ICSU Statute 5 stands for the free and responsible practice of science, which also requires freedom of movement and of association. This entails rights and responsibilities on the part of both organisers and sponsors of as well as participants at international scientific meetings.
The ICSU Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS) recently drafted recommendations to this target audience to help avoid difficulties and improve the chances of a positive resolution where problems do occur.
CFRS developed recommendations to assist organisers and participants in international scientific meetings to help avoid difficulties and improve the chances of a positive resolution, especially when visa problems do occur.
An article on this subject was published by ICSU office bearers in Nature in 2004.
In applying the Principle of Universality, ICSU opposes calls for boycotts, such as, for example, concerning meetings hosted in the Middle East or North Africa, or with a focus on that region.
The Chair of CFRS addressed this issue in contributions to Nature in 2009 and 2007.
Also related to the free movement of scientists, ICSU expressed concern about the implications of security vetting procedures in various parts of the world by writing to its Membership and Regional Offices in 2009
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