Purpose of the IPS 2026 Conference
“One Earth, One Sky”
Throughout human history, we have built diverse societies with unique languages and cultures. Today, we share a common understanding that "one earth and one sky" are essential for all of humanity. As we face the challenges of creating a sustainable society, international collaboration across these diverse societies has become more important than ever. At the IPS 2026 Conference, we hope to strengthen this collaboration for a brighter future by bringing together friends from around the world who are involved in planetariums—a device created by humans to help us view our shared earth and sky.
Fukuoka is a city where something NEW is born. By utilizing a geographical location suitable for exchange and living, the city has been a gathering place for people, goods, and information since more than 2,000 years ago. The town also developed through its extensive connections with various regions by sea and land, centered on Hakata Bay, which was a hub for international trade. It has formed a rich history and culture that has continued to develop into Fukuoka City. Having been exposed to many different cultures, the city is characterized by flexibility and a spirit of creating new things.
From a global perspective, Japanese planetariums may be said to have evolved in their distinctive style. While emphasizing the live commentary projection with optical starry skies that have been inherited from our predecessors, many planetarium productions collaborated with the latest popular animations. IPS 2026 FUKUOKA may offer a unique and exciting opportunity to experience such a Japanese planetarium culture. For the Japanese participants, the ideas and expressions of the planetarians visiting from abroad will be seen as innovative and inspiring. One of the fascinating aspects of planetariums is that many people can share a diversity of values inside the dome.
IPS 2026 FUKUOKA is the first event to be held after the centennial anniversary of the Planetarium. We envision a conference where planetarians from all over the world gather under One Sky in Fukuoka to forge a new creation for the next 100 years of the planetarium.
 Tetsukazu Yahara
 Youhei Fujikake
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