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World Science Day for Peace and Development

An internationally celebrated day to highlight the importance of science in and for society and that science, peace and development are interlinked

© UNESCO-Kathleen Chiappetta. Young children learning about electrical currents, at UNESCO headquarters, on 11 November 2013, for World Science Day.

Celebrated every 10 November, World Science Day for Peace and Development highlights the important role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives.

By linking science more closely with society, World Science Day for Peace and Development aims to ensure that citizens are kept informed of developments in science. It also underscores the role scientists play in broadening our understanding of the remarkable, fragile planet we call home and in making our societies more sustainable.

The Day offers the opportunity to mobilize all actors around the topic of science for peace and development – from government officials to the media to school pupils. UNESCO strongly encourages all to join us in celebrating World Science Day for Peace and Development by organizing your own event or activity on the day.

World Science Day for Peace and Development 2017

This year's theme is 'Science for Global Understanding'.

"An important contribution that UNESCO and science & technology centres can bring to global understanding is the unique opportunity to combine global sustainability and local action. The dialogue among science, policy, and everyday lives should be constant and multidirectional. Global sustainability can learn so much from best practices and success stories."
Flavia Schlegel, Assistant Director-General for the Natural Sciences, UNESCO

     

© Mayank Malhotra, DAV college for girls, YamunaNagar, India, Celebration of World Science Day 2010 in India

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.

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).

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