Open consultation

Report from the Workshop: Communication Outreach in Nanotechnology from recommendations to action

This paper results from a workshop held by the European Commission it Brussels, 24-25 October 2007. It shapes operative recommendations and actions for future European funding on appropriate communication and innovative approaches to engage the European civil society into a dialogue on nanotechnology. Experts in the fields of science communication, art and education share success, best practices and challenge stories, to give to different audiences a "voice" in the policy making process.

1. Surveying targeted publics (especially tough-to-reach and youngsters) to identify their values, concerns and expectations, communication models, cultural specificities and rationalities;

2. Developing new models and tools for communication, dialogue and engagement (especially those "light", unconventional and emotion-based, eg. theatre, art, fairs)

3. Developing the role of choice-making process with appropriate new audiences, exchanging visions, scientific cultures and mobility of practitioners in communication;

4. Ensure access to reliable information on ethical, social and legal dimensions of nanotechnology, focusing on ways to mitigate the nanodivide in communication and developing a free data-base on best practices by funnelling all information towards an international body