The IAU100 Secretariat encourages the organization of activities around the United Nations’ International Day of Women and Girls in Science in February 2019.

The IAU100 celebration is supported by eight themes, one of which is Inclusive Astronomy. Under this theme, IAU100 will organize a wide array of global activities and events throughout the year to promote inclusivity, equity, and diversity in astronomy. These events will kick off around 11 February 2019 with the celebration of the IAU100 Women and Girls in Astronomy Day within the framework of the United Nations’ International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

Activities organised around February 11th will be the perfect opportunity to celebrate girls and women in astronomy - by encouraging girls to consider careers in astronomy and by celebrating women astronomers. We encourage everyone to get involved with the Women and Girls in Astronomy Day by running events in your local community. This can include public talks, activities, workshops, and more. You can find examples of inspiration to organise activities and information on how to run inclusive and accessible events. In addition to the worldwide events on February 11th, events and activities throughout the month of February to celebrate women in astronomy are also encouraged.

The IAU100 theme on Inclusive Astronomy website has been established  to promote inclusivity, equity, and diversity in astronomy by centralizing all the IAU100 events and resources dedicated to this theme. Other featured projects involve the Inspiring Stars Global Project that aims to broaden the horizons of children, parents, teachers, and astronomers by showcasing assistive research tools and inclusive practices related to astronomy research, communication, and development. Later in the year, from 12-15 November 2019, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) will host the IAU Symposia: “Astronomy for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion — a roadmap to action within the framework of IAU centennial anniversary.”

We encourage you to register your Inclusive Astronomy events on the website and help us coordinate the dissemination worldwide. Your event can serve as an inspiration to others around the world.