MILSET

MILSET is the French acronym for “International Movement for Leisure in Science and Technology” ("Mouvement International pour le Loisir Scientifique et Technique"). It is a non-governmental, non-profit and politically independent youth organisation, which aims at developing scientific culture among young people through the organisation of science-and-technology programmes, including Expo-Sciences and experimental activities of high quality.

Overview

As a member of the world civil society, MILSET is also a stakeholder in the current revolution of the Technologies of Information and Communication, and advocates the free sharing of knowledge and the building of true knowledge sharing societies. This stand is exemplified in its participation to the parallel events to the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) through the World Youth Congress on Information and Knowledge Society, co-organised with the Youth Science Association of Tunisia (AJST) and held in Tunis on 14-15 November 2005.

Thanks to MILSET, tens of thousands of young people have already met to exchange and make the most of their creations, discuss with researchers, youth leaders and industrialists. They have developed projects together, discovered foreign languages and cultures, and have been trained to acquire new technologies.

Joining MILSET is adhering to its charter, that of a movement which is concerned about today’s world, participates in the local development of scientific and technical education in leisure time, promotes international cooperation, sustainable development, citizenship and peace, by practicing sciences and technology in a spirit of respect, understanding and solidarity within different geographic and spiritual communities.

MILSET is a consultative member of the ECOSOC Commission of the United Nations.

Missions

* To stimulate the development of scientific and technical educational activities for young people and children, to motivate young people to get interested into science, and to help educators worldwide working in this field.
* To organise Expo-Sciences on an International and Regional level, during which young people meet and present projects which reflect their creativity in the sphere of science and technology.
* To organise science events for youth as international meetings, symposia and seminars, summer schools and universities, conferences, study trips, training courses and all activities helping to promote exchanges among youth of all countries, including young scientists.
* To encourage networking among MILSET Regional Offices and member organisations and to animate the collective life of the Movement through publications and internet websites, common programs, sharing and transfer of expertise and dialogue about world events.
* To support its member organisations and national organisations of scientific youth by representing them to supranational and international bodies as UN and its agencies (UNESCO, UNICEF…), ISESCO, ALECSO and the European Commission.

Regional offices

MILSET was created during ESI 87, the first International Expo-Sciences held in Québec in 1987. Then, due to its constant growth, various Regional Offices were progressively established:
* MILSET AMLAT (Latin America)
* MILSET Africa
* MILSET Asia
* MILSET Europe
* MILSET NORAM (North America)

External links

* [http://www.milset.org/ MILSET homepage]