A Science Center and a Community: Cultivating Hope and Resilience in Medellin

Today’s science centers are becoming more aware of changes in their local contexts and are concerned about playing a role in building and contributing to society. The Mechelen Declaration, resulting from the Science Centre World Summit 2014 held in Mechelen, Belgium, clearly expresses this commitment with two of its goals (SCWS, 2014):

1. “We will investigate how to engage even more effectively with local communities and increasingly diverse audiences.”

2. “We will take the lead in developing the best methods for engaging learners and optimizing their education in both formal and informal settings using appropriate technologies in widely varying contexts.”

These goals have particular significance in societies marked by tragedy and conflict, where residents can find hope for transformation only through education and cultural expression. This is the case in Medellin, a city in the central Andes, northwestern Colombia.