World Science Day for Peace & Development 2020: Science for and with Society.
Event Details
Every year, on 10 November, UNESCO celebrates The World Science Day for Peace and Development to raise awareness of the role of science for peaceful and sustainable societies.
Event Details
Every year, on 10 November, UNESCO celebrates The World Science Day for Peace and Development to raise awareness of the role of science for peaceful and sustainable societies. This year, when the world is struggling with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the focus of the World Science Day is on ‘Science for and with Society in dealing with the global pandemic’.
The Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us that our health, economy, food security, climate, biodiversity and peoples’ well-being are interconnected. Celebrating the 2020 World Science Day provides an opportunity to mobilize the entire UNESCO’s science family, the scientific community, and the general public to bring science closer to society and to promote Science for and with Society in UNESCO’s competency: science policy and capacity building, environmental sustainability and water security.
As Mr. Shigeru Aoyagi, the Director of UNESCO Bangkok, mentioned in the welcome remarks, “Out of the global population of 7.8 billion, more than 800 million people are suffering from not getting enough food, 1.2 billion not having electricity, 4.7 billion living in areas that experience water scarcity for at least one month a year. We have to improve the situation. Science and education play fundamental roles ensuring that no one is left behind.”
Prof. Shabaz Khan, the Director and Representative of UNESCO Jakarta, also emphasized on the importance of science and international cooperation in the field of global health and environmental crisis. He said, “During this pandemic, we have understood the lack of scientific capacity in many parts of our world, which prevented those regions from participating in creation and adoption of scientific solutions to this problem and made their citizens more vulnerable in this health emergency. We have to take measures to support scientific research, reduce knowledge gap among countries and allow free access to scientific data, research findings, educational resources and research facilities.”
One response of UNESCO to the above demands is to build Green Academies across the world. Dr. Benno Böer, the Programme Specialist of UNESCO, briefly introduced the history and methodology of the Green Academies Initiative, which is designed to engage young people and their communities to transform existing buildings such as schools and offices into climate-resilient structures. The initiative focuses on four pillars of water security, clean energy, biomass production and waste management, based on organizing youth clubs.
The model can be implemented in schools across the world and tailored to local contexts. Dr. Supawadee Theerathammakorn from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU) in Thailand introduced their practices. They are working to qualify for the UI GreenMetric World University “green” qualification based on the six indicators of infrastructure, energy, water, waste, transportation and education. Since 2017, the university has been operating a new building covered in vegetation, with the roof covered in an on-grid solar system and rainwater collection pipes.
Mr. Felix Matschie from ETH Zürich introduced another Green Academy Yayu, which is being constructed in Ethiopia and can benefit 1,000 students. They started harvesting rainwater and recycling black and grey water via reed bed filtration system so that students do not need to walk 1 Km to the nearest spring.
With the cooperation between UNESCO and SEAMEO, the Guideline of Green Academies has been translating to 6 Southeast Asian languages: Vietnamese, Laos, Burmese, Bahasa Melayu, Thai and Bahasa Indonesia, according to Dr. Ethel Valenzuela, the Director of SEAMEO.
Apart from topics about Green Academies, other keynotes included “Kids to Forests” by Dr. Illias Animon from FAO, who demonstrated the importance of Knowledge and Innovations’ Diffusion Support to the Forests. He said, “We should turn young citizens as forestpreneurs. Forestry is a subject about art, science and practice, and can bring heaven to the earth.” Mr. Dev Suj, the Founder and CEO of PAPINEE, a children’s edutainment company teaching global and green values, introduced their new approaches in science education. They created character and stories inspired by world history imagination, geography and zoology to help children to learn, laugh and love.
Two artists also expressed their concerns about environmental protection through a presentation and a poem. Mr. Charlie Winston, an English singer-songwriter, shared his reasons why we should respect and care about nature, while Mr. Andrew Amatavivadhana, a Thai poet, wrote a powerful poem to increase the public’s awareness on climate change and call for our action.
This event also invited panelists from different fields and organizations to express their opinions on open science and open data, reconnection with nature, packaging problems, partnership with private sector, and SEAMEO’s Science-Education activities and the SEAMEO-Japan-ESD-Award. Panelists included Prof. Rajesh Tandon, Ms. Francesca Calisesi, Dr. Ethel Valenzuela, Mr. Dev Suj, Ms. Siriporn Sriaram, Dr. Supawadee Theerathammakorn and Mr. Sorawis Somsub. For further information please visit the Media Library on quest4action.org, an open science platform established by UNESCO to promote emerging green economies by augmenting knowledge, networking and necessary skills for science-based environmental management.
