Falling Walls Falling Walls Science Summit 2023

Breaking the Wall of Astronomy and Sahrawi Refugees

Sandra Benitez Herrera

Science Engagement

Amanar aims to empower and inspire the Sahrawi refugee community through the wonders of the Universe. Special attention is given to teachers, children and the youth, to strengthen their resilience and make them feel part of a global community. The project facilitates the development of scientific skills and critical thinking, by performing teacher workshops, hands-on activities and sky observations in local schools, contributing to the improvement of the quality of teaching in the region.

Tags: Covid-19, Discrimination, Diversity, Education, Resilience, Science Communication, Science Diplomacy, Space & the Universe.

Sandra Benitez Herrera

Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands

Sandra Benitez Herrera is a science communicator and coordinator of several science education projects at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, Spain. Currently she collaborates with the Education Council of the Canary Islands organizing teacher trainings on the use of Astronomy as an educational resource for primary and secondary education.

She is also a member of the voluntary astronomy outreach project GalileoMobile, having organized educational activities in Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Uganda, India, Western Sahara, Brazil and Spain. Within this project she has worked with rural, indigenous, visually impaired  and refugee communities, promoting access to science and technology as well the preservation of their own astronomy tradition and knowledge. She is co-coordinator of the “Amanar: under the same sky” Project for Saharaui Refugees with which she was selected a winner at Falling Walls Engage 2020.

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