The Host Institute (NRIAG)

NRIAG hosted the activities of the International Summer Schools in astronomy for young astronomers (ISYA), three times, in 1981, 1994, and recently in 2018, with the cooperation of IAU, OYA, Norwegian Academy of Sciences & Letters, and UNESCO, at Kottamia Observatory and NRIAG. 

In 2009, the Egyptian National Committee of Astronomy organized a public celebration of the IAY in cooperation with both of Japanese Embassy in Egypt and the Ministry of Education. Egyptian and Japanese Primary, Prep. Secondary school students and their science teachers joined some general lectures, and they visited the Kottamia observatory. The students followed some celestial objects, using small telescopes, aiming to discover the surrounding universe.

NRIAG opens its ancient museum at Helwan for the public and students. It is visited regularly, aiming to increase awareness about Astronomy and Space Sciences as social topics. Within the frame of the visit of the museum, a short visit to our old 30-inch telescope and the Solar observatory is done. It is worth mentioning, the number of visitors may reach to more than 5000 persons/year.

NRIAG organizes an exhibition and special sessions through the Cairo International Book Fair, 2 weeks annually, and this activity may be visited by more than one million people. We also present astronomical books and models. Astronomical lectures for the public, observing nights with live discussions, are submitted.

NRIAG periodically organizes Arabic conferences in Astronomy and Geophysics every two years since 2008, with wide contributions from North Africa, the Middle East, and all over the world. It is planned to have a session about the Education of Astronomy.

In 2015, a year of light, we shared the celebration by holding many one-day meetings about light pollution and saving energy. We had an outreach point on that occasion.

Five years ago, a NOC of IAU in Egypt (National Outreach Coordinator) was hosted in our institute (NRIAG) . Also, the contact point about the celebration of IAU 100 (Under the same sky).

Upon the commission of the National Committee, some members of NRIAG participate in checking the curricula contents about the astronomical information in the different stages of education to confirm the accuracy of the astronomical information, and to submit a report on the proposed amendments to the Minister of Education.