The OAD will be organising a special session at the African Astronomical Society (AfAS) Conference and General Assembly 2025, set to take place from 23 to 28 March 2025, hosted by University of South Africa (UNISA) in Gauteng.
Additionally, members of the OAD team will contribute to the conference by delivering talks on OAD flagship projects. Dominic Vertue will present a plenary talk titled “Astronomy, Mental Health, and Outreach,” while Samyukta Manikumar will deliver a talk titled “The Potential of Astrotourism in Africa.” Both the plenary and talk will take place on March 27, 2025.
The AfAS conference will be held in a hybrid format, and everyone is welcome to attend. To register, follow link.
Details of the Special Session are given below.
Date: 24 March 2025
Time: 16:30 to 18:00 UTC+2
Zoom Link: Join the session virtually here
Session Description
The International Astronomical Union’s Office of Astronomy for Development (IAU-OAD) utilises astronomy to tackle global challenges and promote sustainable development. Since 2012, the OAD Annual Call for Proposals has funded 236 projects in 112 countries, with the largest investment in Africa constituting 380,000 Euros in more than 20 African countries, addressing education, gender equity, economic growth, and social inclusion.
This session will highlight the impact of OAD-funded projects in Africa and showcase the OAD’s Flagship Projects – Astrotourism, Astronomy for Mental Health, and Hack4Dev – demonstrating how astronomy can contribute towards socio-economic development, mental well-being, and skills training .
Additionally, the IAU OAD African Regional Offices and the Portuguese Language Centre will present their initiatives, highlighting regional challenges, opportunities, and collaborations. The session will provide insights into the upcoming OAD Call for Proposals, guiding prospective applicants.
This session aims to expand the impact of astronomy-for-development initiatives and inspire new partnerships across the continent through dialogue and collaboration.
Programme
Facilitator: Joyful Mdhluli
16:30 – 16:35 Welcome and Introduction: Kevin Govender
16:35 – 16:45 Overview of the OAD: Charles Takalana (10 minutes)
Regional Offices and Language Centers
16:45 – 16:55 East African Office of Astronomy for Development: Alemiye Mamo/Meklit Wogayehu (10 minutes)
16:55 – 17:05 West African Office of Astronomy for Development: Emeka Don (10 minutes)
17:05 – 17:15 Southern African Office of Astronomy for Development : Saul Phiri (10 minutes)
17:15 – 17:25 Portuguese Language Office of Astronomy for Development : Vinicius Oliveira (10 minutes)
Projects and Impact
17:25 – 17:40 Impact of projects and Call for Proposals : Ramasamy Venugopal (15 minutes)
17:40 – 17:55 Open Discussion (25 minutes)
17:55 – 18:00 Closing remarks
For more information, get in contact with us at: info@astro4dev.org. The AfAS conference will be hybrid and everyone is welcome to attend. To register, follow the link.
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