The Netherlands, although being a small country, has about 10 Science Cafes at this moment. These are mainly situated in the larger cities and are spread throughout the country. The first cafe started about 3 years ago and is still running very successfully. Motivated by this pioneering cafe, other cafes have arisen over the last two years.
Although every cafe has its own details, the overall format of most cafes is very similar: one or more speakers from the scientific community give a short presentation of 10 - 20 minutes, sometimes supported by visual material. Then there is a short break of about 15 minutes, followed by a discussion between the speakers and the audience. Some cafes do have a 'moderator' to make sure the scientists do use non-technical language, and to stimulate the discussion. The subjects which are covered can be quite diverse: not only 'hard-core' science (e.g. nanotechnology), but also more society-related issues (e.g. supporting underdeveloped countries).
Some cafes have bands playing before and/or after the discussion and/or in the break, which clearly makes the evening more entertaining and diverse. The location of most cafes is in bars/restaurants, although some cafes do meet in cultural venues or at the campus of a university.
A global overview with links to all Science Cafes in the Netherlands can be found at www.sciencecafe.nl.

Pascal de Theije (16 May 2007)
Organiser of Science Cafe Leiden