World Science Day for Peace and Development

It's World Science Day for Peace and Development!

From the UN:
"Science will be essential to reach many of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and, thus, to ensure a sustainable future. The UNESCO Science Report is one of the tools that countries can use to monitor progress towards the goals of Agenda 2030...
"The purpose of the World Science Day for Peace and Development is to renew the national, as well as the international commitment to science for peace and development and to stress the responsible use of science for the benefit of society. The World Science Day for Peace and Development also aims at raising public awareness of the importance of science and to bridge the gap between science and societies."

In light of this lovely Tenth of November, a shout-out to Dar Si Hmad for Development, Education and Culture, my Moroccan research partner. Dar Si Hmad is a non-governmental organisation in Agadir, Morocco working to promote local culture and empower sustainable livelihoods through education and the integration of scientific ingenuity.

Dar Si Hmad skillfully and valuably combines scientific advancement with recognition of local values and traditions in its programming, defining knowledge as "facts, skills, traditional lore, and modern science and technology".




The organisation operates one of the world's biggest fog-harvesting systems, complete with solar panel energy and state-of-the-art engineering. The system is providing potable water to hundreds of villagers in Morocco's southwestern mountains.

Amazigh women are able to manage their water systems using their mobile phones via SMS messages.

And furthering scientific knowledge and capacity in the country, a mobile education caravan works each summer in the mountainous communities to bring people together around water and use a summer Water School as a remedial school through which rural children can learn not only about water, but also about the natural world and discover the planet in a different way.




 Organised in rural schools of Aït Baamrane in partnership with the Provincial Delegation of Education, Dar Si Hmad's Water School teaches children about the hydro cycle, the importance of water in their world, how they can utilise untapped water resources, water sustainability, and wider ecological issues.

Science is cool, my friends!! And involving communities in the co-creation of scientific knowledge and making sure technical advances benefit everyone in sustainable ways is even cooler.