DUBLIN'S BID to become Europe's City of Science in 2012 will be made in Strasbourg today by Minister of State for Science Jimmy Devins and Dublin's Lord Mayor Eibhlín Byrne.
Dublin is competing with Vienna and the winning city will host the Euroscience Open Forum in 2012. The venture is supported by former president Mary Robinson and 17 other public figures including Nobel laureates, scientists, politicians and business leaders.
Speaking before the official submission ceremony at the Euroscience headquarters in Strasbourg, Dr Devins said that winning the bid would help investment in science in Ireland.
"A successful bid will provide a timely platform to showcase the best of science and research being carried out here," he said.
Ms Byrne said she hoped hosting the conference would make young people more aware of the value of science: "It would encourage young people to engage with science in the city and see how vibrant it is."
The forum, which will be held in July 2012, will host up to 8,000 delegates who will discuss leading research trends in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. Delegates will include scientists, business people and policy-makers.
Ireland's proposals for the event will be presented to an independent judging panel in Stuttgart on November 13th, but the winning submission will not be announced until next year.
Details of Ireland's proposals will not be made public until after the deadline for submissions on October 1st.
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