UNESCO Invites Stakeholders to Use Open Science to Better Cope with the Pandemic

The multifaceted impacts of the new coronavirus disease are not long in being felt, particularly on the global economy. The pandemic is generating an unprecedented crisis that is no longer only healthy. It is imperative, now more than ever, to strengthen scientific cooperation between scientists, policymakers, private practitioners, industries, health professionals, and civil society for a multidimensional approach to the fight against the Coronavirus.

In this context marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, Haitian society needs reliable information to adapt its response according to a multidimensional approach which implies open access to scientific knowledge and expertise; in other words, a policy of evidence-based decision making. In this sense, the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince proposes to organize a set of Webinars on the role of open science in the fight against COVID-19 in Haiti.

In fact, as a way to transform the COVID-19 crisis in Haiti into an opportunity for the future, in particular, to prepare for the post-crisis period, UNESCO wants to initiate a constructive debate on the role of science and research in the service of sustainable development through advocacy for the production of knowledge, the promotion of research and the opening up of scientific data.

This series of Webinars, which takes gender issues into account in the debates, aims to highlight, throughout July, the role of academic and scientific actors in the scientific decision-making process, following the objectives set by UNESCO for societies to increase their capacity to mobilize local knowledge systems and create synergy with science to meet the challenges of sustainable development.

“Haiti facing the COVID-19 pandemic: open science and research at the service of the response”, this is the theme chosen for this series of exchanges and scientific debates which will involve political decision-makers, but mostly researchers, professors of universities, and academic partners. However, it targets the entire population in general, but in particular students, civil society, the media in their educational purpose, journalists, and all types of content producers.

The 5 planned sessions will address the sub-themes specific to the key orientations for the revitalization and use of natural sciences, applications, social and engineering in Haiti in the context of COVID-19, namely, food and nutritional security, the challenges of educational continuity, the role of information technologies (artificial intelligence), and above all, the economic impact of the pandemic in Haiti. These debates will be broadcast live on the pages of partner institutions as well as on UNESCO’s web platforms.