The Arab Regional Office and Arabic Language Expertise Center will officially join the IAU-Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) network later this week. The inauguration will be held in Amman, Jordan, on 2 and 3 December 2015.

The inauguration will be attended by the IAU General Secretary (Piero Benvenuti), Director of the OAD (Kevin Govender), representatives from the host institution and from Arab states in the region. Dr Awni Al-Khasawneh, the General Secretary of Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS), and the General Director of the Royal Jordanian Geographic Centre (RJGC), will deliver the welcome address. Professor Hamid Al-Naimiy, President of the AUASS and Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, will read a statement and Professor Dia Eddin Arafa, President of Al al-bayt University, will give the opening address. The meeting will have individual sessions focusing on Astronomy-for-Development, astronomical projects and capacity building in the Arab world, in addition to a round table discussion. A meeting of the Regional Office Steering Committee will also be convened during this time.

The Arab Regional Office (Arab-ROAD) and Arabic Language Expertise Center (Arabic-LOAD) will be hosted by the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS) which is located at the Royal Jordanian Geographical Centre (RJGC) in Amman, Jordan. In addition the RJGC hosts the Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education which is affiliated to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).

Dr Awni Al-Khasawneh stated: “The approval of IAU regional office, which has been decided last August during the IAU General Assembly, is an important step for our Arab countries to maintain good scientific relations with the international astronomical community. It will provide opportunities for our young astronomers and students to be trained and participate in many international conferences.”

ROADs and LOADs are offices based around the world with similar objectives as the OAD but with regional focus. “Regions” could be geographical (neighboring countries) or cultural (e.g. shared language and culture globally). The combined Arab-ROAD/Arabic-LOAD is one of nine regional offices, with others located in Armenia, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Portugal, Thailand and Zambia.

Links

• OAD press release
• OAD website
• AUASS website
• United Nations Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education
• The IAU Strategic Plan
• The Announcement of Opportunity for new regional offices

Contacts

Kevin Govender
Director, IAU Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD)
Tel: +27 21 460 9350
Cell: +27 82 487 8466
Email: kg@astro4dev.org

Dr.Awni Moh'd Al-khasawneh
Director General, Royal Jordanian Geographic Center (RJGC)
Secretary General, Arab Union for Astronomy & Space Science (AUASS)
Email: kawni@yahoo.com