CERN celebrates 70 years

On September 29th, CERN - the European Laboratory for Particle Physics - celebrated its 70th anniversary. To mark this date, a special high-level ceremony was held on October 1, with the participation of 38 national delegations, including Heads of State, personalities from science, politics and the economy. The Portuguese delegation was led by Professor Ana Paiva, Secretary of State for Science, and included Professor Madalena Alves, President of the Foundation for Science and Technology, the Portuguese delegates to the CERN Council, and members of the board of LIP, the Laboratory for Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics. The ceremony took place at the CERN Science Gateway, the new center for the education and dissemination of science to the general public.

Today, CERN is the world's leading high-energy physics laboratory, a center for the development of advanced technologies, a platform for training and education and an extraordinary example of collaboration between countries. It comprises 24 Member States, 10 Associate Member States, 4 Observer Members, numerous partners around the world and a community of more than 17,000 people representing more than 110 nationalities.

Portugal signed up as a Member State of CERN in 1985, starting on January 1, 1986. As a Member State, Portugal contributes to the annual operating costs of this infrastructure, corresponding to around 1% of the organization's global budget. This membership has given Portuguese teams access to participate in experiments carried out at CERN, which contribute to generating scientific publications, conference presentations, master's and doctoral theses. More than 50 Portuguese people with backgrounds in various areas, such as electronic engineering, electrotechnology, materials and chemistry, among others, have permanent work contracts in the organization's technical departments.

More about CERN.

*Photo credit © CERN - Family picture taken on the occasion of CERN's 70th anniversary