Tunis — The Tunis Planetarium has set up a rich program of activities to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy.

The program will include an interactive exhibit dubbed "Destination Mars" which will run from November1 2008 to March 22, 2009, as well as scientific workshops, astronomy evenings, and solar observation days.

The Planetarium will also host a summer school, an encounter for astronomy lovers, as well as training session destined to educators of kindergarten and cultural centres.

Tunisia's participation in this UNESCO led initiative, testifies to the country's strong resolve to promote astronomy as a science, for the younger generations and the public at large.

To note that 2009 coincides with the 400 th anniversary of the first observations of what was then known as 'celestial bodies' by Galileo (1564-1642), the inventor of the first telescope.