SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov has published an article in the newspaper Renmin Ribao dedicated to UNESCO World Science Day for Peace marked on 10 November. The member states of this respected international body in the UN system decided to establish this special day in order to raise public awareness of the benefits of science around the world, as well as to remind the international community of the need to use science and technology advances in the interests of peace and harmonious development for the benefit of human civilisation, he wrote.
According to Vladimir Norov, "along with building bridges between science and society, the purpose of World Science Day for Peace and Development is to provide society with information on new trends in science, and emphasise the role of scientists in deepening our understanding of the planet we call our common home. The planet Earth is now faced with a threat posed by the very people living on it, intensively engaged in industrial activities and polluting the environment with their waste. The Global Sustainable Development Report 2019 and the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019 both call for an urgent change in the relationship between people and nature."
In 2020, the focus of UNESCO World Science Day for Peace is on "Science for and with Society in Dealing with the Global Pandemic."
The SCO Secretary-General stressed that the SCO attaches particular importance to cooperation with the UN and its specialised agencies. The Memorandum of Understanding between the SCO and UNESCO signed on 10 June 2018, which concerns important areas of cooperation in education, science and culture, is being successfully implemented. He also noted that the strong partnership between the SCO and UNESCO is expanding and strengthening every year, embracing new areas.
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