Professor Graham Durant and Dr Will Grant represented CPAS and Questacon at the First International Symposium on the Development of Natural Science Museums under the Belt and Road Initiative in Beijing in late November. 

The symposium, hosted by the Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums, aims to promote scientific and cultural communication and strengthen the cooperation between national science museums. There were 28 attending organisations from 22 countries.

The keynote speakers, Dr Cheng Donghong, Dr An Laishun and Dr Yoslan Nur spoke on museums as "cutting-edge laboratories" for shared humanity, as well as the future of development for science museums under the Belt and Road initiative. Professor Durant spoke to the forum on behalf of Questacon, Australia's National Science and Technology Centre. 

Dr Grant said the forum was a fascinating experience.

"An opportunity to see and experience some of the latest and greatest science centres and museums in China, and hear from a range of science centre and museum people from dozens of countries throughout Asia, Europe and Africa.

"We’re hoping there’s great collaborations and connections that can come from this in the years to come."