Report on the 1st Forum of Polish Science Festival Organisers
Tomasz Płosa Member of the Organisation Committee of Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE; Editorial Assistant at Gazeta Uniwersytecka UŚ (University of Silesia Magazine)
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The success of Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE and activity of the University of Silesia in Katowice as the leader of this project have been noticed and appreciated by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, which chose our university as the host of the 1st Forum of Polish Science Festival Organisers – an event organised in Katowice on the occasion of the fourth edition of ŚFN. The Forum, which took place on 27-28 January 2020, was attended by almost 90 people, including representatives of the biggest and best known Polish science festivals, as well as organisers of smaller-scale events. The meeting was also attended by foreign guests: Ellie Petrie (Festival Programme Manager at the Cheltenham Science Festival) and Jennie Turner (Operations Manager at the Vetenskapsfestivalen (International Science Festival) in Göteborg). The Ministry of Science and Higher Education was represented by Dr. Anna Budzanowska (Undersecretary of State). On the first day of the Forum, its participants were in the International Congress Centre in Katowice, where they could see closely what the Silesian Science Festival looked like. In the evening there was a discussion panel on the subject of social mission of the university fulfilled by science festivals. The discussion was moderated by Prof. Ryszard Koziołek (General Director of ŚFN and Vice-Rector for Education and Student Affairs), and his interlocutors included Dr. Agnieszka Motyl (Director of Poznań Science and Art Festival), Dr. Zuzanna Toeplitz (Director of Warsaw Festival of Science), Assoc. Prof. Krzysztof Machaczka (representative of Kraków Science and Art Festival), Assoc. Prof. Eng. Ryszard Polechoński (Community Coordinator at the Lower Silesian Science Festival) and Assoc. Prof. Eng. Jacek Soroka (Professor Emeritus of the West Pomeranian University of Technology, President of Szczecin Scientific Society). Prof. Koziołek asked the panel participants about the benefits of science communication units for the society and about the needs (other than money) that organisers of such events have. ‘In Poland we have a very low rate of individuals who study anything after graduating from school: this should definitely be changed and science festivals are a good way to do it!’, claimed Dr. Zuzanna Toeplitz, whereas Prof. Krzysztof Machaczka added: ‘Let us not deceive ourselves, some of the young Science Communication in the New Reality. How to organise science festivals after the coronavirus pandemic?
