The emerging audience seeks to discover the interesting sciences and not the complex sciences, and therefore in order for the child to be attentive during the learning process, the goal must be not only to simplify science, but also to endear it to the youth.
Believing from Al Akhawayn University in the importance of science in building nations and civilizations and convinced of the necessity of spreading it to all segments of society so that it becomes a lever as in the past of our civilization and an essential component of development and progress in our country, we are organizing the tenth session of the Astronomy Festival in partnership with a group of associations and non-governmental organizations interested in spreading astronomy in Morocco under the banner of young astronomers. In these terms, festival director Hassan Dagmawy expressed that Al Akhawayn University continues its determination to present astronomy culture to the public and spread it among young people.
The tenth edition of the Ifrane Astronomy Festival was held under the supervision of the Astronomy Club at Al Akhawayn University from June 22 to 26 in the city of Ifrane, central Morocco, with the participation of 20 astronomical associations and clubs from various regions of Morocco.
Speaking to Al Jazeera Net via e-mail, Hassan Dagmaoui says that the tenth session focuses on young people, and witnesses the participation of a large number of astronomical actors in Morocco of various disciplines and of different ages.
Scientific speaking competitions for the first time
To create an atmosphere of competition among young people in the field of science in Morocco, a scientific speaking competition was organized, which is a qualitative addition to the festival this year, where competitors competed in the adult and junior categories in both Arabic and English, and the results resulted in the winning of 3 teams in the junior category and 3 teams in the adult category.
These competitions, according to Hassan Al-Daghmawi, aim to encourage young people to take up scientific and astronomical topics in particular, then train to simplify them, and encourage them to exchange them with people to spread them, then gain self-confidence and acquire the skill of oratory.
In addition to crowning the winners of these competitions, Dr. Youssef Moulin and Dr. Maryam Yagoury were also crowned as the best two young scientists from Morocco in astronomy, and the Al-Tariq Foundation in Astronomy was crowned in the category of the best astronomical educational activity in Morocco.
In addition, the High Energies Physics and Astrophysics Club was crowned as the best astronomy club in Morocco, the Sahara Astronomy Society in Laayoune was crowned as the best astronomical society, and in addition to it, the Dakhla Astronomy Club was crowned as the best emerging astronomical society.
Muhammad Houhou was also crowned the best “tonic professor” in astronomy, and Nabil Bousta was crowned in the category of the best astronomical image, while the award for the best tonic inside the planetarium went to Nasser Al-Saqli, and finally Alaa Ghatous was crowned with the award for the best astronomer-navigator tonic.
Scientific workshops for children and youth
The festival program included various scientific workshops in space sciences, simulation of the night sky under the planetarium and observation of sunspots by telescope, directed to children and young people in schools near Al Akhawayn University, and they are workshops under the supervision of a group of researchers, professors and astronomy facilitators in Morocco.
Dr. Murad Farraj, one of the workshop facilitators at the festival, points out to Al Jazeera Net, “The emerging audience seeks to discover interesting sciences, not complex sciences, and thus the child is a listener through the learning process. One of the cosmic journeys in the history of science.
Dr. Hassan Al-Talbi, who presented a series of workshops at the festival, told Al Jazeera Net, “These workshops aim to scientifically understand phenomena, learn about new topics that are not found in school curricula, discover talents, and learn about the role of Arab-Islamic civilization.”
Hassan Al-Daghmawi confirms that the festival, as in the previous sessions, pays special attention to the child, who is the basis of the future. Which would endear him to science.
public lectures
The festival was open to the public to interact with scientists and researchers in scientific lectures aimed at simplifying astronomy issues for a non-specialist audience; The number of participants in the various activities of the festival was estimated at two thousand.
In this regard, Professor Hassan Al-Daghmawi points out that “the festival seeks to spread scientific and astronomical culture in particular, and to introduce this field to all groups, bring it closer to them, and raise awareness of its scientific, aesthetic, civilizational and value importance. associated with it”.
This year’s topics were divided between what is civilized, such as the subject of the astrolabe, and what is purely scientific, such as the subject of meteors and miniature satellites, and then the exploitation of asteroids; Such as the nature of the universe and the astronomical phenomena of the apparent path of the sun in the planetarium, and some of them are educational values such as what astronomical phenomena teach us, and some of them aim to link science with the past and the present, such as robotics and its use in astronomy between the past and the present.
In addition to lectures and formative workshops, scientific exhibitions and astronomical evenings had a distinguished position in the festival. Where it formed an element of attraction for the general public, especially with regard to the use of binoculars.
