The Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) has the honor of hosting the 20th International Planetarium Society Conference (IPS2010), taking place for the first time in Africa and the Middle East at the BA Conference Center in Alexandria, Egypt, in the period 26-30 June 2010.

IPS2010 is organized by the BA Planetarium Science Center (PSC), under the title “Back to Alexandria, the Cradle of Astronomy” in acknowledgement of the important role the ancient Library of Alexandria played in enriching all fields of science, with special emphasis on astronomy. The overarching theme of IPS2010, “The History of Astronomy”, resonates with the conference’s location, Egypt, a country that has significantly contributed to the human heritage, since the Pharaonic civilization and for decades to follow.

IPS2010 will feature an opening reception, honored by the presence of H.E. Admiral Adel Labib, Governor of Alexandria, Egypt; the Minister of Education; H.E. Dr. Hany Helal, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Library of Alexandria; Dr. Farouk Elbaz, Director of the Center for Remote Sensing, Boston University, USA; in addition to other prominent national and international speakers. The IPS2010 will host vendors exhibitions, planetarium sessions, panel sessions, and workshops, all in the English language with simultaneous translation in French and Arabic.

On the regional level, all these deliberations taking place for the first time in Egypt, the meeting point of Eastern and Western civilizations and Africa’s gateway to the world, are expected to push the cradle and mark a new milestone in the history of astronomy in the region. Moreover, gathering astronomy scientists, researchers and industry from the four corners of the globe will not only enrich the IPS2010 activities, but will also stimulate participants to take an active part in the development and progress of astronomy and planetariums. The conference is anticipated to revive the role of Arab astronomers to recapture the recognition of their ancestors during the golden age of Islam.

The main objective of IPS2010 is to foster cooperation between participating planetariums, science centers and museums. In modern times, networking and exchanging expertise and resources on the national, regional and international levels are the means to keep up with the rapid progress in science and technology. Moreover, IPS2010 is expected to raise the stakeholders’, decision makers’ and public’s awareness of the essential role of planetariums in informal science education. It is also expected that this gathering will enhance the establishment of new planetariums in Africa and the Middle East to meet the regional high demand for science edutainment facilities.

The new Library of Alexandria aspires to be a focal point where scholars from all over the world gather to discuss, research and develop new technologies. Using state-of-the-art technology, the BA seeks collaboration with other organizations, institutions and planetariums around the world for the benefit of the national, regional and international communities.