IAF and Club for the Future Postcards Initiative Luncheon

Day: Wednesday 18 May 2022
Time: 13:00 - 14:00
Room: Bartolomé

The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and The Sideralis Foundation are pleased to introduce the "Postcards to Space" initiative by Club for Future in Quito, Ecuador for the Global Conference on Space for Emerging Countries - GLEC 2022.

Club for Future was founded in 2019 by Blue Origin with the goal of engaging younger generation by inspiring them to pursue a career in space. Amongst many other projects, Club for Future developed the “Postcards to Space” initiative.

Children from all over the world have been invited to draw what they imagine future of life in space will look like on postcards that are then collected by Blue Origin, inserted into payload boxes and onboard of the New Shepard, and then sent to space. After flying 100 kilometers above Earth the capsule returns to Earth and the postcards, including the original “Flown to Space” stamps are mailed back to the children.

During the weeks leading up to the GLEC 2022 conference, 1000 postcards have been shared in nine schools and organizations in the rural and urban areas of different cities in Ecuador, engaging more than 800 children which are now sharing their ideas and dreams for the future.

At GLEC 2022 The Sideralis Foundations will handle these cards to the IAF to be sent to space, and then bring them back to the children.

In line with IAF's mission of promoting the public appreciation of space activities worldwide, this initiative will inspire these children and their friends to become scientists, engineers, or astronauts and hopefully, in some ten-twenty years they will become the space workforce of the future.

You are all invited to join IAF incoming President, Clay Mowry, and IAF President, Pascale Ehrenfreund, during the Luncheon on Wednesday 18 May 2022, at 13:00 in Bartolomé room.