In its capacity as the Vice chair representing the Asia Pacific Group (ASPAC) for Intergovernmental special committee related to UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science, Ambassador Prof. Kshanika Hirimburagama, Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO briefed the ASPAC group on the approved draft text at ASPAC plenary meeting held virtually on 31 May 2021.
The Permanent Delegate briefed the Member States that open Science is a new paradigm of scientific enterprise leading to high impact research which allows scientific information, data, and outputs to be more widely accessible (Open Access) and more reliably harnessed (Open Data) with the active engagement of all the stakeholders (Open to Society).
The Intergovernmental special committee meeting related to the draft text of the UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science meeting took place on 6-7 May and 10- 11 May 2021.
This final draft approved by the experts and Member States at the intergovernmental meeting will be submitted with a view to its adoption at the upcoming 41 General Conference in November 2021.
The special meeting chaired by the representative Ms Vera Lacoeuilhe, of St Lucia was attended by more than 200 participants. Representatives of Member States, Scientific organisations, Science convening agencies, affiliated members (Foundations, Private Sector) and observers. The main speakers all highlighted the importance of this Session, decisive for the preparation of the draft text of the UNESCO recommendation on Open Science.
Ambassador Hirimburegama highlighted that the importance of open access to scientific knowledge and collaboration in the context of the COVID-19 crisis as well as for addressing other global challenges faced by humanity was acknowledged by all Member States at this high-level forum.
Sri Lanka Embassy
Paris
05 June 2021
