Shahbaz Khan, the director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing, delivers keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2023 International Symposium on the Development of Natural Science Museums Under the Belt and Road Initiative held in Beijing on November 29. (PHOTO: COURTESY PHOTO)

By GONG Qian

Editor’s note: The opening ceremony of the 2023 International Symposium on the Development of Natural Science Museums Under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRISMIS) was held in Beijing on November 29. Two keynote speakers, Wang Xiaoming and Shahbaz Khan, were on hand to share their insights on the role of science museums in conducting science education, promoting public engagement, and bringing about action and change.

It is universally accepted that understanding science and technology begins with curiosity and imagination. Science and technology museums, also referred to as natural science museums, are therefore important spaces to nurture human curiosity, especially among the younger generation, and to shape public awareness and action, thus building an inclusive and sustainable world.

Equal education and science communication

In his speech at the ceremony, Wang Xiaoming, tenured professor of East China Normal University and vice president of Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums, said natural science museums promote equal and inclusive informal education by building an open, flexible and non-systematic education system, so that everyone has equal educational opportunities. They also help to establish a lifelong learning society and promote all-round development of people.

Natural Science Museums should be a venue for science popularization exhibitions of historical and current scientific and technological achievements, a place where the global deficit of science and technology can be reduced and a shared place with no thresholds, no discrimination, no boundaries, for all ages, according to Wang.

Science museums should also serve as a science education and science culture communication platform that integrates science and art, filled with imagination, attraction and affinity, said Wang.

Furthermore, Wang said science museums could bridge domestic and international communication, enabling different groups to share their innovative ideas and achievements in the field of science and technology.

Addressing global challenges

In his keynote speech, Shahbaz Khan, the director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing, said that in an era marked by profound climate and ecological challenges, the role of science museums and centers in fostering global sustainability has never been more crucial.

He said that science museums, traditionally repositories of knowledge and culture, are now pivotal in addressing the complex nexus of climate change, ecological balance, and sustainable living. They are uniquely positioned to educate and inspire the public, especially the younger generation, about the intricacies of our environment and the critical need for its preservation.

Khan highlighted the fact that some science museums around the world such as the Science Museum Group in the UK and the California Academy of Sciences in the U.S. are making strides in reducing carbon emissions, and engaging communities in biodiversity and climate change initiatives.

Similarly, Professor Wang stressed that natural science museums could promote the preparation of citizens to participate in joint responses to global issues, and achieve objective expression of new technologies, policies and emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic through vigorous debates and doubts.