Pandemic, extreme weather, biodiversity loss and pollution are all realities, and we are all in the same boat. Over 5,900 people registered for this event and showed their attention on promoting environmental protection. We should fully believe that even though the challenges posed by the environmental crisis are major, the solutions are within our hands if we choose to implement them and cooperate with each other. We know the problems, and we have solutions available. It is now time to apply our knowledge and respond to these important issues by involving the general public in a spirit of open sciences.
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Virtual Event Details
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Time
(Tuesday) 13:30 - 15:40
Location
UNESCO Bangkok Office
Organizer
UNESCO Office Bangkok
Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education Mom Luang Pin Malakul Centenary Building 920 Sukhumvit Road, Prakanong, Klongtoei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Speakers for this event
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Andrew Amatavivadhana
Andrew Amatavivadhana
Poet Damage Control
Andrew is a local poet who performs under the pseudonym ‘Damage Control’ at various spoken word events around Bangkok. He has a background in environmental sciences at university level, and has always a keen interest in bio-systems. Keeping the planet’s natural habitats and sustainable human living in balance is very close to his heart. This is routinely reflected in his poetry.
Poet Damage Control
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Benno Böer
Benno Böer
Programme Specialist, Natural Sciences, UNESCO Bangkok
Dr. Böer is a professional project manager with 30 years of experience in the global environmental sciences. He spearheaded activities in Africa, America, the Arab Region, Asia/Pacific and Europe, and lived in Ethiopia, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
He edited many books, publications, films, technical reports and prime proposals. He functions routinely as reviewer of sciene journals and major international assessments. He joined UNESCO 20 years ago, and he was assigned as Ecological Science Advisor in the Arab Region, in Africa, and in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region.
His work addresses environmental issues, catalyzing adaptation and mitigation options and problem solving for sustainable human living. His current work focuses on Plastic Pollution, the UNESCO Green Academies, as well as the conservation and restoration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems.
Programme Specialist, Natural Sciences, UNESCO Bangkok
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Charlie Winston
Charlie Winston
Singer & Songwriter
Charlie Winston is a Writer, Musician and Producer who has long enjoyed International success since the release of his debut album HOBO in 2009. Within his artistic work and him as a person outside of the limelight is a quest, a searching or questioning of who we are, why we are and a concern for the World we live in, as well as how we interact with it and all its organisms. Charlie has often used his platform to promote the causes he believes in either in an advocate role or through the lyrics of his music.
Having grown up in the countryside of England Charlie has always felt akin to nature and has long been a voice of its defense and how we treat it. Close to his heart is the need to control and eliminate single use plastic. This was actually the topic that begun his work with UNESCO’s ‘Plastic Initiative’ held in Bangkok 2019 for the Asia Pac region. It is with great pleasure that he continues to support UNESCO and its efforts to educate people on how we should be protecting and living to preserve the precious resource that is the World and the life it provides us.
Singer & Songwriter
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Dev Suj
Dev Suj
Founder & CEO of PAPINEE
Dev Suj, Founder & CEO of PAPINEE – The Children’s Edutainment Company, is also the creator of the WHIGZ™ Pedagogy System (World, History, Imagination, Geography & Zoology). PAPINEE was created to educate, inspire and empower today’s children, the commanders of the 21st century, to lead responsibly. Its vision is to provide parents and educators with the tools to give kids the ‘World’ and teach them to ‘Respect’ all around them, to ‘Connect’ with each other, and to collectively ‘Protect’ our planet. PAPINEE is renowned for its partnerships and has been built on the ‘we can make the world better, together’ belief system with over 135 alliances within both the private and public sector. Dev has spearheaded projects all around the globe and leads a variety of social impact initiatives in the children’s education space relating to world conservation & betterment.
Founder & CEO of PAPINEE
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Ethel Valenzuela
Ethel Valenzuela
Director, SEAMEO Secretariat
Dr. Ethel Agnes Pascua-Valenzuela is presently the Director of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Secretariat, the first female Director since SEAMEO was organized in 1965. She served as the first female Deputy Director for Programme and Development of SEAMEO Secretariat from July 2015 to March 2019 and led the Educational Research and Innovation Office of SEAMEO INNOTECH, from 2006 to June 2015.
