The 2023 International Symposium on the Development of Natural Science Museums under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRISMIS 2023) opened in Beijing on November 29, 2023.

He Junke, secretary of the leading Party members group, vice president in charge of daily work, and chief executive secretary of the Secretariat of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), attended the opening ceremony.

Cheng Donghong, president of the Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums (CANSM), Yin Hao, member of the leading Party members group and executive secretary of the Secretariat of CAST, and Shahbaz Khan, director of UNESCO office Beijing for Education of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as representatives from multiple international organizations, addressed the opening ceremony respectively.

Under the theme of "STEM education in science centers and museums makes a better life", this year’s symposium included 2 keynote speeches, 1 thematic report, and 3 thematic sub-forums, attracting nearly 50 delegates from 4 international organizations and 20 plus national natural science museums, as well as more than 240 industry insiders to participate.

Against the backdrop of BRI construction, CANSM hosted the 1st BRISMIS in Beijing in 2017, bringing together delegates from UNESCO and the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and participants from natural science museums, government agencies and organizations worldwide to facilitate more than 20 collaborations.

This year's BRISMIS witnessed the signing ceremonies of more than 10 bilateral cooperation agreements and letters of intent. What’s more, CANSM and UNESCO held a ceremony to reaffirm their commitment to bilateral cooperation agreement.