Starlight: a common heritage

The Starlight Initiative brings a new view of the night sky and of its value enhancement, claiming the access to starlight as a scientific, environmental, and cultural right of humankind. Night sky quality has been seriously damaged in the last years because of light and atmospheric pollution, and an international action in favour of intelligent outdoor lighting is urgently needed. After the promulgation of the Starlight Declaration, we are jointly working with UNESCO, the World Heritage Centre, the MaB Programme, and other international institutions in the development of Starlight Reserves as exemplary areas that would act as models for the recovery of the heritage associated to star observation. The possibility arises to design and launch new tourist products and destinations based on astronomy and starry sceneries.