High-level support
The conference was supported by a good number of high-level dignitaries, such as Mariya Gabriel (European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth), Minister Anja Karliczek (German Federal Ministry of Education and Research), Minister Mabel Torres (Colombian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation), and Minister Pedro Duque (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation). All of them prepared audio or video interventions for the audience in which they stressed the importance of science diplomacy in addressing global challenges. They are available on the project's YouTube channel. Moreover, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded Peter Agre, gave an inspirational keynote entitled “Opening doors worldwide through science”.
The plenary sessions
The plenary sessions during the 5 days of the conference were organized around the different spheres the S4D4C project has identified as key to foster a strong, diverse, and agile science diplomacy for addressing global challenges: knowledge, governance with no silos, institutions, alliances and people. During the plenaries, the S4D4C partners presented their main findings and reflections around those spheres (the “S4D4C in the spotlight sessions”) and they were followed by round tables in which different experts would elaborate on each topic.
Also, the Friday plenary sessions were devoted to reflecting on the lessons from the three EU funded science diplomacy projects and on the future of EU science diplomacy.
The parallel sessions
The parallel sessions were a good opportunity for different communities to delve into concrete science diplomacy dimensions, projects or activities (from the role of arts in the communication of science and diplomacy to science diplomacy careers for researchers, just to name a few).
The flash talks
One of the most vertiginous sessions was probably the “Science Diplomacy community flash talks” in which 12 speakers presented their science diplomacy work in five minutes time. It was impressive to see how many initiatives are happening all over the world.
The social dimension of the S4D4C conference
In spite of the conference being virtual, we made an effort in trying to build the science diplomacy community and in allowing participants to interact among themselves and with the speakers. The conference platform allowed for bilateral meetings among participants and, also, we celebrated two virtual get-togethers with the participants in which we could speak in a relaxed environment with those participants attending the session.
The Alliance
During the final conference day, Elke Dall, the coordinator of the S4D4C project, announced the launch of the European Union Science Diplomacy Alliance, in which partners from the three science diplomacy consortia funded by Horizon 2020 come together with other actors to keep nurturing a European Science Diplomacy community after the end of S4D4C. Click here to know more.
Want to know more?
You can visit the summary of each day of the conference on the project's website:
