in the Mediterranean - GID

Before commenting the specific goals of this meeting, let met
briefly summarize how the GID was born and what are its activities.
Everybody will agree that beyond its specific and often spectacular
progress, science has acquired two new dimensions during
the 20 th century: the confirmation of its fundamental role in socio
economical development and the building of knowledge based societies,
from Dubai to Shanghai, from Pretoria to Tallinn, from
Singapore to Bangalore, the novel relation between Science and
Development have given to the "Golden Triangle" made by Education,
Research and Innovation a particular strategic importance.
Secondly, the development of new relations between Science and
Society, based on the increasing evidence that the share of knowledge
and scientific development cannot rely any more on "passive
merchandising" practices but on appropriation strategies including
socio-cultural specificities.
In this regard, beyond the universality of knowledge, integration of
its regional dimensions and of cultural and biodiversity is an essential
condition of its appropriation and of its diffusion.
Resting on modern technologies and new tools of communication,
these strategies aim at bringing together, with two common goals,
progress of well-being and social integration, the worlds of education
and science and community and family structures.
In this general context and in several countries (USA, UG, France,
Italy), the role of Academies has increasingly appeared as an important
element of animation and of coordinated interdisciplinary
dimensions of the major challenges of development.
Warrant by essence of scientific excellence, natural crossroads of
interdisciplinary dialogue, but also reflecting national and regional
socio-cultural dimensions, Academies constitute privileged forums
of interactions and exchanges between Science and Politics particularly
at an international level, because of their political and economical
independence, their autonomy and their legitimacy. In this
regard, the emergence of the concept of "Diplomacy of influence"
has contributed to make science an important stake of the political
influence of many industrial countries.
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