The French Science Festival is a major annual French scientific culture event held in France and around the world. It aims to promote science and enable the general public to discuss scientific subjects. The 2022 edition of the French Science Festival in Hong Kong, [BIO]diversity, aims to raise public awareness of the challenges posed by the collapse of biodiversity, particularly with regard to human health. Through a series of featured programmes, the festival will help the public to understand why protecting biodiversity is protecting our health.

Inaugural Conference

The Inaugural Conference marks the launch of the French Science Festival in Hong Kong. It is one of the "Science Talks are [Women] Talks" conference series to open the discussion around biodiversity and climate change through the experience of women in science.

French speaker (online participation):
Dr. Valérie Masson-Delmotte (Co-Chair, Working Group 1, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)

Hong Kong speaker (onsite participation):
Ms. Nicole Wong (Chief Executive Officer, WWF-Hong Kong)

Moderator (onsite participation):
Dr. Magaret Burnett (Director, Sustainability Leadership and Governance Programme, Hong Kong University)

Date: 10 November 2022 (Thursday)
Time: 18:00 - 19:30
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Suitable for: The general public
Language: English
Capacity: 200
Fee: Free of charge
Enrolment procedures: On-line registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for registration. 

“The Invisible Becomes Visible” exhibition

Using photographs by scientists such as Richard Kirby, Thomais Vlachogianni and the Water, Environment and Urban Systems Laboratory (LEESU) and the artist Jean Noviel, the exhibition offers a change of scale. By magnifying the microscopic world, the exhibition allows us not only to immerse ourselves in this infinitely small universe and visualise the importance of plankton in the functioning of living organisms but also to note the excessive amount of microplastics in our wastewater, rivers and marine environments.

The exhibition highlights the impact of our lifestyle on the ocean and marine life. Making the invisible visible is a way to raise awareness and show the impact of human activity on our environment.

This exhibition was created in 2020 by Surfrider Foundation Europe, a non-government organisation that defends the oceans and their users.

Exhibition Period: 11 – 27 November 2022
Opening Hours:
10:00 – 19:00 for Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays
10:00 – 21:00 for Saturdays and Sundays
Venue: G/F Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Suitable for: The general public
Language: English and Chinese
Fee: Free of charge
Enrolment procedures: All visitors are required to make an advance booking for the admission time to the exhibition halls through the e-booking system. The booking allows you to visit both the permanent and special exhibitions of Hong Kong Science Museum. Museum Pass holders can visit the permanent exhibition on the G/F and 1/F, including "The Invisible Becomes Visible" Exhibition. Click here to book your visit. 

Virtual Reality Experience of “Dolphin Man”

Dolphin Man is a VR experience to be presented together with “The Invisible Becomes Visible” exhibition. It is a coproduction of SEPPIA, ARTE and WOWOW, and a film by Benoit Lichte.

Dolphin Man immerses you with three 360° virtual reality (VR) experiences in the footsteps of free divers. Each video is around 6 minutes and focuses on one element of free diving: dive, search and breathe. You will get to share the protagonists’ sensory perception in the underwater world.

Exhibition Period: 11 – 27 November 2022
Opening Hours:
10:00 – 19:00 for Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays
10:00 – 21:00 for Saturdays and Sundays
Venue: G/F Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Suitable for: Aged 13 and up
Language: English
Fee: Free of charge
Enrolment procedures: All visitors are required to make an advance booking for the admission time to the exhibition halls through the e-booking system. The booking allows you to visit both the permanent and special exhibitions of Hong Kong Science Museum. Museum Pass holders can visit the permanent exhibition on the G/F and 1/F, including Virtual Reality Experience of “Dolphin Man”. Click here to book your visit. 

The Climate Fresk Workshops

The Climate Fresk is a boardgame introducing the concept and scientific bases of climate change. Guided by the facilitator, the participants of this workshop will identify the elements of climate change and their causal relationships step by step.

Date: 12 November 2022 (Saturday)
Time and suitable for:
14:00 – 16:00 (Aged 8 – 13)
14:00 – 17:00 (Aged 14 and up)
Venue: Classroom, Hong Kong Science Museum
Language: Cantonese (Aged 8 – 13); English (Aged 14 and up)
Capacity: 5 (Aged 8 – 13); 7 (Aged 14 and up)
Fee: Free of charge
Enrolment procedures: On-line registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for registration. 

Exp[air]iment Workshops

The workshops will take the participants on a journey to understand the greenhouse effects and sustainable solutions to protect our environment.

Date: 12 November 2022 (Saturday)
Time: 14:00 – 15:15; 15:45 – 17:00
Suitable for: Aged 5 – 8
Venue: Laboratory, Hong Kong Science Museum
Language: English and Cantonese
Capacity: 20 for each session
Fee: Free of charge
Enrolment procedures: On-line registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for registration. 

Film Screening of Making Pandemics

Making Pandemics (2022) synopsis
Dengue Fever, Chikungunya Fever, COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola Virus Disease…a number of previously unknown, emerging diseases have exploded in the last forty years. Most of them are zoonoses, infectious diseases transmitted to humans by animals. The film follows the footsteps of French actress Juliette Binoche to understand the origins of pandemics. It investigates the new infectious diseases and the workings of the pandemic factory in France, the United States, Mexico, Kenya, Thailand, Gabon and Madagascar. The film helps us to understand why preserving biodiversity is essential to protect our health. [Duration: 107 minutes]

Guests sharing
On-site speaker:
Prof. Leo Poon (Co-Director, Hong Kong University - Pasteur Research Pole)
Introductory video:
Marie-Monique Robin (Film director)

Date: 18 November 2022 (Friday)
Time: 19:00 – 21:15
Venue: Lecture Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Suitable for: The general public
Language:
Film screening – In French with English subtitles and English; Guest sharing – In English
Capacity: 200
Fee: Free of charge
Enrolment procedures: On-line registration on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here for registration.