Events in the frames of the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements (IYPT2019) were launched in Russia.

On 6 February 2019, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev held the meeting of the organizing committee on preparing and holding the IYPT2019 in Russia, visited the exhibition of scientific and research projects in the fields of chemistry as well as participated in the ceremonial opening of the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements in Russia.

Photo: government.ru

RF Minister of Science and Higher Education, Plenipotentiary Representative of Russia at JINR Mikhail Kotyukov made a report at the meeting of the IYPT organizing committee. Moreover, the organizing committee heard a speech by RAS President Alexander Sergeev. First Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia Grigory Trubnikov as well as Scientific Leader of the Flerov Laboratory of Nuclear Reactions Yuri Oganessian also took part in the event. More details about the reports are available via the link. At the meeting, it was decided to establish the Mendeleev Scientific Prize.

In the evening of that day, a festive opening ceremony of the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the periodic law of chemical elements by the prominent Russian scientist D.I. Mendeleev, was held in the main building of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

The ceremonial opening started with a welcome speech of Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the organizing committee for preparing and holding the IYPT2019 in Russia Dmitry Medvedev. He welcomed all participants of the ceremonial meeting and congratulated them on the official opening of the Year.

“It is a pleasure to congratulate you on the opening of the International Year of the Dmitry Mendeleev’s Periodic Table of Chemical Elements. According to the decision of the UN General Assembly, under the authority of UNESCO, the IYPT2019 is celebrated in various countries, including, of course, Russia where we celebrate the IYPT2019 with special enthusiasm and feelings. It is a historical event for us,” Dmitry Medvedev said at the festive event.

The ceremonial meeting was also attended by President of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) Alexander Sergeev, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Mikhail Kotyukov, RF Minister of Education Olga Vasilieva, Rector of the Moscow State University Victor Sadovnichy. In the frames of the ceremonial opening, RAS President Academician Alexander Sergeev and Vice-President of the Royal Society Sir Martyn Poliakoff read their lectures. First Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of Russia Grigory Trubnikov who is Advisor on Science to JINR Director was also among the guests of the event. The Joint Institute for Nuclear Research was represented at the event by JINR Director Academician Victor Matveev, FLNR Director Sergey Dmitriev, FLNR Scientific Leader Academician Yuri Oganessian and FLNR Scientific Secretary Alexander Karpov.

Photos by Alexander Karpov

Moreover, in the frames of opening the International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements, a mobile international exhibition was launched dedicated to chemistry and its latest achievements. The exhibition stand of the Joint Institute also participates in this project and presents synthesis of superheavy elements and the new DC-280 accelerator. The exhibition has been already presented at the opening ceremony of the International Year in Paris, in the UNESCO headquarters. During the jubilee year, this mobile chemical exhibition headed by UNESCO will travel around the world.

The opening ceremony of the IYPT2019 was held on 29 January 2019 in the UNESCO headquarters (Paris). The official closing is planned for December 2019 in Japan.

Following information of Minobrnauki, the “Scientific Russia” web portal and the JINR Directorate