UNESCO Regional Network of Natural Products Chemistry for Safety and Well-being in Asia and the Pacific
In close collaboration with the Shanghai Institute of Materia Media (SIMM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, the UNESCO Regional Network of Natural Products Chemistry for Safety and Well-being in Asia and the Pacific (NPCAPnet) is being revived, a new edition aligned with Open Science pillars on alternative knowledge inclusion and engagement of societal actors.
The Fourth Annual Conference and Training Programme of Pan-Balkan Alliance of Natural Products and Drug Discovery Associations and the revival International Seminar of UNESCO Regional Network of NPCAPnet was held in Shanghai in 2023. Representatives from member countries of former UNESCO Regional Network for the Chemistry of Natural Products in Southeast Asia were invited to jointly discuss the resumption of academic activities of the network supported by UNSECO and further expand it to the entire Asia-Pacific region. It aims to promote inclusive and open scientific dialogue and explore technical approaches for the integration of traditional knowledge and modern science. According to the bylaw of the NPCAPnet, the network serves as a knowledge-sharing platform to:
accelerate research on natural products and their sustainable use,
enhance institutional training capabilities,
promote collaboration and partnerships, and
support the principles of inclusive and sustainable industrialization, sustainable consumption and production patterns and biodiversity and ecosystem conservation.