The Mediterranean Researchers’ Night (Mednight) kicked off its fourth edition in Istanbul

Organisations from six countries, including SciCo, met to consolidate the strategy for the dissemination of Mediterranean science.

 

On 8 and 9 February, an expedition made up of institutions from Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Belgium met in Istanbul, at Kadir Has University, which hosted the kick-off meeting for the fourth edition of the Mediterranean Researchers’ Night - Mednight.

Mednight partners decided to postpone Mediterranean Science Team Gala Ceremony, which was planned to be hosted by the European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) and Kadir Has University, on Thursday, February 9, 2023, due to the earthquake disaster that affected a large region in Turkey. As Mednight, we wish mercy to those who lost their lives, condolences to their families and friends, and a speedy recovery to the injured.

In full and absolute respect for the victims and the national mourning in Turkey, Mednight kicked off the fourth edition of this project, "Mediterranean Researchers' Night,” which was initiated in 2020 and is now celebrating its fourth year. It has received funding from the European Union thanks to the "Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and Citizens'' call of the "Horizon Europe" programme and was awarded 14 points out of a possible 15, obtaining €300,000 for 2023.

The Mediterranean is going through an unprecedented crisis for the 500 million people living on its shores. Mednight aims to generate Mediterranean unity through science. It aims to pinpoint the common problems, highlighting the value and support of research and technology towards the common main concerns and also to stress the crucial role of women researchers, especially in areas such as "sea and pollution", "climate and clean energy", "diet and nutrition" and "life and health.” Climate change, pollution, overfishing, desertification, wildfires, and few opportunities for young people... are at the top of a long list of shared problems which no single country can solve or address on its own.

In order to appeal to the general public and showcase the value of researchers’ work and contribution, a series of activities will take place under a common umbrella which Mednight terms "Mediterranean Science.” The activities, which start out in Istanbul, will take place over several months and peak on 29 September, when more than 400 European cities will celebrate science through a series of events, including Lesvos, Valencia, Messina, Istanbul, Alicante, Orihuela, Villajoyosa, Nicosia and Brussels, as a novelty, by Mednight.

Included in the Mednight activities is the appointment of the "Mediterranean Science Team" (MST) by the European Commission, where an international jury chooses 11 researchers who have made outstanding contributions to Mediterranean science and society; The marine expedition of the Toftevaag, where this 100-year-old sailing ship will sail the Mediterranean from May to September to help with the conservation of turtles, whales, and dolphins by tracking illegal nets, the "curtains of death"; and also the activity "Mind the Lab,” an activity where scientific experiments are demonstrated in public places such as train stations, ports, beaches, and parks. In addition, during the project, the voices of scientists and their research on the Mediterranean Sea will be recorded in a documentary in the different areas of Mednight. These and other Mednight activities will also be present in more than a hundred schools and secondary schools throughout the academic year.

Mednight brings the participation of 10 institutions in consortia: FISABIO, INCLIVA, CSIC, MUDIC, El Caleidoscopio, SciCo Cyprus, the University of Messina, the Kadir Has University of Istanbul and the European Women Rectors Association (EWORA), under the coordination of SciCo Greece.

 

Video teaser link:

Social networks:

  • Web - https://scico.gr/
  • Instagram - @scicogreece
  • Facebook - @SciCo

Mednight social networks:

Web - https://mednight.eu/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/mednighteu

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mednighteu/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/mednightscience/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucdk5tmcua9-hibadpefdbhw

 

Contact person:

Contact person from your entity

(optional): Ricardo Dominguez - media@mednight.com - +34 656 181 057 - Mednight Communications Manager