French Science Festival 2024: Oceans of Knowledge

In 2024, the French Science Festival will be organized all over the world from the 4th to the 14th of October.

The ocean plays a central role in the future of the Earth and humanity. Exploring and preserving it are major challenges for the 21st century. As a heritage and common good, the ocean is home to extraordinary biodiversity and represents an immense reservoir of unexplored riches. Covering 70% of the planet’s surface, it contains 97% of the water on Earth. France, as the world’s second-largest maritime area behind the United States, is in the front line with its 20,000 km of coastline and a surface area of 10 million km2 spread over all the seas (over 96% of which are in the French overseas territories).

The "Ocean of Knowledge" topic is part of the Year of the Sea. This will run from September 2024 to September 2025, in conjunction with the Third United Nations Conference on the Oceans, to be held in Nice in June 2025 under the auspices of the President of the French Republic. Organized jointly by the governments of France and Costa Rica, it follows the first two editions, which took place in New York in June 2017 and in Lisbon in June 2022.

This festival is organized by the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau (cultural and cooperation department) in collaboration with the Hong Kong Science Museum where the inaugural conference and the exhibition will take place. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has also been identified to work closely with us.

DETAILED PROGRAMME

Thursday 4th to Monday 14th Oct: “Oceans: A New Mining Treasure Trove?” Exhibition

• Time: Hong Kong Science museum opening hours, check on their website.
• Location: Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, TST

Friday 4th Oct: Inaugural conference on the preservation of oceans and marine resources & Cocktail

• Location: Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Time : 6:30pm - 7:30pm
• Sign-up here

Saturday 5th Oct: Oceans workshop for children with the Big Bang Academy at Alliance Française

• Location: Alliance française, 52 Jordan Road, Kowloon
• Time : 3:00pm - 4:00pm
• Open to children from 5-10 years old, register here
• The workshop will be delivered in English

Sunday 6th & Monday 7th Oct: Exploring Oceans activities with HKUST

• Location: Tsang Shiu Tim Art Hall, HKUST
• Time : 09:30am - 5:30pm
• Register here

Tuesday 8th Oct: Beach cleanup and vegan brunch by Chef Tina Barrat

• Meeting Point: Consulate general of France in Hong Kong and Macao – Salle Ségalen
• Sign up here
• Itinerary:
  • 10.45 - 11.45 Presentation by PFS at Ségalen room
  • 11.45 - 12.45 Lunch by vegan chef Tina Barrat
  • 12.45 - 1.00: Get ready
  • 1.00 - 1.30 Walk to Central Ferry Pier #3 (According to google map, it’s a 7 mins ride / 22 mins walk)
  • 1.40 - 2.10 Ferry to Discovery Bay
  • 2.10 - 2.15 Use the bathroom
  • 2.15 - 2.35 Walk to the beach
  • 2.35 - 2.50 Safety and instruction brief
  • 2.50 - 3.50 Beach cleanup (suggested length, can be a bit longer or shorter)
  • 3.50 - 4.05 Debrief and group photos
  • 4.05 - 4.20 Walk to the plaza
  • 4.40 - 5.10 Ferry to Central

Thursday 10th Oct: Talk by Andrea Richey, Executive Director of Hong Kong Shark Foundation

• Location: Room MB217, The University of Hong Kong
• Time : 5:00pm - 6:00pm
• Sign up here

Sunday 13th Oct: Film screening “The Odyssey’’

• Location: Hong Kong Science Museum, 2 Science Museum Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Time : 3:00pm - 5:15pm
• Sign up here