International development charity Practical Action has been named as the official charity partner of the inaugural Bluedot Festival.
The charity, which uses technology to challenge poverty in developing countries, will join forces with the Bluedot Festival to be held at Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre in Cheshire from 22nd to 24th July.
Bluedot is a brand new festival with a mandate to deliver a festival like nothing else on earth with a stellar programme of music, science, art, film and technology.
A nod to Carl Sagan’s pale blue dot, the festival will celebrate our planet in the vast cosmos, showcasing humanity’s creative achievements in arts, science, technology and the exploration of space.
Rachel Hudson, Director at Practical Action said: “We are really excited to be partnering with Bluedot for their inaugural festival. The line-up is incredible and it’s a great opportunity to generate some strong support and advocates for Practical Action.
We use technology to challenge poverty in the developing world, providing simple solutions to devastating problems. Sustainability, technology and innovation are at the heart of everything we do so Bluedot is the perfect fit for us.”
Teresa Anderson, Director of Jodrell Bank said: “We want to work to inspire the scientists of the future, an aim in which we include engineers, doctors, technologists – in fact, anyone who might be inspired, by a visit to Jodrell Bank, to realise their potential.”
The festival line-up includes music from Underworld, Air, Jean Michel Jarre and Beth Orton. Other highlights include ProfBrian CoxandRobin Ince inThe Infinite Monkey Cage live; Andrew Smith talking aboutMoondust, his award-winning book in which he meets all the men who have walked on the moon;Helen Keenwith her award-winningIt Is Rocket Science!stand-up show; and Pete Lawrence from the BBC’sSky at Nightgiving a spectacular tour of the universe. In addition, the Michelin-starred chefAiden Byrnewill be creating a “stratospheric seven-course menu” for the festival’sRestaurant at the End of the Universe.
Every year Practical Action helps 1 million people to lift themselves out of poverty. The charity works in 13 countries around the world implementing projects from podcasting to help communities adapt to the effects of climate change, constructing wind turbines or micro-hydro systems to generate energy to building gravity ropeways to transport crops to market in mountainous terrain.
