Europe's science event ESOF2014 opens in Copenhagen

 The 2014 EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF2014), a premier science event opened here Saturday, aiming to build bridges between science and society and to ensure young people to become more interested in science and innovation.
The six-day event will offer a wealth of events within all branches of science under the common theme of "Science Building Bridges", and feature discussions on such topics as "the healthy society", "revolution of the mind", "global resource management" and "learning in the 21st century".
Some 4,500 participants from 75 countries are expected to attend the conference that takes place in Carlsberg City District from June 21 to 26, in the capital of Denmark.
"Science leads to healthier food, better treatments, greater knowledge about climate change and a stronger foundation for developing our society," said Sofie Carsten Nielsen, Denmark's Minister for Higher Education and Science.
"If we are to have the best possible enjoyment and benefit from science, then business and the public need to understand the meaning of science so that they can take knowledge and ideas further and create the foundation for development, growth and prosperity in society," the minister said.
During ESOF2014, six Nobel laureates will join global leaders in science policy and innovation such as European Commissioner for Research, Innovation, and Science Maire Geoghegan-Quinn and the President of European Research Council Jean-Pierre Bourguignon to discuss in what direction global research and innovation is developing.
A scientific festival, Science in the City, is held on the sidelines of the event, offering the public an opportunity to delve into the latest research and development in science.
Denmark's Queen Margrethe II and the President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso are expected to attend the official opening ceremony of ESOF2014, scheduled for Sunday.
ESOF is a biennial event, which was first held in Stockholm in 2004. It is the most important European conference for the presentation and communication of new research and for the discussion about science, technology and innovation.
The aim of ESOF is to create an open platform where organizations, the scientific community, politicians and business can meet and debate cross-cutting science-related subjects.