Science Fest Africa 2026, organized by the Türkiye Maarif Foundation, has officially commenced with an opening ceremony held in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
As the largest science festival on the continent, the event brings together science enthusiasts and stakeholders from across Africa.
The festival serves as a significant international platform aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation in science, technology, and education.
Participants from 27 countries, spanning a vast geography from Madagascar to South Africa and Senegal to Ethiopia, have gathered for the event. The program features science competitions, start-up presentations, panels, and interactive experience zones.
The opening ceremony was attended by high-level dignitaries including Deniz Erdoğan Barım, the ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Côte d'Ivoire and Mahmut Özdil, president of Türkiye Maarif Foundation.
Also present were representatives from international organizations, academics and educational stakeholders from various countries.
Investing in youth and the future
In his opening remarks, the president of Maarif Foundation celebrated Türkiye's April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day, noting that the gathering of African youth around science and innovation adds deeper meaning to the occasion.
"Investing in youth is an investment in peace and progress. It is an investment in a fairer, more sustainable common future," Özdil stated.
He further emphasised that the festival is a platform for dialogue, where young people transform ideas into tangible solutions for contemporary challenges in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, agricultural technologies and the environment.
Ambassador Deniz Erdoğan Barım highlighted the strategic importance of education and human capital in Türkiye's relations with Africa.
Addressing the youth, she said, "You are the most precious treasure of this continent. Your creativity and energy are the keys to the future".
Innovation and Local Solutions
The festival showcases projects developed under themes including electronics, computer technologies, and sustainability.
Abdulkadir Dikbas, the Türkiye Maarif Foundation representative in Côte d'Ivoire, noted that hundreds of young people are gaining vital experience as future scientists by exhibiting projects rooted in local needs.
A panel moderated by Dikbaş featured prominent speakers such as Blerta Cela (UNDP Côte d'Ivoire) and Maram Kairé (Senegalese Space Studies Agency).
The discussions focused on how science-based education policies are essential for sustainable development and entrepreneurship across the continent.
The event concluded with an award ceremony recognising outstanding teams from various nations, including Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Gabon, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, Mali, Chad, Tunisia, Burundi, and the host nation, Côte d'Ivoire.
