Photo Gallery: 51st IAEA General Conference

Published Date: 19 September 2007

© IAEA Delegates arriving early in the morning at the Austria Center, Vienna, on the first day of the General Conference. (17 September 2007) As customary, the Plenary observed a minute of silence for prayer and meditation before the official opening. (17 September 2007) The delegation from the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the picture, received considerable media attention. (17 September 2007) Delegates from around the world representing Member States, international organisations and non-governmental organisations attended the Plenary session of the General Conference. (17 September 2007) Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of the IAEA, addressing the Plenary Session on recent developments and current challenges in nuclear energy, nuclear applications, nuclear safety and security, and nuclear verification. (17 September 2007) Mouïn Hamzé of Lebanon (left), incoming President of the General Conference, is welcomed on stage by the outgoing President, Ambassador Abdul Samad Minty (right), Governor of the Republic of South Africa to the IAEA's Board of Governors. Mr. Hamzé is Secretary General of Lebanon's National Council for Scientific Research. (17 September 2007) Delegates listen intently to the statements being delivered at the Plenary. (17 September 2007) The Deputy Directors General of the IAEA at the Plenary Session of the General Conference. (17 September 2007) IAEA staff members make sure that the Plenary Session of the General Conference and the other meetings scheduled for the day proceeded as planned. (17 September 2007) A scene from the Plenary Session of the General Conference. (17 September 2007) The US Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman addressed the Plenary as representive of the Unites States of America. (Austria Center, Vienna, Austria, 17 September 2007) Thanking the 'gracious host'. Austrian Foreign Minister, Ursula Plassnik, and the IAEA Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei, answer questions from the press. In his opening speech, Dr. ElBaradei thanked the Republic of Austria for what he described as '50 years of generous hospitality'. (17 September 2007) The world media was present en-force at the 51st IAEA General Conference, covering several press conferences and other events. (17 September 2007) The Scientific Forum opened 18 September with a session on nuclear energy. The industry's future is in international cooperation, experts said. (18 September 2007) Over two days, the Scientific Forum had sessions dedicated to nuclear energy, nuclear applications, nuclear safety and security, and nuclear verification and non proliferation. (18 September 2007) In a statement officially opening the Scientific Forum, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei described the event as one of the main features of the Agency's General Conference. "With the Scientific Forum we are turning our vision to the future," he remarked. (18 September 2007) Gareth Evans, Chairman of the Scientific Forum, said that he hoped the two-day event would address technically complex policy issues in terms that can be clearly understood and debated by policy-makers and the public alike. Mr. Evans also said he was looking forward to having some conclusions and recommendations to report back to the main Conference which are 'just a little bit meaty, and a little bit juicy'.(18 September 2007) The exhibit, Technical Cooperation: Delivering Results for Peace and Development, officially opened on 18 September at the IAEA's General Conference in Vienna. Almost 40 completed projects were profiled in the exhibition which celebrates the technical cooperation between the IAEA and Member States. (18 September 2007) The exhibit displaying the technical cooperation projects also featured 'guests' coming from the IAEA's Marine Environment Laboratory (MEL) in Monaco. (18 September 2007) Two new varieties of barley have been produced through IAEA's Technical Cooperation projects that have increased harvest yields considerably over the last few years. (18 September 2007) Ms. Ana Maria Cetto, Head of IAEA Technical Cooperation, said the display focused 'on concrete and tangible results' that IAEA projects had delivered to people around the world. (18 September 2007) 'Concrete and tangible results' of the IAEA Technical Cooperation projects were on display in the Austria Center, Vienna. Visitors could take home cassava and banana plantlets bred at the IAEA's Seibersdorf Laboratories. (18 September 2007) IAEA and FAO have worked together successfully for several years in areas such as agriculture, crop development, fighting disease, and soil and water management. This is one of the best examples of inter-agency cooperation in the United Nations family. (18 September 2007) Nuclear authorities from Member States had interesting technology on display in their stands. This 'mood-detecting robot' in view on the Korean stand was one of the highlights of the exhibition. (17 September 2007) A section of the exhibition in the Austria Center, Vienna, was dedicated to the technology used by IAEA safeguards inspectors. After being used in the world media for years, the metallic seal has come to symbolize nuclear verification activity. (18 September 2007) Observing the 'hardware' of nuclear verification. (18 September 2007) Nuclear verification and safeguards require the use of state-of-the-art technology. Optical seals, such as the one in the picture, are among the most advanced technological gadgets used by IAEA inspectors. (18 September 2007) Portable spectrometers are an essential component of the kit used by IAEA inspectors around the world. (18 September 2007) A chocolate reproduction of Benvenuto Cellini's famous 'Saliera' on display at Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum. The 'sweet' Saliera was crafted by master chocolatiers at the city's Café Demel. Boldly stolen and then buried deep in an Austrian forest, the Saliera was examined by restorers following its retrival. They used a portable version of the X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) loaned by the IAEA to the museum. The 'sweet' Saliera was on display as part of the IAEA's Nuclear Applications stand. The Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT) was also part of the exhibition in the Austria Center, Vienna. PACT was created by the IAEA in 2004 in response to the developing world's growing cancer crisis. The Republic of Korea has made a unique donation to the Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT). Handing over a cheque for $10,000 is Young Shik Kim, Director General of the Korean Atomic Energy Bureau. Werner Burkart, IAEA Deputy Director General, Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, said the IAEA was deeply honoured by the gesture. In the course of the brief ceremony, Mr. Kim added that Korea is making significant progress towards developing a Cyclotron for use in the treatment of cancer. The country is also putting its considerable technical know-how towards the development of various advanced medical applications. Drawing on the IAEA's 30 years experience in radiation medicine and technology, PACT aims to help developing countries build a comprehensive, sustainable cancer control programme integrating prevention, screening, treatment and palliative care. Massoud Samiei (right) is the Head and Programme Manager of PACT. On 19 September, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei accepted the inaugural "Atoms for Peace" prize he was awarded on 7 August by the International Institute for Sustainable Peace (IISP) and the World Council of Nuclear Workers (WONUC). The prize was presented by Prof. Tetsuo Sawada of IISP. The 'Atoms for Peace' prize was awarded to Dr. ElBaradei for his work and contribution to 'the development of peaceful applications of nuclear energy'. After the award ceremony, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei took a few questions from the journalists who were following the event. This was only one of the several meetings he had with the press over the course of the General Conference. In one of the sessions of the Scientific Forum devoted to safeguards and nuclear verification, senior international experts discussed serious challenges facing the non-proliferation regime. The session on safeguards and nuclear verification concluded a two-day Scientific Forum that looked at global challenges and the development of atomic energy for the next 25 years. The Plenary Session of the General Conference continued on the third day of the event. Staff from the IAEA Secretariat provided an essential, behind-the-scene service during the General Conference, administering a complicated organizational process. Representatives from IAEA Member States took the stage in turn to address the Plenary Session. In the picture, Canadian Ambassador to Austria Marie Gervais-Vidricaire is delivering her statement.