Eddie Maier, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine - STCU

“Members of the ISTC members, members of the ISTC Governing Board, representatives of the Kazakhstan Government, diplomats posted in Kazakhstan and attendees and friends.

“Science without conscience is the ruin of the soul[i]”, François Rabelais said in Pantagruel.

Thirty years is a long period for an organization to be active. ISTC is celebrating its 30^th anniversary and STCU will do the same soon. The Centers were created to help scientists of the former Soviet Union working on weapons of mass destruction and other areas of national security to reorient their research and development activities towards peaceful topics while remaining active and appropriately compensated in their institutions

For many of us, the creation of ISTC 30 years ago takes us back. Those who were active in the early 1990s remember the roots, philosophy and objectives of both Centers. Today, they look at the past with a quiet eye but remain awake since Russia withdrew from the ISTC. We also keep a sharp eye on the situation in Ukraine where Russia has invaded.

Since departing Moscow in 2015, the ISTC has been tasked by the founding countries and organizations to enlarge its activities and geographical coverage. This has been crystalized by Kenya’s candidacy and an enlarged scope of scientific security topics. The ISTC has engaged in many common projects with the European Union’s CBRN Centers of Excellence and cooperates with new private and public enterprises.

ISTC helps scientists, engineers and their host institutions redirect activities towards peaceful research and developments. We also add protection of a safe planet and managing prevention and remediation of climate change.

Science is a solution for our problems; be it physics, chemistry and biology in technology and the economy. Our challenges reinforce the need for ISTC to continue to extend its work worldwide as decided in 2018.

Members and participants in this celebration event, allow me to address my deep congratulations for this 30-year celebration of the ISTC.

I appreciate and respect the effort and engagement all ISTC members have engaged in over the years to achieve the goals of the ISTC founders.

Special thanks to Kazakhstan, its government and administration, that hosts the ISTC Secretariat and helps the organization work and grow. You have done so much more than just hosting the ISTC and I have witnessed these efforts.

Thank you to all ISTC partners for the support and cooperation of their governments, universities, institutes and research organizations.

Thank you to all Governing Board members and congratulations to our Branch Offices for their support.

And, of course, a special and deep recognition to the ISTC Secretariat and to David Cleave who has always been a mover of the cause of ISTC. Thank you, David, to all your staff and to the those who have served ISTC.

Thank you, Chairman Ronald Lehman, for so many years (and hopefully many more to come) on the GB. You crystalize the spirit of the ISTC”.