Prior to joining SEAMEO, she was Director IV of the Office of Student Services and Director III at the International Affairs Services in the Commission on Higher Education Philippines (1995-2006) and served as Vice Chairperson of the UNESCO National Commission Education Commissioner (Y2000-2010). She was a Professorial lecturer at the University of the Philippines College of Education (SY2006-20144) and De la Salle University in Manila (SY 2000-2005).
Dr Valenzuela’s expertise is on internationalization of higher education and transnational education, teacher education, alternative learning and secondary education. She has published international and local articles, journals, technical reports and guidelines for some SEAMEO and other international organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, CHED and DepED. Among her well-noted research work were: Philippine Higher Education Guide (CHED), K to 12 Toolkit; Quality Assurance, Mutual Recognition in Higher Education (UNESCO Paris); Toolkit for the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications (UNESCO BKK); Toolkit for National Information Centers (UNESCO Bangkok), ESD Toolkit for Secondary Schools; Internationalization of Philippine Higher Education (UNESCO Natcom) and Reform and Development in Philippine Higher Education; The Southeast Asian Teaching Standards; Multigrade Quality Indicators in Southeast Asia; K to 12 Regional Comparison in Southeast Asia and published at the International Encyclopedia of Education under Elsevier London to name a few.
URL www.seameo.org
Director, SEAMEO Secretariat
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Felix Matschie
Felix Matschie
President. ElJoJoFe e.V.
Felix Matschie is a University Student of Biology at the ETH in Zurich and the President of ElJoJoFe e.V. He began working on the UNESCO Green Academy project in Yayu Ethiopia in 2018. Since then his student’s group managed to negotiate partnerships with the Ministry of Science and Technology in Ethiopia, and they are managing the German Association ElJoJoFe e.V. which has a long track record of projects in Africa. Felix has previously spoken at the Quest for Africa III summit in Addis Ababa, organized by UNESCO.
President. ElJoJoFe e.V.
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Francesca Calisesi
Francesca Calisesi
Associate Officer Solid Waste Management and Energy
Francesca Calisesi is an Associate Officer of the Solid Waste Management Team, at the Urban Basic Services Section of United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in Nairobi, Kenya.
She has been working with UN-Habitat’s Solid Waste Management Team since December 2018, supporting the development and management of the Waste Wise Cities, a call for action to local governments to support the transition toward circular economy, enhance municipal solid waste management and tackle global waste crisis. She deals with the development and application of a tool for waste data collection and monitoring, capacity building of waste chain stakeholders, advocacy and education, development of project proposals, funds mobilization and establishment of partnerships.
Before joining UN-Habitat, Francesca has worked in the field of sustainable development and natural resource management in Ethiopia and Zambia.
Associate Officer Solid Waste Management and Energy
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Illias Animon
Illias Animon
Forestry Officer, FAO
Illias Animon has over 32 years of acquaintance with forestry, mostly in developing countries. Before joining FAO HQ in 2010 as a Forestry Officer, he was a Senior Lecturer in the Kerala Agricultural University, India (from 1998 to 2010). He also worked as a Technical Officer and Senior Research Fellow in European Union funded projects. He also managed different public-sector plantations and actively promoted private-sector plantations in India.
Forestry Officer, FAO
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Rajesh Tandon
Rajesh Tandon
Founder-President, Participatory Research in Asia
Dr. Rajesh Tandon is an internationally acclaimed leader and practitioner of participatory research and development. He is Founder-President of Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA), global centre for participatory research & training since 1982. He was appointed Co-Chair of the prestigious UNESCO Chair on Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education, for two terms (2012 – 2016 and 2016 – 2020). Electronics engineer from IIT, Kanpur, MBA from IIM Calcutta and PhD in Management from Case Western Reserve University USA, Dr Tandon left his teaching job at IIM Calcutta to support & champion the cause of building organisations and capacities of the marginalised through their knowledge, learning and empowerment.
A pioneer of participatory research, he has given new meaning to academic research by redefining the relationship between the researcher and the researched.
