What a day: the very first IChO in Switzerland was ceremoniously opened yesterday. The teams from 89 countries gathered in the hall of the hotel Spirgarten in Zurich for the opening ceremony
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Günther Dissertori, Rector of ETH Zurich and President of IChO 2023, warmly welcomed all participants and pointed out how valuable and important an event like the IChO is: “The IChO is not just a competition, it is a celebration of knowledge, discovery and the beginning and continuation of friendships. We stand here today, ready to witness the passion of these young chemists with their talents and their dedication. Let us embark on this extraordinary journey together, united by the common language of science and inspired by the possibilities that lie before us for future solutions.”
Helma Wennemers, Professor at the Department of Chemistry an Applied Biosciences, led the opening ceremony and was actively supported by Jane Mumford, a comedian for whom chemistry is now no longer a foreign word! Besides speeches by Silvia Studinger, State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation, Gábor Magyarfalvi, International Steering Committee IChO and Wendelin Stark, Head Scientific Committee IChO, each country was introduced with country-specific symbols. The teams were enthusiastic and together with the two Swiss participants Sabine Neuhaus and Alex Martinetti they recited the Olympic IChO oath, which focuses on fair play, inclusion and equality. Overall, the opening was a great success as it was the start of an exciting and eventful IChO period.
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