On October 31^st the Ministry of Education (MOE) hold “The 4^th Taiwan Science Festival in 2023” kick-off press conference. The Political Deputy Minister of MOE, Mr. Ming-Yu Lin, Deputy Minister of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Mrs. Yi-Juang Chern, Director-Generals of the 5 major science museums, and 21 SciBases’ representatives jointly announced the grand opening of the Taiwan Science Festival that hold from November 4 to 12.

The theme of this year's Taiwan Science Festival is "Basic Sciences Create Future", echoing the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development 2023 (IYBSSD 2023) advocated by the United Nations, which emphasizes the importance of basic sciences in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These SDGs encompass social progress, economic growth, and environmental protection, and other dimensions. Hence, the 4^th Taiwan Science Festival intends to familiarize the public with the basic sciences and related research results through a variety of exhibitions, demonstrations, and activities. Everyone is expected to become closer to sciences, explore knowledge, and improve scientific literacy through the diverse series of interesting activities, in order to accomplish the goal of sustainable development.

The 4^th Taiwan Science Festival not only brings together the five major science museums, to organize popular science exhibitions and performances, but also continues to cooperate with the NSTC and 21 SciBases. The important highlights of this festival are as follows:

1. There are five major science museums under the Ministry of Education. The National Museum of Marine Science and Technology (NMMST) in Keelung launched the “Save the coral reefs” and the “Landscape Change Trail Tour,” which introduced basic marine science issues through actual coral restoration work and visited Chaojing park to strengthen the public's marine knowledge; the National Taiwan Science Education Center (NTSEC) in Taipei organized a large-scale science fair “NTSEC Science Bazaar” and “Science Night Market” with the themes of STEAM, science and technology, environmental education, and diversified learning; the National Museum of Natural Science in Taichung, conceived in the spirit of inquiry and hands-on courses, organized a number of science promotion activities and science demonstrations, including “Mad Science Show”, “Science in the Sun” and “Taiwan Science Show”; the National Science and Technology Museum in Kaohsiung offered a series of creative workshops for a limited period of time, including “Science in Life,” "Aboriginal Science Experience," and “Printing Culture Experience Workshop,” which allowed the public to play with science and inspire their creativity; the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in Pingtung offered “Come Across NMMBA In The City” and “Discovering Mother Tongues along the Creeks and Ocean” to allow the public to learn about the biodiversity of Taiwan's waters, the latest marine science technology, and indigenous peoples science.

 

2. SciBases: The MOE continues to invite public and private research institutes which have long been enthusiastic in organizing various science popularization activities to become SciBases. These organizations include the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute (TORI), the Taiwan Space Agency (TASA), the National Taiwan University Museum of Zoology, Delta Electronics Foundation, and the ASE (Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc.), among 21 other organizations, which will hold science popularization activities throughout the country and cities during the 4^th Taiwan Science Festival, in order to spread science popularization.

These five major science museums in Taiwan join hands to present 12 forum and conferences, 38 dramas, 213 science demonstrations, 392 film festival and exhibitions, 47 science competitions, 493 workshops, 32 science bazaars, and 211 other related science activities, for a total of 1,438 events, creating the most fun-filled science fair in Taiwan.

Furthermore, the NSTC has also recently launched the “Taiwan Science Train” for a 5-day round-the-island tour at 30 train stations from October 30 to November 3, schoolchildren could enjoy the fun of science. Some 100 science research fields were opened to the public under the “Kiss Science” initiative, including national laboratories, science parks, university research institutes, etc. to offer a feast of the science arena. On top of this “Kiss Science” initiative, 5 government departments including the Ocean Affairs Council and the Nuclear Safety Commission, 5 public and private colleges and universities, 10 NGOs, and 8 sponsoring enterprises and foundations will also join forces in this magnificent science mega-event. Stay tuned to learn more about this spectacle!