History
The first IOAA was held in the city of Chiang Mai, Thailand, from November 30 to December 9 of 2007, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the 84th anniversary of the Princess Galyani Vadhana. The countries that attended to the first edition were: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, China, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Laos, Lithuania, Myanmar, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Ukraine. The International Board, composed by the leaders of every attending country, became the solely decision body of the olympiad. At that time, there was already at work, for a five-year term, a President (Dr. Boonrucksar Soonthornthum, Thailand) and a General Secretary (Dr. Chatief Kunjaya, Indonesia).
The second IOAA was held in 2008, August 19 to 28, in the city of Bandung, Indonesia, having the participation of 22 countries –- Cambodja and Malaysia for the first time.
The third IOAA was held in 2009, October 17 to 27, in the capital Tehran, Iran. The observational exam was held in the desert, in the Caravanserai of Deh Namak. 20 countries participated –- the first time for Khazakstan and Serbia.
The fourth IOAA was held in 2010, September 12 to 21, in the capital Beijing, China. 114 competitors attended, coming from 23 countries –- the first time for Czech Republic, Philippines and Russia.
The fifth IOAA was held in 2011, August 25 to September 4, around the cities of Katowice, Chorzów and Kraków, Poland -– the first time in Europe. The participants came from 26 countries, including the first time coming Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Hungary and Portugal. In Poland, the International Board elected, from 2012 on, a new President (Dr. Chatief Kunjaya, Indonesia) and a General Secretary (Dr. Greg Stachowski, Poland). They also indicated two Regional Coordinators (Dr. Thaís Mothé Diniz, Brazil, for Americas and Dr. Aniket Sule, India, for Asia and Pacific).
The sixth IOAA was held in 2012, August 4 to 13, at Rio de Janeiro and Vassouras, Brazil—the first time in America. The participants came from 28 countries.
Read more about this topic: International Olympiad On Astronomy And Astrophysics
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