Antalya Hosts International Space Congress with Astronaut Meet‑and‑Greet for Children

The International Space Congress, organized by the International Space Federation, will take place in Antalya, Turkey, from 3 to 10 October 2026. Hosted by the Turkish Space Agency, the event will gather more than 25 astronauts from the United States, Russia, China, Japan and other nations, marking the first time the congress is held in Turkey.

A special session on 5 October, from 19:00 to 21:30, will be held at the Antalya Sand Sculpture Museum where children selected through a national art and essay competition will meet the astronauts, including Turkey’s first astronaut Alper Gezeravcı. The museum will showcase around 200 sand sculptures themed around space exploration, some designed by artificial‑intelligence tools, aiming to inspire youth and promote Antalya’s cultural and scientific profile.