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The 2^nd UNESCO SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY CAMP, 25 FEB-05 MAR, PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of Cambodia and UNESCO will organize the 2^nd UNESCO Science and Technology Camp for Children which will take place at the Cambodian Japan Cooperation Center, in Phnom Penh from 25^th February until the 05^th of March 2009.

The camp was attended by 52 children between 10 and 15 years of age from Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Timor Leste. During the camp, participants attended two hands-on workshops using Scavenger Robot and LEGO Education Science Sets where they learned various aspects of engineering education, including hands-on learning experience in robotics and practical applications of science, technology, and engineering for generating energy, as well as lots of focused brainstorming with peers from different cultural backgrounds, real-world teamwork, dedicated mentoring, project timelines, etc.

The University of Indonesia implemented a 2-day LEGO Education programme using LEGO Education Renewable Energy Set and Science and Technology Base Set. Participants learned not only basics of mechanical engineering but also renewable energy technologies and their applications. Scavenger robot programme was implemented by the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Participants designed and built scavenger robots to collect (scavenge) garbage (ping-pong balls and alumina cans). The scavenging-competition was held at the end of the camp, where participants used their robots to collect balls and cans as many as possible. The competition was broadcast to Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Japan with the support of School on Internet Asia Project and National University of Singapore, and Directorate of Higher Education of Indonesia.

UNESCO will keep working to expand this initiative to create a Regional Flagship Event Programme for Southeast Asia, as part of comprehensive approach to “Strengthening Scientific and Technological Literacy in Asia” to bring the benefits not only to Cambodia but also to the broader Southeast Asian region.