Blog by Evelyne Para, SI Representative to UNESCO, Paris
As Soroptimist International Representative to UNESCO, I was invited to participate in the inaugural Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD), held from 15 to 17 July 2026, at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
Led by UNESCO, this Decade promotes science as a global public good—a driver of innovation, inclusion, and cross-border collaboration. Together, we want to build a fairer, more resilient, and more enlightened future for people and the planet.
This inaugural conference in July 2026, opened by Khaled El-Enany—UNESCO’s new Director-General—brought together over 800 participants, including government representatives, scientists, and international partners, under the theme “Science in Action: Charting a Sustainable and Equitable Future for All.
The aim was to examine how Science can contribute to sustainable development and shape a more inclusive and resilient future, ensuring that science serves everyone.
Here is my summary of these discussions.
Mobilise all scientific disciplines
The International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033), proclaimed by the United Nations and led by UNESCO, represents a pivotal global movement aimed at mobilizing all scientific disciplines to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and build a just, resilient, and inclusive post-2030 world.
In 2024, it launched a call to action to strengthen scientific literacy, translate knowledge into concrete solutions for the SDGs, reinvent scientific cooperation in basic and curiosity-driven sciences, promote open science, and transform national innovation systems. The Decade supports transdisciplinary cooperation to explore the complementarity of different knowledge systems—particularly regarding planetary sustainability—while recognising Indigenous peoples as essential knowledge partners.
Two years after the launch of the Decade, this first conference—held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 15 to 17 July 2026—provided a great global platform to assess collective progress, jointly identify major challenges, and mobilise the full spectrum of scientific disciplines to address escalating global crises, such as climate change, inequalities, and the governance of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum science.
The UNESCO conference also opened up new horizons for scientific research and catalyzed renewed international commitment to exploring science-based solutions.
Partnerships were also strengthened among governments, research institutions, international organisations, the private sector, and civil society.
Presentation of the UNESCO 2026 IDSSD Global Report
The UNESCO IDSSD 2026 Global Report was presented at this conference. The report takes stock of the Decade’s first two years, drawing on data from 397 endorsed scientific initiatives across 79 countries. This UNESCO Report demonstrates the unprecedented mobilization of the international scientific community, with $50 million in confirmed funding and projects contributing to all 17 SDGs.
However, the same data reveal a glaring imbalance. Africa accounts for less than 10% of the Decade’s initiatives, despite representing 17.5% of the global population. Furthermore, 40% of participating initiatives identified coordination—rather than funding—as their primary obstacle, highlighting a governance gap that money alone cannot bridge.
The Report also underscores the need to narrow the widening digital divide in science and to rethink the organization, funding, and interconnections between scientific systems, public policy, and society.
Parallel thematic sessions also made it possible to map out key scientific bottlenecks regarding the selected SDGs.
In conclusion,
The world does not lack scientific knowledge. However, what we need today are more robust systems to harness this knowledge for the benefit of humanity and the planet. Two years into the International Decade of Science, scientists from around the world mobilized at UNESCO headquarters in Paris in July 2026 with remarkable energy. Governments must now translate this momentum into policies, budgets, and concrete results, with UNESCO’s support.
