A Success for the International Meteorological Forum in Brussels

The 5th Edition of the International Meteorological Forum (3-9 November 2008) was organised for the first time outside of France. Inside the prestigious Atomium of Brussels, in Belgium, the event attracted 11% more people than in 2007.

Over 30 countries and 50 international information media were represented, while 80 million people actually attended the event. The subjects of the event: weather, climate, energy sources, environment and space. The International Polar Foundation was present all week inside the Atomium, offering interactive educational workshops to school children and the public.

The object of this event was to inform and educate future generations about meteorological phenomena and their multifaceted aspects. According to a survey conducted after the event amongst the schools having taken part in the workshops, 90.5 % of them responded favourably to the event, saying that it had lived up to their expectations.

Four days were also dedicated to the professionals of the sector: meteorological and climate scientists, weathermen, journalists, politicians, teachers and students. A total of 28 countries and 50 television and radio channels attended the panel discussions and various workshops.