Participants are enthusiastic in science popularization activities of Danxiashan
The 2019 Year-End Meeting for the Science Popularization Town was held in Danxiashan Museum on January 15. The meeting was guided by Guangdong Provincial Association for Science and Technology and organized by Shaoguan Association for Science and Technology and Danxiashan Administrative Committee, Shaoguan City. Over 60 people attended the meeting, including the organizers of science popularization lectures, the enthusiasts of science popularization in Danxiashan communities, representatives of South China Normal University, officials from Shaoguan Association for Science and Technology as well as Danxiashan Administrative Committee.
During the meeting, the official in charge of the Science Popularization Town made a report on the work of the town in 2019. 10 science popularization classes including Danxiashan Geological Museum and 20 science popularization workers including Qiu Lihua received awards for excellence and shared their experience. Combining with the working experience in popularizing astronomy, geology, humanities, ecology, non-heritage handicrafts and farming culture, their presentations have attracted great attention.
Since Danxiashan Science Popularization Town was founded on January 14, 2019, there have been 27 science popularization classes with different themes and 9 candidates for classes. According to incomplete statistics, the Town has received more than 400 teams from 6 countries (including Scotland, Russia, etc.) and more than 20 provinces or autonomous prefectures in China in 2019, with a total number of nearly 20,000 people. Among them, more than 40 universities and more than 130 primary or secondary schools have organized activities in the Town, learning the development experience of the Town and establishing science popularization communities.
A representative from science popularization classes sharing experience
Kan Hongmei, the organizer of the Hakka Cuisine Science Popularization Class from Xiafu Ancient Village, is one of the beneficiaries of the Town. She said that with the help of Danxiashan UNESCO Global Geopark and the Town, more than 8,000 people from over 100 science research teams have attended her class in 2019.
“While popularizing the stories of Danxiashan, we made great efforts to tap the resources of Hakka cuisine and cultures of the ancient village. It greatly enriches the products of our farms. The successful establishment of the Town has brought new opportunities for the development of the countryside in Danxiashan.” She said.
Danxiashan Science Popularization Town is the first science popularization town in Guangdong Province which was jointly built by Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Guangdong Provincial Association for Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Danxiashan Administrative Committee, Shaoguan City and Shaoguan Association for Science and Technology. With the concept of "benefit the people by popularizing science", the Town aims to further integrate of natural and local social resources in Danxiashan, innovate the working methods of science education, conserve geosites, promote the earth science education as well as promote the sustainable development of communities. (Li Guiqing, Xiao Wei)
