Forscherwelt (Little Researchers' World) to encourage UAE kids to explore the world of science

As part of its commitment to inspiring a passion for science in young children, Henkel launched its international education initiative, Forscherwelt (Little Researchers’ World), in the UAE through a strategic partnership with Dubai Municipality entity Children’s City.

The initiative aims to encourage children to explore the world of science and to make research fun. Forscherwelt helps familiarize children with the exciting world of science and research by allowing them to explore and understand technical and scientific processes through engaging experiments. The UAE is the first country in the GCC region where the initiative has been launched.

As part of the initiative, children will be able to conduct fun experiments related to Henkel’s businesses – adhesives, washing and cleaning, cosmetics, and sustainability. The ‘Forscherwelt-to-go’ concept will also enable Henkel to take the initiative to schools across the emirate.

Khalid Al Suwaidi, Acting Director of Leisure Facilities Department at Dubai Municipality, said: “This is one of the outstanding projects in the field of social service that work with the private sector to achieve the main objectives in the field of recreational education.”

“By hosting this project with Henkel, Dubai Municipality sees the unique scientific and educational value that lies in it[DJ1] . Therefore, we devoted all available resources to ensuring the success of the project and to achieving the most important goal of enhancing the skills of children in learning the scientific foundations of exploration and innovation,” he added.

Ashraf El Afifi, President of Henkel IMEA, said: “Through encouraging children to explore the world of science, and making research a fun and entertaining experience, we aim to instill a passion for scientific learning in them, potentially encouraging them to opt for natural science as a future career. With Children’s City being a natural fit for Forscherwelt, we are grateful for the support and guidance that Dubai Municipality has extended to the initiative through our partnership.”

He added: “The initiative aligns with the region’s transition to a knowledge-based economy and the objective of the National Agenda of the UAE Vision 2021 to promote innovation and R&D.”

Erdem Koçak, President of Henkel GCC, said: “Children are naturally curious and want to understand the world around them. They do so through observing their surroundings, experimenting in intuitive ways and asking questions. This is the essence of research, and we want to encourage the children of this region to explore the world of science and research through Forscherwelt.”

Established in Germany in 2011, Forscherwelt has been successfully implemented in Argentina, Russia, Ireland, Poland, Turkey and Italy. More than 15,000 children and young adults around the world have immersed themselves in research and conducted experiments through this initiative.

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About Forscherwelt
Forscherwelt (Little Researchers’ World) is a Henkel initiative whose patron is Dr. Simone Bagel-Trah, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and the Shareholders’ Committee of Henkel. In one-week vacation courses or teaching units, children try out being “real researchers” and have fun discovering the secrets of science. Primarily aimed at third and fourth grade students, the programs offered cover topics such as making adhesives from plant substances, dental health, saving energy and much more. The educational concept of Forscherwelt was developed by Prof. Dr. Katrin Sommer, Chair of Chemistry Didactics at Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany. For more information, please visit http://www.henkel-forscherwelt.com/

About Henkel
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market – across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2016, Henkel reported sales of 18.7 billion euros and adjusted operating profit of 3.2 billion euros. Combined sales of the respective top brands of the three business units – Loctite, Schwarzkopf and Persil – amounted to more than 6 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 50,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team, united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com.

About Children’s City 
Dubai-based Children's City is UAE's first educational city devoted to children aged between two and fifteen years old. At Children's City, they can investigate, explore, play, discover, and learn about the world in which we live. The City has been designed for children to interact with family and school groups to aid the learning process. It contains several exhibits and programs like the Earth Science Gallery, a nature center, space exploration center, the human body exhibit, computer and communication workshops, a planetarium and a toddlers' area - all services that facilitate the experience of living in an international culture. www.childrencity.ae

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Anushka Kadam
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Bilawal Shaikh
APCO Worldwide
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© Press Release 2017