Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!uunet!bionet!com.qz.se!P2269 From: P2269@com.qz.se ("ENG-LEONG FOO ", MIRCEN-STOCKHOLM) Newsgroups: bionet.technology.conversion Subject: Symposium "The Potentials of Independent Initiatives" Message-ID: <8907041257.AA07975@net.bio.net> Date: 4 Jul 89 12:08:00 GMT Sender: daemon@NET.BIO.NET Reply-To: Bioconversion STOCKHOLM Lines: 40 Notes and Report of some events (Part 2)- Morning Session. From: Eng-leong Foo (Stockholm) The 3rd lecture on "Biotechnology - A Tool for Development" was given by Prof. Irwin.C. Gunsalus who is director of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and stationed in Trieste, Italy. His Bitnet address is GUNSALUS@UIUCSCS. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of Illinois and has served in several panels and committees. He has been the President of the American Society of Biochemistry. Prof. Gunsalus gave a general outline of what has been done in biotechnology and what could be done in the future with genetic engineering as the "equalizer". He also stressed the problems of equipment and access to information and journals faced by scientists in developing countries. A panel discussion on "Networking in the context of non-governmental and governmental operations" followed after the morning session lectures. The panelists were - Dr. Mark C Chona (Chairman of Sumika Investments Ltd and former special assistant to President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia), Prof. Geoffrey Hamer (Secretary of the UNEP/UNESCO /ICRO Panel on Microbiology and Biotechnology), Dr Bo Bengtsson, Director of SAREC (Swedish Agency for Research and Cooperation). Each member had 5 minutes to talk about the organizations they represent in the context of the panel discussion. The main items raised were - the need for cooperation ( & networking) between NGOs and the GO(s); the promotion of social & technological development in LDC and the need to provide means on how to coordinate existing & new initiatives. Weaknesses were also identified, e.g. many NGOs are weak in scientific spheres; that the direction of need specifications should be from end-users to scientists and NGOs/GOs; granting agencies should consider funding long term projects (10 years). (more on Afternoon Session follows)