The 2024 World Conference on Science Literacy (WCSL) took place in Beijing from Dec. 5-6, attracting over 400 experts and delegates from 23 countries and 10 international organizations. 

With the theme "Enhance science literacy and empower joint development," the conference aimed to elevate global public scientific literacy and support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) and supported by UNESCO, the International Science Council (ISC), the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the event provides a platform for fostering trust, collaboration, and openness among the global scientific community.

Wan Gang, president of CAST, addressed the opening ceremony and put forward three key proposals: building consensus while fostering global growth drivers; strengthening mutual learning to tackle global development challenges; and taking solid actions to materialize the sustainable development vision. 

Wan underscored the importance of adhering to the principles of equality, trust and inclusiveness to open up to and learn from each other. He advocated for the use of platforms like the WCSL and the World Organization for Science Literacy to enhance international cooperation and contribute to building a community with a shared future for humankind.

The conference featured keynote speeches, five thematic forums, and onsite observation activities. Prominent keynote speakers were Lidia Arthur Brito, assistant director-general for natural sciences, UNESCO; Gong Ke, former WFEO president and executive director of the Chinese Institute of New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies; Zhao Shujing, president of the Public Communication of Science and Technology network; Julie Ann Luft, retiring president of the National Science Teaching Association; and Rosalia Vargas, president of Portugal's National Agency for Scientific and Technological Culture. These experts presented innovative ideas on enhancing scientific literacy, bridging the digital divide, and strengthening global science popularization.

The thematic forums focused on the topics of popularizing frontier science to support innovation; multi-stakeholder collaboration to enhance public scientific literacy; leveraging new technologies to empower science literacy cultivation; regional practices and visions for building science popularization capacity; and the 2024 Forum of the Center for China Science Popularization and the 31st National Science Popularization Theory Seminar. 

A highlight of the event was a special session featuring UNESCO Kalinga Prize laureates Karl Kruszelnicki and Li Xiangyi, whose lectures underscored the importance of raising public scientific literacy and explored mechanisms to incentivize science communication.

The conference coincided with the solicitation of public opinions for the revised draft of the Law on the Popularization of Science and Technology of China, marking the first update since its enactment 22 years ago. The draft emphasizes themes such as international scientific and cultural exchanges and global science popularization, aligning with the WCSL's vision of fostering global connectivity in science popularization.

China has made remarkable strides in advancing public scientific literacy. The Outline of the Action Plan for Improving Scientific Literacy for All (2021-2035) issued by the State Council put forward the goals of making 15% of the country's population scientifically literate by 2025, and 25% by 2035. By 2023, the proportion had already risen to 14.14% from 1.44% in 2001.

Since 2018, CAST has hosted the WCSL to provide a high-level platform for global collaboration in public scientific literacy. Additionally, since 2019, CAST has spearheaded the establishment of the World Organization for Science Literacy, which now comprises 45 preparatory committee members and observer organizations. The 2024 WCSL serves as a catalyst for further international cooperation, breaking down barriers to knowledge sharing, reducing disparities, and promoting global sustainable development.

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