Why promote mathematics?
The following was an Introduction to a booklet produced under an EC Contract at Bangor in World Mathematical Year 2000 (WMY 2000) and which was distributed at the European Mathematical Congress 2000 with a CDRom of John Robinson sculptures.
“Raising Public Awareness of Mathematics is probably the most important goal originally set for the WMY 2000. And there are good reasons for that. The role of mathematics in society is subtle and not generally recognised in the needs of people in everyday life and most often it remains totally hidden in scientific and technological advancements. The old saying: “The one who lives hidden lives best” is not true in present day society. If a subject becomes invisible it may soon be forgotten and eventually it may even disappear. Mathematics has such a prominent place in school curricula all over the world that probably nobody can imagine such a fate for this subject. But if we do not constantly care about the image of mathematics we will see continuing pressures to lower the amount of mathematics at primary schools secondary schools and at the university level. Mathematics is exciting to many people but at the same time is considered difficult and somewhat inaccessible by many more. Since mathematics is the fundamental cornerstone in many diverse areas of society it is important for civilisation as a whole that mathematicians do their utmost to help explaining and clarifying the role of mathematics.”
[Vagn Lundsgaard Hansen Chairman of the World Mathematics Year 2000 Committee of the European Mathematical Society.]
