Aims and Objectives
The GYA Science Diplomacy in the Americas Incubator started work in July 2021.
It starts from the insight that in terms of scientific and economic development, America is a diverse continent. There exist many Americas, and therefore the name of this incubator (using “the Americas” in the plural) marks these differences for the need of connection between North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Commonwealth countries, Amazonian countries, and the Southern cone.
Current science diplomacy efforts in the Americas tend to target specific regions separately (e.g., U.S. to the world, or only between Latin American and Caribbean – LAC countries) and do not primarily aim to integrate all the Americas. The lack of knowledge about the status of science in some LAC countries further aggravates the disconnection between different regions of the continent.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for science diplomacy and the level of unpreparedness of countries to incorporate science in diplomacy. This momentum for science diplomacy should be harnessed, and openness to novel partnerships be promoted now, specially those from South to North.
This incubator activities align with UN SDG 17 – Partnerships for the goals.
Please note that there also exists a GYA working group on Science Diplomacy in South Asia, which has been active since January 2018.
