Address by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of the opening of the 5th World Science Forum on The Changing Landscape of Science Budapest, 17 November 2011 His Excellency Mr Viktor Orbán, Prime Minister of Hungary, Excellency Mr Aloizio Mercadante, Minister of Science and Technology of Brazil, Professor József Pálinkás, President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and President of the World Science Forum, Professor Yuan Tseh Lee, President of the International Council for Science, Dr Alan I. Leshner, Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Mr Dominique Ristori, Director-General of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is an honour to open the 5 th World Science Forum. It is a pleasure also to be in Hungary. I must say that Hungarian colours are flying high in UNESCO these days! His Excellency Mr Pal Schmitt, the President of Hungary, opened the Leaders Forum we held during the UNESCO General Conference. This was the first visit by a President of Hungary and a true honour. President Schmitt spoke then of the World Science Forum as the Davos of Science. DG/2011/172 Original: English
The General Conference benefited from the strong Presidency of Excellency Ms Katalin Bogyay, Permanent Delegate of Hungary to UNESCO. I am grateful for such deep Hungarian engagement. More than ever, we need the full engagement of States and societies with the mission of UNESCO. The General Conference, which closed last Thursday, provided an accurate measure of our times. Every Member State drew the picture of a world changing profoundly a world of increasing connections but also of deepening divides and rising pressures. One point emerged very clearly -- the world is calling out for science. Every Member State made an appeal for better science, for shared science, to solve the complex, global challenges each society faces today. Science holds answers to key questions we must address over the next century questions about equitable and inclusive growth, about sustainable development, about the resilience of our societies. UNESCO s role is to help States answer these questions, together. The S in our acronym was a latecomer to our mandate introduced during the Organization s constituent conference in London in November 1945. Since then, science has taken a place at the very heart of UNESCO s work to build new forms of international cooperation for peace and development. Our position is clear. Science flourishes through dialogue, through the interaction of peoples and cultures and through the meeting of minds. It prospers in a soil rich in diversity and a climate that favours exchange. DG/2011/172 - Page 2
Science cooperation indeed, science diplomacy lies at the heart of our project to build a more just and equitable world. This is all the more important at a time when the landscape of science is transforming quickly. One year ago, UNESCO published the 2010 Science Report. Published every five years, this benchmark report provides a snapshot of trends underway across the world. The 2010 Science Report shows the map of science and technology today. New hubs are emerging across the North and the South, in the public and private spheres. New inter-disciplines and trans-disciplines are contributing to the creation of knowledge. Scientific research is becoming more collaborative, with many partnerships transcending organisational and national borders. The centre of gravity is shifting. The past dominance of the Triad -- the European Union, Japan and the United States -- is giving way to a multi-polar world. New players are creating a more competitive environment. A new generation of scientists is developing, over which there is rising competition. The importance of brain circulation is linked to continuing disparities in patent creation -- where developed countries still dominate the stage. The global competition for talent is set to accelerate, with rising demand. DG/2011/172 - Page 3
There have been signs of progress in African countries, but the continent still lags other regions. Overall disparities remain persistent between countries and within them. The place of women in science, especially in research, is far too low. The Least Developed Countries still contribute only marginally to global science and they derive marginal benefits from its development. This context, Ladies and Gentlemen, underlines the importance of our goal to build knowledge societies for the 21 st century. Scientific cooperation must be developed further to overcome knowledge gaps. We must work harder to empower developing countries. Every member of society should contribute to the policy debate and all should benefit from scientific advances. These trends place a premium on investing in education and skills. More than ever, we must create the conditions for the increased participation of women in the creation of knowledge. Freedom of expression must flourish to build knowledge societies. Freedom is an essential condition for creation and innovation, for scientific research and technological development. Innovation is the inspiration for the UNESCO High Panel on Science and Development that I created and which met first on 18 September. The High Panel brings together 24 renowned scientists, decision-makers and intellectuals from all regions of the world and from all parts of the sciences with the objectives to clarify trends, identify questions and explore new directions for action. DG/2011/172 - Page 4
There is no lack of questions to address. How can we generate capacity in all countries to pursue science and to ensure its benefits reach everybody? How can we accelerate science education with all members of society, starting with women? These questions will guide the discussion also during this World Science Forum. I thank the Hungarian Government and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences for its leadership of what is, indeed, the Davos of Science. We need such leadership more than ever. Science must lie at the heart of our pursuit of a more equitable, more prosperous and more sustainable 21st century. We must promote a model of development that strengthens the resilience of our societies. This requires green societies, along with green economies. These are the stakes raised by the Millennium Development Goals. This is the roadmap that UNESCO will bring to the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Ladies and Gentlemen, Rio+20 must succeed and science must be a key part of this success. The World Science Forum is important for all of this. I wish to close with the statement of Archimedes of Syracuse on the importance of leverage: Give me a place to stand, and I will move the Earth. DG/2011/172 - Page 5
The same is true in the sphere of politics. The World Science Forum is an opportunity for us to take a firm stand for science to become a lever for change to the benefit of all. Thank you. DG/2011/172 - Page 6