On December 1, the panel session “Equity in Global Public Science Literacy” of 2021 World Conference on Science Literacy was held in Beijing. Top experts and scholars from 7 countries, including China, Russia, Malaysia, Australia and the Netherlands, shared and exchanged their views on the inclusive development of science literacy, the gender structure of science literacy, the development of science popularization among ethnic minorities and the role of STEM education and science festivals in the construction of public scientific quality through online communication. This panel session was organized by BIEA, which had gained the strong support from China Research Institute for Science Popularization. Dr. Jieni Guo, the Executive Deputy Secretary-General of BIEA, presided over the session.

Chandran Nair, founder and CEO of the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT) and member of the Executive Committee of the Club of Rome, shared his view on the theme “Science Literacy for A Green Future”. Mebarek Boukaba, honorary chairman of the National Federation of Scientific and Technological Workers of Algeria, shared his view on the theme “Equity in Access to Science Literacy”. Professor Lee Sze Wei, dean of Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman University College and co-chairman of the steering committee of Kuala Lumpur Engineering and Science Festival (KLESF), shared his view on the theme “STEM Awareness and Literacy after the Pandemic”, and emphasized the importance of STEM awareness and science literacy propaganda to improve science literacy.

Jennifer Gidley, an adjunct professor at the Institute for Sustainable Future of University of Technology Sydney and former president of the World Future Studies Federation, focused on the field of gender equity, and gave her speech with the title “Why more women scientists are needed in the 21st century?”. Leonid Gusev, vice president of Moscow State University and chairman of All Russian Science Festival, shared his view on the theme “the role of science festival in improving the science literacy of Russian public”. Maurice de Griff , president of UNESCO Adult Education Department and professor at Free University of Brussels, focused on adult education and popularization of science, and shared his view on the theme “The only way to narrow the social gap: adult education with emphasis on literacy, calculation and basic skills”.