STREAMS OF KNOWLEDGE
30 YEARS OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL CULTURE IN PORTUGAL
19 May 2026 | 15:00 - 17:30 | Senate Hall, Portuguese Parliament
Free entry upon registration
In 2016, the Portuguese Parliament established National Scientists’ Day to celebrate and recognize the scientific community’s contribution to the advancement of knowledge, progress, and the well-being of society. May 16 — the date of José Mariano Gago’s birth — was chosen to honor his legacy.
This year, we celebrate three decades of promoting scientific and technological culture in Portugal.These are 30 years of mobilizing for science and technology, with the creation of knowledge networks across the country, such as the network of Centros Ciência Viva, the network of Ciência Viva Clubs in Schools, and the emerging network of Quintas Ciência Viva. This national structure fuels a social movement for scientific culture and involves hundreds of thousands of citizens, researchers, students, teachers, young people, and adults.
On May 19, 2026, the Portuguese Parliament will host the 10 th edition of the Streams of Knowledge Conference,where we will reflect on the origins of landmark initiatives promoting science and technology. We also invite some young people to share their experiences in an intergenerational panel. As a special guest, we will also welcome Astronaut Mamoru Mohri, Director of the Miraikan Science Center (Tokyo) from 2001 to 2021.
Entry is free upon registration and presentation of a valid ID. Limited to the venue's capacity.
PROGRAMME
15.00 - 15.20 OPENING
José Pedro Aguiar Branco, President of the Parliament
Manuela Tender, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Science
Pedro Russo, President of Ciência Viva
Fernando Alexandre, Minister of Education, Science and Innovation
15.20 - 15.30 EVERY STREAMS START SOMEWHERE
Alexandre Quintanilha, University of Porto (recorded participation)
Rosalia Vargas, President of Ciência Viva between 1996 and 2026
António Rendas, Emeritus Professor of the NOVA University of Lisbon and International Scientific Council of Ciência Viva
15.30 - 16.15 PANEL: KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS
Teresa Firmino, Público
João Nunes, BLC3 – Technology and Innovation Campus
Vanessa Coelho-Santos, Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research
Ivo Vieira, LusoSpace
Lua Afonso, Quinta das Palmeiras Secondary School, Covilhã
16.15 - 17.00 KEYNOTE: KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS DO NOT CROSS BORDERS
Mamoru Mohri, Astronaut and Director of the Miraikan Science Centre, Tokyo, between 2001 and 2021
17.00 - 17.30 COFFEE BREAK AND SCIENCE CAFÉ AT THE PARLIAMENT EXHIBITION
Resolution of the Assembly of the Republic Nº 228/2016 that consecrates the 16th of May as National Scientists' Day.
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