Krupp Foundation Round Table on Science Diplomacy at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin
As part of the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin, the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation hosted a round table on Friday, November 8, on the opportunities and limits of science diplomacy. Prof. Robert Schlögl, President of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Prof. David Harel from the Weizmann Institute of Science and President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities and Angela Liberatore, Head of the Science Department of the European Research Council (ERC) took part in the discussion. The panel was moderated by the author and journalist Shelly Kupferberg.
Science diplomacy is a topical issue that is affecting science more than ever in these times of global crisis. The panelists discussed the conditions under which it is possible to maintain scientific cooperation even in times of crisis and the function of this cooperation in the crisis itself and for the time afterwards. One focus of the discussion was on the limits of science diplomacy and the possibilities for affected scientists and institutions to deal with them. In view of the current situation, the round table looked at German-Israeli scientific relations as well as cooperation with other countries such as China and Russia.
By facilitating this panel, the Foundation is making a visible contribution to the ongoing debate, as funding in the field of science plays a central role in its activities. The Foundation’s commitment to German-Jewish understanding has also been an important focus since its establishment.