ISLAMABAD:The World Science Day for Peace and Development was observed here at Comstech Secretariat with the theme of ‘Basic Science for Sustainable Development’.
The event was jointly organized by COMSTECH, UNESCO, COMSATS, Pakistan Academy of Sciences, Pakistan Science Foundation, and ECO Science Foundation.
Speaking at the event, Coordinator General COMSTECH Professor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Chaudhry said basic science education at school and colleges levels, especially in mathematics, chemistry, physics, and biology not only inculcates scientific curiosity and joy of learning in students but also prepares them for more interdisciplinary scientific disciplines.
He said unfortunately, the OIC region was faced with the triple challenge of conflicts, poverty, and environmental degradation. Among the most climate venerable countries of the world, several were in the OIC region. “Contributions of OIC countries to global greenhouse gas emission is minimum” but the impact of climate change is “felt far and wide”. From sinking Jakarta and Maldives to the disappearing coastline of southern Bangladesh, heatwaves in Mena and South Asian regions, forest fires in Turkiye and Indonesia, desertification of OIC countries at both ends of the Sahara, drought in sub-tropical Africa, and many more, he highlighted.
Director of UNESCO in Pakistan, Dr Yusuf Falali Makinassi, said the World Science Day for Peace and Development was the best opportunity for the scientific community to “bring society closer to understanding the importance of science”. He said to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the United Nations General Assembly noted in 2021 that “we need to understand more basic science”.
The former ambassador and executive director of COMSATS Dr Nafis Zakaria said COMSATS was carrying out several projects together with its member countries for the promotion of basic science.
Chairman Pakistan Science Foundation Prof. Dr Shahid Mahmood Baig, Secretary Pakistan Academy of Sciences Prof. Dr Tasavar Hayat, and a representative of Eco Science Foundation also addressed the event.
Ambassadors of different countries, heads of different scientific and research institutions, scientific experts, and students of universities participated in the ceremony, in Uzbekistan, Yemen, and Nigeria.