Physics for Development and International Cooperation (TBC)

Basic and applied physics can play a key role in sustainable development, a central challenge of our time. Along with technological, educational and economic benefits, the impact of scientific international cooperation between countries in experiments or building research facilities such as SESAME or CERN, is often an understated impact on the pathway towards addressing the challenges outlined in the 2030 Agenda. The international scientific community is passionate to improve inclusive participation, in particular for women, those from less wealthy countries, and other under-represented groups and minorities. Programmes such as ICTP Physics Without Frontiers aims to reach out internationally to under-represented groups in the Global South to provide opportunity and training and increase participation. Physicists naturally reach out across borders to collaborate, and we are and must further support those members of the community in need such as refugee scientists, or researchers in conflict zones. This talk will discuss how basic and applied physics can help address sustainable development goals in all countries, the importance of international cooperation, participation for all, the support for scientist in conflict, and importance of investing in national and international research facilities.