At the ceremony in Geneva on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the president emphasised Bulgaria's aspiration to build an International Institute for Sustainable Technologies with the support of CERN for the treatment of oncological diseases
CERN is not only an organisation for leading scientific research, but a successful example of the progress of united efforts for the sake of humanity. Bulgaria remains dedicated to the shared mission of developing the potential of science in support of peace in a world of fierce competition and for the positive development of our societies. This was stated by Head of State Rumen Radev at the ceremony in Geneva on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research /CERN/. The event was attended by heads of state and government of a number of CERN member countries - the president of the Swiss Confederation, Viola Amherd, the president of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella , the President of the Slovak Republic, Peter Pellegrini, the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, Evika Silina, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as Her Royal Highness Astrid, Princess of the Kingdom of Belgium.
The head of state highlighted the role of CERN in uniting the potential of science, education and business to achieve the new European priorities for higher competitiveness and "clean industry" through scientific research and innovation. Above all, CERN is an inspiration for our young scientists and a model for the development of science in the future, Radev said.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Bulgaria joining the organisation and President Radev noted the contribution of over 100 Bulgarian scientists, engineers and technicians who are involved in various CERN projects. Bulgarian scientists played a significant role in the creation of the construction of the CMS detector, which is of key importance for the discovery of the Higgs boson particle.
Rumen Radev also pointed to the desire of our country to build, in partnership with its neighbours, an International Institute for Sustainable Technologies in South-Eastern Europe with technology from CERN, in which, in addition to scientific activity, the treatment of oncological diseases can also be applied.
The partnership between Bulgaria and CERN does not end with scientific activity, and we are grateful for the educational initiatives of the organisation, which provide a number of new opportunities for many Bulgarian students, teachers and researchers, the president also stated. More than 800 Bulgarian teachers have gone through various educational programs of CERN, and the head of state said that this experience is invaluable, as it gives young people in our country the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to successfully cope with the challenges of the future .
In Geneva, President Rumen Radev also held a meeting with the Bulgarian scientists at CERN, to whom he expressed his appreciation for the scientific results achieved by them and their contribution to establishing Bulgaria among the world's leading countries in the field of scientific research with applications in a number of fields.