The opening ceremony of the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, hosted by UNESCO, took place at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris, France on July 8.

Vietnamese Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat attended the opening ceremony and a high-level discussion on the role of science in policy-making.

The discussion was attended by ministers and policymakers, Nobel laureates, L'Oreal-UNESCO, Young Science Prize winners, and representatives of international organizations and private sector worldwide, who came to discuss the role and value of science and measures to promote investment in basic sciences for a sustainable future.

Minister Huynh Thanh Dat gave a speech at the discussion on the role of science in policy-making - (Photo: Nhan Dan)

In the discussion, minister Huynh Thanh Dat spoke about lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic that led to a change in the relationship between science and policy-making. He emphasized the importance of drastically renewing the thinking way in managing science and technology, encouraging experimentation, risk-taking, and failure, and promoting the spirit of open science and innovation.

The Vietnamese official supported establishing platforms to share patent information, data, scientific publications, and research facilities to help less developed countries access and catch up with the global trend in science and technology. He highlighted the importance of ensuring the balance between economic growth and civil safety and security, in which, people should be considered the center of all development policies.

Minister Huynh Thanh Dat meets newly elected President of the United Nations General Assembly Csaba Kőrösi and delegates from other countries. (Photo: Nhan Dan)

On the same day, Minister Huynh Thanh Dat had a meeting with the French Minister of Higher Education and Research. He attended an MoU signing ceremony between Vietnam and France on supporting cooperation in innovation, technology creation, and technology transfer for small and medium-sized enterprises in the two countries.

Minister Huynh Thanh Dat and Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang witnessed the MoU signing. (Photo: Nhan Dan)

2022 is declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, which aims to raise awareness about the role of basic science in promoting creative thinking and knowledge society.

Vietnam is among leading countries initiating and promoting the adoption of the Resolution on the Five Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development at the 40th UNESCO General Assembly (October 2019) and a co-author of Resolution A/76/L.12 of the United Nations General Assembly (December 2021).

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