The document discusses education and outreach regarding the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). It identifies four main types of education and outreach - academic, professional, joint academic/professional, and those conducted by international institutions. It also questions who should be the targets and at what levels, and whether the media should be involved to raise further awareness. The conclusion is that education and outreach regarding chemical weapons should target a wide range of groups through different levels and means to work towards a world free of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear dangers.

1. « EDUCATION AND OUTREACH :
OPCW
TOWARDS WHOM AND AT WHAT LEVEL ? »
Djafer BENACHOUR
Member of the SAB/OPCW and Chairman of the TWGEO
Professor of Industrial Chemistry , Ferhat ABBAS University
Address: Laboratoire des Matériaux Polymères Multiphasiques (LMPMP),
Faculté de Technologie, Université Ferhat ABBAS, 19000 SETIF (ALGERIE)
e-mail: diafer.benachour@nasr-dz.org
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2. 2011 : INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF CHEMISTRY
Celebrated in most algerian universities
OPCW
On this occasion, the Algerian Ambassador in The Hague requested
the organization of a one-day seminar on the Convention of Chemical
Weapons (CWC) and the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW).
----> Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
----> OPCW National Authority in Algeria
---->Algerian SAB Member
----> 4th International Seminar on Chemistry,
Ecole Militaire Polytechnique, Bordj-el Bahri (Alger)
March 29-30, 2011.
----> March 31st, 2011 : seminar on CWC, OPCW and SAB activities
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3. March 31st, 2011 :
seminar on CWC, OPCW and SAB activities
OPCW
-CWC and OPCW : presented by an OPCW representative
-Import/Export of Chemicals : presented by the National
Authority
- SAB activities : presented by myself as SAB member
Seminar Participants : Military officiels and EMP personnels;
University researchers; postgraduate students;
industrials…
+ representatives of the Algerian Customs and
Insurance compagnies .
Question: why such attendees ?
Answer : all are concerned and/or involved in chemistry/chemicals
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4. « MISSIONS ET ACTIVITES DU CONSEIL
SCIENTIFIQUE CONSULTATIF (SAB) AU
SEIN DE L’ORGANISATION POUR OPCW
L’INTERDICTION DES ARMES CHIMIQUES (OPCW)
ET RETOMBEES DES NANOTECHNOLOGIES SUR
LES ARMES CHIMIQUES ET LES TERMES DE LA
CONVENTION DE L’OPCW »
Prof. Djafer BENACHOUR
(Membre du SAB )
Laboratoire des Matériaux Polymères Multiphasiques (LMPMP)
Département « Génie des Procédés », Faculté de Technologie
Université Ferhat ABBAS, 19000 SETIF (ALGERIE)
e-mail: diafer.benachour@nasr-dz.org
et: lmpmp@univ-setif.dz
EMP – Bordj el Bahri, 31 Mars 2011
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5. HOW DID I GET INVOLVED IN
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
IN CHEMISTRY?
OPCW
EDUCATION : - 30 year of teaching and research in chemistry
and chemical engineering.
- Involved in several local and national and
international panels in charge of academic
curricula and research projects
OUTREACH : becoming a member of SAB/OPCW I was
astonished how little was know about the CWC
within the algerian chemistry community…
… and my strong interest for ‘Education and Outreach’ was so
evident that my SAB colleagues proposed me to chair the
TWGEO !
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6. OPCW
FIRST TYPE OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
ACADEMIC
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7. EXAMPLE OF AN EDUCATION PROGRAM
IN CHEMISTRY
OPCW
INSTITUTION: Colleges and Universities
OBJECTIVE: ‘’’ To educate students on the basics and fundamentals of
chemistry and related fields’ as well as the fabrication of
different chemicals’
Actions : three major chemistry degrees (Bachelor, Master and Ph.D.) in
different chemical fields (organic, physical, analytical, polymers,
biochemistry, environmental, computational, …), with academic
as well as applied options.
First answers to the questions raised initialy :
Toward whom ? ----> Students .
At what level ? ----> University (graduate and postgraduate levels).
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8. EXAMPLE OF AN OUTREACH PROGRAM
IN CHEMISTRY
OPCW
INSTITUTION: MIT (BOSTON, USA), Developed in 1988
OBJECTIVE: ‘’’ To bring the excitement of chemistry to high school students
in the greater Boston area’’
Actions : 10-20 schools are visited each year (>1000 students).
Students’ interest in chemistry is stimulated through the
demonstration of the relevance of chemistry in everyday life.
