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Awakening Interest in Science and Improving Attitudes toward Chemistry by Hosting an ACS Chemistry FeSTiVAl in Bogotá, Colombia

The American Chemical Society’s Chemistry Festivals, or “Festivales de Quimica,” are community events where chemistry professionals, professors, teachers, and students use hands-on activities to engage the public and demonstrate how chemistry appears in our everyday life. The Chemistry Festival Organizers received training from the ACS, either on an individual basis or as part of larger groups. Several activities chosen by ACS volunteers, which reliably “work well” for engaging visitors during community events, were given. In 2017, the authors held a Chemistry Festival in Bogota, Colombia for Mole Day (Oct. 23, 2017). Fourteen activities were held, where more than 1000 people participated. Participants reported high opinions about each of the activities and gained a more positive attitude toward chemistry after participating in the event. The Chemistry Festival awakens interest in science and its role in our daily lives and also generates enthusiasm and motivation in scholars, students, and other volunteers. This report argues that funds for public hands-on activities are effective to improve people’s attitudes toward chemistry and suggests that these kinds of programs should be guaranteed and even expanded.