Institute Of Space Technology is organizing a four day activity based program to celebrate World Space Week at its campus at Islamabad from 6th to 10th November 2014, with a view to generate space awareness among the general public and students from a large number of schools and colleges of the twin cities and surrounding areas.


World Space Week (WSW) is celebrated in accordance with the United Nation’s General Assembly’s declaration of 1999. The Third United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNISPACE III) suggested the celebration of the World Space Week. Pakistan is endeavoring to enter into the realm of Space Science and Technology and related applications. The success of any space program relies greatly on public understanding and support. It is, therefore important to communicate the benefits of Space Technology to the public on regular basis.


The theme of WSW for the year 2014 is “Space: Guiding Your Way”. With this theme World Space Week will highlight the benefits of satellite navigation to society. Over recent years society has come to rely heavily on positioning and timing data from a large network of satellites. This dependency will increase even further with the release of multiple new systems on top of the existing Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) network. With these new systems we are seeing a tremendous growth of downstream applications being developed for all imaginable professional and personal uses.


The World Space Week began with an impressively elegant opening ceremony here on 6th November at IST. Dr. Najam Abbas Head of Student Affairs Department gave the welcome address featuring a detailed briefing about the importance and objectives of WSW 2014 theme, celebrations and competitions included in the World Space Week. Dr. Zaffar M. Khan Director General ORIC IST, graced the occasion as Chief Guest. He enlightened the audience with his scholarly views about Space: Guiding Your Way – the theme for this years World Space Week.


The inaugural ceremony was followed by a very interesting gathering named as Space March featuring over 1000 students of different schools and colleges carrying many display cards showing Space slogans with the theme Space: Guiding Your Way.


Day 1 activities had many space themed competitions and activities SPACE IN QURAN, SPACE DECLAMATIONS, AERO MODELING COMPETITION, COLONIZING SPACE, SPACE CREATIVE WRITING, SPACE CREATIVE ARTS including Painting Competition Sketching Competition Calligraphy Competition Wall Graffiti Competition Space Cartoon/ Caricature Competition Creative Arts Competitions among the school/college students on the theme related with Space Technology, Navigation and Applications, e- Poster Designing Competition, SPACE MODELS Competition, SPACE PHOTOGRAPHY, SPACE GAMING, SOLAR OBSERVATIONS, SPACE SIMULATIONS having Planetarium, SPACE BIBLIO RENDEZVOUS having a book stall and library having books on the theme of Space Technology, Navigation and Applications, PAPER PLANE COMPETITION, SPACE CINEMA, SPACE LABS, SPACE CARAVAN, SPACE CAREER STATION, SPACE FAIR having collection of food courts, kids arena and other entertaining and educational stalls.


About 60 different schools and colleges participated in the day 1 events. A large number of students attended, participated and watched the exhibits and showed their keen interest in the displayed models, projects and the Space Arts work.


Day 2 November 7, 2014 activities will have SPACE DECLAMATIONS, SPACE QUIZ, SOLAR OBSERVATIONS, SPACE THEATRE, SPACE KIDS, COLONIZING SPACE Space Settlement Design Competition, SATELLITE NAVIGATION APPLICATION COMPETITION, SPACE POETRY, GLIDER COMPETITION, PAPER PLANE COMPETITION, PAYLOAD DESIGN COMPETITION, SPACE MATHEMATICA, SPACE MODELS, ASTRONOMY NIGHT, SPACE BIBLIO RENDEZVOUS, SPACE SIMULATIONS Planetarium, SPACE CINEMA, SPACE LABS TOUR, SPACE CARAVAN, SPACE CAREER STATION, SPACE FAIR.


Day 3 November 8, 2014 activities will have WATER ROCKET COMPETITION, SPACE MODELS, PAPER PLANE COMPETITION, SPACE VIDEOGRAPHY, SPACE SIMULATIONS, SPACE BIBLIO RENDEZVOUS, SPACE CINEMA, SPACE LABS TOUR, SPACE CARAVAN, SPACE FAIR, PRIZE DISTRIBUTION CEREMONY.


Day 4 November 10, 2014 activities will have SPACE TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS TRAINING WORKSHOP A training session will be conducted for the School/College Teachers on the theme of Space Technology, Navigation and Applications, e – SPACE TALKS Professor and experts will deliver on-line lectures on the theme related with Space Technology, Navigation and Applications and it will be broadcasted to all universities via HEC link.


Revolution in the space technology is inevitable. It is the need of hour to have a deep knowledge of space technology and its applications for a country like Pakistan in order to meet the challenges of having accurate information of weather forecasting, disaster management, mobile and satellite communication etc. The importance of space technology cannot be denied as it will ultimately lead to the solutions of the worlds problems and betterment of mankind and IST is contributing to the cause in true sense.

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