WMY2000 NewsLetter 1
WMY 2000, FIRST ECHOES
Some associations and societies have already shown
their interest and their support for WMY 2000.
ICSU
The International Council of Scientific Unions has
published in the fall issue of Science International an
article from Professor Lions presenting the Declaration
of Rio de Janeiro.
AMU
The African Mathematical Union is already involved
in WMY 2000, several of its own projects being connected with the second
aim of the Declaration of Rio de Janeiro. It is in particular the
proposal for Mathematical Sciences Network for Africa. Its aims are,
first, to encourage South-South cooperation in the area
of research and the training of graduate students,
second, to have the University centres included in the
network used as regional mathematical centres.
Another important project of AMU which could be
pushed under WMY 2000 is a Mathematical Communication
Network within Africa and between Africa and the rest of
the world.
The Journal, Journal Afrika Mathematika
created in 1978 which publishes regularly since several
years first rate papers of African mathematicians, is a
first essential tool to avoid isolation of
mathematicians in Africa.
SMF and SMAI
Last year in May, the Société Mathématique de France and
Société de Mathématiques Appliquées et
Industrielles organized in Paris a workshop on "Les Mathématiques au
Futur" which intended to echoes to the Rio declaration about "World
Mathematical Year 2000". This initiative, welcomed by
the French Ministry of Research and Space who patronized
the launching of WMY 2000, was addressed to the
scientific press and the mathematical community. After
an interview of J.L.Lions in which were described the
three major aims of WMY 2000, several talks were given
on the topic "Mathematics as an Historical adventure".
The first one, referring to the work of the "Turn of
the Century Committee", dealt with the actuality of the
Hilbert program listing the great mathematical
challenges of the twentieth century. Then,
mathematicians and physicians of the generation of the
thirties-forties exposed their vision of mathematics of
their times, telling what they thought important for the
next years to come. The mathematical fields mentionned
were Number Theory and Topology, Geometry and Physics,
Statistical Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, Dynamical
Systems and Analysis. At last, P.Bérard, Secretary of
the Commission on Development and Exchanges spoke of the
second aim of WMY 2000, the great challenge of
mathematical alphabetisation, explaining the formation
and teaching problems in mathematics, in particular
among Developing Countries, and the support that could be
brought to them.
ISRAËL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES AND HUMANITY
The Israël Academy informed the IMU that it strongly supports the
aims of the Rio Declaration considering it was a privilege to
promote this cause.
EMS
During its first Congress in Paris in July 1992,
the European Mathematical Society (EMS) organized a
round table "Collaboration with Developing Countries" to
which participated several members of the CDE including
its President. Recommendations, akin to the aims and
activities of the CDE, have been drawn for future
actions : 1. make governments aware of the
importance of mathematics, 2. training at graduate level
and PhD or postdoctoral research, 3. develop local
research, 4. multiply local initiatives to develop
communications, libraries and scientific documentation.
EMS is now thinking how to take care of these
recommendations in the future.
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