Yuri's Night

"Circling the Earth in my orbital spaceship I marveled at the beauty of our planet. People of the world, let us safeguard and enhance this beauty — not destroy it!"

Yuri Gagarin, 1st person in space

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to go into space. It was wenty years later when the US launched the first space shuttle flight, on 12 April 1981. To many, this makes April 12th the Saint Patrick's Day or Cinco de Mayo for Space.

That's the premise behind Yuri's Night, created by George and Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides. They say, "Last year there were over 90 events or parties held in over 30 countries worldwide - and 2007 looks set to be even bigger."

The goal of Yuri's Night is to fuel the public's interest in space exploration and to inspire a new generation of explorers. Yuri's Night creates a global community of young people who are committed to shaping the future of space exploration and the world, while developing responsible young leaders with a global perspective.

The Whitesides say, "So help us rock the planet in 2007 by either organizing your own Yuri's Night event or supporting a local one. It's not hard – get a group of friends together and call it a party! Just make sure you put your town on the map by registering your event with us on the “Host a Party” page. We can provide you with plenty of ideas and resources to make sure your party is out of this world. So be part of this major international event on a planetary scale – add your event today and let's make 2007 the biggest Yuri's Night celebration ever!"

To learn more, visit the Yuri's Night website.

Image Credit:Yuri's Night