Annual report: World Space Week Croatia 2025

National Coordinator: Danko Kočiš / World Space Week Croatia Event Period: October 4 – 10, 2025 Global Theme: Living in Space Date of Submission: December 14, 2025

1. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT

World Space Week (WSW) in Croatia has represented one of the most significant events in the domain of science and technology popularization for years. The year 2025 was no exception; moreover, it confirmed Croatia’s status as a regional leader and one of the most active countries in the global World Space Week Association (WSWA) network, particularly when considering the number of events relative to the population size.

The 2025 theme, “Living in Space”, proved to be exceptionally inspiring for Croatian organizers. Unlike previous themes which often focused on technology (satellites) or history (the Moon), this year’s theme opened the door to broader interdisciplinarity. It allowed for the inclusion not only of physicists and astronomers but also biologists, psychologists, artists, and primary school teachers, discussing the sustainability of life, food cultivation in microgravity, psychological challenges of isolation, and the design of space habitats.

This report synthesizes activities conducted throughout the Republic of Croatia, analyzes the reach and impact of the event, and highlights best practice examples that can serve as a model for future years.

2. ACTIVITY OVERVIEW AND STATISTICAL INDICATORS

During the period from October 4 to 10, 2025, the official World Space Week website recorded approximately 120 unique events on the territory of the Republic of Croatia. Although the numerical status is stable compared to previous years, a noticeable qualitative leap in the type of organized activities has been observed. We have moved away from passive lectures towards interactive workshops and project-based learning.

Geographic Dispersion

One of the key goals of the national coordination was to ensure that WSW is not held only in large urban centers. Location analysis shows successful decentralization:

Central Croatia: Zagreb expectedly led in the number of institutions (Technical Museum, faculties, schools), but strong activity was also recorded in Bjelovar-Bilogora County (Daruvar, Bjelovar).
Slavonia and Baranja: This region stands out for its exceptional density of school events. Cities like Osijek, Vukovar, Slavonski Brod, as well as smaller towns like Ivankovo, Babina Greda, and Našice, showed remarkable engagement from teachers.
Northern Croatia: Varaždin, Čakovec, and Koprivnica provided a high-quality program focused on observations and robotics through their astronomical societies and centers of excellence.
Dalmatia and Primorje: From Zadar and Split to Dubrovnik, the focus was on combining the maritime tradition of navigation with modern space orientation, alongside numerous public night sky observations utilizing favorable weather conditions in October.

Organizer Structure

The backbone of World Space Week in Croatia continues to be elementary and high schools, which integrated the “Living in Space” theme into their curricula. However, in 2025, we note increased participation from:

Museums and Libraries: Which became centers for public events open to citizens.
Astronomical Societies: Which provided technical support and equipment (telescopes) for public observations.
Kindergartens: An increase in activities within preschool institutions was recorded, where children were introduced to concepts of weightlessness and planets through play.

3. ANALYSIS OF THE THEME “LIVING IN SPACE” IN THE CROATIAN CONTEXT

Croatian organizers approached the theme “Living in Space” in a very creative and educational manner, often connecting space challenges with problems on Earth, such as climate change and sustainability.

Through reviewed applications and reports, several dominant sub-themes are visible:

Biology and Sustainability: Many schools conducted experiments with growing plants in controlled conditions, simulating space gardens. Discussions were held on water and air recycling on the International Space Station (ISS) as a model for sustainability on Earth.
Architecture and Design: Students created models of bases on Mars and the Moon, considering protection from radiation and micrometeorites.
Psychology and Society: High schools organized debates on ethical questions of space colonization and the psychological aspects of long-term confinement (drawing parallels with isolation experiences).

This approach resulted in WSW 2025 not being perceived merely as a “technical” event, but as a platform for discussing the future of humanity.

4. EVENT HIGHLIGHTS – TOP 5

From a large number of registered activities, the national coordination selected five events that best represent the success of WSW in Croatia in 2025 through their quality, innovation, and reach. These events serve as case studies for organizational excellence.

