| Thousands Celebrate Innovation and Enterprise |
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Thousands of people are this weekend expected to pack Dunfermline for the final strand of the 2008 Carnegie Festival under the theme of Innovation and Enterprise led by Carnegie College. The festival is designed to provide people of all ages with exciting new insights into the world of technology, innovation, and science. The festival, which runs from a range of venues across the city centre, will provide a weekend of action packed and fun activities for people of all ages, never before available in this format. At a time when the credit crunch is biting us all, the big question is "How much will it cost?" The good news is that every single activity is absolutely free thanks to a ground breaking partnership, which sees a wide range of private sector sponsors including FMC Technologies, Shell U.K. Limited and Babcock Marine working together with the college’s University partners, the Edinburgh International Science Festival and Unique Events, organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Celebrations. Event Organiser and College Assistant Principal Janet McCauslin “As we continue to feel the slowdown in our traditional industries and a shift towards the knowledge based economy, there has never been a more important time to explain the key role that innovation and enterprise will play in developing our future.” “We are delighted with the exciting range of opportunities that we have been able to pull together for people of all ages to engage them in technologically challenging and creative activities. We hope to push forward our understanding of innovation and enterprise and the importance it has shaping the future of learning and economic development. It is our aim that this festival acts as a catalyst to support the future development, skills, and talents whilst supporting Dunfermline in leading the way in generating Scotland’s next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs.” The weekend kicks off in spectacular style on Saturday 30 August at 10.00 a.m. when the world renowned Skelly the Skeletron climbs the rope to the Kingsgate roof in the mall just outside the new Debenhams store, with performances on the hour every hour there after. Speaking at the launch of the weekend activities College Principal Professor McIntosh stated “We are honoured to lead on the exciting theme of Innovation and Enterprise as part of the 2008 Carnegie Festival. I would like to pay particular thanks to our key partners and college staff, without their support a festival of this scale would not be possible. They have created a truly wonderful weekend of activities that will offer people of all ages the opportunity to explore the excitement and wonder of innovation, invention, and ever progressing enterprise.” In a first for Dunfermline, Dr Bunhead, known as the saviour of British science, presents hour long shows of pyrotechnic extravaganza, testing inanimate objects to destruction. Dr Bunhead will fire your imagination by turning science into a burning, bubbling, exploding ball of fun in a way you will never have seen before.
For less feint-hearted there is Generation Science the UK’s largest touring science education programme presented by the Edinburgh international Science Festival. Good Vibrations, this hilarious, engaging, fast-paced show packed with music, sound and the latest technology is a story about the extremes of sound like you have never heard. Future Earth invites you on a magical journey through time and space to discover what things are made of and how we’re using too much too fast. Learn how recycling, reusing and reducing can help save our planet. Each show will run twice daily over the weekend. Carnegie College will present Media-lab, giving insights into the ways in which the most modern everyday computing technologies are influencing the way we live, work and learn. Whilst Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, and St Andrews universities present a range of drop in workshops and interactive activities. Meet Roland the gentle robotic alien, find out more about the challenges that our planet faces over the next 50 years. Seeing Life Through a New Light will explore the amazing use of light in biology and medicine, discover how we see the un-seeable as we zoom in on the microscopic world of cells, plus lots more. Pedestrians around the city centre may be lucky to happen upon a little street theatre or teams participating in the first ever Carnegie Innovation Hunt. Presented by Carnegie College in partnership with the Spy Training Academy, groups and families will do battle in a race against the clock in around the town centre in a chance to win a range of prizes including an X-Box + games, a holiday weekend or a stretch limo tour. College Principal Professor Bill McIntosh concluded “The Carnegie Festival continues the pursuit of Dunfermline’s reclamation of the Andrew Carnegie story. 2007 saw the Carnegie Children’s Book Festival ; the renaming of the College to create Carnegie College and, in early 2008 the opening of the new Carnegie Trust offices in Andrew Carnegie House. Finally later this year will see the planned reopening of the refurbished and redeveloped Carnegie Birthplace Museum. It’s not surprising then that we can’t help but wake up to the importance of this impressive man to the lives of people in Dunfermline, and the wider Scottish Community. The Board of Management and staff of the college are delighted that we have been able to take such a leading role.” Full details, booking details and venues can be found at www.carnegiefestival.com or visit the festival shop in the Kingsgate Shopping Centre. |
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