Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1305625
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 1 NOVEMBER 2020 5 SCIENCE SCIENCE in the City (SitC) is going digital this year. With the latest rise in COVID-19 cases, the festival team have decided to use a variety of online formats. In this way, Science in the City can continue to engage, empow- er and enable the community with science and arts in a safe and responsible manner. Karen Fiorini, the festival man- ager, explained that the festival "was always about providing a platform from which to con- nect researchers and citizens with science and the arts, giving people in Malta and beyond a chance to explore their curiosity and creativity." Switching to digital will allow the festival to reach broader audiences showing the work of Maltese scientists and artists on an international level. But Fiorini notes that "this doesn't mean we haven't jazzed things up. The SitC team has been working hard on the new digital approach since COV- ID-19 hit, looking for ways to present the festival in an exciting and inspirational way." The dates of the event have not changed: from Friday 27 to Sun- day 29 November 2020, as this year, audiences will enjoy the festival from the comfort of their own homes, through the Sci- ence in the City website: https:// scienceinthecity.org.mt/ Here, audiences will find vid- eos, resources and a range of pre-recorded content. This is where you want to be if you're interested in experiments, sci- ence videos, and even sports. Simultaneously, the website gives access to the festival's live streamed programme. This live streaming brings sci- entists, artists and all research aspects, straight into everyone's living room. The festival's schedule, with activities for all ages, will be re- leased in November. The festival team with dozens of other or- ganisations are preparing digital events in the run up to the fes- tival. According to Dr Edward Duca, the festival coordinator, the fes- tival has "so much content this year that it just wouldn't fit into three days". Between the 12th and 26th November, partici- pants can participate in exciting pre-festival activities, like an es- cape room, a mind altering art installation and debates on on- line data, Artificial Inteligence, euthanasia and drug legalisation. We don't shy away from hard topics," Duca said. "We have poured our heart and soul into these ideas and want to share them with the widest au- dience possible, especially young people who are curious and ex- cited about the world of science and technologies," he said. Marked by challenges but painted with enthusiasm and innovation, the 2020 edition of Science in the City has been transformed into an exciting new event. It promises to en- tertain and educate every in- quisitive mind that enters their website by providing the best weekend programme for cold late November days. Science in the City is part of the European Researchers' Night, an EU-wide celebration. It has been funded by the Eu- ropean Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation pro- gramme (under grant agree- ment No 955263), and a num- ber of corporate sponsors. It is recognised as a Festival by Eu- rope for Festivals and Festivals for Europe (EFFE). The Science in the City con- sortium is led by the University of Malta and the Malta Cham- ber of Scientists, in partnership with the the Parliamentary Sec- retary for Financial Services and Digital Economy, TrustStamp, Malta Enterprise, MCAST, Greenhouse, Qualia Analyt- ics, Esplora, BPC International, MEUSAC, PBS, Spazju Kreattiv, Aquabiotech, The Environment Resource Agency, Energy Wa- ter Agency, Malta Council for the Voluntary Services, More or Less Theatre, Storm Design and Kreattiv of the Malta Arts Council. For regular updates please follow the festival's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Sci- enceInTheCityMalta | Twitter: @SciCityMalta | Instagram: @ scicitymalta | TikTok: @Scien- ceintheCityMalta | Website: sci- enceinthecity.org.mt This communication reflects the author's view and the Eu- ropean Commission is not re- sponsible for any information it contains. Science in the City Festival poised to captivate online viewers as a fully digital event Spherical, a science and arts installation by Louis Briffa at last year's Science in the City