SciFest Africa

SciFest Africa, a project of the Grahamstown Foundation, is South Africa’s national science Festival held annually in late March or early April in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape.

The Festival features over 600 events including lectures, interactive exhibitions, workshops, educational theatre, field trips, a soap box derby, laser shows, quizzes, science olympics, a film fest, science shows and tours. The 2007 Festival topped the 45 000 visitor mark.

The Festival aims to break through popular misconceptions and create a new mindset about science, technology, engineering and mathematics by demonstrating that these disciplines underpin our everyday activities. Visitors are able to interact with science in a colourful and non-threatening environment, while the Festival’s incredible range of interactive events provide learners with a great opportunity to discover science outside the classroom.

Scientists from all over the world are able to share their work, make science accessible to ordinary people, give career guidance, and act as role models for our youth.

History

SciFest Africa was the first Festival of its kind on the African continent and was launched in 1997 as a high profile, national event to promote a culture of science in a festive way. It was modelled on the Edinburgh International Science Festival and was formally known as Sasol SciFest but changed its name to SciFest Africa after the 2007 Festival.

Other projects

When it isn't Festival time, SciFest Africa concentrates on various projects to further their vision for science, technology, engineering and maths in South Africa.

There is SciFest-on-the-Road. This is the national outreach programme which aims to promote science across South Africa. A tour of one or more provinces over a two week period ensures that more high school learners are exposed to the fun side of science. They have the opportunity to meet a top lecturer or to be edutained by a theatre production. This project has been running since 2000.

Primary School outreach is the latest addition to SciFest Africa's projects. Aimed specifically at historcially disadvantaged schools and younger learners, Primary School outreach hopes to ignite a spark in South Africa's young learners. Many of the areas visited do not have access to science or equipped science labs. Each learner is given a workbook of experiments which they can try out at home.

Mall Shows are done by a team of university science students and done in shopping malls. This is science made fun for the whole family.

More information

SciFest Africa website [http://www.scifest.org.za]

Sponsors

Sasol
Old Mutual
The Grahamstown Foundation
The Department of Science and Technology

References

SciFest Africa website
Grahamstown Foundation website [http://www.foundation.org.za]