Achieving peace and development through scientific innovation

November 10 marks World Science Day for Peace and Development.

November 08, 2019 by Mary Wakhaya Sichangi, ADEA's Inter-Country Quality Node on Mathematics and Science Education
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2 minutes read
A girl uses her electronic tablet to study during class.
Credit: GPE/Deepa Srikantaiah

This post is the 12th in a blog series published in 2019 in the context of a collaboration between the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) and the Global Partnership for Education.

The first World Science Day for Peace and Development was celebrated worldwide on November 10, 2002 under UNESCO auspices. The rationale for celebrating that day has its roots in the importance of the role of science and scientists for sustainable societies and in the need to inform and involve citizens in science. This year’s theme is "Open science, leaving no one behind."

Innovation is strictly connected to investment in STEM

Scientific innovation forms the basis for sustainable socioeconomic development and peaceful societies. World population is growing at a rate of around 1.08% per year, down from 1.14% in 2016. The world is expected to gain 82 million new people per year, and yet is facing various challenges such as climate change, inadequate resources, nutrition, health and diseases. Scientific innovation competencies have the potential to transform societies because competition for resources continues to grow and only innovative minds will enjoy the fruits of the future of work.

As we celebrate World Science Day, we should ask: how can we tap the potential of youth through deliberate efforts that equip them with scientific innovation competencies to transcend developmental challenges?

A student from Mary-Hill high school engaged in scientific innovations during a school tour to the CEMASTEA innovations laboratory.

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