On 4–5 December, the international workshop titled “JINR and Latin America: synergetic partnership for future” took place in Havana (Republic of Cuba). The aim of the event was to strengthen scientific ties and discuss opportunities for the implementation of collaborative projects by the Joint Institute and Latin American scientific organizations. Researchers made presentations on scientific programmes and experimental studies conducted in Dubna and Latin American countries. In addition, they discussed prospects for joint participation in international projects during a round table.

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JINR Director, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Grigory Trubnikov and Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Cuba to JINR, Director General of the Center for Radiation Protection and Hygiene (CPHR) Gonzalo Walwyn Salas gave welcome speeches at the opening ceremony. The meeting was moderated by Head of the JINR International Cooperation Department Otilia-Ana Culicov and Professor of the Nuclear Science Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (ICN-UNAM) Alejandro Ayala.

The workshop programme included talks on all major areas of research at JINR’s laboratories. The Institute was represented by Vice-Director Latchesar Kostov and leading scientists: Dmitry Kazakov (BLTP), Sergei Shmatov (MLIT), Alek­sandr Bugay (LRB), Alexander Karpov (FLNR), Sergey Kulikov (FLNP), Viktor Riabov (VBLHEP), Alexey Guskov (DLNP), and Alexey Zhemchugov (DLNP).

Outstanding experts in physics, chemistry, and radiobiology from Latin America made presentations. Among them were: President of the Association of Latin American Nuclear Physics and Applications (ALAFNA) Nilberto Heder Medina (IFUSP, Brazil), ALAFNA Vice President Diego Torres (UNAL, Colombia), Executive Secretary for Communications of the Brazilian Physical Society (SBF) Marcilei Guazzelli, National Coordinator from Venezuela for the ARCAL Agreement under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation (MINCYT) Gloria Carvalho Kassar, Andrés Kreiner (UNSAM, Argentina), Alejandro Ayala (ICN-UNAM, Mexico), Efraín Rafael Chávez Lomelí (UNAM, Mexico), Debora Menezes (UFSC, Brazil), Ana Rey (Udelar, Uruguay), Guillermina Ferro-Flores (ININ, Mexico), Ana Mizher (USP, Brazil), and Taisiya Mineeva (ULS, Chile).

Before the round table, Otilia-Ana Culicov presented an overview of the opportunities JINR provides for Latin American specialists. She spoke in detail about the Institute’s educational programmes (START and INTEREST), user programmes and rules for access to unique scientific facilities (IBR-2, LINAC-200), and JINR’s social infrastructure for specialists arriving in Dubna.

An UNAM researcher, Professor Efraín Rafael Chávez Lomeli shared the successful experience of cooperation with the Joint Institute. He stressed the importance of not only developing scientific ties, but also concluding intergovernmental agreements to ensure broad mutual access to the research infrastructure of INR and scientific centres in Latin America.

During the discussions, JINR researchers noted the great experience of their Latin American colleagues in participating in major international collaborations, especially in particle physics. Latin American specialists, in turn, highly appreciated the wide range of scientific fields and the quality of the Institute’s experimental facilities. Both parties expressed interest in developing the partnership further.

As a result of the event, agreements were reached on the dissemination of information about JINR’s capabilities by Latin American scientists in their countries, the participation of specialists from Dubna in the work of the Physical Society of Latin America, and the organization of joint scientific workshops.