The largest public space event on earth is just around the corner
The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week (WSW) will be held each year from October 4-10. The dates were in recognition of the October 4, 1957 launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration and the October 10, 1967 signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. World Space Week aims to:
- Provide unique leverage in space outreach and education
- Educate people around the world about the benefits that they receive from space
- Encourage greater use of space for sustainable economic development
- Demonstrate public support for space programs
- Excite young people about science, technology, engineering, and math
- Foster international cooperation in space outreach and education
We cannot overemphasise how WSW 2017 broke records with over 4,000 events which were held in countries which are not top space-faring nations which showed the strength of WSW in developing nations
The themes are being selected to provide a focus of the activities and events that takes place in over 80 nations. Here is a list of WSW’s themes from 2010 to 2019
2010 –Mysteries of the Cosmos
2011 – 50 years of Human Space Fight
2012 – Space for Human Safety and Security
2013 – Exploring Mars- Discovering Earth
2014 – Space: Guiding Your Way
2015 – Discovery
2016 – Remote Sensing-Enabling our Future
2017- Exploring New Worlds in Space
2018- Space Unites the World
And 2019 theme got us creating pictures and imaginations of what World Space Week 2019 would look like and here goes the theme…
2019- The Moon: Gateway to the Stars
World Space Week events have been confirmed in African countries like Algeria, Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Sudan – as the date come closer, we hope to confirm more WSW events across the continent.
If you are planning a space-related event or programme during the timeframe of World Space Week, please register here