Dr. Tandon has served on numerous expert committees of Government of India, UGC, UN, Commonwealth & World Bank. In 2015, the Indian Adult Education Association (IAEA) awarded Dr Tandon the Nehru Literacy Award. For his distinguished work on gender issues, the Government of India honoured him with the prestigious Award in Social Justice in March 2007. The University of Victoria, Canada, awarded Dr Tandon the degree of Doctor of Law (Honoris Causa) in June 2008. He is the first Indian to be inducted to the International Adult and Continuing Education (IACE) Hall of Fame (class of 2011).
Founder-President, Participatory Research in Asia
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Shabaz Khan
Shabaz Khan
Director and Representative UNESCO Jakarta Office
Shahbaz Khan is the Director of UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and Representative to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.
He is a Fellow, Chartered Engineer and Engineering Executive of Engineers Australia, Hon Fellow of Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, Fellow of the ASEAN Academy of Engineers, Hon Fellow of the Myanmar Engineering Society and Fellow of the Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand. Mr Khan has worked in Australia, France, Indonesia and Pakistan in various research, consultancy and policy positions. Before joining UNESCO, he was Professor and Director at the Charles Sturt University, Research Director Irrigation Systems at CSIRO and Programme Leader, System Harmonisation for Regional Irrigation Business Partnerships at the Cooperative Research Centre for Irrigation Futures, Australia. His work has been widely recognised e.g. 2019 China Friendship Award, Great Wall Friendship Award China 2017, FEIAP Engineer of the Year Award 2016, UNESCO Team Award for Managing Hydro Hazards 2009, Land and Water Australia’s Eureka Prize 2007 and CSIRO Medal 2007. He has widely published in the area of water, environment and sustainable development and received several outstanding publications awards.
Director and Representative UNESCO Jakarta Office
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Shigeru Aoyagi
Shigeru Aoyagi
Director, UNESCO Office in Bangkok
Since the beginning of his career in 1984, Mr Aoyagi has been associated with UNESCO through educational and cultural programmes of the Asia/Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU) in Tokyo.
Mr Aoyagi joined the UNESCO in July 2002 as Chief of the Literacy and Non-Formal Education (NFE) section in the Education Sector in Paris. In this capacity, he worked for the Education for All (EFA) programme, as well as its work on Literacy and Non-Formal Education (NFE).
He contributed to the adoption of the UN resolution on the United Nations Literacy Decade (UNLD) International Plan of Action, coordinated the EFA Flagship programmes on UNLD and the UNESCO/FAO joint programme on Rural People and developed the UNESCO’s flagship programme of Literacy Initiative for Empowerment (LIFE) for the 35 countries in the world.
From December 2006 to December 2011, Mr Aoyagi was Director of the UNESCO Office in Kabul and UNESCO Representative to Afghanistan. He initiated a large scale literacy project of Empowerment of Literacy in Afghanistan (ELA) in collaboration with Afghan and Japanese Governments to improve the level of literacy, numeracy and vocational skills of one million Afghan youth and adults.
In January 2012, Mr Aoyagi was transferred to the post of Director of the UNESCO Office in New Delhi, and UNESCO Representative to India, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Notably, he led the development of SAARC Framework for Action for Education 2030 in close collaboration with its Member States and UN Agencies including UNICEF.
He was appointed to the Director of the UNESCO Office in Bangkok and UNESCO Representative to Thailand, Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Singapore in May 2018.
Director, UNESCO Office in Bangkok
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Siriporn Sriaram
Siriporn Sriaram
Acting Head of Office, IUCN Thailand
Siriporn Sriaram is managing several projects such as MARPLASTICCs, Thailand Business and Bio-Diversity Network Alliance (B-DNA), Dow & Thailand Mangrove Alliance. She is working at International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Thailand Programme. She joined IUCN in 2008 as the Mangroves for the Future (MFF) Thailand National Coordinator. She has expertise in coastal resource management and partnership development. She has been working closely with governments, local communities, private sectors, academia and NGOs. In 2018, Siriporn became a member of IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC) with a passion to connect, educate and inspire people about sustainable development through nature conservation. She holds a M.Sc in Environmental Biology from Mahidol University.
URL www.iucn.org
Acting Head of Office, IUCN Thailand
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Sorawis Somsub
Sorawis Somsub
Climate change & food science specialist
Former UNESCO Intern, Natural Sciences Unit, UNESCO Bangkok, climate change & food science specialist.
