The Educational Research and Development Programme at AMQF held the main event of the Science Days Palestine and the Science Film Festival 2016 in the Unknown Soldier Square, Gaza, On Thursday, November 11. More than 1500 schoolchildren, parents and school administrators took part in the event, which featured 52 different activities including Science Snacks, science and art activities, manufacturing workshops and a number of interactive exhibits built by schoolchildren.
27 schools from northern Gaza participated in this year’s festival, including 22 UNRWA schools, as well as 32 science and early elementary school teachers who had been part of AMQF’s programme of Professional Development for Teachers. Through the programme’s activities, participating teachers trained groups among their own students, including school science clubs and schoolchildren desiring to develop science projects. Teachers took part in workshops held in cooperation with researchers under AMQF’s Science track via ‘Screen Technology’, as well as manufacturing workshops organised with the Science Faculty at Al-Azhar University and led by Dr. Hasan Tammous, a professor of applied physical chemistry and an expert on household detergents and the cosmetic industry.
Furthermore, participating schools organised school festivals on their own premises featuring Science Days for students and parents, Science Snacks, science film screenings and science and art activities. A number of schools also held manufacturing workshops for both students and parents.
30 ‘Youth Committee’ members volunteered at the festival. They welcomed visitors and facilitated student circulation between the various activities to allow them to benefit from the largest number possible.