The 2024 World Conference on Science Literacy will kick off in Beijing, China

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:47:00 +0800

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news release from China Research Institute for Science Popularization: The 2024 World Conference on Science Literacy (WCSL) will kick off in Beijing, China, from December 5 to 6. The conference is hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) with the support of UNESCO, the International Science Council (ISC), the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), and the World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS).

With the theme of "Enhance Science Literacy, Empower Joint Development," the conference features an opening ceremony, keynote reports, five thematic forums, and an cultural tour event. As of writing, participants and representatives from 23 countries and 10 international organizations plan to attend the event.

Ezra Clark, Special Representative of the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences; Gong Ke, Former President of the WFEO and Executive Director of the Chinese Institute for the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies; Sook-Kyoung CHO, President of the Network for the Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) and Professor of the Korea Institute of Energy Research; Julie Anne Luft, Former President of the American National Science Teaching Association, Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Distinguished Research Professor at the University of Georgia; and Rosalia Vargas, President of the Ciência Viva, National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture in Portugal, will deliver keynote reports during the opening ceremony on Dec 5.

The five thematic forums include Popularizing Frontier Sciences to Support Scientific and Technological Innovation; Multi-stakeholder Collaborations to Enhance Public Science Literacy; Leveraging New Technologies to Empower Science Literacy Construction; Regional Practices and Visions for Building Science Popularization Capacity; The 2024 Forum of the Center for China Science Popularization and the 31st National Science Popularization Theory Seminar.

The conference also features a special event called "SciComm Dialogue", inviting Karl Kruszelnicki and Li Xiangyi, winners of the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science, to share their stories and experiences doing science popularization.

The 2024 WCSL will continue to leverage its role as a high level, professional international exchange platform, with the goals of improving public science literacy worldwide, supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and building a community with a shared future for mankind.