2018-12-12
In face of the new situations of rapid global scientific and technological development, deepening international exchanges and cooperation, and interaction between different cultures, the significance of science education has gained wide attention globally. In 2018, the World Conference on Science Literacy was held successfully where the Beijing Declaration was released, calling for the utmost efforts to protect and inspire the passion of young people for science, providing new ideas for further clarifying the relationship between science literacy and a community with shared future for mankind.
The 2nd The Belt and Road Teenager Maker Camp & Teacher Workshop was held in Beijing, China from November 15 to 21, 2018. We, delegates from 18 countries and international organizations, gathered in Beijing. Under the common understanding of the Belt and Road spirit, we officially established Belt and Road International Science Education Coordinating Committee (BRISECC) as a coordination mechanism and collaboration platform to boost resource and information sharing, personnel exchange, as well as deep cooperation between members in the field of science education. Through a series of exchanges and discussions around how science education can improve the scientific literacy of future citizens and promote the building of a community with shared future for mankind, we stress that:
1. Teenagers are the cornerstone of the common progress of mankind. At present, we are living in a world of great development, great changes and great adjustments. Human interdependence is on the rise, and the challenges we face are also increasing. Teenagers are the future of the world, and the hope of science. "Science has no borders". Teenagers have natural interests and yearns for science. We should take science education as the bond to guide the teenagers of all countries to transcend the estrangement and conflict of civilization, understand and recognize cultural diversity, and promote world peace and human progress.
2. Science education is an important way to improve the scientific literacy of future citizens. Scientific literacy is the social foundation of the world's innovation ability and sustainable development, while science education is the main way to cultivate and improve the scientific literacy of young people. In line with the principle of equity and mutual benefit, we should strengthen the cooperation and exchanges in the field of science education, promote the resource circulation and experience exchange to help science education find the most suitable growth path in different cultural environments and different social development stages, achieve common development and prosperity of science education along the Belt and Road, and promote the building of a community of shared future for mankind.
To this end, we have reached the following consensus to form the Belt and Road Science Education Cooperation Initiative:
1. Mobilizing all sectors of society to work together. Science education is mainly for teenagers to promote their understanding of the relationship between science and society, and finally give back to society and promote social development. We believe that science education should receive extensive attention and active participation from government departments, science education organizations, enterprises, schools and media, so as to comprehensively cultivate and improve the scientific literacy of young people -- the future citizens.
2. Jointly carrying out science education exchange activities for young people. To cultivate the scientific interest of teenagers, expand their international vision, strengthen the cross-cultural communication and understanding, we suggest holding science contests and exchange activities with rich contents and diversified themes. Through joint efforts, we aim at guiding and helping teenagers cultivate scientific spirit, dream big, and then contribute to the promotion of global inclusion, mutual benefit. and sustainable development.
3. Improving the capacity and skills of science instructors. Science teachers and instructors are the guide for teenagers to pursue their scientific dreams, and the mentors of science education and science activities for teenagers. We should establish an exchange platform, to provide training opportunities and share science education resources for science instructors by jointly holding forums, seminars, training, workshops and other forms of cooperation, so as to improve the professional ability and skills of science instructors in various countries and provide the foundation and guarantee for the development of the Belt and Road science education.
4. Promoting resource sharing and cooperative research. We should cultivate versatile innovative talents for the future development of science and technology with science education. We have the responsibility to pay attention to and explore the new demand of human development for science education, carry out cooperation and share resources, seek common development of science education in all countries, build a science education resource exchange platform, share development achievements of science education, and discuss the future of mutually beneficial cooperation.
Let us work together to carry out practical cooperation in various forms and rich contents in the area of science education, promote science education development and people-to-people and exchanges and cooperation among countries along the Belt and Road, and promote the building of a community with shared future for mankind.