Leiden European City of Science 2022 (Leiden2022) was a 365-day science festival packed with activities, lectures, workshops, excursions, exhibitions, and events, for anyone with a curious mind. The programme ranged from small, local activities to large, prestigious events with an international appeal. Within this 365-day programme, the entire knowledge spectrum was covered, from fundamental science to citizen science, including social sciences, arts and humanities, culture, skill and crafts. The overall aim of Leiden2022 was to connect science with society.
Leiden was the very first European City of Science to present a year-long programme aimed at connecting science and society. The mission of Leiden2022 was to create an accessible platform in which anyone who wants to share science, knowledge, art, and skills could participate. During the year, we established multiple new connections between science and society.
As such, Leiden European City of Science was part of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024 of the European Commission: Action 14: Bring Science closer to Citizens. Our four pathways towards impact were: a) bringing science and society closer together; b) fostering innovation and development of new research agendas by stimulating scientific exchange; c) creating an ‘established’ and sustainable label for European City of Science and d) establishing Leiden as a City of Knowledge. The mission of Leiden2022 was to provide an inclusive and accessible value-driven platform for sharing, questioning, facilitating, stimulating and celebrating science, knowledge, art and skills.
Leiden European City of Science 2022 (Leiden2022) has been initiated by Leiden University, the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Leiden University of Applied Sciences and the Municipality of Leiden (the ‘founding partners’), endorsed by EuroScience (Strasbourg) and the European Commission. Leiden2022 was a proud partner of the New European Bauhaus, and the European Year of Youth.
