The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

City Life

Make Space Yours: The Initiative That’s Teaching Children to Literally Reach for the Stars

cairo camp city city life egypt Egyptians feature features initiative Make Space Yours Omar Samra prize Space space travel
Make Space Yours: The Initiative That’s Teaching Children to Literally Reach for the Stars
written by
Leena Torky

Omar Samra, otherwise known as the first Egyptian to complete the 7 Summits Challenge (climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents) and ski to both poles, is passionate about instilling a passion for space travel and science in Egyptian and Arab youth. Last year, he established the Make Space Yours program, an initiative which recruits school-aged children to become immersed in the fascination and wonder of the cosmos.

While last year’s edition succeeded at awakening curiosity, and wonder within the children, this year’s Make Space Yours, a season powered by Inertia, features a brand-new element: an online competition and the opportunity for kids to participate in numerous challenges. Enrollment for the online competition began in September and continues until the end of November. The winner of this online competition will be able to travel with Samra to the United States or France, and experience a zero-gravity flight (literally every kid AND grown-up’s dream come true). Head over to the Make Space Yours website for more information and become a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

At today’s Make Space Yours event at El Alsson School, the enthusiasm and passion were visible on each and every one of the student’s faces as they displayed great precision and concentration during all of the fun activities and competitions. The attendees, including numerous influencers, were able to be a part of the fun with great workshops and a really cool “Space Jump” game. Not to mention the fact that all invitees received a very special cosmic surprise: news that a star, yes a star, has been named after them. And, to bring things home, all invitees received a pin with the Egyptian flag printed on it. Indeed, nothing represents what Make Space Yours is all about more than these two elements: a flag of the place we are proud to call home, and a promise of a future set in the stars, as an entire generation becomes educated on space travel and exploration.

Today, we were able to speak with Samra and learn a little bit more about what inspired him to start inspiring others to develop the same love for the cosmos, as well as two of the young student champions of today’s competitions.  Look out for our full video coverage later in the week!

recommended