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Photo: An Israeli boy wearing a military vest throws a mock grenade during a traditional military weapon display to mark the 66th anniversary of Israel’s “independence” at the occupied West Bank settlement of Efrat on 6 May 2014. (Gali Tibbongali / AFP)

On 6 May, Israelis celebrated their “independence day,” which they mark according to the Jewish lunar calendar.

Traditionally Israeli Jews hold public celebrations and picnics, especially in “national parks” typically built over the ruins of ethnically cleansed and destroyed Palestinian villages.

Keep the military's base of operations out our education system

As the school year begins, parents and guardians across the [U.S.] are getting to know new teachers, bus routes, routines and worrying increasingly about violence and bullying as we send our children into the semi-unknown. It’s a busy, nervous time of year.

Parents of school-aged children in Syria and Iraq have other worries. An August 2014 United Nations Human Rights Council report states that both state and non-state armed groups in the region have been recruiting children for combat and non-combat support roles in violent conflict, [including] ISIS.

Algerian scientist and human rights activist Hamza Hamouchene argues science education must stop promoting arms companies.

If you think the association of arms companies with an educational event aimed at schoolchildren is a dangerous liaison, then you will be outraged by this. The Big Bang Fair, the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths for young people in the UK counts amongst its sponsors BAE Systems and other arms companies such as Thales, Selex ES, Doosan, Rolls-Royce and Airbus.

As a health scientist who has always been fascinated with science’s amazing ability to improve public health, relieve human suffering and save lives, the association of the arm trade that destroys lives and create more human anguish with an event like the Big Bang fair seems deeply wrong and fundamentally inappropriate.