Day for Earth Sciences in Africa and Middle East "Water and its role in countries development and stabiliy"

Day for Earth Sciences in Africa and Middle East "Water and its role in countries development and stabiliy" 19-20-21 March 2015.

The African Association of Women in Geosciences and the African Geoparks Network are proclaiming the 20th March as a “Day for Earth Sciences in Africa and the Middle East” to increase the awareness about the role that earth scientists could play to help to build a peaceful, healthier and wealthier continent. This day was first celebrated in 2013. In 2015, the day will be celebarated under the title "Water and its role in countries development and stabiliy".

Why the 20th March?Equinoxes have been celebrated in cultures all over the world. In the northern hemisphere the March equinox marks the start of spring and has long been celebrated as a time of rebirth. The 20th March corresponds to the March equinox where night and day are nearly of the same length all over the world. However, even if this is widely accepted, it isn't entirely true. The March equinox occurs the moment the sun crosses the celestial equator from south to north. This happens either on March 19, 20 or 21 every year. In that way, the activities, related to the “Day for Earth Sciences in Africa and Middle East”, could be extended on the 19th and the 21st March."

Activities: Conferences, seminars, courses, presentations, field trips, exhibitions, films, games, visits of Earth Sciences departments…etc. It is up to you to create and innovate in order to answer the need of your respective societies.

Target public: Pupils from primary and secondary schools, students from universities, policy makers, large public, potential partners and sponsors…all the components of your respective societies.

Partners: The DESAME is supported by the Geological Society of Africa (GSAf), the Society of African Earth Scientists (SAES), the International Association to Promote Geoethic (IAPG), the International Association of Geoethics (IAGETH), the ArabGU, the YES Network, the Research Group on Geodynamics, Geoeducation and Geoheritage (EGGPG) of the Faculty of Sciences of El Jadida (Morocco), G.C.E.E.M (Romania), Azki Geological Museum (Syria) and many national organizations, institutions, and local governments, such as the Faculty of Sciences and the Chouaïb Doukkali University (El Jadida, Morocco), the municipal Council of Ben Guerrir (Morocco), the Center for Education and Leadership Development (CELDEV) of Kano (Nigeria), El Manar Tunis University (Tunisia), the National Agency of Applied Scientific Research (ANSRA) (Senegal), the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (Senegal), Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal), Institutul Geologic al Romaniei (Romania), the Al Hoda Association (Morocco), the Centre for Research and African Documentation (CERDAF) (Bukavu, RDC) and the Geological Mining Association of Mozambique (AGMM).

So, if you are interested to be partner or supporter of this initiative or if you are willing to propose activities in your respective countries or online activities through your facebook groups, your blogs or your tweets, please join us to make this exciting experience a success.

Pr.Dr. Ezzoura Errami