First Advisory Board on Education and Outreach Meets as Next Step in Evolution of OPCW

29 April 2016
Secretariat Officials and Members of the First Advisory Board on Education and Outreach

Secretariat Officials and Members of the First Advisory Board on Education and Outreach

Prominent experts from the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention convened for the first time yesterday as the newly formed Advisory Board for Education and Outreach, in what the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, described as “a new step in the evolution of the OPCW.”

In his opening remarks, the Director-General said that the establishment of the Advisory Board “signifies the growing importance of education and outreach to the life of the Organisation.” He added that, “preventing re-emergence of chemical weapons will require . . . deeper engagement with our core community of stakeholders, and the broadening of our networks.”

The new Advisory Board was created to assist the Organisation and its States Parties in all aspects of education and outreach relevant to the Chemical Weapons Convention. The Advisory Board is composed of a group of 15 experts, ranging from those deeply immersed in the science behind the OPCW mission to an archaeologist who has unearthed the legacy of chemical weapons for today’s generation. The Advisory Board will offer practical advice and proposals on education and outreach strategies, approaches and tools, and develop a portfolio of activities in line with global trends.

The Advisory Board will work continually and convene formally for discussions twice a year. The Board will report on its activities and its work will be reviewed after the initial three years of operation.

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