AstroTour, Ivory Edition: a science outreach tour for Ivoirians

From November 27th to December 8th, 2024, we organized an astronomy outreach event in Ivory Coast for the first time: AstroTour, Ivory Edition. This event was a collaborative effort between the French association SpaceBus France, the Ivorian association AIA (Association Ivoirienne d'Astronomie), and the Togolese association SG2D (Science Géologique pour un Développement Durable), with whom SpaceBus France previously organized a science outreach tour in Togo in 2022 (www.europlanet-society.org/europlanet-magazine/issue-3/togo-under-the-stars/). Over two weeks, a team of more than ten scientists (astrophysicists, epistemologists, geologists) travelled across the country to engage a broad audience. We visited schools, villages, and public squares, offering astronomy workshops in four cities: Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Bouaké, and Korhogo. Our interventions were divided into four parts:Education: We conducted scientific workshops on space and astronomy for primary and secondary school pupils, as well as university students. These workshops provided opportunities for students to interact with astrophysicists and learn about science and space-related careers. In total, we met over 6,300 students (154 classes) from 14 schools. Training: We offered academic training for teachers of all levels interested in learning about astronomy, providing teaching resources (including those from Europlanet Society) and classroom activity ideas. Thirty teachers from various schools attended the two training sessions in Abidjan. Public Engagement: We organized free activities and stargazing events for the general public, allowing many to discover the sky through telescopes. Our four public events attracted over 660 participants. Ethnology: We conducted a survey to gather local perspectives on astronomy and document regional cosmogonies. We are currently analysing over 100 survey responses, which will be published in a scientific paper and a book.  We used fun and interactive activities created by SpaceBus France, including a Solar system presentation, a hands-on meteorite recognition exercise, an introduction to space travel and rockets, a model of the Earth-Moon-Sun system, a water rocket launching platform, and telescopes for observing the Sun and night sky. The Unistellar company, creator of intelligent telescopes, donated two eVscope 2 telescopes — one to the Ivorian association and one to the Togolese one. These telescopes will facilitate public observations and enable students to participate in citizen science projects through the Unistellar program, such as observing exoplanet transits or satellite occultations, fostering their interest in science and international scientific projects. AstroTour, Ivory Edition has been a great success, reaching over 7,000 Ivorians and receiving extremely positive feedbacks. This project, made possible by financial support from Europlanet, provided Ivory Coast with its first major astronomy outreach event. It offered students a unique chance to interact with astrophysicists and geologists, and the training for teachers ensured a lasting impact on future generations. More information: www.spacebusfrance.fr/astrotour-edition-ivoire