International Scientific Forum: COVID AND HUMAN SECURITY

International Scientific Forum “COVID and Human Security”
December 22, 2020 – Online webinar

At the end of the jubilee year marking the 75th anniversary of Global Peace, UN and UNESCO born out of the devastating World War II, just on the eve of Christmas an initiative was taken to meet online and exchange views on the problem of human security, especially under conditions of the ongoing COVID -19 pandemic. Together with the members of the World Academy of Art and Science and the Club of Rome the forum saw the participation of our friends from the UNESCO key programs in the field of human and social sciences – the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Program and the Program on Bioethics, Ethics of Science and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, as well as interested scientists from UNESCO Chairs network.

The introductory word was presented by the Chairman of the Russian National Committee on Bioethics, Ethics of Science and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Vice President of the Intergovernmental Council of UNESCO, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor Alexander Chuchalin. He underlined that the pandemic has initiated a real global transformation whose impact could be seen as “creative destruction” of old, outdated elements of social and economic systems and mechanisms, making space for innovative development. The presentation was followed by a discussion jointly moderated by the organizers.

The discussion examined the ideal of human security as an integral element of the SDGs. Security must be ensured not only against violence, but it should also be perceived as an integrated system that includes personal health, air, water, food, living conditions, rights and obligations, and protection from aggression. A holistic and comprehensive approach to human security opens the way to a sustainable and prosperous future.

Prof. Yury Sayamov, Chairholder, UNESCO Chair on Global Problems and Faculty of Global Processes, Lomonosov Moscow State University wrote an article, COVID-19 and the Global Problem of Human Security following the webinar.