Campaign to create awareness of Nobel Prize winners

KUALA LUMPUR, Sat. – A year-long campaign to educate Malaysians on the Nobel Prize and its winners was launched at the National Science Centre today.

The “I want to be a Nobel Laureate” campaign is jointly organised by the centre and Expomal Network Sdn Bhd. It was launched by the director of the Nobel Museum in Stockolm, Professor Svante Linqvist.

“Early schooling is really important and we are targeting students between the ages of 13 and 18. These are crucial years where the students’ intuition and curiosity develop and they start asking technical questions about everything,” said Lindvist.

Many activities are being planned for the campaign including the Smart Kids Smart Scientist Quest 2004 and the Smart Kids-National Science Centre Treasure Hunt.

“These events are to create a culture of creativity and to make Malaysians more aware of the Nobel Prize so as to promote a thinking society,” Expomal Networks managing director L.S. Chan said.

The campaign is to encourage young Malaysians to take an interest in the field of science and creativity.

In this connection, the children from the Yellow House project, an initiative that helps children express themselves through art, was also present to launch a specially designed mural based on the Nobel Prize theme.

The mural, placed at the centre, depicts the Smart Kids’ icon and various Nobel categories including chemistry, economics, literature, medicine, peace and physics.

The campaign is part of the Smart Kids 2004 – Into Their World initiative, which also features Malaysia’s largest Kids Education Fair to be held for three days, from April 2, at the Putra World Trade Centre.

It is also being held in conjunction with the Nobel Prize Centennial Exhibition which showcases 100 years of Nobel Laureates.

The exhibition, which is being held at the centre, is on until June 27.