2024 World Laureates Forum commits to cultivating future leaders in science

The 2024 World Laureates Forum (WLA Forum)is committed to cultivating future leaders in science as this year's event is hosting more than 80 young scientists, with over 50 attending for the first time.

Running under the theme, "Excellence in Science" the 2024 WLA Forum is scheduled to conclude Sunday in Shanghai.

The three-day forum drew nearly 300 scientists from around 20 countries and regions, including 11 Nobel laureates, over 40 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and about 100 outstanding young scientists, to the Chinese city.

Other attendees included government officials, university representatives, and members of research institutions, innovative companies, and venture capital firms.

They gathered to discuss pressing global issues, explore the link between scientific excellence and innovation, and seek innovative breakthroughs for the future.

The forum featured special seminars on the role of women in science. French cosmetic giant L'Oreal said that women are playing an outsize role in the company.

"We strongly believe that the world needs science and science needs women. In the 4,000 scientists of L'Oreal in the world, two thirds are women. Of all the patents we are doing every year, more than half come from women," Vincent Boinay, North Asia Zone President and China CEO of L'Oreal, told China Global Television Network (CGTN) in an interview.

Forum attendees encouraged more girls and women to study science and called for more support from society to their endeavors.

"I want to say to all girls, 'Do not be trapped by stereotypes. You need to be bold and set yourselves free. You can study science and you can do it well," said He Yuan, a senior teacher from a High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China.

"If I can suggest, I hope that the community should all do something to give them more support when they have younger kids," said Liu Yang, co-founder of Guokr Interactive Information Tech, a sci-tech media company based in Beijing.

2024 World Laureates Forum commits to cultivating future leaders in science

The Montreux Jazz Festival China opened on the shore of Jinji Lake in Suzhou on Friday, providing an audio-visual feast to jazz fans that flocked there and bridging the cultural exchange between the East and the West.

This is the third time for the event to be held in China, with this edition themed "When West Meets East".

Upward of 100 Chinese and foreign musicians staged more than 20 performances during the three-day event, covering various music styles such as jazz, rock, electronic music, and pop, creating a cultural feast for the audience.

"It's great to discover a small part of China, because in three days -- I won't see a lot, but I really like to see how Chinese people are enjoying music. Yesterday evening during the concert of 'Earth, Wind and Fire', everyone was dancing. It was really lively , and really nice to enjoy this music together. Through music, we can understand each other. Sometimes it's very difficult to understand each other through the languages, and also sometimes with cultural gap. But through music we gather everyone around the emotions and the pleasure to share this kind of moment. This is why we promote the cultural exchange, in Montreux in Switzerland and also here, of course, in Suzhou. So we are very happy, and we hope to, maybe, welcome emerging musicians from China in Montreux," said Viviane Rychner Raouf, secretary general of Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation.

The concert "Earth, Wind and Fire Experience" mentioned by Raouf was given by Al McKay, one of the world's best Rhythm and Blues groups, and it provided a swing party to spectators.

Swiss music promoter Claude Nobs, who died in 2013, founded the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1967 and built it into an international festival and event platform for music lovers.

Since its creation, the festival under its slogan "Where Legends Are Born" has seen many iconic live music performances.

World-renowned music festival held in Suzhou