As the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2022 the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD2022), an opening ceremony was held on the 8th of July to observe the occasion.
In partnership with Unesco, the IYSSBD 2022 organised its opening ceremony online. During the full-day event, audiences could hear a wide range of experts form UNESCO as well as from academia and external organisations discussing the importance of basic sciences -including, but not limited to mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology – in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The International Year, alongside being endorsed by the UN, is also supported by 90 international bodies, including international science academies, learned societies, scientific networks, research and education centres, and is co-sponsored by 36 countries.
The initiative aims to enhance awareness and education in the field of basic sciences, which contribute to improving general quality of life and sustainability. The organisers stress that the importance of these sciences became increasingly prominent in face of the recent global pandemic – which motivates the promotion of their cruciality and the role they play in reaching SDGs. Over the course of the year, events and activities will be organised worldwide to further this cause by numerous organisations – including EuChemS, which will dedicate some of its undertakings to mark this occasion.