Today the presentation of the Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka fair of 2023 took place in the classroom of the UPV experience. Details regarding the fair have been offered by Elhuyar, the organizing entity, along with the sponsors and two students. Among the sponsors, we have had representatives of the following institutions: Koldo Narbaiza Olaskoaga, Councilor of the Basque Country and Education of the City of Bilbao; Eva Armesto Macias, Deputy Director General of Administration and Companies of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; Ricardo Lamadrid Intxaurraga, Director of Technology and Advanced Learning of the Department of Education of the Basque Government

Along with the organizing entity and the sponsors of the fair, two students from the Somorface Fomation Center, Alaia Sainz García and Igarki Uribe Escribano have also participated, who have shared the experiences linked to the development of their projects. The testimony of both young people, who were awarded a prize in the previous edition of the fair, has clearly shown the value these projects have in teaching, as well as the importance of teaching.

This year, Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka will last for three days, from 2 to 4 June, in the Arenal de Bilbao. (Full programme in attached document) The fair will officially open on June 2 with the cutting of the ribbon and the official photograph. The photograph will bring together representatives of the agents of the Basque Network of Science, Technology and Innovation, together with representatives of Elhuyar, the organizing entity. Once the fair was opened, the protagonists will become the research projects and technological projects developed by students during the school year.

During the three days of the fair, students between 12 and 18 years old will show 200 STEAM projects developed during the school year. On Friday, June 2, there will be 105 projects of 3 and 4 ESO and Baccalaureate; on Saturday, 3, 54 projects of 3 and 4 ESO and, finally, on Sunday, 4 June, 48 projects of 1 and 2 ESO. A total of 700 young people will participate this year in the three days of the fair. Besides young people from the educational centers of the Basque Country, winners will also participate in other fairs both in the Spanish and international scope: a team from Italy, another from Catalonia and five from Galicia.

During these three days, researchers will also participate in the fair, where they will evaluate the papers presented and, once all the data is collected, the awards will take place on Sunday 4 June, at noon (13:30 h). The awards ceremony will involve both the winners during the three days, as authorities and representatives of various institutions such as Erabi, Kutxa Fundazioa, UPV, Euroregion, Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Basque Government, Bilbao City Hall and Elhuyar. The winners will receive the following awards: stays in research centers, scholarships and trips to science fairs in Spain and abroad. The event was presented by the young Arnaitz Fernández Elías and Elene Barrutia Loroño.

In addition to young students, Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka also includes research centres and universities in the Basque Country. It is also necessary to highlight the commitment of all of them to this project, a commitment that they renew year after year: thus, at the beginning of the school year, 244 researchers (among them, 138 women) from the university and technology centers offered to work with students throughout the course and evaluate the work after completion.

Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka for the remainder of the year

The aim of Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka is to promote a commitment to science among young people, as well as to promote and disseminate scientific culture, not only at this fair held in Arenal, but also throughout the year. This year 1,450 young people (52 girls, 45% boys and 3% non-binary) and 79 schools participated.

Since its first edition in 2013 to date, about 7,400 young people aged 12-18 have participated in Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka. A total of 2,200 research projects or technological projects have been carried out, of which about 970 have been presented at Elhuyar Zientzia Azoka in Bilbao.

The Zientzia Azoka initiative, organised by Elhuyar, has the collaboration of the Department of Education of the Basque Government, the Euroregion, the FECYT (Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology), the Kutxa Foundation, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the City Council of Bilbao, the Government of Navarra and Erabi.