BilimFest Samsun brings children and young people together with science

“BilimFest Samsun,” (ScienceFest Samsun) organized by Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, has begun welcoming visitors.

The festival, held at the Bilim Samsun Kent Park campus, is organized under the coordination of Samsun Metropolitan Municipality within the scope of the TÜBİTAK 4007 Science Festivals Support Program under the theme “A Future Growing with Science in the Fertile Lands of Samsun.”

Aiming to bring science and technology together with citizens, the festival can be visited every day between 09:30 and 16:30 until May 9.

At the festival, which appeals to citizens of all ages, 60 workshops will be held in different fields ranging from agricultural technologies to natural sciences, from environmental awareness to engineering applications. Within the scope of the festival, science shows, stage performances, environment-themed theatre performances, and talks with the participation of experts will also be organized.

During the festival, buses and trams will provide free service for children and parents.

Samsun Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Halit Doğan said in his opening speech that they were excited to bring the technologies of the future and scientific discoveries together with citizens in Samsun.

Stating that Samsun is a strong city not only with its past but also with its future built through science, Doğan said, “As Samsun Metropolitan Municipality, we believe that our children and young people should be prepared for both today’s and tomorrow’s world in the most equipped way. BilimFest Samsun, one of the most valuable fruits of this vision, has been brought to life with the very valuable support provided by TÜBİTAK.”

Referring to the work carried out at Bilim Samsun and Samsun Education Campus, Doğan said, “In the workshops and events we carry out at these centers, we reached 250 thousand participants in the 2025–2026 academic year. This figure is not only a statistic, but also an indicator of the great potential of young people from Samsun for discovery, invention, and qualified education.”

Education, investment, and invention center from Baykar to Samsun

Stating that they will also bring the Black Sea’s largest science center and the “Planetarium Project” to Samsun, Doğan said:

“We will have opened the doors of this center next September and brought it to our city. This giant complex of 12 thousand square meters will become a discovery point that will accompany our young people’s journey in technology and innovation with every detail, from its laboratories to its exhibition areas. We are also exhibiting Türkiye’s first computer here. It will also be an important planetarium center. Across from this center in Tekkeköy, hopefully Baykar will launch an important education, investment, and invention center within approximately 1–1.5 months.”

Chief Public Prosecutor Mehmet Sabri Kılıç also stated that Samsun is the city where the first step of the War of Independence was taken and said that the city has led many projects and organizations.

Expressing that the festival is important in terms of guiding children toward science, Kılıç said, “A scientist is raised at an early age. If we want to make our children artists, we should guide them at an early age. If we want to make them scientists, we should also guide them at an early age. Therefore, this science festival is of great importance.”

The event was attended by OMU Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Ayşe Pınar Sumer, Provincial Director of National Education Murat Ağar, and many protocol members, students, and guests.

BilimFest Samsun Talks Program is being held at OMU

Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) is also hosting the “BilimFest Samsun Talks Program,” which will be held at the Atatürk Congress and Culture Center.

In the programs, experts from different fields such as environment, agriculture, food safety, water resources, technology, and child development come together with participants.

Within the scope of the program, on May 6, talks titled “Forest School Pedagogy and Its Effects on Children,” “Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Samsun Province,” “An Invasive Pest That Has Become an Important Problem in Agricultural Production Areas in Recent Years: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug,” and “Operation of Solid Waste Sites and the Use of Organic Waste in Agriculture After Biogas” will be held.

In the program on May 7, the topics “Blue Planet: Protecting Our Seas and Water Resources,” “Water: Let’s Protect Our Future,” “Food Safety,” and “Agriculture and Technology” will be addressed by experts in their fields.

Through the events to be organized within the scope of BilimFest Samsun, it is aimed to bring scientific knowledge together with society, raise awareness on environment and sustainability, and increase young people’s interest in scientific studies.