"2012 must be a turning point towards green societies, built on the inclusive and equitable development of science to the benefit of all. This is our message for the 2011 World Science Day for Peace and Development."
Message from Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
on the occasion of the World Science Day for Peace and Development
10 November 2011
Proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference ( Resolution 31C/ 20) in 2001, the World Science Day for Peace and Development is an annual event celebrated all over the world to recall the commitment made at the UNESCO-ICSU World Conference on Science (Budapest 1999).
The purpose of the World Science Day for Peace and Development is to renew the national, as well as the international commitment to science for peace and development and to stress the responsible use of science for the benefit of society. The World Science Day for Peace and Development also aims at raising public awareness of the importance of science and to bridge the gap between science and societies.
The theme of 2011's World Science Day for Peace and Development is "Towards Green Societies: Equity, Inclusiveness, Participation." Green societies must be knowledge societies, which harness science to identify emerging challenges and to respond in innovative ways. For this, science must be mobilized and it must be inclusive.