Under the ‘Science International’ banner, the ISC, TWAS and IAP relaunched the Second Refugee and Displaced Scientists project last year, with an initial planning workshop in October 2020. Since then, small working groups have been advancing different aspects of the initiative.
We cordially invite interested individuals and organizations to attend the Second Refugee and Displaced Scientists workshop, to be held over two days (30 March and 1 April 2021 at 14:00 – 17:30 CET). A follow-up call will be held on 12 April (15:00 – 16:00 CET).
Objective
The objective of the workshop is to officially launch the refugee and displaced initiative, moving from brainstorming and planning to putting structures in place and implementing activities.
Outcomes
Intended outcomes from the workshop include:
- Interim network structure in-place and functional
- Campaign ready to launch and advocacy plan finalized
- Declaration text agreed and ready to “go to print”
- Strategic framework agreed and ready to implement
- Logo and name selected
- Refugee and displaced scientists engagement outlined
- Outreach plan agreed (to include geographic and gender)
- Initial findings of mapping study shared
- Finalization of working definitions
- Specific actions that participants can take to be involved
Agenda
30 March 2021, 14:00 – 17:30 CET
| Welcome |
| Strategic framework and network structure |
| Break |
| Refugee & displaced scientists engagement |
| Closing |
1 April 2021, 14:00 – 17:30 CET
| Welcome |
| Communications and Advocacy Campaign |
| Break |
| Outreach |
| Closing |
12 April 2021, 15:00 – 16:00 CET
| Welcome |
| Bringing it all together! |
| Closing |
Science International Refugee and Displaced Scientists Initiative
The world is currently witnessing the highest numbers of forcibly displaced people on record. By the end of 2019, 79.5 million were forcibly displaced worldwide according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). These displacements are a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and climate change. Countries such as Iraq and Syria, which once had well established science institutes and systems, have seen their science infrastructure largely dismantled by confl ict and violence. Two-thirds of displaced migrants come from just five countries, including countries with some of the world’s most poorly funded science institutes and systems.