64th IAEA General Conference

Virtual Side Events Organized and/or Co-sponsored by the Secretariat During the 64th General Conference

The Role of Nuclear Technology in the Fight Against Cervical Cancer in Africa: Past Experiences and the Way Forward

Cervical cancer kills more than 300 000 women every year, around 90% of whom live in low and middle income countries. It is the most common cancer for women in at least half of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. This event will highlight the importance of using nuclear techniques to support optimal cervical cancer care and help manage this significant public health burden. It will draw lessons from experience on how to fight cervical cancer in Africa in the future. The side event is organized by Morocco in partnership with the IAEA.

This event will be held on Monday, 21 September 2020, from 1.15 p.m. to 2.15 p.m. Delegations should register here.

Nuclear Security Talks

A series of speakers will address the following topics in a TED Talk-like style:

• Context of security
• Legal frameworks and A/CPPNM
• Sustainability of nuclear security

A video will be launched on Monday, 21 September at 10.00 a.m. The video is now accessible here. Delegations wishing to receive further information about this event should go to the event website.

The ReNuAL Project: Labs Fit for the Future

In the first half of 2020, the IAEA’s nuclear applications laboratories received an unprecedented number of Member State requests for support and services. The modern and expanded capacities provided by the newly opened Yukiya Amano Laboratories building paid immediate dividends in enabling the IAEA’s response to the global pandemic. It is essential that the laboratories remain fit-for-purpose to support the needs of Member States. This event will showcase the accomplishments of the Renovation of the Nuclear Applications Laboratories (ReNuAL) project to date, highlight the work still to be done, and commemorate the generosity of Member States in supporting the effort.

This event will be held on Monday, 21 September 2020, from 12.00 noon to 1.00 p.m. Delegations should register here. Delegations wishing to receive further information about this virtual event should contact NA Labs.

Event to Mark the Tenth Anniversary of the IAEA’s Nuclear Law Institute

The Nuclear Law Institute (NLI) is the IAEA’s annual training programme on nuclear law and legislative drafting. With approximately 600 officials trained since 2011, the NLI, organized in the context of the technical cooperation programme, has made a major contribution to the establishment and enhancement of adequate national nuclear legal frameworks in Member States. A video celebrating the tenth anniversary of the NLI will be launched on Monday, 21 September 2020 at 2.00 p.m. The video will highlight the impact of the NLI programme over the past decade in helping Member States develop national capabilities in drafting nuclear legislation through remarks and contributions from the IAEA Director General, NLI organizers and alumni, as well as officials from Member States. Delegations wishing to receive further information about this virtual event should go to the event website.

Strengthening the SSAC: A New Initiative

The Department of Safeguards has recently launched a new initiative aimed at strengthening the effectiveness of State systems of accounting for and control of nuclear material (SSACs). At this event, the Department will present an overview of the initiative and how it will address the challenges faced by SSACs in safeguards implementation. The event is intended for both possible future recipients of assistance and partners with whom the Agency seeks to strengthen coordination in order to effectively implement the initiative.

This event will be held on Tuesday, 22 September 2020, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. Delegations should register here or go to the event website.

Saving Women’s Lives from Cancer

This event will take stock of the IAEA–Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Partnership Initiative “Saving Women’s Lives from Cancer”. It will share experiences and inform on new avenues to collaborate with non-traditional donors to increase access to comprehensive diagnostics and treatment for breast and cervical cancer in low and middle income countries. The winners of the Call for Innovation will also be announced.

This event will be held on Tuesday, 22 September 2020, from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Delegations should register here. Delegations wishing to receive further information about this event should contact PACT. 

Celebrating 20 Years of the International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles

This event will present INPRO’s activities which are based on an integrated approach that takes into consideration all aspects that are important to the sustainability of nuclear energy. These include economics, safety, security, environmental impact, non-proliferation, and effective national and international infrastructure. The event will highlight the tools and support developed for detailed sustainability assessments over the past 20 years. The session will also describe INPRO’s vision for the changing energy needs and technologies of the 21st century.

This event will be held on Wednesday, 23 September 2020, from 2.00 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. Delegations should register here.

The Future of Atoms: Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear Applications

The event will showcase the ways in which artificial intelligence-based approaches in nuclear science have the potential to advance cancer staging in nuclear medicine and cancer treatment through radiotherapy; accelerate progress in nuclear fusion research; and help protect the environment, in particular, global water resources from overexploitation and contamination. It will also seek to envision future applications of artificial intelligence in nuclear science and possible collaborative and coordinated research that can be conducted under the stewardship of the IAEA.

This event will be held on Wednesday, 23 September 2020, from 2.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Delegations wishing to register for this virtual event should go to the event website.

A Global Voice on Gender Equality in Nuclear: the role of the IAEA

Gender equality in the nuclear field creates a stronger and more diverse workforce to fuel development and sustainability. But there is a long way to go before gender equality in nuclear is achieved on a global scale. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has been an advocate for gender equality and the empowerment of women for many years and his vision is to establish the IAEA as a leading global voice for gender equality in nuclear. At this event, chaired by Director General Rafael Grossi, participants will hear accounts from inspirational gender champions, and about the Agency’s innovative work on gender equality and the empowerment of women.

This event will be held on Wednesday, 23 September 2020, from 3.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. Delegations should register here or go to the event website.

IAEA Peer Review Missions in Support of Research Reactors

This event will provide information on IAEA peer review missions in support of enhancing the safe operation and effective utilization of the ageing fleet of operating research reactors on a long term basis and infrastructure development for new research reactor projects.

This event will be held on Wednesday, 23 September 2020, from 3.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. Delegations should register here. Delegations wishing to receive further information about this event should go to the event website.

Plenary of the Regulatory Cooperation Forum

The Plenary of the Regulatory Cooperation Forum (RCF) will focus on the common issues in regulatory infrastructure development among countries embarking on a nuclear power programme (Bangladesh, Belarus, Ghana, Jordan, Morocco, Nigeria, Poland, Sudan, Viet Nam and others) to facilitate information exchange and experience sharing with countries with advanced nuclear power programmes. It also aims at promoting awareness of RCF activities for non-RCF members.

This event will be held on Friday, 25 September 2020, from 1.00 p.m. to 3.00 p.m. Delegations should register here. Delegates wishing to receive further information about this virtual event should go to the event website.

To ensure participation and avoid many events taking place in parallel during the week of the General Conference (GC), the following virtual side event is scheduled after the week of the GC:

From Regulation to Clinical Practices: Ensuring Safety and Quality of Medical Radiological Procedures in Europe and Central Asia

This event will present the implementation of the Basic Safety Standards in Europe and Central Asia, including an analysis of the country profiles and identification of significant progress and major gaps. A recent survey regarding the availability of medical physicists in the region and possible steps forward will also be presented, as will counterpart experience in building patient protection infrastructure, including challenges and good practices.

This event will be held on Tuesday, 29 September 2020, from 1.00 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. Delegations should register here or go to the event website.