RIYADH: A “Summer Forum” is underway in Riyadh to prepare 11 male and female high school students for the 17th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
The IOAA Olympiad takes place from Aug. 17 to 26 in Vassouras, Brazil.
Saudi Arabia is making its debut at the annual event, which was held for the first time in 2007 in Thailand.
In its report, the SPA said Mawhiba — known formally as the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity — launched the July 7 to Aug. 1 forum in collaboration with the Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission.
“The forum aims to equip students with the necessary skills to participate in the Olympiad and help build a generation proficient in space science and technology,” the report stated.
It also seeks to “inspire future generations to pursue careers in applied scientific and engineering fields,” it added.
Mawhiba and the commission have been involved in various training programs to develop engineers and scientists for the Kingdom’s nascent space industry.
Brazil, which is hosting it for the second time, held the sixth Olympiad in 2012 in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and Vassouras.
