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3rd International Symposium of the UNESCO Chair on Science Diplomacy and Scientific Heritage “Cross-Continental Circulation of Knowledge and Scientific Bridges: Historical Legacies and Emerging Collaborations between the Muslim World and Latin America", 26-28 November 2025, Ibn Haldun University, Istanbul, Türkiye
Bridging the Muslim World and Latin America through Big Science: The Interplay of Science Diplomacy and Cooperation at JINR
This paper examines the role of "Big Science" as a potent instrument of science diplomacy, specifically focusing on bridging the Muslim World and Latin America. It argues that multinational scientific infrastructures facilitate unique platforms for sustained cooperation, transcending political and cultural differences by uniting diverse nations around common research goals. The study positions the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR) as an international intergovernmental organization (located in Dubna) as a case study of this phenomenon. As a legacy institution of scientific cooperation, JINR has evolved a sophisticated framework for engaging member and non-member states, making it a productive subject for analyzing the mechanics of science diplomacy.
Through a qualitative analysis of JINR’s policies, membership structures, and collaborative programs, this research elucidates the dynamic interplay between science diplomacy and practical scientific cooperation. It investigates how JINR’s flagship megaprojects act as gravitational hubs, attracting scientific communities from both regions through access to cutting-edge facilities and knowledge networks. The paper details specific mechanisms—including specialized training programs, joint research initiatives, and institutional partnerships—that facilitate the integration of scientists from countries of Islamic World and Latin American countries into JINR’s ecosystem.
The findings demonstrate that JINR serves as a powerful channel for sustained science diplomacy engagement and capacity building, fostering a shared identity as a global scientific community. This study concludes that the JINR model provides a replicable template for how Big Science organizations can function as effective agents of diplomacy, building resilient bridges of cooperation between seemingly disparate world regions.
