From 22 to 24 February, a JINR delegation led by Vice-Director Vladimir Kekelidze visited Belgrade on the ocassion of the 75th anniversary of the widely known Serbian scientific organization the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences. Festive events were held on 22 February at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Along with congratulations, in the opening speech addressed to the Director of the Vinča Institute Snežana Pajović JINR Director Grigory Trubnikov noted, “Founded in 1948 as the Institute of Physics, the Vinča Institute today is the largest scientific institute in the Republic of Serbia that carries out fundamental and applied research in natural, technical, and technological sciences. Throughout its history, the Vinča Institute served as a stimulating place for international collaboration and knowledge exchange, showing an example of successful integration of theoretical and experimental research with practical applications and high-level education.

JINR highly values the strategic partnership with the Vinča Institute, its main partner in Serbia. A long-term and fruitful cooperation between our scientific communities has successfully contributed to a number of common achievements and continues to bear fruits to this day. Currently, the institutes conduct joint works on various research topics, including theoretical, nuclear, condensed matter, elementary particle and relativistic nuclear physics, radiation and radiobiological research.

About 30 years ago, a programme of our bilateral cooperation on the construction of an accelerator complex began. A part of this programme, FAMA, is now a modern laboratory for studying properties of matter with charged beams and is one of the most significant axes of cooperation between JINR and Vinča Institute.”

During the festive ceremony, the delegates were awarded memorial signs to mark the long-term successful cooperation. As a symbolic congratulation to the Vinča Institute, Vladimir Kekelidze quoted the motto “Dubna is our common home on the banks of the Volga” and backed up his words by presenting the image of one of the architectural symbols of Dubna, familiar to all the citizens and guests of the Institute. “Today, our cooperation with the Vinča Institute includes a number of scientific areas, including radiobiology, accelerator technologies, radiation materials science, analytical methods, theoretical physics. Recently, we have been actively working together on the NICA Superconducting Collider project, in particular, in the MPD Collaboration. The Vinča Institute is actively involved in coordinating JINR cooperation with universities and other scientific organizations in Serbia, and in the last few years our partner network has expanded significantly. We are absolutely sure that in the future our mutual cooperation will be measured not only by time, but also by scientific discoveries,” he added.

Along with festive events, the JINR delegation took part in the 8th Session of the Joint Coordination Committee on cooperation between the Republic of Serbia and JINR, which was held at the Vinča Institute again. The delegation also met with representatives of the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, visited the The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, and the Belgrade Observatory.