Academician Ana Aslan was and will remain an ambassador for women in science, the Education minister, Ligia Deca, said on Wednesday, pleading for the principle of equal opportunities between women and men in all branches of science.

Deca had an online intervention at the „Ana Aslan – 50 years in the Romanian Academy” event, organized by the National Committee of Romania for UNESCO, together with the Romanian Academy.

According to minister Deca, female researchers make a real difference and can contribute to solving global societal problems, including increasing access to education, combating climate change and improving public health.

„Moreover, Ana Aslan said that it is important to ‘add years to life’, and I believe that this is just one of the directions of action that should guide our activity in the field of Education to ensure that this public system becomes the main pillar for the sustainable development of society as a whole. For me, as president of the National Committee of Romania for UNESCO, but also as minister of Education, Ana Aslan represents a true inspiration for the decisions I make together with the team at the Ministry of Education to reduces the gap of equal opportunities for the participation of girls and women in science, in accordance with UNESCO initiatives,” Deca pointed out.

She added that 42.5% of Romanian graduates are women, thus exceeding the 41% European Union average.

The event dedicated to Ana Aslan, held in the Aula of the Romanian Academy, was attended by the secretary general of the CNR UNESCO, Madlen Serban, the academician Victor Voicu, the presidential adviser Diana Loreta Paun, the rector of Carol Davila UMF, Viorel Jinga, the secretary of state in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Janina Sitaru, medical doctor Alexandru Ciurea, honorary member of the Romanian Academy, students, close persons to Ana Aslan.

AGERPRES