Young Scientist Tanzania Award Ceremony – Remarks by Ambassador Gilsenan
I am delighted to attend the fourth Young Scientist Tanzania exhibition and to once again witness the creativity, intelligence and hard-work of Tanzania’s young people. It is a particular pleasure for me as Ireland’s Ambassador to Tanzania to be invited to address this group. As many of you know, the Young Scientist Tanzania is modelled on a similar competition in Ireland which was established over 50 years ago and it generates the same level of excitement and enthusiasm that I sense in this hall today.
As Ambassador I am constantly searching for unique ways to establish connections and deepen the long and important relationship between our two countries. This exhibition is a fine example of people to people partnership between Tanzania and Ireland and I wish it many years success into the future.
I particularly want to take this opportunity to commend the organisers for their commitment and dedication over many months. This exhibition is not the work of one day; it has involved many people travelling around the country, providing teachers and students with inspiration and support to develop their projects. Holding this competition requires the long-term commitment of organisers, judges and sponsors.
I also want to congratulate the teachers who have made the extra effort to support students to develop projects. These are teachers who understand the importance of moving beyond the curriculum and exams to help student see science in an applied environment and demonstrate how it can make a difference in everyday life.
As I walked around the exhibition earlier today, I met self-confident, imaginative young Tanzanians grappling with the common problems of everyday life.
How to access clean water?
How to grow nutritious food?
How to tackle diseases that affect human and animals?
How to produce cheap and environmentally friendly energy?
Science is key to solving these problems and your projects are the first of the many contributions you will make to future scientific knowledge.
Over the centuries, science has led to extraordinary advances in medicine, transport and communications. This success is the result of determination and patient experimentation. As young scientists, you understand the importance of experimentation and investigation in expanding your knowledge of how the world works and how it can be changed for the better.
Science and scientific research in Africa is blossoming. The challenges of drought, crop disease and climate change are driving innovation in agriculture research and many clinical trials are taking place which tackle health problems and tropical diseases.
Africa is set to benefit from new technologies that will allow it to leapfrog communication and infrastructure hurdles. Population experts estimate that in less than 100 years’ time, 40 per cent of the world’s population will be African. The majority of Africans in the world today are young people like you. Sustainable and stable societies can be built by young people using scientific knowledge for the betterment of humanity.
Niliishi na kufanya kazi kama afisa maendeleo ya jamii hapa katika miaka ya tisini. Mwaka elfu mbili na kumi na mbili, nilirudi kama Balozi wa Ireland nchini Tanzania na nilibahatika sana kuhudhuria katika maonyesho ya kwanza ya Young Scientist.
Ni vigumu sana kuelezea jinsi nilivyovutiwa.
Nilipohotubia kipindi kile katika Ukumbi huu, niliwahimiza wanafunzi waendelee kuishi katika njia ya kuhoji na kujifunza, na kuwakumbusha kwamba 'Kwa Nini' ni neno muhimu sana katika lugha yoyote.
Sasa leo, maonyesho manne baadaye, mimi ninaendelea kuvutiwa na kufura-hishwa na uwezo wa vijana wa Tanzania kuuliza swali "Kwa nini?" na kupata ufumbuzi wa kibunifu wa matatizo yaliyopo katika mazingira yao kwa kutumia njia za kisayansi.
Mwaka jana, washindi wa maonyesho walitembelea Ireland kushiriki katika maonyesho ya Young Scientist Ireland ambayo yana umri wa zaidi ya miaka hamsini. Waliwakilisha Tanzania vizuri na walionyesha ubunifu wa vijana wa Tanzania. Na mwaka huu tena washindi watatembelea Ireland. Serikali ya Ireland inajivunia sana kushiriki katika maonyesho haya na itaendelea kuyaunga mkono program hii.
I wish to end my few words by congratulating each of you for your excellent achievements and to wish you every success in the future.
Hongereni na Asanteni sana.