Summary:

This conference, which is the third of a series of conferences organized by the “Rencontres du Vietnam” on science and society, will be hosted at the very modern ICISE education and conference center, will be on invitation only and “in presence”. This is in line with the principles of the “Rencontres du Vietnam”, which consider it essential for the participants to meet, discuss and interact in person with the colleagues and the Vietnamese authorities on the topics covered by the conference programme

The invited speakers and panelists, are internationally renown personalities representing different communities that can profitably contribute to discussing and proposing solutions for the ethical use of science and technology for the human and social development, as well as for the intercultural dialogue and peace. Scientists and researchers, some of whom are Nobel Laureates in their specific fields, will have the opportunity to discuss with economists, academicians, social experts, representatives of the multilateral system, communication experts, diplomats, politicians, parliamentarians etc …

The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically shown the importance to strengthen, and in some cases improve the quality and effectiveness of the relation between science and policymaking for the good of the society and the welfare of its citizens. For these reasons two special sessions have been added to the programme of the conference that was originally conceived before the forced postponements.

A special session will be devoted to the relations between science and policymaking during the pandemic, with focus on the quality and effectiveness of the policies adopted by governments to protect the population. The other special session will consist in a dialogue between parliamentarians and the other participants to the conference, on the way parliaments can effectively exert their policymaking role on the ethical use of science for the good of society and for peace, in particular in periods of crisis when important decisions must be taken rapidly and often in difficult conditions.

The conference will be enriched by several side events devoted to some of the topics developed in the programme, ranging from ethics in various fields of scientific research, to the relations between science and policymaking in tackling international crisis like the Covid-19 pandemic, to the concrete contribution science can give to the sustainable development of society and to balanced and ethical human development.

The conference and the ensemble of the side events organized around it in the week 12^th to 16^th September 2022, have been granted the title of the flagship Continental Event for Asia in the context of the International Year of Basic Science for Sustainable Development 2022 (Iybssd2022.org), which was proclaimed in December 2021 by the General Assembly of the United Nations.