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EMME 2017 Registration is NOW OPEN; register now to benefit from the Early Bird registration rate, which is only available till 30 June. EMME 2017 takes place 10-15 September and is hosted by Citta della Scienza, Naples, Italy.
With every new edition of the EMME Summer School, the Training Program aiming to develop Future Leaders of Science Centers and Museums is developed further to enhance the experience of attendees. In this edition, under Strategic Planning, there will be special attention to Operational Plans, as well as Budget Planning and Control; along the same lines, a day will be reserved to “Running Your Center”. A day dedicated to Human Resources and Capacity Building is a novelty in this edition of EMME. Moreover, there will be special focus on Marketing and Fundraising, in addition to a day devoted to STEAM Education and Learning. EMME 2017 detailed program will soon be published on the Summer School’s website, so stay tuned!
Do not miss the opportunity of benefiting from this fruitful collaboration between NAMES and Ecsite that is both a place for debate, where professionals meet to discuss common challenges and solutions, as well as a starting event for planning activities at the beginning of the new academic year.
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Throughout the first decade of NAMES, the efforts of the Founding Members, as well as other Full Members, together with the Secretariat Office have been dedicated to establishing the Network, reinforcing its position on the international arena, and bringing together science communication institutions in the region. It was not easy doing any of that amid much political and economic mayhem; indeed, many endeavors never saw the light, and existing institutions suffered to survive.
Thankfully, albeit the persistence of turmoil in parts of the region, with the belief in a better tomorrow, science centers and museums have succeeded to pull together and step strongly forward together. It is thus NAMES focus in the coming years, starting this year, to build on existing connections and initiatives towards establishing successful collaborative projects and programs.
Indeed, our very fist collaborative program, EMME, the target of which is fostering future science centers leaders, is taking yet another stride with the organization of its third edition this September. Moreover, NAMES is soon to announce other Training Programs that are focused on specific aspects of science communication. Among our other initiatives is providing online resources and databases, the details of which are to be disclosed later this year. Furthermore, NAMES Board of Directors will be discussing new projects and initiatives during their meeting later this month, the results of which to be disclosed in our upcoming issue, July 2017.
NAMES is always looking for new project ideas to better serve its members; your suggestions are welcome at namesnetwork@bibalex.org.
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Letter from
NAMES Executive Director
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Dear Colleagues,
As we currently publish ALMANARA on bimonthly basis, we did not get a chance to greet you on the occasion of Easter; please accept our belated greetings. On the other hand, we take this opportunity to greet everyone on the occasion of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan; may it bring peace and harmony to all of us.
“In order to carry a positive action, we must develop a positive vision,” is a quote attributed to the Dalai Lama that I have recently come across. Throughout my thirteen-year career in the field of science and culture communication, I can certainly attest to this statement. As not-for-profit organizations, this applies to science centers and museums, as well as any other cultural institution, more than any other endeavor. Why? Because we aim to enlighten the mind; to broaden the thought; to improve the world.
It is not possible to do any of that without having a positive, win-win attitude; we cannot really win in our field without extending our hands to each other and thinking of others as we think of ourselves. This is exactly why NAMES and other regional science centers’ networks exist; it is also why these regional networks reach out to each other, because we all believe in the greater good that comes out of putting our hands in each other’s.
One of the best examples of positive action that is a result of positive vision is the Euro-Mediterranean and Middle East Summer School of Science Communication, better known as EMME. In 2012, thanks to the positive vision of leaders from both NAMES and Ecsite, our European counterpart, this initiative came to light. EMME aims to bring together the knowledge and expertise of two neighboring regions with the greater aim of developing better science centers and museums, with better leadership that will lead us closer to our ultimate goals of enlightening minds, broadening thoughts, and improving the world.
I encourage you all to take positive action and consider participating in this successful and continually developing program to be part of our positive vision. Please read more about the EMME Summer School in this issue, as well as on NAMES website and the EMME 2017 website. Take the time to read about it and contact us if you need more information; just do not miss out on knowing more and trying it.
With my best wishes,
Maissa Azab
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Science festivals are a major means of communicating science to the public; within the past month, two of NAMES Full Members in North Africa organized such large-scale events.
The Planetarium Science Center (PSC) at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) organized its first Science Festivity in 2006; the event has since developed to become one of the annual highlights within the Alexandrian community. This year, within the BA’s 15 Years celebration, the 11th Science Festivity (SF 2017, 12-13 April) was under the overarching theme of “Space and Stars”. As usual, a science village was set on the BA Plaza, divided into five activity zones, featuring documentaries, cultural plays, hands-on workshops, and most prominently the Super Science Show.
The festivity has been expanding and gaining popularity over the course of 11 years; to meet the high public demand, during the science month, the PSC organizes a number of festivities in schools, clubs, and centers in Alexandria, in addition to other governorates. The number of visitors reached 6,000 at the BA over 2 days, and over 25,000 visitors at partners’ sites and outreach programs.
On the other hand, a younger Science Festival of 4 years was that organized, 8-9 April, by the Monastir Science Palace in Tunisia as “a meeting of innovation, creation, and communication”. The main aim of the Monastir Science Festival is to be more open to wider segments of the scientific, intellectual, and cultural communities; to stimulate the youth towards scientific activities and coach them to find solutions to everyday dilemmas.
This edition was distinguished from previous ones with numerous contributions from various participants and from various national structures; such as scientific associations and clubs, educational organizations, research centers, sectorial centers of vocational training, etc. Another noticeable aspect was international participation from Algeria, France, Jordan, Turkey, and United Arab Emirates, giving this edition an international dimension. Among the unique activities offered by this year’s Science Festival was a French scientific theatrical performance; a multiple international prize winner comedy that presents and explains the natural cycle of water. Furthermore, 3 prizes were allocated to best graduation projects and 5 prizes were dedicated to the best exhibition spaces.
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The Science Centre World Summit 2017 (SCWS2017) has announced the opening of the Registration/Marketplace/Sponsorship pages on the Summit’s Website! The SCWS2017 will be held in Tokyo, Japan, on 15-17 November 2017, at The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan).
The SCWS2017 offers an opportunity for science centers/museums to discuss their strategies for their new roles in society. At this Summit, representatives of participating science centers/museums will have discussions with scientists and educators, as well as other stakeholders in society, including policymakers, international institution, industry and citizens communities, and build varied partnerships to create new approaches to global issues followed by concrete actions.
SCWS2017 welcomes participants from all sectors from around the world. Early Bird registration is valid up until 15 July, so hurry and enroll now !
If you have any inquiries, please feel free to contact the SCWS2017 Secretariat through the following email: secretariat@scws2017.org
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The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has announced the opening of the call for nominations for the 2017 UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science.
The purpose of the UNESCO-Kalinga Prize is to reward the efforts of a person who has had a distinguished career as a writer, editor, lecturer, radio/television program director, or film producer, which has enabled him/her to help interpret science, research, and technology to the public. He/she is expected to be knowledgeable of the role of science, technology, and general research in the improvement of the public welfare, the enrichment of the cultural heritage of nations, and the solutions to the problems of humanity either nationally, regionally, or internationally.
This year’s winner will be awarded by the Director-General during the World Science Forum to be held in Amman, Jordan, on 11-12 November 2017. The recipient will receive a monetary award of USD 20,000, a certificate, and the UNESCO Albert Einstein silver medal.
For more information regarding the Kalinga Prize and the qualifications of the candidates, please visit the following link: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/science-technology/sti-policy/global-focus/science-popularization/prizes/kalinga-prize/regulations-for-the-award-of-the-kalinga-prize/
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