US embassy cable - 05PARIS7587

UNCLAS PARIS 007587 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KTIA, OPDC, PHSA, PBTS, IHO, KSI, UNESCO 
SUBJECT:  USUNESCO: UNESCO BASIC SCIENCES DIVISION 
SEEKS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC SCIENCE AWARENESS, PARTICULARLY 
IN DEVELOPING WORLD 
 
1.  SUMMARY. On November 3, Mission staff attended an 
informal UNESCO panel discussion "60 Minutes on the 
Advancement of Scientific Knowledge," presented by the 
Basic Sciences Division of the Science Sector.  This 
was one of a series of talks to mark the organization's 
60th anniversary.  While the primary objective of this 
presentation was to identify the projects and 
activities of the basic sciences division, the sector's 
Director also commented on the division's strengths and 
weaknesses. END  SUMMARY. 
 
2.  The basic sciences division considers that science 
should be a key component of basic education; science, 
at the advanced level, is important in advancing 
development at the country and regional level.  Africa 
was admittedly the division's priority.  However, the 
presenters voiced concern that interest in the sciences 
has declined.  In order to reverse this trend, long 
lasting political support is needed and science should 
be made more visible to the public. 
 
3.  The basic sciences division is involved in various 
activities to generate public awareness and interest in 
science.  For example, the creation of worldwide and 
regional scientific centers and networks is meant to 
foster knowledge sharing.  One such example is the 
Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and 
Applications in the Middle East (SESAME), located in 
Amman, Jordan which brings together scientists from 
across the Middle East, including Israel.  Holding 
international science exhibitions and contests to 
promote excellence in and popularizing science through 
prizes, awards, partnerships (like the L'Oral-UNESCO 
awards and fellowships), summer school, science days, 
and newsletters is a way of bringing the public's 
attention to the science sector.  The Basic Sciences 
Division is also working on providing basic chemistry 
kits to schools; with the Education sector, it plans to 
provide "non-biased" pedagogical teaching kits on GMOs. 
Despite these activities and examples of cross-sector 
partnership, Maciej Nalecz, Director of the Division of 
Basic and Engineering Sciences, commented on the 
division's weaknesses. 
 
4.  Prompted by two comments from the audience, Mr. 
Nalecz agreed that cooperation between the Science and 
Education sectors may largely be cosmetic.  He remarked 
that collaboration between these sectors is much easier 
in the field where they are more flexible, spontaneous, 
and able to work without the hierarchical structure 
that exists at UNESCO. 
 
5.  COMMENT:  Although Nalecz's assessment of the state 
of cooperation between the Science Sector and the 
Education sector is rather downbeat, we note that the 
new ADG for education Peter Smith is committed to cross- 
sector efforts, so that we have hopes in this area. 
The planned overall review of the Natural Sciences and 
the Social Sciences sectors, approved at the October 
2005 General Conference - will be an opportunity to 
tackle some of these problems.  We will also be keeping 
an eye on the "non-biased" teaching kits on GMOs to 
ensure that the Science Sector stays out of politics. 
End Comment. 
KOSS