The Right to Science: Navigating Freedom, Responsibility and Democratic Values in the Public Sphere

About the Event

Did you know that there is a human right to science? Since 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has stated that everyone has the right “to share in scientific advancement and its benefits”. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights made this right legally binding, and Switzerland has been a party to the Covenant since 1992. Under the Covenant, states recognise everyone's right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress. Yet the right to science is still little known, even among researchers, practitioners and governments.

The symposium aims to change that. What does the right to science mean for Switzerland, in theory and in practice? The symposium explores this question with a particular focus on free science communication and independent science journalism, both essential for an informed public debate. It brings together researchers and the relevant authorities to discuss where the right to science stands in Switzerland and why protecting it matters for Swiss democracy and society.

Programme

The symposium opens with an introductory talk by Yvonne Donders, Professor of International Human Rights at the University of Amsterdam and an elected member of the UN Human Rights Committee. This is followed by a closer look at what the right to science means for Switzerland. After that, parallel sessions will go deeper into the right to take part in science, the freedom to communicate science, and the role of science journalism. The afternoon ends with an apéro.

Full programme details and further speakers will be announced soon.

Organisation

The symposium is organised by the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences together with the Swiss Young Academy under the patronage and with the support of the Swiss Comission for UNESCO.

Organising committee:

• Daniel Moeckli, Professor of Public International Law and Constitutional Law, University of Zurich and Delegate for Human Rights, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences

• Monika Plozza, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Public Law, University of Bern and member of the Swiss Young Academy

• Karin Spycher, Head of the Swiss Young Academy

• Sara Elmer, Lead International Affairs, Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences