ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in collaboration with Pakistan Academy of Sciences (PAS) and OIC Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) organized a Seminar on Science Diplomacy at COMSTECH auditorium in Islamabad on Wednesday.
The event was also supported by Economic Cooperation Organization Science Foundation (ECOSF), Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in South (COMSATS) and Technology Times.
The Seminar focused on the role of science in diplomacy noting that science, technology and innovation have also been recognized as the key drivers for the achievement of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Welcoming the participants of the meeting in his inaugural address, the Chief Guest Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr Tariq Banuri emphasized the need for building constructive international partnerships in science and technology and to deal effectively with trans-boundary challenges pertaining to climate change, energy, water, poverty reduction, health and education.
The Seminar was attended by the members of the Diplomatic Corps, the think tank community, public and private sector civil society organizations, members of academia and students from various universities in Islamabad.
The expert/speakers included Professor Dr M. Aslam Baig (Secretary, General, Pakistan Academy of Sciences), Muhammad Kamran Akhter (DG ACDIS/Science Diplomacy, MoFA), Professor Dr M. Qasim Jan (Advisor COMSTECH and President PAS), Professor Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro (President ECOSF), Dr S. M. Junaid Zaidi (Executive Director COMSATS), Syed Ammar Jaffry (Former Additional DG FIA and CEO Security Experts Pakistan), Dr Zaigham Abbas (Deputy Director IC Wing, Ministry of Climate Change) and Sayyed Paras Ali (CEO/Editor Technology Times).
The speakers shed light on themes such as “Science Communication and Popularization”, “Science Diplomacy for Sustainable Development”, “Cyber Diplomacy”, “Environment and Climate Change and Clean Green Pakistan Movement”, “Science Journalism” and “Pakistan’s Development Agenda in the context of SDGs”. The initiatives taken by COMSATS, ECOSF and COMSTECH in advancing Science Diplomacy initiatives were also highlighted.
In his concluding address, the Additional Foreign Secretary Ambassador Aftab Khokhar appreciated the seminar on science diplomacy and highlighted the steps taken by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to further the Science Diplomacy initiative.
