The National Science Week is an annual initiative led by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). It is aimed at highlighting the important role science plays in everyday life and inspiring young people to take advantage of opportunities in these fields and thereby contribute to the country's growth.

Enlarge image German Ambassador Horst Freitag with Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor (© German Embassy Pretoria) About 3000 high school learners and 500 university students formed part of the over 5000 guests who witnessed the opening of the 2012 National Science Week on July 28.

In the opening speech, the South African Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, mentioned amongst others that the South African together with the German Government, had launched the German-South African Year of Science in April 2012 to celebrate the two countries' bilateral cooperation activities in science, technology and innovation. 

Out of more than 200 proposals 41 collaborative initiatives, financed by the German Ministry of Education & Research (BMBF) and the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) were selected to showcase the diversity and depth of the bilateral collaboration until April 2013. The Minister furthermore expressed her gratitude to the German Ambassador, Dr Horst Freitag, for his presence and support of this initiative in the spirit of the partnership between the two countries. 

Enlarge image German Ambassador Freitag in an interview with "Weekend Live" (SABC2) (© German Embassy Pretoria)

In his speech, Ambassador Dr. Freitag complimented Minister Pandor and her team for organising the National Science Week with numerous events across the country and expressed his appreciation of the well established partnership between Germany and South Africa in science, technology and innovation.

At the opening, more than 50 organisations exhibited the role of science in daily life. Amongst them were four German organisations: the German Embassy, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), as well as the German chemical company Bayer and the Siemens Foundation. The latter captured visitors’ minds with simple, yet entertaining scientific experiments, which are part of the “Experimento“ science education outreach programme currently implemented at pilot level in South Africa.