ISLAMABAD - International Traveling Expo "Water at the Heart of Science", jointly organised by Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Embassy of France, Islamabad, and Centre Sciences, Orleans, France, will be launched in Islamabad at PSF on May 6.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid and French Ambassador Philippe THIEBAUD will jointly launch it, said organisers at the inaugural session of a Training Workshop on the Expo.
PSF Chairman Prof. Dr. Khalil Ahmed Ibupoto presided over the inaugural session of the training workshop. Martine HAMIDI, French Counselor for Cooperation, and Cultural Affairs, Guy Antoine from Centre Sciences, Orleans, France, were also present on this occasion.
Speaking on this occasion, Dr. Ibupoto said that water issue is one of the 21st century's greatest challenges. Abundant but unequally distributed on Earth, this resource is today threatened by climate change and the dangers of overuse, he said, adding, improving access to water, which is still suffering from glaring disparities, is one of the Millennium Development Goals.
The Chairman said the Expo will create awareness on water issues and its conservation. He hoped that the Expo will be as successful as the previous ones.
Martine Herlem Hamidi said Pakistan government is committed to popularisation of science for a better future of the world and we are happy to jointly work with it for the last so many years. She said the Expo is meant to create awareness on water resources and issues and find solutions to them.
Giving an introduction of the Expo, Dr. Naushaba Nadeem, Principal Scientific Officer, PSF, said the Foundation started arranging International Travelling Expos in 2008 in collaboration with Embassy of France in Pakistan and Centre Sciences-Orleans-France.
She said in this regard, Expos on the themes of Mathematics, Environment, Biodiversity, Chemistry and Energy have already been held in various cities and towns of Pakistan. PSF has also inked MoU with Centre Science, Orleans-France for arranging and co-producing Expos in Pakistan.
Dr. Naushaba said this year PSF is going to organize International Traveling Expo on Water titled "Water at the Heart of Science" in collaboration with Centre Sciences-CCSTI, Orleans, France and French Embassy in Pakistan.
She said the Expo will travel from Islamabad to Sargodha, Mirpur (AJK), Mansehra and conclude at Quetta. She said it will provide a great opportunity to the students, faculty members, researchers and general public to get firsthand knowledge about water, its resources and their proper usage. She said the launching ceremony of the Expo in Pakistan will held on 6th May at PSF Auditorium and the expo will be opened for students and general public from 7th May, 2014 in one of the model schools of Islamabad and then it will travel ahead.
Guy Antoine said this Expo has been prepared by Centre Sciences France, with support of other stakeholders. The Expo on water is richly illustrative and educational, which gives more insight into the key role that research has to play in the sustainable management of water as a vital, indispensable resource for development.