"European Researchers' Night" events of the EDUCATE Project conducted by TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute under the European Commission Skłodowska-Curie Events were held on 30 September-1 October 2022 at İstanbul Tuzla Şelale Park and at Gaziantep Festival Park.
In the activities carried out within the scope of the project, it was aimed to raise the awareness of the polar regions and global climate change in the society by explaining the effects and benefits of polar research on our daily life, and to introduce the relevant research and researchers to the public.
In the events held with the cooperation of Ankara University, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, Istanbul Technical University, Tuzla Municipality and Yaşar University, polar sciences were explained to the participants of all ages. In this context, various science workshops, exhibitions, games, competitions, documentary screenings and concerts were held. A comprehensive awareness-raising was made with the presentations of researchers who have set foot in the polar regions and continue their studies in polar sciences. Awards were presented to the winners of the painting competition organized jointly with Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education, one of our stakeholders, on the main stage at Tuzla Şelale Park in Istanbul on September 30.
Live video calls were made with Gaziantep Governor Davut Gül, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin and Gaziantep University Rector Prof. Arif Özaydın from Gaziantep, Tuzla Mayor Şadi Yazıcı from the USA, Tuzla Deputy Mayor Tülay Kalav, TÜBİTAK MAM President Prof. Ahmet Yozgatlıgil and TÜBİTAK MAM Polar Research Institute Director Prof. Burcu Özsoy from Istanbul. After the speeches emphasizing the significance of the night, both national and international interaction was achieved with videos from other Researchers' Night events that took place simultaneously all over Europe in the following hours.
The first day was completed with concerts in Istanbul and Gaziantep on the evening of September 30. Later at the night, the events continued with DJ performances in Istanbul and with night observation with telescopes in Gaziantep until 00.30. The all-day long activities were also participated by students of various ages from surrounding provinces and districts. According to the records, a total of 50,000 participants were accessed in Gaziantep and Istanbul.
Detailed information about the activities can be found on the project website:
