The liberalization measures taken by Javier Miley's government continue to advance, and the Argentine flag is one of the main casualties. Not only did the new government prevent promotions or new admissions for scholarship holders, invest in infrastructure and supplies, and increase salaries by freezing the budget allocated to science and technology in 2023 amounts, which would be sufficient in an inflationary context to pay salaries for only six months, but now It was decided by the nation to cancel the summer season of the Scientific Cultural Center (C3), Which was affiliated with the previous Ministry, is the Undersecretary today.
The C3 summer session was scheduled to start on Monday, but the current Undersecretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Alejandro CosentinoAnd the Chief of Staff, Nicola BossiHe signed the administrative decision that led to its cancellation. Which led to the director's resignation. Museums, galleries and exhibitions of the former Ministry of Science and Technology, Guadalupe Diaz Costanzo, It sparked a wave of discontent and calls to defend the institution He was a reference in scientific publishing.
Under the motto “Science is Culture”, the Cultural Center of Science is an exhibition of works carried out by science and technology institutes and organizations throughout Argentina, attracting since its beginnings in 2015, when it was inaugurated in 2015. The building located in the scientific and technological pole of Palermo. They also call him by his short name, “C3” is one of the three national galleries that attract the largest audience, after large museums such as Bellas Artes and the Cabildo. The Cultural Center of Science is an interdisciplinary space for the creation and exchange of ideas and knowledge, opened at the end of the government of then President Cristina Kirchner, when the abandoned property of the former Bodegas Giol was assessed. In previous governments, it relied on the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, i.e. the Ministry of Science and Technology.
The summer season is the most important for the Science Museum, along with the winter season, when thousands of people gather, especially girls and boys, to visit the rooms and programs, with the aim of spreading scientific activity. “C3 is an interactive museum, where schools, families and organizations of all kinds have visited us regularly for 8 years. Just in numbers.” “In 2023, more than 240,000 people visited us, and in the last three years, more than 1,000 schools from all over the country.” They warned about the C3Guias account on Instagram, which brings together more than 70 students with scientific, technological, and artistic professions at national public universities who devote their efforts to communicating science through a training program at the center.
Guided tours in C3 with a team of advanced students in exact sciences from the National University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and the National University of Tres de Febrero (Untref), have always been highly praised by families and teachers, at the time of choice of place. With an extensive free cultural programme, specialized in scientific publishing, it has three permanent rooms, dedicated to chance, time and information, with interactive activities that fascinate children and adults because they skillfully convey an artistic and playful outlook.
There, weeks ago, the Innovar 2023 competition was presented, with the country's main innovative developments, from robotics and 3D to “life accelerators” and special microscopes for police investigations.
Constanzo's resignation
Costanzo She reached the position of Museum Director in 2018, under the National Administration of Mauricio Macri, and remained under the government of Alberto Fernández, with a growth in activities and proposals that led to tangible results: last year the number of attendees reached 800 thousand. the people.
In his resignation letter, submitted on January 5, Costanzo warned: “We have been able to move forward together with various efforts to expand access to science by implementing cultural and educational proposals such as exhibitions, artistic performances with scientific content and workshops.” Training programmes, competitions and prizes in disseminating science. Among other achievements that can be mentioned, the work that was carried out allowed us to reach record numbers of visitors during the year 2023 and a transcendent influence among museums in the region and the world, by obtaining prestigious international recognitions in the years 2021 and 2022, whether for exhibitions or education. Programs. .
In this sense, He explained that the decision to suspend the program “reveals a completely different vision of the tasks and goals of this directorate.”
Call to keep the center running
Mystery surrounds the center's employees and visitors, raising concerns about the future of the place. The scientific community and C3 followers have lamented this situation and repeatedly called for the center to continue working on social networks. the doctor Nadia ChiaramoniHe is a prominent figure in basic and applied sciences and a graduate student in biotechnology, who was invited to defend… C3confirming this “More knowledge always means more freedom,” Highlighting the value and passion with which guides impart scientific knowledge to visitors.
“The closure of the Scientific Cultural Center is a very sad situation. If you have ever done it, you know that the guides you meet are very clear and explain to you with incredible passion all the wonders you will encounter,” Chiaramoni said, adding: “Today, all the people who… They work in C3 I have no idea what will happen. The closure of C3 is a horror not only for the workers but also for all the people who will miss it.
For his part, a statement of account C3Guias He uploaded the appeal to his networks and added a text in which he denounced the following: “The training program in the field of education and public communication with science and the museum’s activities are currently suspended since the change in management. In addition, they did not pay us our wages for the last month of our work. To this day we don't know what will happen to our jobs or the museum.But we know how important space is and how many people find our work valuable and support us.
“We know that C3 does not work without us, the guides. Therefore, we want to continue to communicate science, education and give value to public spaces for the community. They help us by spreading and signing the petition linked to our profile,” he concluded.
