Featured image: South African president promotes SKAO at World Science Forum

BY LETEBELE JONES (SKAO)

The World Science Forum (WSF) held its conference, themed Science for Social Justice, in a very sunny and hot Cape Town in December.

The exhibition and conference sessions took place at the city’s International Convention Centre and coincided with the SKAO’s celebratory construction commencement ceremonies events.

The SKAO held an exhibition stand in collaboration with SARAO, generating many engagements with visitors from around the world. This included educational outreach activities, with learners and conference attendees quizzed on their SKAO knowledge in exchange for some branded memorabilia. The highlight was a visit to the stand by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who gave the keynote address at the official opening of the WSF. He took time to meet with SARAO Managing Director Pontsho Maruping, SKA-Mid Telescope Director Dr Lindsay Magnus, the SKAO’s Head of the Director-General’s Office Dr Simon Berry, and Director of Communications, Outreach and Education William Garnier.

President Ramaphosa was presented with an SKAO lapel pin, which – much to the delight and surprise of the team – he immediately attached to his lapel underneath his South African national flag pin. It was still there during the president’s later keynote address, which was covered widely on Twitter and national television, providing a great endorsement for the Observatory. There was even more SKAO content for the attendees at the WSF opening ceremony, including the president, with the showing of the Observatory’s new film marking the start of construction (see page 20), and a speech from Chair of the SKAO Council Dr Catherine Cesarsky, who updated the audience on the recent construction milestones.

In a rousing address, Sudip Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, put a spotlight on the SKAO and its efforts to connect with the communities close to its facilities. “This is not about the elite, this is about the humility that it takes for scientists to be a part of their community and that is what I see in the SKAO. I think South Africa should be incredibly proud of this investment, and this model of partnership around the world.”

Upon visiting the SKAO stand at the World Science Forum in Cape Town, President Ramaphosa was presented with an SKAO lapel pin, which he immediately attached to his lapel underneath his South African national flag pin.

Image credit: Letebele Jones/SKAO