development, as the day is more
formally known, is an annual event spearheaded by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the
cooperation of government agencies, other organizations and the public.
UNESCO established the day through a proclamation at a general
conference in 2001 to serve as a reminder of the organization’s mandate
and commitment to science. November 10 was fixed as the date and the
first celebration of the event took place in 2002.
Some of the activities organized around the world in connection with
the event were exhibitions highlighting the role of science in peace and
development, classroom discussions emphasizing how science and
technology affect day-to-day life, distributing posters throughout
tertiary education institutions, schools, campuses, and public venues
and arranged visits to science museums.
Some governments used the event to affirm their commitment to
increased support for scientific initiatives that help society and
launch new science policy programs together with scientific
institutions, civil society, universities and schools.
The main event related to the Science Day, the fourth World Science
Forum, organized by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in partnership
with UNESCO and the International Council for Science (ICSU) was held in
Budapest, Hungary from November 5 to 7. The Forum was conducted under
the theme ‘Knowledge and Future’ and was designed to mark the tenth
anniversary of the first World Conference on Science, as well as
providing a strategic vision of the future of science in the global
society of the 21st century.
 The first such conference, organized by the Hungarian Academy of
Sciences and the Hungarian Government, UNESCO and ICSU was held in
Budapest in 1999. The success of this conference prompted the Hungarian
Academy to launch a series of events called the World Science Forum,
held once every two years in Budapest.
It takes place on and around the World Science Day of every odd year.
The years 2003, 2005 and 2007 have seen this forum taking place under
different themes. This year’s event, just as those of the past, was
attended by top scientists, politicians, industrialists,
decision-makers, media experts and representatives of civil society from
all over the world. It has now earned a reputation as providing a unique
forum for debate between the scientific community and society.
The presentation of UNESCO Science Prizes was one of the highlights
at the conference. The Forum is recognized as the largest event of
global science policy today and was addressed by well-known and
respected personalities representing many different fields of expertise.
Special prizes
 |
| Professor Yash Pal (India)
Kalinga Prize winner |
Three scientific prizes were granted at this year’s World Science
Forum by the Director General of UNESCO. They were:
* The Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science, jointly to
Professor Yash Pal (India), for his contribution to the field of cosmic
rays, astrophysics, education sciences and space technology and to
Professor Trinh Xuan Thuan (Vietnam), an astrophysicist recognized for
his research in the field of extragalactic astronomy;
* The Great Man-Made River International Water Prize for “Water
Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas” to Dr. Bellachheb Chahbani for
his research at the Arid Regions Institute in Medenine (Tunisia);
* The Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation to the
National Parks Organization of the Spanish Ministry for the Environment,
Rural and Marine Affairs.
Themes of yesteryear
 The World Science Forum had been held under
different themes since inception. They are:
* 2003 - Knowledge and Society
* 2005 - Knowledge, Ethics and Responsibility
* 2007 - Investing in Knowledge: Investing in the Future |
