In a world faced with complex global challenges, from climate change to pandemic response, the demand – and the potential – for science to provide actionable, solutions orientated knowledge that can inform transformative political and societal responses has never been greater.
Advancing human development within sustainable planetary boundaries is the most important challenge for humanity and for science. To deliver on the 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the African Union’s Agenda 2063 goals, we must urgently intensify fair and equitable transformations to sustainability across all sectors – from science, policy, business, and civil society.
These are ambitious goals that require collaboration between governments, scientists, research funders, the private sector and civil society. In this decisive decade, science must be empowered to work towards a dignified future for humanity and the planet, in partnership with society.
This calls for courage, and it calls for commitment. This is why the International Science Council, through the voices of its Members, is embarking on an ambitious schedule of Global Knowledge Dialogues, starting with Africa in 2022 at the World Science Forum, and continued in 2023 in Asia-Pacific and Europe, and Latin America-Caribbean in 2024,
The time for courage and commitment is urgent and it is now. The ISC aims to convene dialogues for its Members to future proof and strengthen the global voice of and for science.
🌍 Africa 2022
Key Milestones
✅ Held on 5 December 2022 on the margins of the World Science Forum, Cape Town, South Africa, the first in the series of Global Knowledge Dialogues attracted more than 100 participants.
✅ Eight themes were identified by participants that will form the ISC’s priority areas for the region: Governance and Representative Bodies; Capacity Strengthening; Funding African knowledge systems; African identity; Education; Social Systems; and Gender equality in science systems.
✅ An agreement was signed in December 2022 between the ISC and Future Africa to co-design the ISC’s presence in Africa.
Next Steps
🟡 Future Africa and the ISC are developing an outreach and engagement plan to share with African ISC Members in the first quarter of 2023.
✨ Global: Mid-term Meeting of ISC Members 2023
✅ The 2023 Mid-term Meeting of ISC Members “Capitalizing on Synergies in Science” was held on 10-12 May 2023 in Paris, France. Over 150 Member organizations were represented and nearly 300 delegates participated in the event. Read the highlight stories, browse the presentations and view the photos.
🌏 Asia and the Pacific 2023
✅ The Global Knowledge Dialogue for Asia and the Pacific was held on 5 – 6 October 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event was hosted by ISC Member, the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia, in collaboration with the ISC Regional focal point for Asia and the Pacific, based at the Australian Academy of Science.
🌎 Latin America and the Caribbean 2024
✅ The Global Knowledge Dialogue (GKD): Latin America and the Caribbean was held on 9 – 11 April 2024 in Santiago de Chile, hosted by the ISC Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean, along with its Liaison Committee.