50 minute presentation (polymers, naturally occuring compounds,
temperature, pression and light) followed by a question and
answer session.
Second answers to the questions raised initialy :
Toward whom ? ----> Students .
At what level ? ----> High school.
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9. OPCW
SECOND TYPE OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
PROFESSIONAL
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10. EXAMPLE OF JOINT EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY
OPCW
INSTITUTION: Specialized workshops and training schools
OBJECTIVE: ‘To give specific skills and training to qualified and interested
persons in given topics relevant to chemistry’.
Actions : educational programs combined with applied and professional
training. Special sessions on specific sides of chemistry and
chemical technologies …
Participants to these workshops are expected to dissiminate
their acquired knowledge and share their experience back.
Answers to questions raised initialy :
Toward whom ? ----> Targeted groups .
At what level ? ----> Different levels.
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11. OPCW
THIRD TYPE OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
ACADEMIC /PROFESSIONAL
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12. EXAMPLE OF JOINT EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY
OPCW
INSTITUTION: IUPAC/OPCW
OBJECTIVE: ‘Ethical aspects of chemistry: general principles, code of
practice, conduct and responsibility
Actions : preparation of useful chemicals. Educational programs
oriented towards chemists (academic), chemical engineers,
and industrials (professional)
Diffusion of informations for the public opinion.
Other answers to the questions raised initialy :
Toward whom ? ----> Students , teachers, technicians, engineers and
managers.
At what level ? ----> Different levels.
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13. OPCW
FOURTH TYPE OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
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14. EXAMPLE OF JOINT EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY
OPCW
INSTITUTION: TWGEO of the SAB/OPCW
OBJECTIVE: to reach a better awareness on the mis-uses of chemicals
and the risks of chemical weapons through education and
outreach expertise in S&T relevant to the CWC.
Actions : establish state-of-art tools and techniques for education and
outreach; public and media affairs; science and technology
research and education policy; perspectives from the industrial
chemistry…
Other answers to the questions raised initialy :
Toward whom ? ----> targeted community (experts) .
At what level ? ----> International institutions.
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15. EXAMPLE OF JOINT EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH PROGRAM IN CHEMISTRY
OPCW
TheTWGEO of the SAB/OPCW has set the following program:
1: find ways to raise awareness of the CWC in the education sector, through:
a) the developments of teaching materials
b) promoting faculty development and student exchange
c) promoting chemistry education.
2: proposals for how the OPCW could contribute towards expanding and
promoting a culture of RESPONSABILITY in the scientific community
3: allow the OPCW to build relationships with other international
organisations, professional associations, networks…
4: sustainable ways in which the OPCW can take forward its education
and outreach activities once the TWGEO completes its work.
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16. FIRST CONCLUSIONS and ANSWERS
OPCW
•TOWARDS WHOM ? ----> Different targets : students, teachers,
researchers, professionnels, general
public…
2) AT WHAT LEVELS ? ----> Different levels: high scholl, college,
university, post-university.
… But are these the appropriates targets ? Are they the only ones ?
… Are they other levels to begin with ? Other means of information
diffusion about CBRN ?
NEW QUESTIONS: - Who should be responsible ?
- Who should be involved ?
- Who should be concerned ?
for/in/by the Education and Outreach initiatives
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17. SHOULD THE MEDIA BE USED ? OPCW
-TELEVISION :
-NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES :
-INTERNET AND ELCTRONIC PLATFORMS
…YES
BECAUSE ONE PICTURE IS OFTEN WORTH
MORE THAN 1000 WORDS …
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18. OPCW
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19. OPCW
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20. OPCW
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21. OPCW
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22. UNFORTUNATELY WE WILL CONTINUE
TO SEE SUCH A SIGN
OPCW
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23. OPCW
BUT WE SURELY CAN LIVE WITHOUT
THIS SIGN
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24. OPCW
LAST ANSWERS:
WE ARE ALL INVOLVED , CONCERNED
AND RESPONSIBLE…
SO…LET US EDUCATE AND REACH OUT
ALL AND EVERYONE IN ORDER
TO LIVE IN A WORLD FREE OF
CBRN DANGERS…
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25. VERY LAST COMMENT
NANOTECHNOLOGY… OPCW
Nanotechnology experts claim and expect that at the
nano-metric boundaries between Physics, Biology and
Chemistry will be ignored ! … thus many challenges are
waiting us, such as new directions for Education and
Outreach…
Isn’t time for C & B & R & N to work together, closely
and hand in hand ?
Because CBRN concerns are becoming slowly but
surely a whole and single ‘package’
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION !
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