Eighty-six cities around the globe are scheduled to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's historic spaceflight today. The event, entitled Yuri's Night, is a grassroots world party for space that has been held annually since 2001.

In addition to Gagarin's flight, the event also commemorates the first launch of the space shuttle, which took place 20 years to the day after Yuri orbited the planet. That historic space shuttle launch, of the orbiter Columbia on April 12, 1981, was flown by John Young and Robert Crippen Jr. Young and Crippen are expected at the Johnson Space Center this morning for an event with Senator Hutchison of Texas.

Yuri's Night was co-founded by Loretta Hidalgo, currently a contractor at NASA headquarters, and George Whitesides, Executive Director of the National Space Society. The couple, who are now slated to ride as the first honeymoon couple on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo, began the event with fellow Space Generation member Trish Garner as a way to bring people together and expand the global space community.

"The most powerful thing about Yuri's Night is that it brings the world together through the universal wonder of space," said Whitesides. "At a moment when the world is often being pulled apart, space is truly something that can reach across national boundaries."

This year, over 85 events have been scheduled across 32 countries and all seven continents. With volunteers from all over the world, the grassroots organizers have run the operation from the site http://www.yurisnight.net. Readers can check the site to find events in their own area, watch webcasts of other events, or web chat with other celebrants around the planet.

"We're very excited about the diversity and the quality of the events this year," said Hidalgo, "from the Museum of Flying in Seattle to a South African braai barbecue in Cape Town to a massive event with Russian and Swedish DJs in Stockholm."

Many advocates for space take positions without getting paid. Those who served on the Yuri's Night executive committee or who are producing local events are no exception. V. Anbarasan, the Executive Secretary of Yuri's Night 2006, volunteered his time from Pondicherry, India, and is also producing an event for around 40 people.

Tim Bailey of Titusville, Florida, Director of Community Relations for Yuri's Night 2006, explained why he volunteered.

"When something is really important you make time for it. Space is that important. But I also don't do it alone--we have a great team (including my wife Jen) here on the Space Coast that make it all possible."

Hidalgo concluded, "It is a pleasure to be a part of a dedicated international team. The young leaders who are make Yuri's Night happen around the planet are the same people who will also be taking us to Mars."

NOTE: The views of this article are the author's and do not reflect the policies of the National Space Society.

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