ANSO Young Scientists Forum Held in Chongqing

24 11, 2023

The First Belt and Road Conference on Science and Technology Exchange was held in Chongqing from November 6 to 7. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the conference and reiterated China’s commitment to fully implement the Belt and Road Science, Technology, and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan and advance international scientific and technological innovation exchanges. Nearly 1,000 domestic and foreign guests from more than 80 countries and international organizations participated in the conference.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with ANSO, organized “The Belt and Road Forum for Young Scientists (also known as ANSO Young Scientists Forum)” on 6 November. As one of the sub-forums of the Conference, the event aimed to showcase the skills, knowledge, and global perspectives of young scientific talents, promoting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the construction of a community with a shared future for humanity. More than 100 representatives from governments, scientific institutes, organizations, and universities attended the forum.

Guiyun Chen, Vice Chairman of CPPCC Chongqing Committee, representing the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government; Helena B. Nader, President of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences–a newly elected ANSO Vice President organization; Myo Thein Kyaw, Union Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Myanmar; and Yassine Zaghloul, President of Université Mohammed Premier Oujda (on behalf of Miraoui Abdellatif, Minister of the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation of Morocco), attended the event and delivered opening remarks. Collaboration and exchange among young scientists were highlighted as critical for advancing sustainable development.

Yongguan Zhu, Member of CAS / Director of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of CAS made a keynote speech entitled “Towards Planetary Health”. He stressed that the current challenges in human development include soil degradation, climate change, and more, and the concept of “Planetary Health” aims to achieve a balance and harmony between humanity and nature. Zhu also emphasized that young scientists should have greater aspirations and embrace ambitious ideals, possess a global perspective, and strive to make more impactful contributions.

During the event, Qihui Wang, Professor at the Institute of Microbiology, CAS; Zhe Li, Professor at the Chongqing Institute of Green and Intelligent Technology, CAS; Mahmoud Gad, Associate Professor at the National Research Centre (NRC), Egypt; Lei Li, Professor at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, CAS; Prasai Joshi Tista, Senior Scientist at the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology; Kahlil Fredrick Ermac Cui, Research Assistant at the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, CAS; and Jose Bofana, Research Assistant at the Faculty of Agronomic Sciences, the Catholic University of Mozambique, presented on topics such as microbial technology supporting sustainable development, disaster prevention, and crop monitoring systems for food security. Reports showcased how advanced interdisciplinary technologies contribute to the high-quality and sustainable development of Belt and Road regions and the global community.

The panel discussion was chaired by Yongguan Zhu and four speakers from diverse research institutes and organizations participated in the session. They are Massimo Paoli, Programme Coordinator at the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS); Gongdan Zhou, Professor at the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment of CAS; Bob Adyari, Special Research Assistant at the Institute of Urban Environment of CAS; and Sajid Ur Rehman, Assistant Professor from Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of CAS, a representative of ANSO Visiting Fellowship.

The panelists engaged in discussions on topics related to the sustainable development of the BRI, scientific and technological cooperation, and the capacity building of young talents. They expressed the hope that through the BRI, more scientific and technological cooperation could be conducted, enabling the practical implementation of research outcomes and contributing to the joint development of the Belt and Road regions.

The event attracted more than 100 audiences from more than 20 countries. Weidong Liu, Director-General of BICCAS gave closing remarks on behalf of the organizers. Zhenyu Wang, Deputy Director-General of Bureau of International Cooperation of CAS (BICCAS) chaired the Forum.