Pakistani scientist Atta-ur-Rahman chaired the International Organizing Committee of the 17th Eurasia Conference, which concluded in Manila after bringing together nearly 2,000 scientists, researchers, policymakers and academic leaders from around the world.
According to a KU report today, held from June 10 to 12 in the Philippine capital, the conference served as a major platform for discussions on scientific innovation, interdisciplinary research and emerging solutions to global challenges, according to a statement issued by the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi.
The event attracted participants from leading universities, research institutions, academies of sciences and technology organizations across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. Two Nobel laureates were also among the attendees, underscoring the conference’s stature as one of the region’s largest scientific forums.
Addressing the opening session, Atta said scientific progress depended on international cooperation and the unrestricted exchange of knowledge, stressing that collaborative research was essential for addressing global issues ranging from healthcare and climate change to food security, energy and emerging technologies.
He noted that science and innovation remained key drivers of sustainable development, economic advancement and global prosperity, and called for greater investment in research-based solutions to meet future challenges.
As chairman of the international organizing body, Atta-ur-Rahman played a central role in shaping the conference agenda and facilitating dialogue among prominent scientists and innovators from across the globe. Organizers said the successful conclusion of the event reinforced the Eurasia Conference’s position as a leading platform for scientific cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Atta is widely regarded as Pakistan’s most decorated scientist and has received the country’s highest civil honors, including Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Nishan-i-Imtiaz.
His international recognitions include Fellowship of the Royal Society in London, the UNESCO Science Prize, the TWAS Prize for Institution Building, and Austria’s high civilian award. He has also received China’s International Science and Technology Cooperation Award, the country’s highest scientific distinction for foreign researchers, and was elected a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Several research institutions have been named in his honor, including the Academician Professor Atta-ur-Rahman One Belt and One Road TCM Research Center in Hunan, China, and the Atta-ur-Rahman Institute on Natural Product Discovery (AuRINS) in Malaysia.