The
International Year Of Astronomy IYA2009 will be taking place in 2009. IYA 2009 is meant to bring to the people of the world what Astronomy and Science has done for us and how it can help to create a caring and understanding society so we may all get along in a more peaceful and understanding way.
IYA 2009 will focus on introducing astronomy to the global community and to the children and young adults of the world to help foster discovery and interest in Astronomy and other sciences. It will also help educate on how Astronomy and other sciences affect our daily lives.
IYA events will take place during the year at regional and global levels with a more concentrated effort at the national and local levels. Each country will be assigned what they call a node which is where all efforts are coordinated in each country. So far 140 countries are to take part during the International Year of Astronomy so it truly appears to be a global event.
It will be important for all amateur and professional astronomers, science centres, and teachers to get involved in promoting this event. If this is the first you have heard of it, please bring it to the attention of others to get the word out.
You can get the official details from the IYA2009 web site
here.