World Science Day for Peace and Development was proclaimed in 2001 from UNESCO. From then on, every 10th of November, the world reunites to underline how science is important in everyday life and society. This initiative generated a lot of project, programs and funding for science community in different parts of the world, proving how necessary it is to involve a very broad audience in scientific debates. Another of the motivations that brought to the proclamation of such day is to make the people understand the role that science and researchers play in the building of a more sustainable future and, under many point of view, a “better” one. Part of this goal is making as many people as possible participants in research and new scientific discoveries, so that they can understand how science is part of their everyday life and acquire a reasoned opinion on different themes that they confront daily, even unknowingly.
To offer different cues, every year a different theme is chosen to analyze, in order to focus on a specific challenge that science has to face. In 2021, the 20th anniversary of the celebration, the theme of climatic change was chosen. In particular, of primary importance is the idea of building “Climate-Ready” communities thanks to possible technological solutions and innovations that could help in the common goal of slowing down the increase in temperature on the planet. Because of the particular conditions in which we are today, the events were mainly online, and different speakers could explain new discoveries and problems regarding climate change. The title of the event, “Changing mind not the climate”, fully reflects the spirit that brought to the proclamation of this day: being able to share different points of view hoping that more people can understand and embrace them, causing a concrete improvement in the world as we know it today.
The common hope of organizers, speakers, journalists and anyone involved in the event is to start a path, step by step, towards the resolution of many problems that still affect modern society. As years go by, the methods become even more technological, precise and advanced. However, the knowledge of these instruments is not always available to everyone. Often, science is complicated and scares people out, so they decide to believe in easier, more accessible, even wrong, information. The idea beyond this day is fully visible now: when the lab's doors are open, knowledge is shared and it is much less scary. For this reason, scientists are fundamental, with their informative role on our Planet and their ability to make it clearer and more liveable for everyone. This kind of initiative pays tribute to the fight that researchers undertake everyday in pursuit of knowledge.
A figure that surely had to fight a lot is Rita Levi Montalcini. Born in Italy in 1909, she decided to start the scientific career as a Jew in the middle of the Fascist age. As if it wasn’t enough, she had to face her father’s mind who, as an engineer and mathematician, did not approve of the fact that his daughter wanted to continue her studies with university. Despite this, the passion of the 20-years-old Rita was such to convince her father to start the faculty of medicine, even if he strongly disagreed. After graduating with honors in medicine and surgery at the University of Turin in 1936, she decided to go on with a research career by starting advanced studies in neurology and psychology. It was not long before Mussolini forbade non-Aryans to study at university. While she could have given up, Levi-Montalcini instead built a home laboratory in her room where she studied motor neurons in chick embryos. This was the crucial experience that made her understand which was her path. The conclusion obtained from the clandestine experiments of her bedroom made St. Louis University offer her a scholarship. It was here that she discovered the Neuronal Growth Factor (NGF) which was her Nobel Prize topic in 1986.
Neurologist, academic and life senator of the Italian Republic are just few of the many titles that Rita earned. Everything thanks to the battles she fought: from the gender to the racial one, to the one for knowledge in general. Thanks to her, today we know better about our body and how it develops and works, and all of this would have not been possible without her tenacity and strength.
Every year, on the 10th of November, one other little Rita has the chance to get in touch with science and understand if it is her path, if it is what she dreams about and if it fits her.
Every year, on the 10th of November, a boy who is struggling to study can give a look to the researcher’s life and remember why he’s fighting and why he never has to give up on his dream.
Every year, on the 10th of November, thousands of people listen to new discoveries and hope that, sooner or later, things will be better and they will too make a difference.
Every year, on the 10th of November, science is grateful.