UNESCO joined the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and other partners in a major five-day Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development which was held just prior to the Rio+20 conference in Rio de Janeiro. The Forum provides a platform for the science, technology and innovation community to discuss sustainable development challenges and solutions with policy-makers and other stakeholders. The UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, called on UNESCO to lead the implementation of recommendations on science for sustainable development.