Intensive preparations are under way for the 24th edition of this Celebration of Science, which, in keeping with tradition, will take place in October. It will be held under the “working” slogan “From science fiction to science,” and it is already known that the works and visions of Stanisław Lem will be a central theme, along with, interestingly, topics connected with the centenary of the railway.

What is the Lower Silesian Science Festival, and why did I General Secondary School become the regional coordinator and organizer of this event, which next year will celebrate its 25th anniversary? How did classrooms become university and polytechnic lecture halls, while in the school assembly hall students could listen to engaging lectures given by prominent academics from Wrocław?

I General Secondary School named after Władysław Broniewski has always aspired to become a center of science. Therefore, when we were offered the opportunity to cooperate with the Lower Silesian Science Festival five years ago, we decided to take advantage of it and create a regional edition of this major popular-science event here, organized by Wrocław’s universities, institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences and non-university circles.

The Science Festival is a great “educational capsule” for everyone interested in science, culture, art and the fascinating phenomena of the world around us. In a short time, visitors can listen to interesting lectures, take part in discussions with scholars, and tour laboratories and research workshops that are normally inaccessible, run by natural scientists, doctors, engineers, humanities scholars and artists.

Of course, Wrocław is the capital of the Festival, but not everyone always has the opportunity to benefit from the rich program prepared there. Hence the idea of regional editions, which over time have developed in many cities of Lower Silesia, including at I General Secondary School five years ago.

The first DFN at our school was held in 2016 and was modest, based on just four lectures by academics from Wrocław universities, focusing on phenomena in the natural and exact sciences. But it turned out that the idea appealed to secondary-school students and invited guests. The subsequent editions in 2017, 2018 and 2019 were already genuine three-day scientific and cultural feasts.

Thanks to cooperation with many institutions and schools, including the Museum of Ceramics, the Youth Cultural Center, the “Manufaktura” Stoneware Factory, Bank Zachodni and Primary School No. 2, the DFN “machine” got under way in Bolesławiec, coordinated by I General Secondary School. It proved possible to combine the knowledge and experience of academics from Wrocław universities with the potential of the local community.

It is difficult to list all the people and initiatives involved in the successive editions of DFN in Bolesławiec, but the attendance figures are impressive. In addition to secondary-school and technical-school students, primary-school pupils and many city residents attracted by the lecture topics—especially those devoted to health—also took part. It is fair to speak of several thousand viewers and participants over these five years.

The most recent DFN, held in October 2020, moved online, like much of our lives. Many of the planned activities and events did not take place. Even so, 14 events—lectures, demonstrations and virtual tours—were held remotely, with approximately 1,200 people taking part.

Why is the idea behind the Festival so important?

First, because it seeks to present the achievements of science in all fields of knowledge in an appealing form that is understandable to the average audience member. The regional edition coordinated by I General Secondary School is also a way to integrate the community, promote regional educational initiatives and talented young people, and help students choose a field of higher education.

That is why preparations for this year’s edition have begun with great care. We hope that once again we will be able to show that knowledge—which lies at the heart of the most important processes of civilization—combined with culture and art will create an exceptionally interesting offering not only for students but for all residents as well. We invite you to join us in October!

(Prepared by: DFN Coordinator in Bolesławiec Dorota Chrzanowska-Florków, Deputy Head of I General Secondary School Katarzyna Żak).