"CHEMistry for Life": A UNIQUE EUROPEAN EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR THE NEXT MILLENIUM

A unique partnership, pioneered between the main European science centres and museums and the European chemical industry, in collaboration with the European Commission, is officially launched in Brussels on 27 november 1997.

This partnership entitled "CHEMistry for Life", is designed to give the general public, and especially younger people, a better understanding and appreciation of the importance of chemistry in everyday life. This will be achieved through the development of a variety of different innovative museum displays including hands-on interactive exhibits, spectacular shows, multimedia and laboratory workshops.

"CHEMistry for Life" is the largest and most ambitious project ever devised to stimulate interest and scientific awareness among the tens of millions of visitors to museums and science centres across Europe every year.

Sixteen leading science centres and museums are working together in producing over 50 prototype exhibits for the year 2000. These will be available for replication and display in a further 100 museums and inside the school's and teacher's network across Europe. Fourteen exhibits are now close to completion.

All the partners of "CHEMistry for Life" have recognised the importance of science education as crucial for Europe's future. The European Commission is supporting this partnership. It is significant that this new project, which will help give Europe a strong position in science education, focuses on chemistry, the science of the next millennium.

For any complementary information, please contact :
David J. Bricknell, CEFIC, Director of Sciences and Technology, Brussels - 00 32 2 676 72 19
Walter Staveloz, ECSITE, Executive Director - 00 32 2 647 50 98
Press Agency contact: Hintzy Heymann & Associés - Hélie de Lestrange - 00 33 1 41 46 44 19