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.