SCIENCE FESTIVAL VISITED BY MORE THAN 7,000 CHILDREN

BANJA LUKA, MAY 22 /SRNA/ - The Science Festival in Banja Luka completely met expectations and generated great interest, as it was visited by over 7,000 children, the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of Republika Srpska told SRNA.

The Ministry stated that the presence of such a large number of young people at the festival on the University Campus shows that science is engaging and relatable to them, and that making it accessible is of great importance. "Over the past two days, visitors were able to see a hundred experiments, scientific demonstrations, and other content that promotes science in an interesting way," the relevant ministry noted. Prime Minister Savo Minić also pointed out at the opening of the Festival that Republika Srpska wants to keep pace with the modern world. He announced that the Government will invest approximately 3.5 million KM in the Campus infrastructure, and that the construction of a science and technology park is also planned, which will serve as a center for science and education within the next two years. The Minister of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of Republika Srpska, Draga Mastilović, said that the Government will allocate substantially larger funds for science next year, as it is a prerequisite for the technological development of the Republic. He emphasized that the youth of Republika Srpska will be the backbone of Srpska's scientific and technological advancement, and that the Government and all others have a duty to create the conditions for them to achieve this. This year's Festival featured presentations from more than 20 faculties from the universities in Banja Luka and East Sarajevo, the Institute for Genetic Resources, the Public Health Institute of Republika Srpska, the Police Training Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as several high schools.