EXTENDED – Call for Proposals to host the 2025 (9th) Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium

Deadline Extended to November 22, 2024

Background

The 1^st International Moon Village Workshop, organized by Moon Village Association (MVA) together with International Space University (ISU), took place in Strasbourg on 19-21 November 2017 and gathered more than 150 participants.

MVA organized the 2nd International Moon Village Workshop & Symposium in cooperation with the University of Southern California (USC) and the National Space Society (NSS) and took place at/near the USC campus on 4-5 November 2018. It had about 120 attendees.

The 3^rd International Moon Village Workshop & Symposium was held on December 5-8, 2019 in Tokyo and Kyoto. It was organized by MVA in cooperation with the Tokyo University of Science, Keio University and Kyoto University. The event gathered a record number of participants so far, about 250.

The 4^th International Moon Village Workshop & Symposium was conducted online on November 9-11, 2020 from Nicosia, Cyprus. It was organized by MVA in cooperation with the Cyprus Space Exploration Organization (CSEO).

The 5^th International Moon Village Workshop & Symposium took place during December 6-8, 2021 in Nicosia, Cyprus. It was organized, like the previous one, by MVA in cooperation with the CSEO, this time in a hybrid mode.

The 6^th Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium (November 8-10, 2022) was organized by MVA with the support of the NSS at Sheraton Gateway Hotel at LAX(Los Angeles International Airport), and it became the MVA’s first face-to-face meeting since 2019. About 200 participants took part in the event.

The 7^th Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium was held by MVA in Kurashiki and Tottori, Japan, from December 6 to 10, 2023. It was co-organized by several local universities and supported by JAXA and some industry and research organizations from the area. More than 200 Japanese and foreign participants attended the event.

MVA and the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) are organizing the 8th Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium in Luxembourg from December 2 to 4, 2024. At least 150 participants are expected.

All the final reports of the workshops are downloadable from https://moonvillageassociation.org.

For 2025, we are open to consider applications from all regions of the world.

Brief event description

The workshop & symposium is  MVA’s major annual forum. It is devoted to discussions of different aspects of the exploration and utilization of the Moon, and is focused on the most recent progress achieved by the MVA  in relation to its ongoing activities and  future planning.

Typically, the event is held  between November and December and lasts 2.5 days. It starts with an evening special and/or social event and continues through the following two full days. The program consists of both Plenary Sessions (held in a large hall) and Splinter/Working Sessions (held in smaller rooms). An outreach event prolonging the whole duration for 0.5-1 full day is welcome.

Two catered lunches and a catered dinner on the first full day are foreseen, as well as coffee breaks every day and a cocktail reception on the first evening. Total number of participants and accompanying persons can typically be in the range of 150-200 people, but the bigger number is welcome and should be envisaged.

Eligibility for participation in the Call

A proposal can be made by an MVA institutional or individual member or a group of members, possibly in cooperation with non-member organizations.         

What is expected from a proposer

1. Tentative dates of the event.
2. Proposed event venue with:
   • a large room for Plenaries, with the capacity to accommodate at least 150-200 people;
   • 5-7 small rooms for Splinter/Working Sessions to be held in parallel, with the capacity to accommodate 20-30 people each;
   • halls for coffee breaks, lunches, and dinner (the dinner can be held in a separate venue, but this must be indicated).
3. Proposed hotels in the vicinity of the venue, including the main one with which special prices for participants are going to be negotiated and indication of what prices are expected.
4. Tentative fees for different categories of participants, what they include (to mention specifically whether the dinner cost is included, and if not – how much per person one should pay), and how they are going to be collected.
5. Indication of a capability to attract sponsors, both local/national and international ones.
6. Indication of a possibility to engage the host organization’s and/or its partners’ staff and volunteers to help with logistics (e.g. computers, presentations-related issues etc.)
7. Indication of how visa issues are going to be handled. 
8. Proposals (if any) for accompanying persons to have tours, and related costs. 

What is expected from MVA vis-à-vis a bidder-winner

1. Creation of IPC.
2. Creation of a dedicated event website.
3. Confirmation of the dates and venue, as well as schedule for event planning and preparation.
4. Confirmation of registration fees in every category.
5. Handling of abstracts (uploading and selection) and papers.
6. Relations with speakers.
7. Advertising campaign, in particular using the MVA website and relevant international mass media, as well as massive emailing etc.
8. Information for the event leaflet to be published by the host.
9. Permission to use the MVA logo and name in all event-related materials.

Contractual aspects

A contract between MVA and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) regulating the above mentioned as well as other financial and liability aspects, will be signed at least 6 months before the event.

Regardless of whether the event is profitable or not, MVA will get 50% of all the paid registration fees and 50% of all sponsor contracts, however, not less than 10,000 Euros.

Submission deadline and subsequent procedure

Proposals by potential bidders should be submitted to (gro.n1732300101oitai1732300101cossa1732300101egall1732300101ivnoo1732300101m@yks1732300101vokst1732300101nev.g1732300101elo1732300101, copy to gro.n1732300101oitai1732300101cossa1732300101egall1732300101ivnoo1732300101m@uoi1732300101notna1732300101.ikfa1732300101lg1732300101) by 15 October 2024 22 November, midnight CEST. Their receiptwill be acknowledged by the MVA, and some recommendations might be given if deemed necessary.

The selection result will be announced on December 4, 2024 during the closing ceremony of the 2024 (8^th) Global Moon Village Workshop & Symposium in Luxembourg.