Announcement

Superstition and quack medicine are as old as humanity. The media however, with their growing and all pervasive power and scope, are a more recent phenomenon. And we, scientists and skeptics alike, are still trying to cope. Science turns out not to be one of the most fashionable subjects, while many pseudoscientific stories seem to make attractive fodder for the masses.

Skeptics see this happen with envy. It looks like it is very difficult to get scientific stories in the media, and even more so when you try to debunk the next pseudoscientic claim. Accuracy and truthfulness are all too often sacrificed on the altar of the news breaking scoop. And when it comes to discussions with the "believers", those with knowledge of the other side, one often becomes frustratingly wrapped up in argumentations that are not relevant for the subject but which help your opponents win the game. But letting them to bring their exceptional claims unchallanged is no option either. All too many bogus therapies and pseudoscientific stories get unbridled attention. To call them a halt it will be necessary to understand what’s making them so attractive and why -- among other things -- politicians so often lend them a helping hand.

How do we get a scientific message across to lay people in an attractive, persuasive kind of way? How do we communicate with people who are partially or completely immersed in the world of pseudoscience or new age?
What’s a skeptical critique worth, when nobody hears it? How good is your critical remark when the pseudoscientific claim gets all the attention? How can we get the media to listen to the rational arguments? How can we help journalists to get the skeptical approach across to the greater public?
This 12th European Skeptical Congress is a exceptional occasion, right in the middle of the capital of Europe, to share experiences and build a platform of rationality. Skeptics, scientists and journalists from all over Europe will gather to explore the field of knowledge and knowledge communication.

Please pass a link to this website to the other members of your organisation who you think might be interested to come to Belgium as participants.

Scientific Committee

Venue

The formal opening session of the conference will take place on Thursday night in the City Hall of Brussels.

Registration

Since the conference has started, you can register on site at the reception desk.

Registration fees

Note: please make certain that this amount arrives without deduction of bank transaction costs.

Payments can be made by bank transfer to:

payments to:

SKEPP

Laarbeeklaan 103

B-1090 Brussels, Belgium

bank account number: 001-2168478-22

for foreign transactions:

IBAN: BE06 0012 1684 7822

Swift/BIC Code: GEBABEBB (for all non-EU transactions)

Reason: ESC 2005

Accomodation

Atlas Hotel - which is situated just near the congress centre - offers special rates for the participants of the conference: &euro 97 for a single room and € 114 for a double room per night, breakfast included.