Elena Eremenko, Vice President of Vyzov Foundation, On Science Diplomacy And Foundation's Efforts In This Field
Not in a single
country can science evolve in isolation from the rest of the world, believes
Elena Eremenko, Vice President of Vyzov Foundation. Read the full text of her
op-ed published in Izvestia newspaper.
Science should
stay out of politics. However, we don’t live in a perfect world, and, regrettably,
political tensions between states affect those engaged in science. Some
researchers in the West have put cooperation with Russian labs on hold out of
concern for negative consequences. Existing collaborations crumble, Russian specialists
face limited access to research infrastructure. Another problem is ensuring
supplies of consumables required for conducting research. This list could go on
and on.
That said,
we all know perfectly well that not in a single country can science evolve in
isolation from the rest of the world. Therefore, people who pursue science now
have to take on the role of diplomats.
Speaking of
science diplomacy, we can generally distinguish three main vectors: science for
diplomacy, diplomacy for science, and science in diplomacy. Looking at the past
few years, it becomes clear that all three of these areas have been exposed to geopolitical
turmoil and have shown varying degrees of resilience.
Academic
communities that had previously acted almost exlusively as "bridge-builders"
for the extensive international dialogue have become fragmented. For instance,
certain professional scientific associations primarily in the West (such as the
European Physical Society) have suspended membership of Russian research organizations.
At the same time, other academic associations, mostly informal ones, have articulated
their commitment to international dialogue outside politics. A good example of
the latter is the Science4Peace Forum initiative.
The
"geopolitical earthquake" did happen, but it caused less damage than
it could have. What platforms and tools of science diplomacy have shown
resilience? International intergovernmental organizations have largely stood up
to the challenge. A great example is the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research: the
organization established by 11 founding states in 1956, registered with the
United Nations. It brings together researchers from three dozen countries,
including EU states. Naturally, the reason why such format has shown resilience
lies not only in its international legal form, but also stems from clear
commitment to depoliticized, purely academic dialogue. This is the most solid
foundation that allows scientists to do their job efficiently.
We also
need to mention a more recent example of such format, the unique initiative to
build the SESAME synchrotron in the Middle East. Scientists from Egypt, Jordan,
Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, and Palestine are working together on
this facility. It is a striking example of the power of science diplomacy, when
even belligerent states join their efforts in the name of science. This
approach is obviously welcome, and we see similar initiatives in the Global
South, including the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (also known as
ALCE) and the first Pan-African synchrotron (African Light Source) that is
currently under construction.
When it
comes to the "diplomacy for science" track, we are witnessing a
distressing scene. Western foreign services, implementing foreign policy of
their respective states, have cut off official channels used for interaction
with Russian scientific organizations. This could hardly contribute to the
development of scientific dialogue, although at the personal level,
communication channels have been partially preserved. In general, it seems that
science is becoming hostage to sanctions policy.
Breaking
down the situation with the third vector of science diplomacy that implies the
use of academic expertise in diplomacy, we need to acknowledge the European
trend to integrate established expert platforms in the field of science diplomacy
into the EU bureaucracy. Meanwhile, there seem to exist innovative approaches
to expertise based on the use of new technological solutions, a kind of
"radar" tracking development in key areas including science diplomacy.
For instance, Switzerland has GESDA, a standalone organization that deals
exclusively with science diplomacy. It was established in 2019 in the wake of
increased concerns regarding the drastic acceleration of scientific progress
and heightened geopolitical tensions.
Given all
the challenges that science diplomacy is currently facing, it is extremely
important to ensure the preservation of dialogue. In order to achieve this, the
Vyzov Foundation for the Development of Scientific and Cultural Relations has
been creating platforms for informal communication between scientists, expert
community, representatives of government and businesses from different
countries. This is a kind of all-encompassing track, "science along with
diplomacy".
Key factors
for science diplomacy are commitment to science, maintaining dialogue, and
building trust. All these three "ingredients" can be found in the
title of our flagship SCIENCE. DIALOGUE. TRUST format. It is an informal
platform for discussions featuring lectures, panel discussions, and real-life
communication between leading theorists and practitioners of science diplomacy.
The event was attended by representatives of more than 25 countries, which is a
good sign. Together, we are looking for an answer to the question of what can
and should be done in terms of science diplomacy to shape our common scientific
future for the benefit of harmonious and sustainable development. At the same
time, it is important to consolidate the expert community — for this purpose, we
launched a series of seminars on science diplomacy and have already held several
sessions. Needless to say, we need to move forward with professionalization of
science diplomacy that caters to the needs of society.
Another efficient
tool of science diplomacy is the VYZOV Prize for Future Technologies. This
year, it has pushed on to the new level thanks to the establishment of an international
category. Almost 600 scientists from 34 countries have submitted their
applications for the award. This is a vote of confidence in the VYZOV Prize, its
scientific committee, and our country. Russia lays the groundwork for the
development of science, and this entices researchers from all over the world.
Science diplomacy
is making the first steps in its long journey. The world has yet to recognize its
significance and importance, but in the meantime, the international community
needs to make every effort to ensure that negative trends towards fragmentation
give way to aspirations for dialogue and cooperation.