The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the international scientific community, UNESCO member states, and all involved parties to boycott the UNESCO-Russia Mendeleev International Prize in Fundamental Sciences, which is funded and used to whitewash the aggressor state, said Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tikhy, writes UNN.
In response to media inquiries regarding the announcement under the auspices of UNESCO of a competition for the D.I. Mendeleev International Prize in Fundamental Sciences, the funding of which is provided by the government of the Russian Federation, we once again emphasize the unacceptability of Russia's attempts to whitewash its war crimes, including by manipulating the fields of science, education, culture, and sports.
Tikhy noted that Russia systematically violates the goals and principles of the UN Charter and the UNESCO Constitution.
Moscow systematically and grossly violates the goals and principles of the UN Charter, the UNESCO Constitution, and all fundamental principles that underpin UNESCO's mandate — to promote peace through the development of education, science, and culture. Russia has nothing to do with scientific discoveries and awards — it is a country of barbarism, aggression, and disregard for human life. It deserves the Darwin Award, not the Mendeleev Award.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on the international scientific community, UNESCO member states, and all involved parties to boycott the aforementioned award, which is funded by the aggressor state.
We believe that this award should be canceled, and the competition jury should resign. We call on the new Director-General of UNESCO not to appoint a new composition of its jury. We are convinced that true science should serve peace, development, and humanism, and not be used as an instrument of propaganda by the aggressor state.