An Encouraging article has appeared this week in Chile in the "La Tercera" national newspaper

It reports substantial recent progress that has been made in work with UNESCO and the IAU to secure protection of the night sky over northern Chile against light pollution. As a result, it is possible now that the AURA Observatory in Chile will gain added protection, alongside the areas around Paranal-Armazones and La Silla-Las Campanas. International work, led by Cipriano Marin in Spain and Clive Ruggles in the UK, has been shared with the Chilean government through the Office for the Protection of the Quality of the Skies of Northern Chile (OPCC), of which AURA is a founding member and a crucial supporter. A letter has been sent by the director of the OPCC and the observatory Heads of Mission in Chile to ministries in the Chilean national government, asking that they lead the process of working with UNESCO. The Ministry of the Environment is showing itself to be open to support of the proposal.

See the article appeared in "La Tercera"