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UFS and DESTEA partnering to promote astro-tourism in the Free State

18 November 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Leonie Bolleurs

Navil Hill Planetarium — At the Naval Hill Planetarium, one of only two in the world that is located in a game reserve in the middle of a city, are from the left, front: Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement, Tony Horn, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Dorah Klaas from UFS Institutional Advancement, Motheo Leeuw, and Prof Matie Hoffman.

Just over 11 years ago, the University of the Free State (UFS), the Mangaung Metro Municipality, and the Department of Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding that focused on the development and establishment of the Naval Hill Planetarium. In 2016, the partnership was extended to include the establishment of a facility for environmental education adjacent to the planetarium. Thus, the site on Naval Hill, Bloemfontein is now the Centre for Earth and Space.

Recently, colleagues from the UFS and DESTEA, as well as Free State tourism entrepreneurs, gathered at the planetarium and Boyden Observatory to discuss the next step in this partnership – a collaboration to bring astro-tourism to the Free State.

Astro-tourism facilities

Tourism Registrar at DESTEA, Motheo Leeuw, said in his welcome address that,in order to increase the number of visitors to the Free State, it is important to work together. “We are creating a new product, that of astro-tourism,” he stated, and requested the tour guides who attended the event to develop an innovative new product for their market.

Speaking on behalf of the UFS, Dr Molapo Qhobela, Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Strategic Partnerships and Societal Impact, stated that astro-tourism holds enormous potential for this country. He said the UFS is excited to be a partner in this initiative.

Dr Qhobela said he believes the beauty of science can be used to promote astro-tourism. He echoed Leeuw’s sentiment, stating that it is only through partnerships that astro-tourism will become a reality. “If we want to drive astro-tourism, we need to find creative ways to connect with each other,” he stated.

“We must work together to make our home, Bloemfontein, a better place,” he said.

A taste of astro-tourism

About 30 delegates, including the UFS, DESTEA, military representatives, and tour guides from Bloemfontein and Clarence, gained first-hand experience of the potential of astro-tourism. They attended a full-dome pre-rendered astronomy show and a presentation on the night sky in the Naval Hill Planetarium, where images were projected onto the planetarium dome, resulting in an immersive experience of the wonder of the universe. The tour guides proceeded on a game drive in the Franklin Game Reserve on Naval Hill.

Later in the afternoon – after enjoying a sunset view of the environment at the Boyden Observatory – guests were introduced to the observatory, including its telescopes and the Astronomy Museum. Prof Matie Hoffman, Dr Mart-Mari Duvehage, and Dawid van Jaarsveldt from the Department of Physics at the UFS, were on hand to conduct the tour of the observatory, and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement, hosted the guests.

Tony Horn, a tour guide from Bush Junkies Adventure Safaris – one of the guests at the event – is optimistic about the potential of this initiative. He said he will bring visitors to Boyden and the planetarium to experience the attractions.

The Two-Observatories Project

The Boyden Observatory and the Naval Hill Planetarium are known as the Two-Observatories Project, which will be the focus of astro-tourism in the Free State. Focus areas of the Two Observatories Project are science communication and education, research, astronomy heritage, and the environment. The project therefore has great potential to attract tourists.

According to Prof Hoffman, the two observatories work in synergy to educate and inform citizens about the natural sciences. They are also important for the display of and communication about South Africa’s astronomical heritage.

In addition to being an active optical research site, Boyden Observatory is ideal for public lectures and star-gazing events. Educational programmes, including observations with telescopes, are also presented at the observatory. An astronomy museum is a major attraction at Boyden.

The Naval Hill Planetarium, also a good venue for public lectures and concerts, offers planetarium shows, including full-dome films. The site also offers a large hall that is primarily used for environmental education. These facilities operate under the banner of the Free State Centre for Earth and Space.

News Archive

Pansalb’s Language Rights Monitor Project launched at the UFS

2007-01-25


Attending the launch of the Language Rights Monitoring Project were, from the left: Mr Edward Sambo (acting head of Pansalb), Prof Engela Pretorius (Vice-Dean of the Faculty of the Humanities at the UFS), Prof Theo du Plessis (Director: Unit for Language Management at the UFS) and Mr Vusi Ntlakana (head of the Free State provincial office of Pansalb).
Pansalb’s Language Rights Monitor Project launched at the UFS The Unit for Language Management at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with the Pan-South African Language Board (Pansalb), today launched the Language Rights Monitor Project on the Main Campus in Bloemfontein. In accordance with the Pansalb Act of 1995, Pansalb is responsible for the promotion and protection of language rights in South Africa, and is the chief funder of the project. The Language Rights Monitor Project was initiated in 2002 for a trial period of three years, with the aim of reporting to Pansalb, on an annual basis, on language-rights issues in South Africa, as reflected mainly in the printed media. Since then, three reports have already appeared, covering various aspects relating to language rights, including, inter alia, language-rights complaints, language-rights issues, language litigation, as well as research on language rights in South Africa. Profs Johan Lubbe and Theo du Plessis, as well as Dr Elbie Truter, all associated to the UFS, were responsible for the compilation of the first three reports. During 2006, Pansalb decided to establish the project for an unspecified period of time at the Unit for Language Management at the UFS. It is precisely for this reason that the project is being launched. The South African Language Rights Monitor will henceforth appear annually as a prestige publication of Pansalb, compiled by staff associated with the Unit. However, Pansalb has also decided to further consolidate the project, as a result of the need for a more immediate report, as well as the need to include records drawn from newspapers published in the African languages. It was therefore decided that, as from September 2006, a monthly South African Language Rights Bulletin would also be launched. Such a bulletin would provide an overview, on a monthly basis, of developments in South Africa concerning language rights, and would enable Pansalb to become more actively involved in crisis situations in which mediation is urgently needed. Two monthly bulletins have already appeared, and were favourably received by Pansalb. During the launch of the project, this bulletin was also introduced to the public for the first time. With the official launch of Pansalb’s Language Rights Monitor project in the Free State, emphasis will be placed on the leading role played by this province, and more specifically by the UFS, in the development and implementation of a multilingual policy. In future, more information on the situation regarding language-rights issues in South Africa will be made available from Bloemfontein, for the benefit of South Africa’s language-rights watchdog, Pansalb, but also for the benefit of other institutions involved in language-rights issues. A constructive contribution will thus be rendered to the cultivation of language justice, an important element of the democratisation process in South Africa. Issued by: Prof Theo du Plessis Unit for Language Management, UFS Media release Issued by: Lacea Loader Media Representative Tel: (051) 401-2584 Cell: 083 645 2454 E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za 24 January 2007

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