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KAUST Launches 1st Initiative to Enhance Scientific, Sustainability Literacy for Children

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) launched its first educational initiative designed to enhance scientific and sustainability literacy for children. SPA
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) launched its first educational initiative designed to enhance scientific and sustainability literacy for children. SPA
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KAUST Launches 1st Initiative to Enhance Scientific, Sustainability Literacy for Children

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) launched its first educational initiative designed to enhance scientific and sustainability literacy for children. SPA
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) launched its first educational initiative designed to enhance scientific and sustainability literacy for children. SPA

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) launched its first educational initiative designed to enhance scientific and sustainability literacy for children, underscoring the critical role of science in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The initiative was launched in partnership with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) office in the Kingdom and "Frontiers for Young Minds," an open-access scientific journal dedicated to children.

The initiative, titled "The SDG Collection: How Science Can Help Us to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," includes a series of articles on each of the 17 SDGs and will be published in Frontiers for Young Minds.

The initiative builds upon previous partnership efforts between KAUST and the journal, which included a collection of scientific articles tailored for children and translated into Arabic. It made complex scientific concepts easily accessible and appealing to Arabic-speaking children worldwide.

The project aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes the role of sustainable research in stimulating social and economic development, and inspiring future generations to achieve sustainable development.

KAUST Professor of Practice of Sustainability and Head of Sustainability Ana Margarida Costa indicated that the initiative reflects the university's utilization of science and educational programs to address global challenges.

Through these scientific articles about SDGs collection, the aim is not only to educate young minds but also to inspire them to take concrete actions for a sustainable world, said Costa.

“The collection, edited by KAUST experts, will feature contributions from KAUST's diverse pool of researchers and will leverage an in-person, interactive, peer-review process involving students from local schools, including the KAUST School (TKS),” Costa added.

KAUST Enrichment for Youth Director Nicki Talbot, currently leading the engagement with TKS, emphasized that the initiative allows children to participate in reviewing research papers authored by KAUST researchers, which is a wonderful example of the university's commitment to empowering and educating youth.

Talbot also pointed out that it would involve the inclusion of new audiovisual materials, such as talk shows and interviews with authors led by students, to bridge the gap between researchers and children.

Talbot noted that the initiative’s translation into Arabic would improve its accessibility, ensuring that children throughout the Kingdom and the Arab region can fully benefit from this educational resource aimed at raising awareness about the global sustainable development agenda.

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Italy’s Vintage Trains Lure Tourists off Beaten Track 

Passengers on the vintage carriage "cento porte", which means hundred doors in English, look through the windows at the train station in Palena, Italy July 21, 2024. (Reuters)
Passengers on the vintage carriage "cento porte", which means hundred doors in English, look through the windows at the train station in Palena, Italy July 21, 2024. (Reuters)
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Italy’s Vintage Trains Lure Tourists off Beaten Track 

Passengers on the vintage carriage "cento porte", which means hundred doors in English, look through the windows at the train station in Palena, Italy July 21, 2024. (Reuters)
Passengers on the vintage carriage "cento porte", which means hundred doors in English, look through the windows at the train station in Palena, Italy July 21, 2024. (Reuters)

As it rolls across Italy's central regions, a vintage diesel locomotive towing carriages from the 1930s and 1950s crosses the forests of the Majella National park and the Abruzzo highlands, giving tourists on board a glimpse of hidden hamlets.

Across its just over 100 kilometers (62 miles), the so-called Italian Transiberian rail line, also known as the Park Railway, slips into gorges, snakes into 58 tunnels and braves huge viaducts.

It was the first of some 1,000 kilometers of line to have re-opened under a project by Fondazione FS, part of state-controlled national rail company Ferrovie dello Stato (FS).

The "Timeless tracks" project takes tourists to forgotten parts of Italy, offering an alternative to the fast-paced, mass tourism of the major cities.

"These are tracks that have lived through different eras, they have carried soldiers to the front, cows to pasture... they were mistakenly considered unproductive during the 1960s and 70s but are now once again of value," Luigi Cantamessa, who heads Fondazione FS, told Reuters.

Inspired by train travel in Switzerland, the project now carries 45,000 tourists a year across its 13 lines. Fondazione FS expects to open two new ones by 2026, both in the southern region of Sicily.

"What were considered to be the dry branches of Italy's train network, have now proved to be the green shoots," Cantamessa added.

NO FROZEN PIZZAS

"People are used to cities and places, like Florence, that everyone knows.. but then there are other areas that need to be discovered. (This) is the right kind of tourism that does not spoil the authenticity of places," said Norma Pagiotti, a 28-year-old from Florence travelling on the train with two friends.

With arrival numbers above pre-pandemic levels, popular European travel destinations including Venice have introduced measures aimed at managing visitor numbers amid rising concerns about overcrowding.

"The train reminds me of my youth, I feel a bit nostalgic for the things of the past, which were simpler, now everything is fast, short-lived," says Caterina Quaranta, from Taranto in southern Italy, sitting on the wooden seats of the train.

The trips attract Italians and foreigners, a lot of families and children, younger people who get off to hike and cycle, and older people "who have time to spare", explained Laura Colaprete, a local guide.

"It's for those who don't want mass market, cluttered destinations. A conscious traveler, who is looking for something special," said Cantamessa of Fondazione FS. "These are not trips that serve you frozen pizza for lunch," he added.

FOLK MUSIC AND LOCAL FOOD

After climbing up almost 1,000 meters in altitude, the Transiberian's first stop is in Palena, a medieval hill-top town known for its breathtaking views over the national park.

Traditional folk music accompanies people getting off the train, with local delicacies such as lamb skewers and soft pancakes made with an iron mold, known as pizzelle, and products by local artisans awaiting them at the station.

"The train helps several small towns around here. This line was a dead line before," said Gino Toppi, 60, as he helped his wife with the food stall in the small station.

Milan's Bocconi University recently estimated that for every euro spent by passengers on tickets - which cost between 30 euros and 70 euros ($32.50 - $76)- up to a further 3 euros are spent on food, accommodation, tours and souvenirs.

That helps to support the economy of villages that have long lost population due to the dwindling birth rate and younger people leaving for the bigger cities

"There certainly are benefits, this is a way to show my products," said Annalisa Cantelmi, a herbalist.

"These tourists are slowly discovering these new territories, their traditions and people," she added.