“Lahore Science Mela 2017” held successfully on 28-29 Jan 2017

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ECOSF President visits and interacts with the organizers and visitors

The two-day “Lahore Science Mela 2017” organized by the Khwarizmi Science Society of Pakistan (KSSP) was successfully held at Ali Institute of Education Lahore on 28-29 January 2017. The idea of Lahore Science Mela (Science Fair) was developed jointly by Dr. Siddiqui, the President of KSSP, Dr. Sabih Anwar of Lahore University of Management Sciences and Dr. Hamid Zaman of the Boston University USA to promote STEM education among the young children. The Science Mela was patronized by Syed Babar Ali, a renowned educationist, philanthropist and industrialist based in Lahore. He while making his opening speech, highly appreciated the activity and hoped that next year, a week-long Science Mela would be organized. Syed Babar Ali has been promoting and supporting numerous educational and scientific endeavours.

Main purpose of course was to engage young children in positive scientific and educational activities; however, the Mela was open to public and being it a weekend, a large number of parents also joined their children and visited the science fair. In all, an estimated 100000 people mainly children visited the fair comprising of over 50 stalls of science and education promoting institutions, NGOs and Companies as well as Universities, R&D Organizations and numerous student groups from across the country.

President ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF) Prof. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro also visited each of the stall set up at the two-day Science Mela and interacted with innovators, educationists and associations and societies/Science Clubs that had put up their stalls. He particularly interacted with the children demonstrating science activities and those visiting the Mela. Dr. Soomro while talking to various stallers and organizers and suggested them to enhance inquiry aspect of their activities particularly when explaining to the visiting children. He said that it was a good opportunity for children to see different fields of science at one place and can idealize their options and passion in choosing their future career plans. President ECOSF is a great proponent of Inquiry Based Science Education and learning approach among the children/students and the public at large.

During the Mela, ECOSF arranged a meeting of different organizations/institutes who are working in siloes for promotion of science among the Children. Following attended the meeting:

1. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro, President ECOSF
2. Nasir Habib, Founder Director, Khoj-Society for People's Education
3. Abdul Rauf, Founder and CEO, Pakistan Science Club
4. Lalah Rukh, Co-Founder, Science Fuse
5. Kashif Syed Kashif Mohsin, Director Audio Visual, Reset Switch 
6. Ghulam Abbas, Assistant Director, ECOSF

There was two point agenda of the meeting:

1. How to link and bring together different science education contributor agencies  such as Khoj Foundation, Science Fuse, Pakistan Science Club, etc.

2. Organization of Scientific Activity for the children during “Mother Languages Literature Festival 2017” being organized in Islamabad on 18-19 February 2017.

An introduction of every organization/institute was given by the respective heads and shared their experiences, practices, contributions towards the promotion of science among the children/students especially in early age students. It was surfaced in the discussion that everyone is working in their own spheres with different unique hands on activities, techniques/practices.

President ECOSF appreciated every one for their commendable voluntary services in education towards the society. He further said that working alone has its own limitations and thus access/benefit to only a limited number of children is made. Prof. Soomro suggested forming a platform to work together so that every organization/institute can benefit from each other’s experience and the “best practices” can be documented and shared with maximum number of institutions whereby more children can be reached. He also assured maximum possible support of his Foundation for this noble cause. Following was agreed upon with consensus.

1. Formulation of a platform to work together.
2. Documentation of different best practices/activities performed by every organization/institute.
3. Sharing of the experiences gained in joint practical sessions and workshops.
4. UNESCO may be approached for technical/financial support.
5. The on-line resources on science education/IBSE available for free, be accessed for improving the tools and methods of science teaching in class room.
6. Continued sharing of ideas and joint future plans.

The ECOSF team also participated in a water conference organized by Lahore University of Management Sciences on 29 January 2017 at Ali Institute of Education.