A seismic shift in the global dialogue on nuclear energy unfolded as the Obninsk NEW International Youth Nuclear Forum convened from September 21 to September 23, cementing its status as a crucible of transformation.
This forum, championed by Rosatom, harnessed the intellectual firepower of over 500 experts, young scientists, and specialists hailing from 70 countries, with a spotlight on Africa’s pivotal role.
Defining Challenges
At the heart of the forum lay discussions of titanic proportions, dissecting the existential challenges beleaguering the nuclear industry.
The experts delved into the very DNA of sustainable development, scrutinizing the prospects of nuclear and related sciences, while crafting novel blueprints for the training and career management of industry specialists.
A Resolute Vision
In an impassioned address that reverberated through the hallowed halls, Alexey Likhachev, Director General of Rosatom, unmasked a resolute vision. He underscored the non-negotiable importance of equipping the nuclear industry with finely honed specialists to propel it toward an ecologically responsible and sustainable future.
Likhachev unveiled a groundbreaking commitment to global nuclear education, with the youth holding the reins of destiny. The fruit of this commitment: an international scientific and educational juggernaut, forged in tandem with the National Nuclear Research University MEPhI, designed to mold the architects of nuclear projects yet to be conceived.
Africa’s Triumph:
The forum’s raison d’être extended far beyond the borders of Obninsk. The inclusion of African nations, often on the cusp of harnessing nuclear energy’s promise, painted a picture of unparalleled potential.
The creation of the International Scientific and Educational Center in Obninsk emerged as a gateway for African youth to embrace Russia’s nuclear expertise, a resource they could carry home to ignite prosperity on their own soil.
Sustainable Vanguard
Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, did not mince words. She proclaimed nuclear power engineering as the vanguard of an environmentally harmonious future and a bulwark against the ravages of climate change.
Clean energy, she declared, should not remain the privilege of a select few but a global birthright. Education, she contended, was the fulcrum of enlightenment, paving the path to comprehending the weighty significance of nuclear technologies.
African Voices
African luminaries lent their voices to this resonating symphony of change. Thekla Mutero, founder of Namibia’s Emerging Mining Association, roused African scholars to seize their destinies, urging them to forge ahead with relentless study and transformative work. Her call for unity among young minds in the sector found resonance in a chorus of like-minded voices from across the continent.
Intellectual Dynamo
Beyond speeches, the forum pulsated with an intellectual dynamo. Scientific readings unveiled cutting-edge research in nuclear physics. The Youth Scientific and Technical Conference n.a. Ye. Slavsky spurred creative exploration, while an innovation laboratory fired the imagination. Educational, sports, and cultural events interwove into a tapestry of holistic enrichment.
A Monumental Gathering
The Obninsk NEW International Youth Nuclear Forum etched its name in history as the first-ever youth nuclear forum in the annals of Obninsk. It didn’t merely convene; it forged a crucible of global “nuclear” youth, uniting them in a collective mission to shape Russia’s scientific research projects and by extension, the course of global nuclear progress.
As the forum’s echoes reverberate across continents, it stands as an unassailable testament to the indomitable spirit of youth, committed to forging a sustainable future through the transformative power of nuclear energy.
In the photo: Some of the more than 500 experts, young scientists and nuclear energy specialists from more than 70 countries who gathered at the Obninsk New International Youth Nuclear Forum. (Photo contributed)
