Islamabad - Prof Zabta Shinwari of Pakistan has been conferred upon the UNESCO Avicenna Prize for Ethics 2015 in Paris for his contributions in the field of ethics in science.
Prof Dr Zabta Khan Shinwari is the secretary general of Pakistan Academy of Sciences and chairman of biotechnology department at Quaid-i-Azam University. He has been awarded the prize upon the recommendation of an independent international jury of scholars and ethicists.
The prestigious award has been conferred upon Prof. Shinwari on November 4, 2015 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris by the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, says a press release issued here yesterday.
Minister of State for Education & Professional Training, Engr M Baligh-ur-Rehman was also invited in the award conferring ceremony.
The Jury stressed that Prof Shinwari could be a role model in the area of ethics of science because he combines an outstanding personal commitment to ethically responsible research and responsible science with high academic standards of scientific research, education and management.
Intended to honour the contributions of individuals and groups in the field of ethics in science, the Prize encourages ethical reflection on questions raised by scientific and technological advances.
Established in 2002 by UNESCO, on the initiative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the prize has been awarded biennially since 2004. The prize consists of a gold Avicenna medal, a certificate and the sum of USD 10,000. The prize-winner also is invited to pay a one-week academic visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran, during which he/she will deliver speeches in the relevant academic gatherings, organised for this purpose by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The previous two winners of this UNESCO award belonged to Canada, and the third to China.
Speaking on the event, Prof Shinwari said, “Ignoring science is the most unethical attitude.” He said that the world leaders should slogan for “human interest” instead of “national interest” at least in the common agenda like climate change, poverty alleviation and gender equality.
Director General of UNESCO, Bokova congratulated Pakistan to have individuals like Prof Shinwari who has taken these agenda as a religious zeal to reduce human sufferings and is a role model of young generation of the world in general and the Muslim countries in particular.
The Iranian Minister for S&T Mohammad Farhadi was of the opinion that Prof Shinwari should play a role to bridge and strengthen S&T cooperation between the two brotherly and neighbouring countries.
The Afghanistan Minister appreciated Shinwari on winning this prestigious international Award; as Shinwari tribe is predominantly living in Afghanistan, he requested Prof. Shinwari to help in developing S&T in Afghanistan.