This innovative and highly interactive festival seeks to create bridges between science, research, technology and the arts. It aims to attract Maltese and Europeans, from all walks of life. Engaging visitors with activities, performances, workshops, experiments, installations, exhibitions, talks, comedy, sports and so on. The Science in the City Malat Festival shines a spotlight on researchers, who work with the SitC team, artists and members of the community to create fun events for our audiences to better understand and enjoy the research. Besides showing adults, youths and children that STEAM is fun, exciting and offers great career opportunities for all interests, the festival emphasises how vital creatvity is to nurturing critical thinking skills. We aim to highlight the importance of looking to science and research to improve the world we live in by encouraging changemakers to look to knowledge and info about hte latest scientific developments to support their drive for change.

The European Researchers’ Night, Science in the City Consortium, Malta, will engage the publics in the framework of a Science and Arts festival. In 2022, the festival theme ‘Taking Root’ builds upon previous themes while focusing the festival on the European Green Deal and Horizon Europe's missions. Taking Root emphasises how important science and research are in everyday life, and in active, responsible citizenship, in a world which is undergoing monumental changes, especially to its environment, nutrition and health. COVID-19 has shown us just how true this is, while climate change is an unavoidable threat we need to adapt and build resilience towards. The festival will be held online and in the streets and buildings of Malta's capital city, Valletta, a UNESCO world heritage site making it the second hybrid science and arts festival. The main aims of ‘Science in the City’ (SitC) since 2012, have been to engage people emotionally and intellectually through science and the arts, showcase local and international excellent research projects, increase awareness of the importance of R&I, encourage interest in STEM and research carers, and instil a more favourable attitude towards research and its public funding. It has done so by introducing creativity, critique and analysis, as well as the trend of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) among researchers and citizens alike. For ten years it has offered a platform for all stakeholders to meet, discuss and engage with R&I. In 2022, the element of research action design will be at the centre of the activities. Here collaborative, creative planning and design of activities grounded in the vision and needs of the community will bring all stakeholders on board from the start. Every stage of SitC will be developed using a user-centered and participatory design process to make the festival as inclusive as possible no matter their background.

Science in the City is Malta's national science and arts festival. In 2021 it will be a hybrid event held on the 24th and 25th September. The physical festival will be held in Fort St Elmo, Valletta. Here research-inspired dance, music, theatre, art installations, street science, talks, experiments, science stage comedy, and more will transform the 500 year old fortification. Our digital festival will run concurrently with a 'Live Virtual Festival' broadcast on Facebook live, Zoom and the SitC website and consisting of shows ranging from environment-themed online escape rooms to animal-inspired concerts and puppet theatre, as well as our Explore the Arches area featuring exclusive prerecorded content and activities that are always available. This year we aim to attract 35,000 people (c. 7% of Malta?s population) through both online and real world attendees and make c.350,000 people aware of our goals). All this effort provides a memorable platform for citizens to engage with scientists, researchers, artists and performers. SitC was conceived to eliminate misconceptions about science and researchers, increase appreciation for European funding for research, and to increase the number of students opting for STEAM careers. This year, the theme is "Sowing Seeds" which ties in with the EU's efforts to raise awareness and involve its citizens in the European Green Deal policy. We want to embed the elements of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) and the quintuple helix in Malta. The quintuple helix framework brings together the education system, economic system, natural environment, civil society, and the political system to address societal issues such as climate change. Sowing Seeds will enable citizens to take an active role in shaping their future. This focus on involving all stakeholders, will help citizens take responsibility for their future, and bring together the helix to address issues we face as a nation and as european citizens.

<< Objectives >>Wired Youth will empower and encourage youths to engage in active political participation with scientists and decision-makers to develop evidence-based policies. It will promote a culture for active citizenship and democratic debates in the younger generation, nurturing individuals to become tomorrow’s policy makers or researchers. Wired Youths will be a lifelong formative experience which will create effective international networks between youths, scientists and politicians.<< Implementation >>After applications close and the groups of participants are selected, they will participate in 4 training workshops: Engaging STEM researchers Public Speaking and Communication skills How to debate and think critically Engaging policy makers A two-day bootcamp will be held where the students will engage in simulated parliamentary debates and prepare their arguments for the National Youth Science Parliament (NYSP). The students will compete against each other in debates during the NYSP.<< Results >>Wired Youth will nurture a group of youths who have developed evidence-based policies and are exercising their role as active citizens. The project will show them that they have the potential to enact positive change for the socio-economic benefit of their country and the EU. Wired Youth will encourage science and policy-making career path uptake by introducing the youths to role-models and allowing them to work hand in hand towards the development of evidence-based policy papers with experts.

Science in the City (SitC) is a nationwide festival that marries science to art to showcase Maltese researchers and their work. We place researchers on centre stage at every single activity to show the public how researchers’ work positively affects society and our daily lives. It will help change current stereotype around scientists and promote gender balance. Each activity is created around the values that science is fun, interesting, inclusive and can provide an extremely rewarding career. The activities will fill Valletta, Malta’s Capital City, with the wonders of science in a highly fascinating, innovative and interactive way. The University of Malta will lead a unique and efficient consortium of beneficiaries and partners to make ERN 2014 and 2015 two entertaining and memorable events. Through a comprehensive awareness campaign we will reach over 300,000 people to attract 20,000 (c. 5%) people in 2014 and 25,000 (c. 6%) people in 2015. As a UNESCO world heritage site, Valletta is a magnificent backdrop. Over 35 activities will run in the streets and buildings from City Gate to the heart of Valletta, Pjazza San Gorg and the Magisterial Palace of the Knights of Malta. From ancient gardens to restored squares, the public can easily visit all activities on foot. SitC will emphasise the relevance of science and research to everyday life, attuned to Maltese culture. Arts and cultural activities will be performed to communicate science. Researchers will be present in all activities. Over 80 researchers (~16% of total researchers in Malta) are involved in SitC. The schedule is highly dynamic having a general appeal. To encourage science career uptake, activities include hands on experiments, art installations, science activities, bird tracking and games aimed at very young kids. To attract youths we are running film festivals, stand-up comedy, science dances, science cafés and gaming areas. All activities appeal to the whole family to make ERN truly memorable.