The Pakistan Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) has drawn up an elaborate program to celebrate World Space Week (WSW) 2010 from October 4 to 10 in a befitting manner. The WSW is an annual event and is celebrated in some 50 countries of the world.
The week is observed for its contribution to the improvisation of the human condition and is considered as an international celebration of science and technology. WSW is the largest public space event in the world. Last year, it was celebrated by more than 55 nations. US President Obama had joined the celebrations by hosting a Star Party at the White House.
The week was declared in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly, implementing a key recommendation of the Third United Nations Conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space (Unispace III. The objective of WSW is to increase awareness among decision-makers and the general public of the benefits of peaceful uses of outer space. It encourages greater use of space for sustainable economic development and demonstrates public support for space programs.
It has become the largest annual public space event on earth. Government agencies, industries, schools, museums, planetariums and other institutions in over 50 nations participate in WSW. It is co-ordinated by the United Nations with the support of Space Week International Association (SWIA) and local co-ordinators in many countries. WSW tries to encourage, educate and support space exploration world-wide through various programs and activities centered on a central theme.
Suparco shall hold an inauguration ceremony on Monday at National Centre for Remote Sensing & Geo Informatics (NCRG), Karachi, to formally commence WSW 2010 celebrations in Pakistan. The chief guest of the ceremony shall be NED University vice-chancellor Engr Abul Kalam. The ceremony will be followed by a seminar on the theme of WSW 2010 'Mysteries of Cosmos'.
A specially designed mobile education bus, equipped with multimedia, shall leave for interior Sindh to create awareness of space through lectures, multimedia presentations and video shows in towns and villages of Sindh to create awareness of space among students.
On October 5 and 6 a quiz competition and a declamation contest shall be held among students of different public and private schools of Karachi at Suparco headquarters. Suparco in collaboration with PIA planetarium Karachi has also arranged to conduct sky simulation shows and lectures for school students. On October 7 a space awareness lecture session has been planned for science teachers of various schools.
The celebrations at Karachi shall culminate with a one day Space Family Fair (SFF) that is planned to be held at NCRG. Finals of quiz and declamation competition shall also be held followed by a closing ceremony announcing winners of different contests conducted during the week.
The SFF shall include different colourful activities like sky observation, kid's arena, food court, movies on space and water rocket demonstration will be the major attractions. Activities of WSW 2010 will be held simultaneously in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore.
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