AZORES | “Space For Our Planet” exhibition in Ponta Delgada until November 2

The office of the Regional Under Secretary of the Presidency, through the Azores Mission Structure for Space (EMA-Espaço), in partnership with the Municipality of Ponta Delgada and the Portuguese Space Agency, is promoting the international exhibition “Space For Our Planet,” which will be open to the public at Praça Gonçalo Velho Cabral – Ponta Delgada until November 2.

The exhibition looks at the role that space plays in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. It aims to raise awareness of how space provides innovative solutions and contributes to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Created in 2021, the exhibition, made up of 40 panels, has been on display in some of the world’s leading capitals such as New York, Brussels or Paris. It has also been associated with major strategic events such as Expo Dubai, featuring real testimonials from academics, fishers, astronauts, students, teachers and scientists, among others, including the testimonial of four Portuguese citizens.

Each of the testimonies is presented by the portrait of one of the “actors of change,” who uses or benefits from space technology or applications that contribute to building an increasingly sustainable future. 

The exhibition explains how Earth Observation systems provide scientists with essential data on melting ice, rising sea levels and weather events that help analyse the impact of climate change and anticipate solutions. It also highlights how communication and geolocation satellites connect us to the most remote regions of the world, guaranteeing populations better access to health and education, and how astronomy can inspire younger generations and help reduce inequality. 

The initiative is sponsored by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The founding partners of the exhibition are the European Space Agency (ESA), and the European Commission, through DG DEFIS), later joined by the Portuguese Space Agency – Portugal Space, and the French (CNES), Italian (ASI), and German (DLR) counterparts, as well as NEREUS – Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies, which includes the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and the Canadian association GIVE.

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU