Ecsite 2022 Zelte

Ecsite conference 2022: shaping social change

24. May 2022

Heilbronn to be an international center of science communication. From June 2 to 4, experimenta is playing host to the Ecsite conference at which 914 representatives of European science centers and museums meet to exchange knowledge. Keynote speakers are Irish activist Sinéad Burke and English author Lucy Hawking.

At the Ecsite conference 2022, one of the largest conferences of European science centers and museums, 914 participants from 50 countries will set new accents for science engagement. The major event hosted by experimenta puts the spotlight on social issues such as the communication of science in the days of fake news and conspiracy theories, inclusion and equal opportunity as well as the challenges of the climate crisis. The program includes more than 70 lectures, discussion panels and workshops.

“Urgent global questions challenge science centers and museums to assume an active role in public debate,” says Dr. Wolfgang Hansch, experimenta’s Managing Director and host of the conference with his team, in voicing the conference’s mission. “As credible and accepted institutions we have a very special obligation not only to guide social change but also to shape it.” An ideal foundation for this endeavor is now provided by the common exchange and discourse at Ecsite 2022.

Cutting-edge keynotes
In Heilbronn, the two keynote speakers Sinéad Burke and Lucy Hawking address how things will be able to be changed in a social setting. Irish activist Sinéad Burke is committed to a barrier-free and inclusive society. She advises numerous global enterprises and shows them ways of integrating persons with disabilities. In her lecture, Ms. Burke talks about equality and inclusion. Making science accessible and entertaining for children is the aim of British author Lucy Hawking. The daughter of Stephen Hawking has received numerous awards for her commitment to making science accessible to everyone. She is currently working on a virtual reality project that has the theory of black holes as its thematic focus.

The venue is the ideal place for new ideas. The Ecsite conference is being held on the Theresienwiese festival grounds in a purpose-built tent city. The camp not only provides space for the conference with lectures, discussion panels and workshops, but also plenty of room for a business bistro, a combination of trade fair and lounge. It is where all coffee breaks take place and more than 60 exhibitors present their products and services.

Idea exchange close by
The Ecsite conference is accompanied by Wild Spaces, a free sustainability festival for all comers. It takes place from June 2 to 5 also on Theresienwiese next to Ecsite 2022. At the festival, teens and adults find answers to the question of how they want to live and learn in the future. The program includes more than 100 events and numerous hands-on offers. For more information, go to www.wild-spaces.de