It is true that a minority of us which have had the
privilege of a good education and access to information and scientific
knowledge have benefited more from these achievements than the vast
majority of the 7 billion people on the planet.
However, to
mention only two obvious consequences of the scientific progress in
recent decades, longevity of people increased significantly and infant
mortality dropped sharply in virtually all the countries of the world.
But
the challenges facing our own survival and that of other species in a
rapidly changing world, with a human population still growing fast, are
getting bigger, starting from food production, a central theme the 13th
National Week of Science and Technology, in which VerCiência
participates, since the very first, in 2004.
The success or
failure of diplomatic and governmental initiatives to try to curb global
warming and avoid disastrous environmental consequences in the coming
decades depend, on a large extent, on the awareness of people and their
access to information and scientific knowledge.
The uncertainties
that lie ahead are many, yet a thing we can be sure: the challenges for
planetary sustainability (and habitability) depends on the sharing of
scientific and technological knowledge by an increasing number of
people.
And this is our main goal, which we kept focused since
the first VerCiência exhibition in 1994: to promote and to encourage the
dissemination of scientific knowledge and culture through the main
audiovisual communication vehicles: television and internet.
2016
will be remembered as a difficult year in Brazil, with major changes,
concerns and expectations in the political and economic scenario. But it
will also remain in our memory as the year of the Olympic and
Paralympic Games in Rio, with its lessons and inspiring examples of
resilience and of our ability to organize large events and to overcome
challenges, as shown by our athletes.
Running with us, in this
22-year old "marathon with obstacles", we can not fail to mention the
recognition of our key institutional partners, whom themselves have also
faced and overcame great challenges: Petrobras, our main sponsor since
1996 and responsible for one of our major centers of research and
technological innovation, essential for the development of the country;
The Cultural Centre Banco do Brazil (CCBB-RJ), host of VerCiência since
the very first show in 1994, which makes VerCiência the "oldest" event
in the house; and the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and
Communications (MCTIC) who always supported us and whom we have joined
in the effort to spread and popularize science.
We would also
like to register our long-standing partnerships with the MAST - Museum
of Astronomy and Related Sciences, with the Brazilian Association of
Centres and Science Museums (ABCMC), with the Brazilian Academy of
Sciences, with Catavento Cultural and the Department of Popularization
and Science of Dissemination of the MCTIC‘s Secretariat of Science and
Technology for Social Inclusion, which organizes and coordinates the
National Week of Science and Technology.
A new and promising partnership of Verciência began at the end of 2015 with the Museum of Tomorrow.
Among
our international partnerships, we highlight the BBC Science (British
Broadcasting Corporation), producer of the oldest science program in the
world of TV: HORIZON (on air since 1964!); and WGBH, the PBS station
from Boston, producer (since 1974!) of the award-winning series NOVA.
Both are world references in science communication on TV, real "schools"
of the art and technique of how to "tell good stories" and arouse the
interest of the general public in science and technology subjects. Both
participate actively VerCiência since the first exhibition, in 1994.
"And
the winner is ..." The VerCiência 2016 Special Tribute award goes to
one of the most prestigious and award-winning producer of science
programs for TV in Latin America: Imago Producciones, Chile, a partner
and active participant in the VerCiência annual exhibitions, since 1996.
And now, with you, the VerCiência 2016! We hope you enjoy the show without restraint!
Sergio Brandão and José Renato Monteiro
Curators of VerCiência
