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Pakistan celebrates World Space Week 2017

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Saqlain Naqvi
Saqlain Naqvi
Saqlain Naqvi is an Islamabad-based journalist who has also worked in PR sector previously.

World Space Week 2017 commences at Institute of Space Technology

The World Space Week 2017 activities in Pakistan kicked off on October 4th with fun events, informative sessions and contests, taking youth on an amazing journey of space exploration.

Institute of Space Technology (IST) launched a four-day activity-based program in collaboration with the National Space Agency of Pakistan (SUPARCO) to celebrate World Space Week (WSW) at its campus at Islamabad from October 4-7, 2017.

Mr. Qaiser Anees Khurram HI(M), Chairman of SUPARCO was the chief guest at the event. Sharing the developments of Pakistan’s national space agency, Mr. Khurram said, “Pakistan will launch 2 new satellites, including its first remote sensing satellite in 2018.”

Speaking at the ceremony, he encouraged the students to take interest in the field of space science while briefing them about the benefits of space technology. He also applauded the efforts of Institute of Space Technology for creating awareness about space technology among the youth.

Students present their artworks at World Space Week 2017 event at Institute of Space Technology in Islamabad.
Students present their artworks at World Space Week 2017 event at Institute of Space Technology in Islamabad.

World Space Week is organized every year at IST to educate young generation about space science and technology because these technologies are greatly benefiting humans and is improving our lives every day, said Imran Rahman, Vice Chancellor at Institute of Space Technology.

“IST offers state-of-the-art training facilities, hands-on experience, and merit-based admission to more than 1600 students. IST is tremendously contributing to country’s space program” Mr. Rahman told TVI. “We also facilitate  forensic analysis which helps local airlines save millions. IST is Pakistan’s only University to have built and launched a Cubesat satellite, iCUBE-1, which was launched in 2013.

World Space Week 2017 event at Institute of Space Technology in Islamabad.
Students present their artworks at World Space Week 2017 event at Institute of Space Technology in Islamabad.

The theme for WSW 2017 is “Exploring New Worlds in Space”. This year’s theme will enable the debates surrounding where we explore next, be it on Moon, Mars or even beyond, to inspire event organizers to set up exciting space exploration events at schools, universities, science centers, planetaria, astronomy clubs, companies, and even museums.

World Space Week celebrations in 2017 will open-up avenues to improve the vast human knowledge and awareness of the clear benefits of space technology and its applications. This will also illustrate that our exploration potential has no end, and that the sky is not the limit for the many wonders of human discovery.

SUPARCO Member Range and Instrumentation (R&I), Ayaz Aziz said that “World Space Week excites young people, especially students to understand our universe and how much it has to offer and encourages them to seek knowledge, education and careers in the fields of Space science & technology”.

The World Space Week celebrations would be held simultaneously from October 4 to 10 in 16 cities of Pakistan.

 Group photo of students and teachers at World Space Week 2017.
Group photo of students and teachers at World Space Week 2017.

Activities at World Space Week 2017

The events and activities of WSW 2017 included Space Quiz, Space Innovation, Shooting The Night Sky, Space Birthday Party, Live Space Telescope, Navigating Google Earth, Space Image Interpretation, Colonizing Space, Geo Caching, Pin Hole Camera Design,  Space Environmental Solutions, Air crash Investigations, Space Junk Design, Space Olympics Design, Space Documentation, Space Creative Essay & Story Writing, Aero Modeling,  Glider making, Water Rocket, Space Model Competition, Space Fine Arts, Painting, Sketching, Calligraphy and Graffiti, Space Characters, Space Videography and Photography, Space Souvenir Designing, Spacesuit Designing, Mathematical Hunt, Space Cinema, Space Simulations, Space Theatre , Space Story Telling, Space Entrepreneurship, Space Commercialization, Space Awareness and Space Character Parade.

Students working on their artistic pieces at Space Fine Arts contest. Photo by Sana Jamal
Students working on their artistic pieces at Space Fine Arts contest. Photo by Sana Jamal

World Space Week

World Space Week is an annual event that is observed from 4 October to 10 October 2017 all across the world. World Space Week was established by the United Nations in 1999 to celebrate ‘the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition’.

Throughout the world, space events are being held to celebrate, educate and inspire the children and general public about Space and its benefits to humankind.

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