TAIPEI, Sept 28, 2020 - (Media OutReach) - The Tang Prize Foundation joined forces with Taiwan's National Taiwan University, National Tsing Hua University, National Cheng Kung University, National Chengchi University, the Experimental Biology of the US, Association for Asian Studies, and the Jane Goodall Institute to stage four Tang Prize Masters' Forums on sustainable development, biopharmaceutical science, Sinology and the rule of law on September 21 and 22. Latest and former Tang Prize recipients, together with leading experts in Taiwan, conversed with one another and interacted with audiences via videoconferencing to explore issues concerning ecological conservation, climate change, autoimmune diseases, treatments for COVID-19, identity crisis facing the Chinese overseas, the value of Chinese studies, a pluralist approach to Sinology, as well as human rights and environmental justice. Two days and four edifying conferences saw the laureates offering great insight without reservation, and the audiences asking thought-provoking questions without hesitation. The forum videos are available at https://reurl.cc/yg6Rv8.To kick start the whole series, the first forum on the rule of law, titled "Exploring the Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in the Contemporary Civil Society," featured three 2020 awardees, based in Bangladesh, Colombia, and Lebanon respectively, former Tang Prize laureates, as well as representatives of NGOs and advocates of social and environmental justice from Taiwan, who got together to shed light on NGOs' responsibilities and challenges, helping the audience examine this topic from the perspectives of people living in different parts of the world. While the latest winners, to fulfil NGOs' duties, have all vowed to stand up for ordinary people, advocate necessary political reform, defend environmental justice and improve judicial independence, they also expressed concerns about common obstacles many NGOs encounter, such as shortage of funding and governments' attempts to curtail their capacity.
At the second forum, titled "Ecological Conservation and Sustainable Development of Human Society: the Impact of COVID-19," past and present recipients of the Tang Prize in Sustainable Development reminded us that though the pandemic "can affect rich or poor alike, it's having a more profound effect on the poor." Unfortunately, we have ourselves to blame for the current health crisis because we disrespected the natural world. Should we continue down this path and disregard the fact that "climate change increases the range of pathogens and the threat of infectious disease," it is very likely that disasters like COVID-19 will occur again. Moreover, we should not ignore the painful reality that the wealthiest 1 billion people are accountable for more than 50 percent of climate pollution, but it is the poorest 3 billion who have borne the brunt of climate disruption. These laureates urged us to recognize the importance of global interdependence and to see protecting our Mother Earth as our collective responsibility. Failing to tackle these problems collaboratively could mean "more global warming in the pipeline."