BANGLADESH PARTICIPATED IN IYA-2009
OPENING CEREMONY IN PARIS
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A partial view of UNESCO Head Quarters in Paris |
On 15-16 January, the Opening Ceremony of International Year of Astronomy 2009 was held at UNESCO Head Quarters in Paris. Delegates from about 136 countries, different Organizations, Government Officials, Diplomats, Scientists, Nobel Laureates, Astronauts and important
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Mr. Kiochiro Matsuura, Director-General UNESCO delivers Welcome Address |
Personalities around the world attended the Ceremony. United Nations declared 2009 as an International Year of Astronomy to mark the 400 th Anniversary of the First Observation of Sky by the eminent Italian Astronomer Galileo Galilei through Telescope. This Celebration has been jointly arranged by UNESCO and IAU (International Astronomical Union).
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Mrs. Catherine Cesarsky, President, IAU delivers Inaugural Speech |
A Two-Member Delegation from Bangladesh participated in this Opening Ceremony, they were Dr. A. R. Khan, President of Bangladesh Astronomical Society and Mr. F. R. Sarker, General Secretary of Bangladesh Astronomical Society and Single Point of Contact (SPoC) of IYA-2009 for Bangladesh .
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Dr. A. R. Khan and Mr. F.R. Sarker are seen attending the Opening Ceremony of IYA2009 |
On 15 January, the Inauguration program started at 9 am, UNESCO Director-General Mr. Koichiro Matsuura delivered the Welcome Speech and the keynote paper was read out by Catherine Cesarsky, the President of International Astronomical Union.During this Ceremony Scientists from different countries delivered their lectures and
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Dr. A.R.Khan with Mrs. Catherine Cesarsky, President, IAU |
showed multimedia presentations on various fields of Astronomy which includes Evolution of the Universe, Exo-Planets, Are We Alone, Existence of Aliens, Paralleled Universe, Big Bang, Black Holes etc. The main Theme of
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F.R. Sarker with Mrs. Cathrine Cesarsky, President, IAU |
this IYA2009 celebration is “The Universe, Yours to Discover” which renders the visions and goals to engage the general people in Astronomy and introduce with Planets, Stars and other Celestial objects through various programs of Sky Observation around the world.During the meeting Dr. A R Khan and Mr. F R Sarker met with IAU President
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F. R. Sarker is talking with Noble Laurette, Bob Wilson |
Ms. Catherine Cesarsky, USA Nobel Prize winner Bob Wilson, IYA2009 International Coordinator Pedro Russo and Chief of Cosmic Diary and Cornerstone Projects Mariana Barrosa.They discussed on various issues about the year long Celebration and appraised of the plans and programs that would be held in Bangladesh .
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F. R. Sarker with Pedro Russo, the Coordinator of IYA2009 |
On 16 January, in evening a captivating musical event was performed by Grammy award winner German musical team Kronos Quartet.IYA officials highly appreciated the activities of Bangladesh Astronomical Society,
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UNESCO Head Quarters snapped from top floor of Eiffel Tower |
specially for the Inauguration Ceremony of IYA2009 in Bangladesh which was held on 1 January, 2009 at Enayetpur, Sirajganj in which thousands of people including Students, Teachers and Space Enthusiasts were present in that spectacular Astronomical event.
