The most important achievements in 2013 in the international life of JINR were the following events: JINR was granted observer status in such European research structures as the Strategic Working Group on Physical and Engineering Sciences of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures  (ESFRI) and the Astroparticle Physics European Consortium (ApPEC). Leaders of several international organizations also visited JINR in the expiring year: ESFRI President Beatrix  Vierkorn-Rudolf, President of the European Physical Society Luisa Chifarelli, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano.

ARE Minister of Scientific Research and Technology Nadia Zakhary visited JINR on 13 May 2013, and two top-ranking delegations from JINR Member States visited JINR on 23 November 2013: a Romanian  delegation headed by Minister Delegate for Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technological Development Mihnea Cosmin Costoi and a delegation from the Czech Republic headed by Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Dalibor Štys. Reappointed JINR Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba Fidel Castro Diaz-Balart came to participate in a session of the Committee of Plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the JINR Member States for the first time in many years and perspectives of resumption of full participation of Cuba in JINR were outlined.

Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation Mr. Emilio Lozada Garsia (the Republic of Cuba), Slavenko Terzić (the Republic of Serbia), Vasile Soare (Romania), V.Yu. Yelchenko (Ukraine), the Charge d’Affaires of the Czech Republic in the Russian Federation Martin Klučar and Minister Delegate H. Raubenheimer (RSA).

An International Workshop «Prospects of Cooperation in the NICA Mega-Science Project» which was held on 8 August, was one of the highlights of the year. The outcome of the meeting was the signing of a Protocol of Intent. Representatives of governments of Belarus, Bulgaria, Germany, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine signed the document. Hungary, India, Italy, China, Poland, the Czech Republic and the South African Republic were represented as observers of the project. The Workshop vitalized contacts of JINR in many directions. So signing of a framework agreement with the Research Institute of Plasma Physics (China) was followed by a meeting of VBLHEP Deputy Director G.V. Trubnikov with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev in Hefei and discussion of the support of the Mega-Science project "NICA" by the RF government. Directors of leading German research centers of the Helmholtz Association headed by its President Jürgen Mlynek participated in the Workshop in Dubna. JINR signed a Collaboration Agreement with the Helmholtz Association which is one the largest scientific organization in Europe.

Five meetings of coordinating committees on cooperation of JINR with associated counties were held in 2013; one of them was held for the first time – the Standing Committee on Cooperation with the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN, Italy) was held on 22 February.

These are just some of the important international events in the life of the Institute. Speaking in terms of figures, in 2013 JINR organized and held 90 conferences, schools, and meetings, including events which were held jointly with other organizations and three stages of the practice for young scientists. In connection with the implementation of joint work and to attend JINR meetings, about 2,000 short-term visits of scientists and experts from different countries (excluding Russian) to Dubna were held.  About 2,800 business trips of JINR staff members to JINR Member States (not counting Russian organizations) and other countries were also reported, including about 1,000 trips associated with participation in international and national conferences.

On behalf of the team of the International Cooperation Department I congratulate JINR staff members on the coming New Year 2014. I wish you every success, new scientific contacts, bright research achievements and interesting meetings.

Dmitri Kamanin,

Head of the JINR International Cooperation Department