Kuoni Congress will help welcome the Starmus Festival and hundreds of fans of science, space and music to Tenerife as official congress organiser in 2016. Over six days, organisers will rely on Kuoni’s experience in event management to coordinate the travel and hospitality of hundreds of delegates, as well as communications and programme that takes place across locations on two of the Canary Islands.
From 27 June to 2 July 2016, the world’s leading space travellers, stargazers and astrophysicists invite the general public to discover the wonders of the Cosmos through science, art and music at the Starmus Festival. This year, Starmus Festival founder and leading astrophysicist Dr. Garik Israelian will be joined by key note speakers; theoretical physicist Prof. Stephen Hawking, and musician and astronomer Dr. Brian May. Under the theme ‘Beyond the Horizon – Tribute to Stephen Hawking’, the 2016 event takes inspiration from the legendary man himself and the notion that nothing is impossible. A comprehensive programme of events will include lectures from key note speakers, exclusive music performances, creative arts exhibitions and visits to local observatories.
Lars Ingelius, Kuoni Destination Management’s Vice President for Europe MICE, says: “I’m delighted that we will have the chance to bring our expertise to such a unique and extraordinary event as the Starmus Festival. There are many unusual elements to the occasion that will attract people from around the world with high expectations of the experience they will have. The organisers have placed enormous confidence in our abilities and we will do all we can to exceed their expectations and present their event in the best light possible.”
Kuoni will support organisers and Tenerife Island Government by managing events over six days and across locations on Tenerife and La Palma islands. The company will draw on decades of experience in meetings, incentive trips, congresses and events (MICE) and the skills of a dedicated event management team. They will assist with the coordination of hundreds of delegates, their transportation and accommodation, communications materials before, during and after the event, as well as a programme of speeches, talks, roundtable discussions and social events, such as the “Teide Starmus Party”, Sonic Universe concert – all on Tenerife – and a discussion inside La Palma’s GTC Roque de los Muchachos Observatory Dome.
“Astro-fans” will be delighted to learn that next year’s discussions will focus on pushing the boundaries of science and touch on subjects such as the blurring relationship between science and science fiction and how technology will affect the future of humanity. Legendary composer and keyboardist, Rick Wakeman, will also be attending the event to unveil his original music composition and sound track to the official event video called “Starmus” with the music of Rick Wakeman.
The Starmus Festival is supported by the Tenerife Island Government and is the brainchild of Garik Israelian, an astrophysicist researcher at the IAC. He sits on a scientific advisory board which includes Prof. Stephen Hawking, Dr. Brian May, legendary Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, who became the first human to make a ‘space walk’ back in 1965 and British ethologist and scientist Prof. Richard Dawkins.
Israelian says, “Our aim is to make Starmus Festival a global brand that is recognised not just within academic circles but that captures the imagination of the wider general public who have an interest in space, stargazing, science, art, music and sci-fi. Following the success of Starmus II, which was the most ambitious all-star festival in science, we are excited to be taking Starmus III to the next level. We are delighted that Tenerife will once again be hosting the festival as there really is no better setting to appreciate firsthand the wonders of the skies and learn about what is beyond the horizon.”
One of the main social highlights planned is the “Teide Starmus Party”, a magical evening of stargazing in the company of professional astronomers and live music performances, set within the lunar-like landscape of Teide National Park and under the canopy of the Milky Way. The Teide National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is one of the world’s best stargazing locations because of its clear dark skies, high altitude and low pollution and is recognised as a “Starlight Tourist Destination”. The party last year provided such creative inspiration that one of Europe’s most interesting alt/rock bands NOSOUND launched a live CD and DVD called Teide 2390 which was recorded at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife during their performance.
Mr. Carlos Alonso, President of the Tenerife Island Government, says, “Following the success of last year’s festival and a growing interest in stargazing as a popular excursion in Tenerife, we are delighted to host this prestigious event and hope the gathering of these great minds in one of the world’s stargazing capitals will inspire travel to and exploration of our wonderful island.”
The full programme and delegate package costs are still to be confirmed. For more information on Starmus 2014 please visit www.starmus.com