Islamabad - To create awareness and encourage students towards scientific education and research with a view to sharing ideas between the scientists and students, Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) in collaboration with UNESCO Islamabad and ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF, organized a convention of scientists to mark the World Science Day 2015 here.
Officials and representatives of the Ministry of Science and Technology, PSF, ECOSF, UNESCO, and representatives from academia and research institutions in Pakistan attended the event.
Fazal Abbas Maken, Federal Secretary Science and Technology, who was the chief guest, in his remarks highlighted the importance of science and technology and said that the objective of World Science Day was to renew the national, as well as international commitment to use science and technology for national development and achieving peace by appropriate use of its applications.
He underlined the importance of the theme of WSD-2015, as declared by UNESCO “Science for a Sustainable Future”, and mentioned that creating knowledge and its applications by using science helped us to find solutions to today’s acute economic, social and environmental challenges to achieve sustainable development.
In her remarks, Vibeke Jensen, Director UNESCO, Islamabad, said that the World Science Day for Peace and Development is an occasion for us to remember that the science should be at the service of humanity as a whole, and should contribute to providing everyone with a deeper understanding of this planet and its people.
Prof. Dr. Ashraf, Chairman PSF, in his welcome remarks said that PSF is playing a key role in promotion of science education at different levels in the country. It holds the honor of celebrating World Science Day every year to honor the efforts of Pakistani scientists and students working for the attainment of national goals, despite limited resources available to them, he added.
He informed the audience that PSF through its various programmes is striving to educate young children across the country about the basic scientific concepts and their applications. PSF is the only government organization in the country working for the dissemination of scientific knowledge in the rural areas of the country he said, adding that for this purpose, PSF operates through science caravans which are equipped with basic scientific gadgets.
Speaking at the convention, Dr. Manzoor Soomro, President ECOSF, highlighted the aims and objectives of the regional organization. He said that ECOSF was created to promote science in Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member countries and Pakistan is one of its important members.
Eminent scientists of Pakistan, Prof. Dr. Aslam Baig, HI, SI, TI, National Centre for Physics and Dr. S.T.K Naeem, Consultant, COMSTECH also spoke on this occasion.