| Agnieszka Kliks-Pudlik |
In 2024, when Katowice will be the European City of Science, the inhabitants of the city, metropolis and region will have access to knowledge on an unprecedented scale. They will also be invited to cooperate with scientists on research projects.
The upcoming celebration of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 (ECSK) is a celebration not only for the academic world, but for all recipients interested in science. The key role will be played by the inhabitants of Katowice and the region, who form the foundation of the urban community. With them in mind, there are numerous popular science projects planned, and activities will be undertaken to improve the quality of life in the city.
Daily contact with science
The programme of the year-long celebrations of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 looks very interesting. Various types of initiatives will be organised each week – some for the scientific community, but also those open to anyone interested. This is an uncommon opportunity to be closer to science, expand your knowledge and share it with others.
The core of the year-long celebration is the 50 Weeks of Science for the Society initiative – each week one scientific problem will be tackled, the solution of which has a direct impact on people’s lives. The programme will be diverse in many respects: it will include proposals for various target groups (including children, families, seniors), initiatives of various types (including popular science, music, sports) of various scope (including large-format events, but also small workshops and debates).
Moreover, in addition to the main programme, the organisers also planned activities for young people of the European City of Science, educational programmes (with the leading theme: teachers for teachers), as well as other events, including: Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE
It is worth checking the ECSK 2024 website regularly. There you will find further information which will be successively revealed starting in October. The offer will only grow!
The contribution of residents to the development of science
Science and research are not exclusive to academia. One of the goals of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 is to emphasise the importance of public participation in the scientific process and to encourage residents to get involved in the development of science.
An example of grassroots activities in which residents can get involved is the so-called citizen science. This concept gives non-scientists the opportunity to have a real impact on the research work undertaken by scientists, e.g. by providing them with data collected as a hobby. This could be, for example, regular recording of city sounds, which could help scientists study noise in the city.
There are also the bottom-up activities. The idea is to inspire scientists to take action and research based on the questions citizens ask them.
Detailed information on how residents can get involved in the creation of science will be available soon.
Science – a remedy for urban problems
The assumption of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 is to build a city in which problem detection and decision-making are based on science, and scientists cooperate closely with residents in this regard.
A flagship example is the effort to revitalise the Rawa river on the section from the market square to the buildings of the University of Economics. Scientists, together with the city and regional authorities, plan to create a friendly place for residents where they can relax in contact with nature and science.
Moreover, the European City of Science Katowice 2024 is a city where academic spaces and facilities are available to residents. That is why Katowice will be enriched with a Green Science Zone – a trail running around Rawa and Katowice’s universities. A Network Science Centre will also be established in the region, where scientists will communicate and bring science closer to all those interested.
We also cannot forget about the benefits associated with increasing the tourist attractiveness of the city – Katowice will be the talk of the entire European (and not only) scientific world.
Thanks to these initiatives, science will remain present in Katowice long after 2024, and residents will feel a real change and will learn that – as the slogan of the celebrations says – science will give us the future.
Flower square in Katowice | Photo by Katowice City Hall