Briefing sessions took place several weeks before the departure at La Maison de Jeunes Les Terraces at Filali Constantine, where the Association is holding its weekly meetings.

Hanging the banderoles in the streets of Constantine: A perilous exercise it was! More on the Campaign here

An overall view of part of the Salon.

The Sirius reception stand was ready at D-day

Sirius members obliging with the visitors

We were honored to have his Excellency the Wali (Equivalent of the Governor in the US or Préfet in the France) present at the opening day and actually officiating the Fair's inauguration.
More on the Wali's visit.

The Scientific Association "Comète" from Tizi Ouzou

The el- Bouzdjani club from Médéa

The Sirius Association from Béjaia

Georges Saccomani, the Vice President of the SAF, was much solicited for his expertise in radio astronomy.

The Amnir club from Beni Isguen, Ghardaia, well known for their sighting campaigns.

A private school from Hamiz, Algiers was there with its smarties's club

Dr. Nassim Seghouani at the CRAAG's stand

Kamal from the National Meteo Agency at his stand handling the public

Er-Rassed Club from the coastal city of Tenès in Western Algeria

The ENNA put up a magnificent well staffed stand with top equipment to explain aerial navigation to the public.

Young participants from Oum El-Bouaghi

The Astronomy club from Ain-Fakroun

The Qutb club from Berriane, Ghardaia

A special educational game for the kids conceived by the Association Jeunesse et Savoir from Tizi Ouzou

It was performed in front of the Palais de la Culture itself. Here Boualem in action

Bilal on duty on Sirius side

Hocine, the animator from el Bouzdjani club at Médéa interacting with the public

While the Salon was going on, Philippe and René from the SAF were showing protuberance and granulation from a fiery Constantine Sun.

Meanwhile lectures were also taking pace in the auditorium

A workshop on solar photography in the evening at El-Khroub

It was directed by Philippe Morel, the president of the French Astronomical Society.

Some participants

A full program of lectures went on alongside the Salon. Here Dr.Seghouani on "The Invisible Universe".

Dr. Siddik el-Najeh from the LCRSSS in Libya lecturing.

 A view of the conference room

Georges Saccomani, from the SAF, in action

Reda Attallah from Annaba University, a skilled lecturer indeed

Questions were plenty

Dr. Hassan Basurah from King AbdelAziz University and head of the Astronomy Dept. there was among the lecturers. He is seen here receiving an award from Mr.Kamal Boukal, the Director of DJS (Direction de la Jeunesse et des Sports) of Constantine Wilaya.

The ever joyful Dr Ismail Mourad from Salahaddin Univ. in Irbil, Iraq, lecturing to the public.

The theatrical play: "What is your fate Oh Pluto?" performed by the Sirius group was an immense success and draw continuous applauds

Here some of the young actors rehearsing. The conception and writing of the play was done by Affaf and Wafa Bendali-Hacine. The "mise en scene" was performed by Bilal from the Constantine Regional Theater (TRC)

The Thursday program geared primarily to the kids was very popular

The chorale set up with the cooperation of the Fadjr group of the Algerian scouts (SMA) was also well applauded by the public.

Looming not too far in the background of the Malek Haddad exhibition hall is the imposing Emir Abdelkader Mosque and University, the greatest and perhaps the most beautiful mosque in North Africa with its Taj mahal touch.