The annual meeting of the China Science Writers Association (CSWA) and 2021 forum of China’s science writers were held in Zhengzhou, Henan Province where is known as China’s central plain from October 16 to 17, 2021.

Meng Qinghai, Vice President and Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), Gao Tijian, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Vice Chairman of the Henan provincial committee of the CPPCC, Zhou Zhonghe, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), senior research fellow of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the CAS, and President of the CSWA, Chen Xiaoping, Academician of the CAS and professor of Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Guan Xiaohong, Academician of the CAS and professor of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Pan Yongxin, Academician of the CAS and senior research fellow of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the CAS, Wang Xinhui, Secretary of the Leading Party Members Group of the Henan Association for Science and Technology (HAST), Fang Weiping, Vice President of HAST, and Wang Yuanzhuo, senior research fellow of the Institute of Computing Technology of the CAS, President of the Big Data Academy of Zhongke, and Vice President of the CSWA, attended the meeting.

At the opening ceremony, Gao Tijian, on behalf of the Henan provincial committee of the CPPCC, extended warm congratulations on the holding of the meeting.

Gao said that the annual meeting of the CSWA sets up a platform for popular science writers to gather ideas and promote the quality of products including writing pieces, TV programs, movies and cartoons. The annual meeting also provides opportunities to foster a development pattern to integrate forces of production, education, research and application to shape the future of popular science works and open a new chapter in China’s science popularization cause.

Gao hoped the annual meeting provide convenience for participating experts and invited guests to provide support to advance the creation and transformation of popular science works and promote high-quality development of relevant industries in Henan Province.

Meng Qinghai pointed out in his speech that China's science popularization cause is like casting a new Qinghai Tibet Plateau and supporting China's innovative Mount Everest.

In the next 15 years, China will build itself a world power in science and technology and world-class sci-tech talents are in great need. This requires scientific literacy of the Chinese citizens to be greatly improved with the new connotation incorporating the Spirit of the Chinese Scientists, added Meng. 

Meng stressed to highlight the value of the Spirit of the Chinese Scientists to play the leading function throughout the whole process of science popularization, keep pace with the times to promote supply side reform to innovate contents, forms and approaches of popular science products, and strengthen talents cultivation to serve high-quality development of China’s science popularization cause.

The opening ceremony was followed by the keynote speech session  presided over by Academician Zhou Zhonghe.

Academicians Pan Yongxin, Chen Xiaoping and Guan Xiaohong delivered speeches entitled "Livability of Mars: scientific issues and research progress", "Medicine benefits public health and protects people's livelihood with popular science" and "Intersection of art and science promotes science innovation and  popularization" respectively. 

Wang Ting, Director of the China Research Institute for Science Popularization (CRISP) , Secretary of the Party committee and Executive Vice President of the CSWA, interpreted the Outline of the National Scheme for Scientific Literacy (2021-2035) with a speech entitled “New Outline, new literacy and new science popularization”.

During the annual meeting, a sideline program of 2021 forum of China’s science writers was jointly launched by the CSWA and HAST under the theme of "Prospering creation of popular science works to build national innovation highland".

8 sub-forums and 2 dialogue sessions were held with topics regarding science communication helping local industrial development, difficulties and opportunities facing popular science publishing, popular science journals, integration of science with movies and television programs, cooperation between science venues and schools in developing science education programs, creation of innovative popular science products on public emergency, activation of popular science resources, integration of science and culture, promotion of popular science works creation in Henan Province, and improvement of popular science video clips.

The participants exchanged ideas and discussed the related issues during lectures, round tables and dialogue activities.

Nearly 500 experts, scholars, writers and representatives from science writers associations at all levels, colleges and universities, research institutes, educational institutions and publishing houses all over the country participated in the on-site event.

A total of 900,000 people watched the live broadcast of the event online.

At the closing ceremony of the event, the 8th national competition on popular science fiction composition for middle school students was inaugurated.

Tag: Henan Association for Science and Technology, China Science Writers Association, Science Communication