Speaker
Description
The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach has a mission to make astronomy accessible to everyone and it does this through coordinating public engagement and astronomy science communication worldwide. The office works by connecting people globally with the Universe through inclusive, accessible, and culturally relevant astronomy outreach and public engagement. Through its global network of National Outreach Coordinators (NOCs), institutional partnerships, and international programmes, the IAU OAO advances the IAU’s mission to use astronomy as a tool for education, inspiration, and societal development. Its activities span multilingual educational resources, global campaigns, training initiatives,professionalization of astronomy communication and international observances that reach diverse audiences across continents.
A prominent example of this global mission in action is the 100 Hours of Astronomy campaign, led by the IAU OAO. The 100 hours of astronomy 2025 was in partnership with the International Planetarium Society to commemorate the centenary of the modern planetarium. This worldwide coordinated initiative combined local community activation with a continuous 24-hour multilingual livestream, 24 Hours of Planetariums, designed to expand participation beyond traditional institutional networks and empower grassroots engagement. The campaign mobilised 136 community Nodes across 51 countries, resulting in 309 registered events that reached thousands of learners, educators, and first-time participants worldwide. In many cases, the campaign enabled first-time astronomy experiences in communities with limited access to scientific infrastructure.
This plenary presentation will highlight the IAU OAO’s global mission, strategic framework, and measurable impact, using the 100 Hours of Astronomy 2025 campaign as a case study in scalable, inclusive science communication. It will explore how coordinated storytelling, community-driven participation, and hybrid digital–local engagement models can democratise access to astronomy and strengthen global scientific culture. The lessons learned provide a roadmap for future large-scale outreach initiatives that connect diverse publics under one shared sky and reinforce astronomy’s role as a universal human endeavour.
| Stream | Education, Development and Outreach |
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