Climate change & food science specialist
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Supawadee Theerathammakorn
Supawadee Theerathammakorn
Associate Professor, School of Science and Technology, STOU
Supawadee Theerathammakorn is an associate professor in the School of Science and Technology, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU). She received her Ph.D. in Imaging Technology from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in 2019, M.S. in Packaging from Michigan State University, USA in 1993, and B.S. in Photographic Science and Printing Technology from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand in 1987. She is currently an Acting Director for the Department of International Affairs, and also a head of a Master Degree program in Industrial Technology at the School of Science and Technology, STOU. Prior to joining the School of Science and Technology, she spent 3 years time working as a Printing Section Head at STOU. In addition, she worked about a year as Technical Service Supervisor at Strongpak Public Company Limited (Amcor Flexibles Bangkok Public Company Limited). She was invited as a visiting lecturer to teach an undergraduate course on Thai Printing and Packaging Technology at Hochschule der Medien, Stuttgart University in Germany in June 2004. Her research focuses on sustainable packaging, converting and design. She is also involved in the Thai packaging association, participating in seminars, conferences, and other activities.
Associate Professor, School of Science and Technology, STOU
Schedule
- 2020-11-10
13:30 Joining Zoom13:30 - 14:00Waiting room slide show
14:00 Welcome Message14:00 - 14:05Welcome by Master of CeremonySpeakers: Sorawis Somsub
14:05 Welcome Remarks14:05 - 14:10Welcome Remarks by UNESCO Bangkok OfficeSpeakers: Shigeru Aoyagi
14:10 Opening: Science for and with People14:10 - 14:20UNESCO JarkataSpeakers: Shabaz Khan
14:20 A word of respect for nature14:20 - 14:25Singer and songwriter Charlie WinstonSpeakers: Charlie Winston
14:25 Green Academies14:25 - 14:30First keynote about UNESCO Green AcademiesSpeakers: Benno Böer
14:30 Green Academy Guidelines14:30 - 14:35Mekong language versions of Green Academy guidelinesSpeakers: Ethel Vazenzuela
14:35 Green Academies in Africa14:35 - 14:40Second keynote about Green Academies in AfricaSpeakers: Felix Matschie
14:40 Slide show on Green STOU14:40 - 14:45Slide show on Green STOUSpeakers: Supawadee Theerathammakorn
14:45 Kids to Forests14:45 - 14:50Third keynote about Kids to ForestsSpeakers: Illias Animon
14:50 New approaches in Science Education14:50 - 14:55Fourth keynote about new approaches in Science EducationSpeakers: Dev Suj
14:55 A poem on environment and youth14:55 - 15:00A poem on environment and youthSpeakers: Andrew Amatavivadhana
15:00 Panel Discussion15:00 - 15:30Consideration for developing an Open Science RecommendationSpeakers: Ethel Valenzuela, Francesca Calisesi, Rajesh Tandon, Siriporn Sriaram, Supawadee Theerathammakorn
15:30 Concluding Remarks and Way Foreword15:30 - 15:35Concluding Remarks and Way ForewordSpeakers: Benno Böer
Event Reviews
Overall Rating: 4 RatingsData
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This event is very informative as it can be. A lot of essential information was shared by the invited guest speakers to talk about the importance of open science and sustainability as we move towards the attaining of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. I wish that there will be follow-up sessions after this webinar focusing on the importance of living sustainably and caring for the planet and the future generations. Kudos to everyone! Happy World Science Day!Erdee Cajurao on 2020-11-10 09:41
The webinar is very informative and really inspiring. Being able to analyze the risk factors and able to connect the environmental problems to magnify the urgency to produce sustainable and highly attainable solutions is very timely. Hope that we can widened the proposed concepts and ideals, continue to build a nation for nature and promote a better earth for our future generations.Jumari on 2020-11-10 10:16
This event is very informative as it can be. A lot of essential information was shared by the invited guest speakers to talk about the importance of open science and sustainability as we move towards the attaining of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. I wish that there will be follow-up sessions after this webinar focusing on the importance of living sustainably and caring for the planet and the future generations. Kudos to everyone! Happy World Science Day!Erdee Cajurao on 2020-11-10 09:40
For todays webinar brings a brighter information on moving forward for the open science on imparting to all people the importance of being one in nature as we journey to reach the 2030 sustainable developmental goals. Thank you for all the resource speaker as we gain a lot of knowledge how we used to be productive in this world of existence. Looking forward for another set of webinar for the strong foundation in understanding the world of science.MILDRED P. GOMEZ on 2020-11-10 10:21
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