Meeting for the Arab Speaking Planetarium

26 June 2010

Last June, Marc Rouleau, Planetarium coordinator at Sharjah Higher Colleges of technology Planetarium sent out letters and emails to the known planetariums in Arabic speaking countries. The reason is to put forth the proposal that organize an "Arabic Language Planetarium Association" and to present for recognition by the International Planetarium Society at its next biennial meeting in Alexandria, Egypt in June 2010.

So far Marc has received support from planetariums in Alexandria, Tunis, Kuwait, Muscat, and Baghdad, and there is support from the UAE planetariums (there are six permanent planetariums and one portable planetarium in UAE).

The IPS standing rules are at:

http:/ /www.ips-planetarium.org/or/rules/ByLaws&StandingRulesIPS2009.pdf

To be recognized by the Executive Council of the IPS we will need to come up with a "mission statement, a constitution, or set of by-laws approved by its membership:' We also need to meet a minimum number of individual members and institutions (see rule III. B.). Since Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, and Egypt are also represented in the French language planetarium group, we need at least 10 IPS members from at least five institutions to meet the qualification.

We should plan to meet in advance of the IPS 2010 meeting in Alexandria in order to complete our membership requirements. This could take place over a weekend this Autumn or Winter, or even just the day before the main IPS meeting in Alexandria.

The meeting agenda for this meeting will contains few questions/items:

• How should the group be organized?
• Election of the officers
• The fund for the group.
• Will the business of the planetarium group be conducted in Arabic or English?
• Will we publish some kind of newsletter?
• Will we hold annual meetings for our members?
• How will we work, as a group, with vendors?
• what should be the name of the group?

We think the goals of the group should be not only help its own members, but also to promote globally the roots of modern astronomy to early Arabic/Islamic astronomers who came before the European Renaissance.

To help with this goals, The participants requested to prepare a workshop, a paper, or a symposium related to the Islamic influences and contributions in astronomy.

For any investigation concerning the contribution please contact Marc Rouleau (His e-mail is marc.rouleau@hct.ac.ae ).

Planetariums in Arabic Speaking Countries (from IPS directory):

• Planetarium, ACP Alger Centre: Algiers, Algeria
• Planetarium, Universite Emir Abdel Kader: Constantine, Algeria
• Planetarium: Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria
• Bibliotheca Alexandrina Planetarium: Alexandria, Egypt
• Planetarium, Egyptian Military Academy: Cairo, Egypt
• Planetarium: Baghdad, Iraq
• Planetarium, Ministry of Youth: Baghdad, Iraq
• Planetarium, University of Basra (closed}:fla-sral traq
• Planetarium, Haya Cultural Centre for Child Development: Amman, Jordan
• Kuwait Science Club Planetarium: Safat, Kuwait
• Planetarium, Kuwait National Museum: Safat, Kuwait
• Planetarium, University of Garyounis: Benghazi, Libya
• Planetarium, Facility of Maritime Studies: Tripoli, Libya
• Planetarium, Peoples Committee for Information and Culture: Tripoli, Libya
• Planetarium, Institut Fran~ais de l'Oriental, Oujda, Morocco
• Planetarium de Rabat, Association Ribath AI Fath: Rabat/Souissi,
• Morocco PDO Planetarium, PDO at Oil & Gas Exhibition Center: Muscat, Oman
• Planetarium, Shafallah Center for Children with Special Needs: Doha, Qatar Planetarium, King Abdul Aziz University: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Planetarium (under construction): Onizah, Saudi Arabia
• Planetarium, King Fahd Cultural Center: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Planetarium, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Planetarium, Centre National Pedagogique: Tunis, Tunisia
• Planetarium, Cite des Sciences: Tunis, Tunisia
• Planetarium, Children's City: Dubai, United Arab Emirats.
• Planetarium, Dubai Mall: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Planetarium, GEMS World Academy: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Starlab, Arab Youth venture Foundation: Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
• AI Khan Planetarium: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Planetarium, Sharjah Science Museum: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Planetarium, Sharjah Higher Colleges of Technology : Sharjah, United Arab Emirates