The 2nd Global Planning Meeting will provide a forum to gather approximately 200 thought-leaders/champions/key stakeholders. A mixture of plenary and break-out groups will facilitate international, interdisciplinary discussions across sectors (such as: ocean science and technology; ocean policy and sustainable development; business and industry; NGOs and civil society; donors and foundations) to identify concrete deliverables and partnerships to meet the Decade's six societal objectives.The outputs of the second Global Planning Meeting for the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development will inform the preparation phase of the Decade and the development of the implementation and resource mobilization plan. Over two days of meetings, working groups will identify scientific knowledge gaps and research priorities for the 6 societal goals of the Decade.

UNESCO Bamako Office is organizing an International Consultation on the Safeguarding, Accessibility and Promotion of Ancient Manuscripts in the Sahel from 22 to 24 January 2020 in Bamako, Mali. The overall objective of this consultation is to contribute to strengthening the preservation, accessibility and enhancement of ancient manuscripts from the Sahel in general, and Mali in particular, in order to improve universal access to knowledge on the written history of Africa.Some of the specific objectives are to: - To mobilize the different players to reflect on the issues and challenges of preservation and accessibility of ancient manuscripts and formulate an action plan; - To promote initiatives and actions of various players in the field of preservation and accessibility of ancient manuscripts from Mali and the Sahel to encourage the development of partnerships and identify funding opportunities and - To explore the issue of accessibility of ancient manuscripts held by families and the establishment of a viable economic model.

On January 27, in the framework of the XIV Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean (Santiago, Chile, 27-31 January 2020), the parallel event and panel discussion "Gender gaps in science and technology and STEM: a challenge for development" will be held. Aimed at officials, scientists, activists and citizens in general, it is organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean, UN Women, the Organization of Ibero-American States and the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality of Chile. The analysis of gender gaps in science, technology and higher education in Latin America shows that in several countries there is a panorama of relative parity in scientific and higher education institutions, while in others there is a disparity in women's access to high-level positions in relation to men. This relative parity can be considered as the result of a long process of social and cultural change that has been faster in some countries than in others. Unfortunately, with some exceptions, the efforts made do not effectively resolve all existing institutional and socio-cultural barriers. Horizontal and vertical segregation remains high. Female researchers continue to be underrepresented at the highest levels of the professional career and remain a minority in many fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in most countries of the region. The event will be the occasion to discuss this panorama, hand in hand with national, international experts, both quantitatively and qualitatively, according to recent studies carried by the Ibero-American Observatory of Science, Technology and Society (OCTS-OEI), as by the organizing institutions. What is the current situation of women in science and technology? How to increase the role of women in science to achieve sustainable development goals? What are the economic implications of gender gaps in science and technology? These, are some of the questions that will guide the discussion. Mrs. Lidia Brito, Director of the Regional Office for Sciences, will present the STEM and Gender Advancement Project (SAGA) referring to women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, (*) - currently under implementation in Chile. The conceptual proposal of this conversation is framed within the main general theme that summons the XIV Regional Conference: the autonomy of women in changing economic scenarios. Specifically from the perspective of science, it will contribute to the general objective of the Conference of periodically identifying the regional and sub regional situation regarding the autonomy and rights of women, and present recommendations on public policies of gender equality in compliance with regional and international agreements. The Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean is the main intergovernmental forum on women's rights and gender equality in the region. It is held every three years and is organized by ECLAC, with the support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). (*) Since 2015, the UNESCO Global SAGA project has been working with governments and policy makers around the world a variety of tools to help reduce the current global gender gap in STEM fields that exists at all levels of education and research. Countries such as Gambia, Kenya, Lebanon, Sudan and Thailand have already benefited from the program, just as Argentina, Haiti, Jamaica and Uruguay have done so in Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, this innovative methodology is being implemented in Canada and Chile. The initiative has so far mobilized about 160 experts from 90 national institutions and almost 20 international institutions.

The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) presents a historic opportunity to reverse the decline in ocean health and achieve the 2030 Agenda by advancing scientific knowledge, fostering technological innovation, and building capacity focused around interactive panels and networking sessions, this global dialogue is organized by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), as the UN coordinating agency for the Decade preparations, in partnership with the Velux Foundations. The philanthropic community is a key player in mobilizing innovative and transformative science for a sustainable ocean. We invite you to join a global dialogue among Foundations engaged in ocean action. Join us to reflect on how to raise awareness, contribute ideas, build synergies and promote strategies to make ocean science more relevant to society in the context of the Ocean Decade.

The Committee is composed of 22 Member States of UNESCO elected by the General Conference at its ordinary sessions (this year it has 21 members). It meets in regular plenary session at least once and not more than twice every two years.The 22nd session of the Committee aims to examine the follow-up to the recommendations adopted at the 21st session.