Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces
THE ABU DHABI SCIENCE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS OF SUCCESS

• Award-winning science festival welcomed over 100,000 visitors from around the UAE
• Over 700 Science Communicators from seven UAE universities delivered mesmerizing experiments and workshops to visitors
• Featuring more than 4,300 engaging activities, ADSF continues to inspire a passion for science in the next generation

Abu Dhabi, 14 December 2015 – Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and organized by ADEC and the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee (TDC), the fifth annual Abu Dhabi Science Festival (ADSF) has drawn to a conclusion for another year. Continuing the success of previous editions of the festival, ADSF proved popular with young and old visitors alike as they learned about the exciting world of science through a dynamic programme of shows, workshops and experiments.

This year, ADSF was held at the new venue of Mushrif Central Park. Located conveniently in the heart of Abu Dhabi, the new home of the festival proved to be the ideal setting for family-friendly fun. The event received an overwhelming response from visitors who were eager to secure their place in the many exciting science activations on offer, with tickets sold out early for each day.  Over the course of the 11-day festival, ADSF welcomed over 100,000 visitors.

H.E. Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al-Khaili, Chairman of HAAD and Acting Director General of ADEC, lauded the high turnout of visitors to the 5th session of the Science Festival. ADEC has organized school visits to the festival with the aim of benefiting students from the various workshops and activities. This comes in line with ADEC’s strategy plans to establish an integrated knowledge base through encouraging students to study STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), while enhancing the culture of research, creativity, innovation and 21st century skills.

Dr. Al-Khaili pointed out that the Science Festival on annual basis attracts an increased number of visitors including parents who are keen to accompany their children to attend various activities with high scientific and knowledge based impact. ADEC’s DG commended all those who contributed to the great success of such a significant event.

Designed to spark the imaginations of the youth of the UAE, ADSF, the region’s largest science festival, has been attended by more than 600,000 visitors since it was founded in 2011.

Commenting on the fifth edition of ADSF, H.E. Ahmed Saeed Al Calily, Director General of TDC said, “Reaching five years is an important milestone for ADSF and demonstrates our long term commitment to building a knowledge-based economy for the UAE. Each year, we work tirelessly to ensure that the festival is more exciting and engaging than ever before and 2015 has certainly been no exception.” He added, “The continued success of ADSF is testament to the collaborative efforts of government, academia and business leaders to inspire creativity and encourage innovation within the community. Together, our aim is to empower the next generation and provide them with the tools to make the UAE one of the most innovative nations in the world.”

ADSF 2015 saw the return of popular workshops along with many new additions and continued to deliver a fascinating mix of local and international activities. Showing children the many possibilities that science offers, topics covered by the festival this year included the human body, space and engineering among many others. Accounting for 40% of the programme offering, locally based organizations played an important role in the festival, adding cultural relevance to the event and providing fascinating insights into the science behind some of the UAE’s favorite attractions including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld.

Prestigious local entities who partnered with ADSF 2015 included Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC), New York University - Abu Dhabi (NYU), Emirates Foundation (EF), Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, Family Development Foundation (FDF), Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA), Total Academy, Bidaya Media, Abu Dhabi Astronomy Club (ADA), F1 in Schools, the Society for Professional   Engineers, Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, Mad Science, Nutty Scientists, Edutech, Handasa, and ZerOhm.

ADSF 2015 delivered best-in-class informal science experiences to UAE children through a programming partnership with the Edinburgh International Science Festival (EISF) who provided world-class training to a talented team of Science Communicators. Over 700 Science Communicators were selected by the organizers of ADSF from Higher Education Institutions around the UAE, who gained invaluable experience from their participation in the festival. Proving vital to the success of ADSF each year, the Science Communicators continued to play an important role in motivating young children and placing science at the forefront of their imaginations.

The fifth edition of ADSF was organized by Abu Dhabi Education Council and the Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee in partnership with Tawazun as “Presenting sponsor”, Dolphin Energy as “Gold Sponsor”, ADNOC and Etihad Airways as “Affiliate Sponsors”, Abu Dhabi Media Company as “Exclusive Media Partner” and the Edinburgh International Science Festival (EISF) as “Programming Partner”, with the Festival produced by Flash Entertainment.