On the afternoon of October 17, 2019, 17 representatives from science centers in the eight countries of China, Germany, UK, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, Netherlands and Sweden held a round-table meeting to discuss details regarding the establishment of the Global Cooperation Alliance of Science Centers (the Alliance). After extensive discussion, the representatives voted unanimously to pass the Charter of the Alliance, and agreed to join the Alliance as founding members.  Dr. Wang Enge, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chairman of the expert committee of the Huairou Comprehensive National Science Center, was elected as the first chairman of the Alliance. Dr. Jan Lüning, director of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, was elected as the chairman-elect. The Alliance was proposed at the First Conference of International Science Centers. The participants at the Second Conference of International Science Centers moved the proposal forward by signing the “Statements Towards the Establishment of a Global Cooperation Alliance of Science Centers.” During the third conference, the Alliance was officially established, thus opening a new chapter for international cooperation.

On the morning of Oct 18, Dr. Wolfgang Marquardt, director of Forschungszentrum Jülich Gmb, presided over the opening ceremony of the conference, with Mr. Sui Zhenjiang, vice mayor of Beijing, and Xianglin Bin, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, welcoming participants with their opening remarks. Representatives of science centers and national laboratories around the world jointly launched the beam of light signaling the official establishment of the Alliance.