杭州市科学技术协会

The 2024 World Conference on Science Literacy (WCSL 2024), sponsored by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), commenced in Beijing on December 5, 2024.  

Under the theme of "Enhance Science Literacy, Empower Joint Development," the conference aims to foster global dialogue on issues including the resolution of the United Nations International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033).

 

It seeks to pool global insights to boost scientific literacy and drive social sustainability, while also expanding international exchanges in science, technology, and culture.

 

Wan Gang, President of CAST, graced the event with his presence, alongside over 400 delegates and guests from 23 countries and 10 international organizations. The opening ceremony was presided over by He Junke, Executive President and Chief Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of CAST.

 

In his opening ceremony address, Wan Gang outlined 3 key initiatives: fostering a shared understanding to cultivate momentum for global development, enhancing mutual learning to address global development challenges, and deepening collaborative actions to envision sustainable development.

 

Wan emphasized the importance of upholding principles of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness.

 

He advocated for openness, trust, and cooperation, and called for leveraging the conference and the soon-to-be-established World Organization for Science Literacy (WOSL) as platforms to open a new chapter in international scientific literacy cooperation and the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity.

 

The two-day event, which began on December 5, is packed with a variety of engaging components, including keynote speeches, themed forums, and the highlight event named "Science Popularization Experts Talk."  

 

The conference featured 5 themed forums that delve into topics including Popularizing Frontier Sciences to Support Scientific and Technological Innovation, Multi-stakeholder Collaborations to Enhance Public Science Literacy, Leveraging New Technologies to Empower Science Literacy Construction, Regional Practices and Visions for Building Science Popularization Capacity and the 2024 China Science Popularization Think Tank Forum and the 31st National Conference on Theoretical Study of Science Popularization.

 

These themed forums facilitated in-depth discussions and exchanges on current hot topics in global scientific literacy and science popularization efforts.

 

A standout feature of the conference is the "Science Popularization Experts Talk" event, which has invited two esteemed winners of the UNESCO Kalinga Prize: Li Xiangyi and Karl Kruszelnicki. They will deliver speeches and engage in dialogues, imparting valuable insights into the significance of elevating global public scientific literacy and discussing incentive mechanisms for the advancement of science popularization and dissemination.

 

This event is designed to share experiences and foster a global dialogue on the critical role of science communication in today's world.

 

The WCSL, an initiative launched by CAST in 2018, remains dedicated to fostering an international platform for dialogue and collaboration in the enhancement of public scientific literacy.  

 

Since 2019, CAST has been at the forefront of establishing the WOSL. The preparatory committee and observer organizations now boast a membership of 45 entities. The conference aims to continue acting as a catalyst for the growth and development of the organization, with plans to further increase its organizational membership.