The European Science Festival will take place from 9 to 11 November 2021 under the leadership of the Slovenian Science Foundation (SZF) on the occasion of World Science Day for Peace and Development (10 November), as an associated event of the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

The European Science Festival aims to showcase Europe's diversity in science, the excellence achieved in science communication, to promote the deepening of the European Research Area (ERA), and to promote European values in establishing and maintaining a lasting mutual dialogue between the European scientific community.

It is the umbrella event of the science festivals in Europe and is unique in that it brings together top scientists, academics, Nobel Laureates and talented students, as well as high-profile, award-winning journalists in the field of science and the understanding of science in everyday society. The event will be a one-stop-shop for European science, showcasing European science as a core European value.

Science in Europe is solving global challenges, it is a network in which we are all embedded, it grows stronger with each new thread and we never know where the next inspiration will come from or where in the network the next big idea will emerge. What is certain is that Europe needs to create as large a knowledge network as possible to facilitate the flow of knowledge, to increase scientific cooperation between the academic and non-academic sectors and to strengthen the process of encouraging the work of future scientists.

In tackling global problems, Europe enables the selection and coordination of global partners in science and effectively develops and uses the integrative language of science in science diplomacy.

Top scientists will present their work at the festival, thereby contributing to the promotion of research in Europe and beyond, while influencing the development of science policies to develop and effectively use science diplomacy to address global crises. The festival will take place on the occasion of World Science for Peace and Development Day and will focus scientific values on the cohesive politics of peace, ethics and a better future.

The idea of a European festival draws on the tradition of European festivals in the historically rich European science world. In 2001, a European association of science festival and science week organisers was formed, today known as the European Science Engagement Association. This anniversary will be celebrated at the festival in this jubilee year of 2021, which marks 25 years since the Slovenian Science Festival, under the leadership of the Slovenian Science Foundation, began working with UK science festival organisers, the British Association for the Advancement of Science, the Edinburgh International Science Festival and the Orkney International Science Festival. Knowing that science is based on excellence and networking, it is also worth mentioning that Dr Edvard Kobal and Dr Howie Firth MBE are in great part responsible for the intensive and successful collaboration that has taken place.

Andraž Ivšek,
Director of the European Science Festival