1. Central Celebration and Space Competition – Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, Zagreb

Organizer: CroCube Team and TMNT
Detailed Description: As the crown jewel of the week, this event attracted the widest public and media attention. The program was divided into educational and competitive segments. In the educational part, experts analyzed the results of Croatian space initiatives and the future of commercial flights through panel discussions. Special attention was drawn to the “Space Competition,” where teams of young innovators presented solutions for living in space before an expert jury.
Impact: The event generated the highest media reach (national television, web portals) and positioned the Technical Museum as an unavoidable point for STEM education.

2. Space Week at MIOC: “The Space Era of Humanity” – Zagreb

Organizer: XV Gymnasium (MIOC)
Detailed Description: XV Gymnasium continued its tradition of excellence by organizing a lecture series that rivaled university courses in depth and expertise. The guest appearance of Ante Radonić, a legendary astronomy popularizer, filled the hall to capacity. Beyond passive listening, students participated in interactive physics workshops, analyzing rocket propulsion and orbital mechanics.
Impact: Inspiration for the future generation of engineers and scientists, and maintenance of a high standard of scientific literacy among youth.

3. Virtual Spacewalk and Mars Base Design – Nova Gradiška

Organizer: Industrial-Craft School / Technical Community of BPŽ
Detailed Description: This event represents a leap forward in the use of modern technologies in teaching. Organizers used VR (Virtual Reality) equipment to allow students to simulate an Extravehicular Activity (EVA). After the “experiential” part, participants used CAD tools to design a functional base on Mars, solving concrete engineering problems.
Impact: Demonstration of how technology can make abstract concepts tangible and interesting to vocational school students.

4. Starry Threads: A Creative Journey Through the Solar System – Split

Organizer: Collaboration of schools and cultural associations
Detailed Description: Split offered a unique “STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) approach. Through art and textile workshops, children visualized planets, stars, and galaxies. Each artistic work was accompanied by a scientific explanation, achieving synergy between artistic expression and factual learning. The exhibition was set up in a public space, attracting casual passersby as well.
Impact: Expanding the WSW audience to those primarily interested in art, proving that space can be an inspiration for everyone.

5. Living Beyond Earth: Maths, Maps, and Space – Zadar

Organizer: Educational Institution Zadar
Detailed Description: This event stood out for its academic rigor adapted to the age group. Connecting mathematics and geography, students learned about mapping celestial bodies. The workshop included calculations required for travel to other planets, comparing gravitational conditions and resources.
Impact: Showed the practical application of mathematics in solving real-world problems, breaking down the fear of “difficult” subjects.

5. MEDIA VISIBILITY AND PROMOTION

The promotion of World Space Week 2025 was conducted through three main channels:

Digital Media and Social Networks: The social media campaign was intensive, using hashtags #WSW2025, #LivingInSpace, and #WSWCroatia. The National Coordinator actively shared event announcements, field photos, and school reports, creating a sense of community and a national movement.
Local Media: Unlike large national media outlets that mostly cover central events, local portals (e.g., in Međimurje, Slavonia, Istria) and radio stations played a key role in promoting smaller events, giving space to schools and associations.
Visual Identity: The official WSW poster was distributed electronically and printed in schools, creating visual recognition of the event in educational institutions.

6. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE OUTLOOK

Challenges

Despite great success, the organization continues to face logistical and financial challenges. World Space Week in Croatia relies almost exclusively on the volunteer work of enthusiasts, teachers, and amateur astronomers. The lack of centralized funding sometimes limits the reach of promotional materials or the procurement of equipment for more complex workshops in smaller communities.

Final Assessment

World Space Week 2025 in Croatia was a triumph of enthusiasm and knowledge. With over 120 events, Croatia once again demonstrated that, despite its size, it is a “space nation” in terms of education and public interest. The theme “Living in Space” was successfully demystified and brought closer to a wide audience, from kindergarten age to retirees.

Recommendations for 2026

Looking towards 2026 and the announced theme “Rocket Revolution”, it is recommended to:

Prepare rocket modeling workshops early, given the technical demands of the theme.
Strengthen connections with technical faculties and the industry dealing with propulsion and mechanics.
Continue the decentralization of activities with the goal that every county has at least three registered events.

Croatia is ready for new space challenges, and the WSW organizer network has never been more connected and motivated.

Submitted by: Danko Kočiš

National Coordinator for World Space Week Croatia