Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation and UNOSSC Launch South-South in Action Publication in Tehran

On October 22 the Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) and UNOSSC joint publication on Mustafa Prize was launched in the Pardis Technology Park in Tehran, Iran, with the presence of Dr. Safari-Nia, the CEO of MSTF, Assistant Vice President of Iran for Science and Technology, and Mr. Jorge Chediek, Envoy of the Secretary-General on South-South Cooperation. The launching ceremony was attended by high-level officials from various Ministries including Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant organizations. Families of MSTF laureates together with the members of the scientific community of Iran as well as guests and representatives of knowledge-based companies were also among audience. Several professors and scientists made interventions after keynote speeches by Dr. Safari-nia and Mr. Chediek highlighting the role of South-South cooperation in advancing Science and Technology in the global South. This is the first edition of SSiA in which we have partnered with a Foundation. It was always our intention that these reports would showcase the important work being undertaken by all types of development partners. It is noteworthy that the Mustafa Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF) is working across the Islamic world. There are an estimated 1.8 billion Muslims globally – living in all countries of the world. Importantly, all Muslim-majority countries and territories are from the global South. This is a vast population which is already engaged in the South-South transfer of contextually appropriate solutions to their development challenges. As this publication demonstrates, these exchanges are not only happening at the level of governments, but increasingly also through other actors. Following the launching ceremony, the Envoy of the Secretary-General joined with the CEO of MSTF in officially unveiling the busts of two MSTF laureates erected in the Garden of Scientists namely, Professor M. Amin Shokrollahi, and Professor Sami Erol Gelenbe. The event received wide media coverage in Iran. Read the South-South in Action: Human Welfare and Peace through Development of Science and Technology