22nd-26th Sept. 2025 - ACES Campus, Rwanda
The Clean Cooling Network and the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-chain (ACES) are hosting a 5-day, public engagement “Festival of Cooling” at the ACES Campus in Kigali, Rwanda, and via an outreach programme.
We need cooling and cold-chain solutions that are sustainable, equitable, and resilient.
The aim is to engage the public and explore the growing importance of cooling and cold-chains in a fast-warming world - through a week of events, panel discussions, demonstrations, and workshops on campus and online. Outreach to schools, communities, government, and businesses will also take place.
Festival of Cooling Schedule
The festival is spread over 5 full days, from Monday 22nd to Friday 26th, September 2025, with each day focusing on a different cooling and cold-chain theme.
Day 1 – Farmers & agricultural outreach
Connecting smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and agri-entrepreneurs to practical post-harvest cooling solutions. Sessions will focus on reducing losses, accessing finance, and adopting technologies that improve food quality and profitability.
Day 2 – Health outreach
Spotlighting the life-saving role of cold-chains in healthcare, enabling safe storage and delivery of vaccines, blood, and antivenoms. Health workers, planners, and logisticians will gain tools, insights, and networks to strengthen health cold-chains.
Day 3 – Schools and public awareness
Engaging the next generation of innovators and decision-makers through hands-on learning, storytelling, and creative experimentation. Students will explore real-world cooling challenges and imagine future careers in sustainable cooling, logistics, and climate action.
Day 4 – Innovation, entrepreneurship, and creative hub
Celebrating creativity, entrepreneurship, and the fusion of art and science. This will provide a launchpad for bold ideas, showcase innovations, and inspire youth-led problem-solving for climate-smart cold-chains.
Day 5 – Policy roadmap, closing gala
Setting the strategic tone, aligning government, finance, academia, and industry partners around a shared policy and investment roadmap for resilient, just, and climate-aligned cold-chains in Africa.
What will you take away from the festival?
This is in part a science fair, part an art show, part an ideas’ marketplace, part a music festival, part a networking ground, while remaining wholly an immersive celebration of sustainable cooling.
We aim to merge formal learning with informal discovery and lots of hands-on experience throughout the week. Come and join us to find out answers to a range of cooling questions you have always wondered about.
Contact ACES now
Let’s be clear; this isn’t a conference. It’s not a trade show. And it won't be boring ... By introducing cold-chain and clean cooling concepts into schools and universities, we’re not just adding another topic — we’re planting the seeds of resilience, innovation, and empowerment.
Find out more by contacting us directly on:
