07 March 2007
The attendees of the meeting included primarily the five representatives of NAMES Board of Directors:
1. Eng. Hoda Elmikaty
Director, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Planetarium Science Center
2. Dr. Mohamed Hédi Ben Ismail
General Director, Tunis Science City
3. Ms. Gözde Onaran
Turkey Science Centers Foundation
4. Eng. Mijbil Almutawa
Chairman & Managing Director, The Scientific Center of Kuwait (TSCK)
5. Dr. Faleh Alsulaiman
Director General, Science & Technology Center (Scitech), Saudi Arabia
Other attendees of the meeting included:
6. Ms. Makiya Alhajri
Head, Children's City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
7. Mr. Colin Reid
Manager, Strategic Planning, Sharjah Museums Department, United Arab Emirates
In addition to the Secretary of the network and TSCK distinguished staff members.
After the welcoming note by Eng. Mijbil Almutawa (TSCK) and the introduction by Eng. Hoda Elmikaty (BA PSC). The representatives of the two new Full Members of NAMES introduced their facilities:
- Dubai Children's City
-Sharjah Museums Department
The representatives of the two new Full Members signed the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of their facilities, and Eng. Hoda Elmikaty signed on behalf of Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the host of the Network.
The Board of Directors also discussed other applications submitted via the network's website (www.namesnetwork.org), as well as eligible Science Centers within the network's region to be approached by the secretariat of the network as well as the members.
The Board of Directors also decided that the Network's first General Meeting will take place on 30-31 January 2008, at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, with the main theme "The Role of Science Centers in Establishing Knowledge-Based Societies in the Region". Sub-themes are to include:
a) Advocacy and Networking (Best-practice)
- Nationally
- Regionally
- Internationally
b) Ways of Communicating Science
- Printed and Digital Publications
- Traveling Exhibitions
Other than the network's members, eligible facilities and personalities within the region will be invited to attend, in addition to the heads of the international Science Centers' networks and other eminent international facilities and personalities.
