May 24, 25 and 26
THE BIG SCIENCE CELEBRATION

MONTREAL, May 7, 2024 /CNW/ - L'île du savoir, in collaboration with Espace pour la vie, invites you to Parc Jean-Drapeau, at the foot of the Biosphère, for the 17^th edition of the big science celebration. On the cusp of its majority, the Eurêka! Festival is bigger than ever, with even more science collaborators, amazing demonstrations, hands-on activities and outdoor fun. 

For this edition, Eurêka! radiates PLANETARY HEALTH. Festival-goers will become more aware of the tangible links between the environment, ecosystems and ultimately, OUR OWN health. In order to counter feelings of helplessness in the face of climate change, Eurêka! is offering festival-goers an opportunity to discover innovative technologies, interact with scientists working to improve the world, and adopt concrete solutions to reduce their environmental impact. 

For Hussein Suprême, President of L'île du savoir: "Developing young people's curiosity for science requires stimulating their sense of observation and getting them to explore and carry out experiments of all kinds. By focusing on human and planetary health, this edition of the Festival will expose young people to concrete actions that they can implement in their daily lives to combat climate change." 

Discover the superpowers of plants; build an animal crossing; make and test a hydrogen-powered boat; study a real brain; control a robotic arm; observe bees in their hive; manipulate the instruments used to test water quality; measure pollution; observe weather events; use AI to design immersive landscapes; and much more. Eurêka! invites young people and their families to take part in over a hundred TOTALLY FREE educational activities. The Biosphère is offering special programming for the occasion, with free admission. Stéphane Bellavance, a great enthusiast of science and technology and a formidable Festival ambassador, is returning for the 9th time as a spokesperson. 

"This year, the Eureka festival is promoting a culture of science and innovation, while raising public awareness for environmental issues. By initiating young people to science with a fun and hands-on approach, we are shaping the inventors of tomorrow." 

Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montréal Region 

According to Julie Jodoin, Director of Espace pour la vie: "The theme for this year celebrates our deep interconnectedness with the Earth's ecosystems. By preserving the health of living beings, we nurture our own balance. At Espace pour la vie, protecting biodiversity and the environment is the cornerstone of our mission. Join us for an innovative scientific experience at our outdoor booth, and when inside the Biosphère, discover the soothing benefits of calmness on your mental and physical health." 

Eurêka!: healthy curiosity
Highlights of this year's program include: exploration of the world of the infinitely small with Chloé Savard (aka Tardibabe); sensitization to marine pollution with explorer Mylène Paquette; indigenous science; biomimicry or how genius is inspired by nature; heart health; the protection of biodiversity; and mass extinctions past and present. Also discover some of the latest clever innovations developed by young people from the Technoscience network. 

Many Festival favourites will be back this year, including Sciences en Folie, Yannick Bergeron, the Neurones atomiques, and Falcon-Ed with their birds of prey in free flight.  

In the workshops, festival-goers will be able to program a techno piece based on their own heartbeat; make recycled paper; observe teeming insects; dig into the earth while learning the basics of permaculture; overcome their eco-anxiety; visit a sustainable tiny house; and help create an ephemeral environmental artwork. 

In the evening, a new version of the show Science Packs a Punch will be back, with two brilliant science popularizers, Yannick Bergeron and Stéphane Brouillard. 

Major partners
The Eurêka! Festival is presented by Hydro-Québec and produced by L'île du savoir in collaboration with Espace pour la vie. The big science celebration benefits from the valuable financial support of several sponsors: the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, partner of the Ingenuity Zone; the Fonds de recherche du Québec, sponsor of the Central Stage; and Télé-Québec and UnisTV, the Festival's media partners. We also wish to thank RECYC-QUÉBEC for their contribution to making this edition ecologically responsible, as well as the Société du parc Jean-Drapeau, site of the Festival. 

Eurêka! is realized in partnership with the City of Montréal and the Government of Quebec. With their support, L'île du savoir is able to keep the Festival free, ensure the continuity and quality of this major Montréal science event, and offer a unique showcase for our institutions, businesses and scientific culture organizations. 

Associated partners 

Bombardier, Cascades Fluff & Tuff®, Concertation Montréal, Coveo, Desjardins (Caisse du Complexe Desjardins), INO, Les Industrielles, the Port of Montréal, Réseau Réussite Montréal, Tourisme Montréal, and l'Union des producteurs agricoles.  

Higher education partners 

acceSciences, École de technologie supérieure, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Polytechnique Montréal, Concordia University, Université Laval, McGill University, Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, and Université de Sherbrooke.  

Eurêka! is also made possible with the financial support of the Trottier Family Foundation, the Fondation Famille Godin, and the Fondation J.A. DeSève. 

ABOUT 

L'ÎLE DU SAVOIR
L'île du Savoir is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the emergence of a scientific culture and a dynamic new generation in science and technology, by bringing together partners from educational and research institutions, scientific culture organizations, and the business community. 

EURÊKA! FESTIVAL
Eurêka! is the biggest science festival in Quebec, each year attracting science enthusiasts and the simply curious, both young and old. On the program: three days of fun and scientific discoveries and a host of FREE interactive activities. Since this great adventure began in 2007, more than 1.1 million enthusiastic visitors, including 60,000 students, have joined the celebration. 

ESPACE POUR LA VIE
Protecting biodiversity and the environment is at the heart of the mission of Espace pour la vie, which is made up of the Biodôme, Biosphère, Insectarium, Jardin botanique and Planétarium de Montréal. Together, these museums located in Montréal form Canada's largest natural science museum complex, welcoming over 2.2 million visitors each year. In view of the challenges our planet is facing, Espace pour la vie is working to increase its impact by fostering dialogue with communities and taking actions aimed at mobilizing the public behind the socio-ecological transition. 

Consult the program:  FESTIVALEUREKA.CA 

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
Friday, May 24 ● 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Saturday May 25 ● 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. + evening show from 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 26 ● 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

INFORMATION 

• Eurêka!: Roy & Turner Communications, Chloé Rossi, 514 652-6478, [email protected] 
• Espace pour la vie: Isabel Matte, 514 250-7753, [email protected] 

SOURCE Espace pour la vie Montreal

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