Previous Fora / 2003
Providing "WAYS" A worldwide organization for young scientists
György Pálfi (Hungary)
"Providing "WAYS". A worldwide organization for young scientists"
We have recently witnessed some happy events. A month ago, I was happy to hear at the 32nd session of UNESCO's General Conference that the representative of the Republic of Hungary had announced the establishment of a coordination center for the World Academy of Young Scientists in Budapest and the support provided by the Hungarian Government for this new organization. A couple of weeks prior to this announcement, the organizers of the World Science Forum offered to receive young scientists.
We feel honored that our group of young scientists could contribute to the program of the World Science Forum with a seventh, "virtual session". The topic of "Knowledge and Society" could find its natural continuation in the dimension of "Knowledge and Future", which is our responsibility as the new generation of scientists.
The significance of this invitation was multiplied by the enthusiasm of our young researchers. It took less than two weeks to set up a network of dedicated young scholars. Out of the 36 young participants of the Forum, about two-thirds come from abroad, representing four continents. In the last two weeks, more than 200 young scientists from more than 40 countries have joined up to establish a dynamic scientific and representative organization for young scholars worldwide. The long debates of the past three days, as well as the short talks we have just heard attest to the need for such an institution.
The World Academy of Young Scientists, WAYS in short, was conceived in the spirit of the satellite forum for young scientists of the World Conference on Science, held in Budapest in 1999. In accordance with the original objectives, WAYS is dedicated to provide the possibility for young generations of researchers to actively participate in today's and tomorrow's knowledge-based societies. We have a double objective: to carry out a quality scientific research and actively participate in science policy and decision-making.
WAYS will develop a structure according to scientific disciplines and geographical areas, thus supporting the organization of specialized scientific events and encouraging and promoting the international mobility of young scholars. In other words, we wish to establish WAYS between generations and continents, with special regard to WAYS between developed and developing countries.
WAYS invites young people dedicated to science from all countries and various age groups. With this common goal in perspective, WAYS joins its efforts with other organizations for young scientists.
We fully and happily support the decision that Budapest will regularly host a world forum for science. It is our intention that the scientists of the future be involved in shaping the science of the future. We would be grateful if WAYS would become a partner, and young scientists could participate, as this year, in the "adult" world forum.
For WAYS to fulfill its plenary and international function successfully, it is indispensable that both its scientific events and its strategic meetings be held in different countries on different continents. It is desirable that the first General Conference takes place outside Europe during the fall of next year.
We are relying on the continuing support of our international partner organizations, UNESCO in particular, the collaborating countries, Academies of Science and other scientific organizations. We also have trust in the present and future Governments of Hungary to provide a solid background for the effective work of the WAYS coordination center in Budapest. I wish to express our gratitude for all their support so far. We would like to thank the Hungarian Academy of Sciences that we could take part in the World Science Forum.
World Science Day, WSF, Budapest
Monday 10 November 2003
(Dr György Pálfi, PhD)