Russian State Atomic Energy Agency Rosatom hosted the strategically important session on “People's demand for nuclear energy: How nuclear technologies improve our lives” held on January 2020, 24 as part of Expo 2022 Rosatom Week in Dubai. The moderator of the session was Alexander Voronkov, Director of Rosatom Middle East and North Africa. Voronkov, speaking at the session, whose main topic was public acceptance of nuclear energy, said: “Transparency and open dialogue in the nuclear sector are the keys to effective communication. They ensure accurate information on sensitive issues and debunk common myths and stereotypes about nuclear power. Moreover, it helps to gain the trust of the public.” During the session, respected speakers from around the world talked about global communication approaches aimed at raising awareness of the challenges that need to be overcome, as well as nuclear technologies.
Sama Bilbao-y-Leon, Director General of the World Nuclear Association (WNA), who made the opening speech of the session, stated that access to reliable and clean electricity plays an important role in directly and indirectly strengthening public health. “Beyond medical facilities, this includes protecting children's lives, ensuring safe drinking water and food security,” Bilbao-y-Leon said.
The second speaker, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Communications, Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement Officer Jeffrey Donovan, talked about a new guide published by the IAEA that offers theoretical and practical advice on how to effectively involve parties in nuclear issues. Taking the floor after Donovan, Cristian Vega, Vice President of the International Youth Nuclear Association, made a presentation addressing the key challenges of the 21st century, offering possible solutions, and the role that international organizations can play in improving people's lives with nuclear energy.
Ryan Collyer, CEO of Rosatom Central and South Africa, pointed out that one of the main goals of Rosatom is to educate young people, their peers and elders on the benefits of nuclear technologies, while also motivating them to find solutions to these problems to help their communities and countries. Collyer said: “Rosatom believes that young people should play a vital role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and, in particular, in tackling climate change. “We dedicate a lot of resources to support young people to develop their talents and share their views and ideas.”
Once a year, Rosatom supports young people by holding a video contest called Atoms Empowering Africa, where young people over the age of 18 can share their videos and talk about how nuclear energy can benefit their lives and society in general. Expressing his support for the initiative, Gaopalelwe Santswere, President of African Young Generation in Nuclear (AYGN), said: “The video competition is a creative way to show that nuclear technology can offer innovative solutions to global challenges and create ways to benefit the quality of life of people on our continent. way.”
The Expo sessions also allowed many young nuclear experts to be contacted, including Princess Mthombeni, award-winning international communications expert, founder of Africa4Nuclear (Nuclear for Africa) and lifelong advocate of nuclear technology. Talking about the importance of engaging with followers on social media platforms to spread powerful messages about the benefits of nuclear technology, Mthombeni told attendees about Stand Up for Nuclear, a successful media event that encouraged other countries, including Nigeria and Kenya, to join the nuclear debate. During Rosatom Week, many internationally renowned experts debated at length the benefits of nuclear technology.
They also shared many real-life examples to show how nuclear technology can improve the quality of life and bring lasting benefits to society. One of the most inspiring examples is the WITS University of South Africa, leading nuclear scientists, researchers, South African rhino owners and the world's most In collaboration with good wildlife veterinarians was the Rhisotope Project, an initiative aimed at significantly reducing poaching of rhinoceros. The aim of the project was explained as finding a permanent and effective way to reduce the number of rhinos hunted for their horns using radioactive isotopes. During the Expo session, Ryan Collyer shared his personal views on the project and said: “The situation of African rhinos is dire and this problem has been going on for a long time. I think every South African understands the problem in one way or another. Unfortunately, only 16 rhinos remain in South Africa, making it the largest rhino population in the world. This shows that we and many others need to realize that we are at a critical point and that we are clearly not doing enough for the rhinos. Now we have to take more serious measures to save them. This is how the idea for the Rhisotope Project actually came about. Essentially, we are trying to save a magical and endangered species. If you look at a rhino, you see a real-life unicorn”.
The last speech of the session was made by Heather Hoff, one of the founders of the Mothers for Nuclear (Nuclear Mothers Platform) so that women can share their stories and keep in touch with those who want to protect nature for future generations. Vincze is working on Atom for Humanity, an initiative that aims to share people around the world with how nuclear has changed their lives and helped fulfill their dreams, both big and small. Photographic storytelling about nuclear energy is a great example of how science and art can come together to achieve the same goal.
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