«It is a dream of the Center and of this team», that of the new observatory “A Casa”, which is planned for the Centro Ciência Viva (CCV) in the Algarve, in Faro.
«It is an observatory open to scientific culture, the environment, sustainability and the arts, which will have a multipurpose room, a laboratory, a staircase, which will not only be the access, but also an open amphitheater, in the open air, to to be able to enjoy our estuary and develop other types of cultural activities», explained Teresa Santos, president of the management of Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve, when Sul Informação on the sidelines of the celebration of its 26th anniversary, which took place this Thursday, August 3rd.
Contributing to science education in the Algarve for 26 years, the team of the first CCV to be created in the whole country believes that it is time to «receive this baby (for which funding is lacking), to attract even more visitors, projects and human resources».
But this is not the only future project that CCV Algarve has in mind. Another, which is about to start, is the Escola Ciência Viva, which starts in September, in the next school year.
Speaking to our newspaper, Cristina Veiga-Pires, executive director of the Algarve CCV since 2015, explains that this is a project in which the Center will receive a class for a week. In these five days, 4th year students from Faro, Loulé and Albufeira (the partner municipalities) will have “different” classes prepared by the CCV, with the aim of “bringing these children closer to science”.
This has been, in fact, the great objective of this institution over the last 26 years.
For Cristina Veiga-Pires, it is «a source of pride» to think of the thousands of people who have «approached science» in recent years, thanks to the work of this Ciência Viva Centre.
«I think we have done a good job, namely contributing to social justice in access to knowledge. We are also now entering the phase of seeing science not only in a restricted perspective, but through its connection with art, captivating a more general public, and I think that this is very positive», continues the executive director, adding that work has also been done much to convey the values of sustainability to visitors.
Comparing the Algarve region with the rest of the country, Cristina believes that «we are at a good level» in terms of scientific literacy: a result also achieved with the work that the University of Algarve has been developing.
Rui Cabral e Silva, researcher and teacher at this educational institution, and member of the board of directors of the CCV, adds that, despite the lack of continuity in funding, «we have a country that has been investing in science and, here, the Algarve, has already a very good and cutting-edge development».
«In the area of the sea, we are pioneers and this is very positive and attracts more and better researchers to the Algarve», he says, reinforcing that, as a researcher, «it is a pleasure to see science reach the general public, in an uncomplicated way, how the center manages to do”.
In these 26 years, the Algarve CCV reached more than 650 thousand people, received more than 370 thousand visitors from all over the world and reached more than 10 thousand followers on social networks.
These are results that also make the chairman of the board, Teresa Santos, proud. In recent years, she adds, «great growth has been noted, with involvement in national and international projects».
«We have contributed to a more informed and aware society, mainly for the themes of sustainability, but also for all science and technology, which were already themes, but which, in recent years, have gained more strength», he continues, referring that visitors are very heterogeneous, because «the center has things to please both young and old».
The 26th anniversary was also marked with the presence of Rogério Bacalhau, mayor of Faro, one of the partner Municipalities, who congratulated the work carried out by the entire team «which is not satisfied with the numbers and always has new projects in progress», despite the reduced budget.
Cristina Veiga-Pires agrees: «The budget that I have fixed has been decreasing every year and that makes it difficult. It is also difficult in terms of human resources, because there is no career for the people who work here, but I think we have managed to turn things around».
«This was the first CCV in the country and that has weight, of course. We are proud to be a center that started the network and is still here, while others have already finished», concludes the researcher.
Despite the positive balance made by all, Rui Cabral e Silva hopes that «there is even better recognition by society of the importance of these structures».
CCV Algarve is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 13:00 pm and from 14:00 pm to 18:00 pm.
Right now. the program is also running Live Science in Summer, with hundreds of activities until September 15th. In these activities, the Lagos and Tavira VCC have your program.
Photos: Mariana Sedge | Sul Informação
Comments