UAI - Italian Amateur astronomers Union UAI organizes a large number of public events, such as star parties, lectures, exhibitions, etc. A strong effort is made by UAI for the popularization of astronomy. Thousands of people experienced the observation of the most important astronomical events such as eclipses, transits, meteor showers, bright comets and many others. A large numer of amateurs are also involved in the development of astronomical observation programs, through the coordination of a network of skywatchers. Such activities are organized by Research Sections that correspond to different areas of interest: Sun, Moon, Planets, Occultations, Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, Variable Stars, Deep Sky, Sundials, Spectroscopy, Instruments, Radioastronomy, Extrasolar Planets, Astronomical hystory and culture. UAI is concerned in further areas of activities including: · Education, involving collaborations with teachers and students; · Astronomical tourism, that is the organitazion of travels to observe most important events, such as total solar eclipses, or to visit the most famous astronomical professional observatories; · Reduction of light pollution; · The struggle against astrology. The UAI National Congress is held every year in september. Print publications: · "ASTRONOMIA" is the UAI official bimonthly magazine. · "The Astronomical Almanac" is the most useful daily tool for sky observers. UAI web site: http://www.uai.it Email: info@uai.it The French Association of Astronomy - AFA Since 1947, the AFA action is inserted in the founding logic of the popular education movements, the one of active teachings and of knowledge sharing. The AFA's first goal is to " give the wish and the means to most people to discover the sky and its representations, to practise astronomy and to be interested in scientific methods and concepts ". Publisher of the magazine " Ciel et Espace " with its 48000 monthly readers, the AFA develops and produces numerous actions : Night of Stars, festivals such as the Sky and Space Meetings or Explor'espace which gather from 3 to 5000 people passionate with the sky , trainings, lectures, exhibitions and teaching resources, trips with astronomical themes. The AFA also organizes the mobilization of about 300 clubs and associations for the public observation of astronomical phenomenon : eclipses, comets, etc. Its actions reach each year several hundreds of thousands of people and mobilize 2 to 3000 professionals and volunteers. As a national association, the AFA gathers more than 180 clubs, associations of astronomy, activities frameworks or planetariums. The magazine and the activities employ about 20 journalists, organisers, and professional coordinators at the association's registered office. The AFA has 3 websites www.afanet.fr, www.cieletespace.fr and www.cieletespaceradio.fr which are intended monthly to more than 80000 net surfers and more than 200000 during the Night of Stars. The AFA is intended to anyone who is curious of the sky and seeks for information, to all the teachers who want to spread astronomy, to the youth and to clubs and associations leaders. AFA 17, rue Emile-Deutsch de la Meurthe 75014 Paris Tel : 33 1 4589 81 44 @ : afa@cieletespace. The Association for youth, science and technology – AMAVET is a non-governmental, non-profit organization of children and youth. AMAVET associate 3500 registered active members working in various scientific disciplines. The AMAVET cooperates with Slovak universities, the Slovak Academy of Science, primary and high schools and with the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic. The members of our organization are mostly secondary school, high school and university students. They spend their leisure time with research activities and the development of club activities in this field and they are interested in experience exchange with similar groups and organizations in Europe. Main aims: Forming conditions for clubs activities aiming into the science, technology and ecology; Organization of holidays camps for children and youth; Holding national and international trips and concentration trainings, international youth exchanges; Publishing periodical and no periodical literature and software for popularization of science and technology; Preparation and realization of scientific, technical and ecological seminars and expositions for children and youth; Main activities of AMAVET are: The program of science & technology provided by regional clubs for their members to work on youth’s research projects. Festival of Science and Technology – an ExpoSciences –annual contest exposition of scientific projects of young researchers. The scientific-technological passport - for popularisation European centres of science and technology popularisation. A program for the development of creativity for children up to 13 years – Les Petits Debrouillards. Junior Internet Summer and winter camps for youth International youth exchanges Our activities are based on volunteer’s work and financed from sponsorships, grants of EU community programmes, International Visegrad fund and grants of ministry of education of Slovak Republic. Site Web : http://www.amavet.sk/fwp/ Urania, Volkssterrenwacht van Antwerpen v.z.w., is a non-profit public observatory. Its goals are to popularize astronomy, space sciences, meteorology and related subjects. It tries to achieve these goals by working at different levels. The awareness of the public at large is raised by public happenings around major astronomical phenomena such as eclipses. Visitors to the observatory get an introduction to astronomy and observing. For those who want to learn more, a wide range of courses is offered. Finally, interested persons can become a volunteer and thus combine practicing astronomy with bringing science to the public. Urania has approximately 700 members, more than 100 of which are volunteers. Annually, 20 000 people in the whole of Flanders are reached directly by the various activities. Indirectly, another 400 000 persons are reached through the website http://www.urania.be , which is the prime medium for disseminating information about astronomy, space sciences, meteorology and relatedsubjects.