In partnership with UNESCO and ICOM, science centres worldwide celebrated International Science Centre & Science Museum Day on 10 November. We showcased our field's contribution towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This is a joint action of ICOM - International Council of Museums, UNESCO, Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), Asia Pacific Network of Science & Technology Centres (ASPAC), NAMES - North Africa and Middle East Science Centers Network, Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Popularization of Science and Technology (RedPop), Southern African Association of Science and Technology Centres (SAASTEC) and Ecsite.
We used this opportunity to recognise and support the critically important United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the SDGs are global in scope and impact, they are fulfilled by the actions of individuals in communities throughout the world where so many science centres and museums are located.
Throughout the day, Ecsite highlighted key actions of the Tokyo protocol, a protocol on the role of Science Centres and Science Museums Worldwide in support of the UN SDGs. Check our posts on Twitter or Facebook.
From Ecsite members
Numerous Ecsite members took part in this global mobilization with activities such as a Science Comedy Night at Technopolis (Belgium), an SDGs based exhibition at Museon (The Netherland), experiments and shows about air, its impurities and ways of reducing or avoiding them at Copernicus Science Centre (Poland), tinkering activities at Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve (Portugal), a special water-related programme for local school children at the Life Science Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (UK), and many more.
A “Global Science Show” was also organized by Glasgow Science Centre, inviting colleagues from around the world to share a video of a staff member doing a science demonstration on their social media channels.
What is happening next?
On 15-17 November 2017 in Miraikan (Japan), The Science Centre World Summit (SCWS) will take hold of these issues, as participants discuss new approaches and partnerships around the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.