OAD Regional Offices Activities - IAU Office of Astronomy for Development

Regional Offices Activities: APR – JUN 2026

Education (NASE): Held 7 didactic courses across South and Central America, published new educational books (Sky Colors (Colores del Cielo for Spanish) and 6 First Step to the Universe, (6 Primeros Pasos Hacia el Universo for Spanish)), and launched the “Bridges Between Cultures” project focused on exoplanets.
Astronomy Beyond Common Sense: Confirmed details for the 4th Workshop of Astronomy for Equity and Inclusion (4WAI) in Cancún (scheduled for Nov 30–Dec 1, 2026), with abstract submissions now open.
Dark Skies in America: Formed a new regional Working Group on Light Pollution, which is developing protection guidelines and an “Andean Dark Sky Seal” certification. The office also advised the government of Malargue, Argentina, on new dark sky protection ordinances.
Andean Light (Astrotourism): The initial training program was successful, and a second version is being planned for the second half of 2026.
Other Activities: Initiated a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Tourism of Salta (Argentina), began preparations for the VI Workshop de Astronomía en los Andes (scheduled for Feb 2027), and participated in regional lecture series.

Delivered online lectures and workshops on topics including Artemis, space agriculture, astronomical events, the 2027 total solar eclipse, and cosmology.
Engaged schools and universities through astronomy lectures, exhibitions, observatory visits, and hands-on solar observation activities.
Promoted inclusive astronomy with dedicated programmes for students with hearing challenges and activities for young learners.
Supported planetarium development, practical space science, and STEM engagement through interactive planetarium presentations, Mars exploration workshops, and space technology demonstrations.
Strengthened partnerships with regional astronomy organizations, universities, and schools to expand the reach of astronomy for development initiatives.

Ethiopia: The office collaborated on the “Astronomy for mental well-being” pilot event, provided astronomy training for Don Bosco students, supported secondary school research in Batu/Zway, and signed an MoU between the Ethiopian Space Science and Geospatial Institute and the Spanish National Research Council.
Uganda: The office conducted a three-week master’s program in physics at Muni University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) and organized a meeting with female physics students at MUST.
Tanzania: Recent initiatives include the “Sharing the Sky” regional workshop for young researchers, the advancement of the Kilimanjaro telescope project to the feasibility study stage, and continued development of the Tanzania Cubesat kit.
Research & Collaborations: Ongoing galaxy formation and evolution research involves collaborations across Spain, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Kenya, supporting 5 PhD students and 1 master’s student. The office is also organizing a special session at the Spanish Astronomical Society’s bi-annual meeting in July 2026.
Outreach: Stargazing programs were held in June to coincide with the vertical planetary lineup.

World Portuguese Language Day (May 5): PLOAD hosted a YouTube Live event to share news and launch a new 2026-2027 project focused on space and scientific knowledge, supported by the Airbus Foundation.
PLOAD’s 11th Anniversary: Following a Mail Art Call, 12 winners and 10 honorable mentions were selected across four categories. Winners were awarded virtual visits to PLOAD-affiliated institutions in Portugal, Macau, Brazil, and Angola.
General Relativity Commemoration: Teachers from Príncipe Island visited Portugal to mark the 107th anniversary of the observations that validated the Theory of General Relativity.
CAP Conference 2026: PLOAD presented an oral communication titled “Astronomy in the Mailbox – A Decade of PLOAD: Connecting Science and Society” at the conference held in Yerevan, Armenia, in late May.

The SAROAD website has been relaunched with an updated design. https://southernafrica.astro4dev.org/
Open-day outreach using a planetarium. Collaboration between Namibia and Zambia
Girls in science visit to high schools

Dobsonian Telescopes for Schools (May 22–24, 2026): A two-day training workshop was conducted, during which 50 telescopes were added to the loan program, bringing the total to 760 telescopes across Thailand.
DIY Planetarium Workshop (June 5–7, 2026): 40 DIY planetarium domes were donated to schools, contributing to a current total of 210 domes across 70 provinces in Thailand.
Conference on Astronomical Activities in School (CAAS) (June 12–14, 2026): This event focused on new activities, hosting 150 teachers and featuring 56 presentations.
Thai Astronomical Conference – student session (TACs) (June 26–28, 2026): Approximately 200 students and teachers participated, presenting 73 research projects.
Southeast Asia Planetarium, Education, and Outreach Conference (SEA-PEO) (November 23–25, 2026): An upcoming regional collaboration event to be held in Cebu, Philippines. Note that registration for this conference closes on July 15, 2026.

Public Outreach: In April, our “From School to Space” program connected professional astronomers with students across 30 Armenian schools.
International Engagement: The team represented the region at major international forums, including the Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM) in Hong Kong, the IVOA meetings in Strasbourg, and the EAS Annual Meeting in Lausanne.
Celebrating Science & Heritage: Hosted the prestigious Communicating Astronomy with the Public (CAP-2026) conference in Yerevan in May. June marked a special milestone as we celebrated the 15th anniversary of the BAO’s recognition as a UNESCO “Memory of the World” documentary heritage item, inviting ambassadors from several countries to join the celebration.
Education & Capacity Building: Local activities included the Armenian Republican Olympiads award ceremony, the “Stellar Frequencies” event with the German Goethe Institute, an ICOMOS CIPA Summer School, and a local Math Camp.
Upcoming: IAU I-HOW in Radio Astronomy (September 2026) and future planning for international astronomy schools.