Georgia hosts first-ever European Researchers’ Night promoting science among the youth
Marie Skłodowska Curie "European Researchers' Night" competition of the European Scholarship and Innovation Framework Program "Horizon 2020” is announced every two years. Photo: EU Delegation to Georgia
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For the first time Georgia has joined 29 European countries in celebrating European Researchers' Night – a Europe-wide public event promoting science and innovation.
The event showcases the diversity of science and its impact on citizens’ daily lives, stimulating interest in research careers - particularly among young people, the EU Delegation to Georgia said.
Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Georgia Sigrid Brettel speaks of importance of the project:
This year children, young people and families could meet researchers and discover science and innovation through hands-on experiments, science shows, games, quizzes, competitions, exhibitions, and digital activities amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Organised within the EU-funded Science is the Captain project the events in Georgia were implemented by the Georgian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport.
They aimed to raise public awareness of the positive impact of the science on their daily lives, as well as to encourage young students to choose a science/research career and strengthen the image of a scientist in the society.
Today's the day! The 2020 #EuropeanResearchersNight is ???? in 29 countries ????
— MarieSkłodowskaCurie (@MSCActions) November 27, 2020
Listen to the message from our ???????? Commissioner @GabrielMariya and tell us all about your experience/event throughout the day! https://t.co/skeSv54LYx pic.twitter.com/GNKvnFEP5K
Marie Skłodowska Curie European Researchers' Night competition of the European Scholarship and Innovation Framework Program Horizon 2020 is announced every two years for only the EU member states and countries associated with the Horizon 2020 program.
Georgia became an Associated Country to Horizon 2020 in April 2016, which opened up new prospects also to Georgian scientists and researchers.
With a budget of billion for 2014-2020, Horizon 2020 has been the largest multinational program dedicated to research and innovation. Until now Georgia participated in the program as a third country.
On November 27 Georgian scientists’ grantees of various Horizon 2020 grant competitions have been awarded:
- National Center for Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (NCTBLD)
- The Center for Social Sciences (CSS)
- Biological Farming "Association Elkana"
- Georgian Association of Landscape Architects (GALA)
The National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) has also received a certificate of acknowledgement for the efforts in fight against the coronavirus.
Georgian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Mikheil Chkhenkeli awards Deputy NCDC Head Paata Imnadze. Photo: Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport/Facebook
Initially the Science is a Captain project envisaged the series of indoor and outdoor events in 6 different cities:Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Telavi, Batumi, Akhaltsikhe and Zugdidi. However, a vast majority of in-person activities have been converted into the online/virtual awareness-raising events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.