According to the Director of SBPC, Laila Salmen Espindola, the week provides an opportunity for researchers to show society how they arrive at their studies, and for children and young people to see themselves as scientists.
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) in Brazil has announced the holding of the 20th National Week of Science and Technology (SNCT). The event, considered by the ministerial body to be the largest scientific dissemination in the country, aims to disseminate the academic universe, in a program spread across states and municipalities.
This year, the National Week of Science and Technology will take place from October 14th to 20th and will have as its theme “Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development”.
“The peak of the week will be in October, but it is a construction until then, a great mobilization that needs to be done in technology parks, museums, schools, universities, federal institutes, in every institution that, in some way, dialogue with knowledge and innovation”, said the Minister of CT&I, Luciana Santos.
Choice of theme
The choice of theme is in line with the decision of the UN (United Nations) and UNESCO to define the period between 2022-2023 as the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. As the name suggests, this celebration aims to recognize the importance of basic sciences for the fulfillment of at least seven of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“National Science and Technology Week has been losing strength [over the years], and we want it to resume the size it once had. We already had 1,506 cities and 193 projects approved. Last year, only 580 cities participated. We need to emulate, we need to encourage, so that people feel like participants in this construction”, added the minister.
Proving scientific paths
For the director of SBPC, Laila Espíndola, the National Science and Technology Week is the time for researchers to demonstrate to people how their achievements are generated. “It is time to explain and prove the path of science for the construction of truths. It is opposing fake news, because while these fake news boast untruths as virtues, SNCT provides society, during the entire year of its preparation, with the discovery of the achievements of science.”
The specialist, who is also a professor at the University of Brasília (UnB), also highlighted the importance of debating the basic sciences in her theme. “It is an opportunity to, together, build ways to harmonize our needs, economic development and nature conservation.”
Program starts with drawing contest
As part of the 20th National Week of Science and Technology, the MCTI also announced the 7th Drawing Contest, conceived in partnership with the Federal University of Minas Gerais.
The contest will select the official art that will be used as the visual identity of the 20th National Week. Students from the 6th to 9th grade of elementary school, high school and vocational education from public and private schools across the country can participate.
For teacher Laila Espíndola, it is important to encourage the participation of children and adolescents in the SNCT, as the event can generate, in addition to bringing young people closer to science, good memories.
“SNCT always reminds me of my son, who still tells what he saw in 2004 during the first SNCT: a Fiocruz tent showing how the yellow fever vaccine was made – inoculation of the attenuated yellow fever virus in embryonated chicken eggs . In another tent, DNA was assembled with jujube candy, which he ate afterwards. When I told him about researchers who thought that part of the DNA of a certain parasite was inserted into people’s DNA, he said to me: ‘Mom, this teacher watched Spider-Man,” referring to the character from comics and movies.
Registration for the 7th Drawing Contest is open and will continue until May 21st. The winner will win a trip to Brasilia, including a companion, to participate in the opening ceremony of the 20th National Week.
More information on the official websites: https://semanact.mcti.gov.br/ or http://museu.cp.ufmg.br
Find the original post announcing the event here.
