To commemorate the law of the P.R.C. on the popularization of science and technology, established in 2002, CAST organizes amusing activities about science on the third weekend in September every year, called the National Science Popularization Day. Since 2003, the members of the association at all levels have launched national science popularization activities to create an environment where people can appreciate science and even apply it to solve problems.
CAST, CAS and the Beijing Municipal Government held the 4th national science popularization day with the theme of scientific development and constructing an ecological civilization. The event was held in the Beijing Botanical Garden, at IOB, on Sept. 19-26, 2008. The activity was a success due to the oversight of leaders, the departments’ careful arrangements, and timely communication and adequate collaboration of administrators after nearly nine months of hard work. The party and state leaders spoke highly of it; even society participants enjoyed it.
The theme of this activity was scientific development and constructing an ecological civilization. The activity was composed of six areas: theme exhibition area, experience area, beautiful life area, science and technology action area, science popularation area and science achievement area. Our institute undertook four areas.
Administered by CAST, the aim was to exhibit and popularize ecological environment knowledge, warn of the crisis of the ecological environment, carry out the national strategy of protecting the ecological environment, mobilize people to participate in protecting the ecological environment, promote people actively joining in the construction of an environment-friendly society, and produce an ecological civilization.
This area was administered by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology (BAST), mainly close to people’s daily life and emphasizes experience. A series of funny activities tightly related to people’s daily life were selected for enhancing environment protection consciousness, forming habits to save energy resources and protect the ecological environment of participants as they played games.
3. Science and Technology Action Area
This area was organized by IOB. It focused on the scientific realization of nature, monitoring the environment, saving energy resources, and reducing the quantity of CO2 and pollution gas. Through exhibition boards, models and mutual games, this area showed our work in protecting the ecological environment, saving energy and reducing discharge, and new energy resource exploitation and use to the public.
4. Science Achievement Experience Area
Three state key laboratories and the Herbarium (PE) of IOB were opened. In the “Science and technology change people’s life” cell, four special research achievements related to people’s life and the defense of the coast were displayed.Gromwell (Arnebia euchroma Johnst), Transgenic Rice, Fruit Storage and Salt-tolerant Vegetables. 80-year-long struggle, 80 years of resplendence. A special exhibition was designed to celebrate the 80th anniversary of IOB. It detailed the contributions of IOB in the field of science and laid out the scene of plant research in the Palace Hall.
This stage showed the harmony between man and nature and beautifying the life environment with five series of eight items of activities. A series of funny plays, such as Span Thousand Years, Chinese Medicine, Plant Flower, Kebana and Try Rare Grapes, promoted the understanding of a happy life brought by a good environment and ecological civilization.
Making full use of the Beijing Botanical Garden, at IOB, many areas were formed, such as the Autumn Plant Discovery, Learn to be a Botanist, Crop Exhibition, Royal Water Lily Experience, World Botanic Garden Co-exhibition, and Digital Botanic Garden, to popularize the science capability of the Beijing Botanical Garden, enhance the lively experience that rests in tranquility, and promote thought in experience among the public.
On the morning of Sept. 21, The Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee，Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC，Vice President of the P.R.C., Xi Jinping and other leaders of the CPC Central Committee, such as Wang Zhaoguo, Liu Qi, Liu Yunshan, Liu Yandong, Li Yuanchao, Ling Jihua, Lu Yongxiang, and Han Qide, came to IOB to take part in the activity of the National Science Popularization Day with teenagers and other people in Beijing. Accompanied by the Vice-president of CAS Li Jiayang, LiJjinghai, Zhan Wenlong, Ding Ahongli, General Office Director Jiang Xiezhu, Director of the Strategic Programme Bureau Pan Jiaofeng, and Vice-director Tian Ming. Ma Keping, Chong Kang, Ge Song, Niu Siping and Jing Sinming of IOB introduced this activity. Xi Jinping, Lu Yongxiang, Deng Nan and other leaders spoke highly of this activity, and it was reported in CCTV News for almost 4 minutes, which largely publicized the Beijing Botanic Garden, IOB, and CAS.
On the morning of Sept. 22, 200 disabled athletes, including 22 sports members of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, visited IOB.
On the morning of Sept. 23, more than 100 representatives of diplomatic envoys to China from more than 30 countries or offices of foreign institutions attended the home-field activity of the National Science Popularization Day with good spirits.
On the morning of Sept. 24, more than 300 representatives of the press were attracted to the scene and reported the activity extensively.
Moreover, teenagers could learn about science every afternoon on the scene. In total, more than 15,000 students took part in the home-field activity of the National Science Popularization Day.
In brief, the planning stage of the activity of National Science Popularization Day was long, the project requirements were high, and the social influence was significant, which made the day a real test of the science popularizing ability of IOB. The successful National Science Popularization Day motivated the enthusiasm of scientific researchers to popularize science and provided precious experience for holding related activities in the future.
http://garden.ibcas.ac.cn/kepuri.htm
http://zt.cast.org.cn/n435777/n435799/n10601941/index.html