Young people were invited to discover outer space last week with Milton Keynes Islamic Arts & Culture (MKIAC).
The event formed part of MKIAC's City of Codes & Light STEAM Festival to centre:mk.
The two-day event explored the theme ‘Moon Colonies and Future Architecture’, bringing science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) together through interactive activities designed to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and creative thinkers.
In partnership with The Open University, the festival offered students the opportunity to explore lunar materials such as Moon Rocks and Meteorites, discover how future Moon colonies could be built and learn more about the science behind space exploration.
Among the programme's highlights were two virtual sessions with space scientists Aidan Cowley from European Space Agency (ESA) and Brian Day from NASA, facilitated by The Open University.
The ESA session explored a 'Moon on Earth' simulator, while the NASA session introduced interactive tools used to explore planetary landscapes, giving participants an insight into the technology behind lunar research.
Students could also explore an immersive Science Dome, discover lunar materials through activities developed with The Open University and take part in interactive space installations and the Moon Colony Challenge, encouraging young people to consider the challenges of designing and building settlements beyond Earth.
The festival welcomed more than 600 students across the two days both in-person and virtually, with some attending from as far afield as Bradford. The event brought together education and innovation, giving young people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see space materials up close.
“It’s not every day that young people in Milton Keynes get to hear directly from scientists working with NASA and the European Space Agency," said Anouar Kassim MBE, founder and CEO of MKIAC, "Our partnership with The Open University brought those opportunities closer to home, helping young people see themselves as part of the future of discovery.
"Art and creativity are central to that ambition. Through the City of Codes & Light and the STEAM Festival, we wanted young people from every background to recognise that their imagination has value and that they can contribute to shaping the future as artists, scientists, designers and engineers”.
