Interested contributors have until 15 September to submit their abstracts for the IAEA International Conference on Nuclear Security: Shaping the Future (ICONS 2024) to be held from 20 to 24 May 2024 at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
The call is for submissions for both oral and poster presentations during ICONS 2024.
"ICONS is an important event for the international community, providing an opportunity to gather thought leaders and practitioners for exchange and shared learning with the objective of strengthening nuclear security worldwide," Elena Buglova, Director of the IAEA's Division of Nuclear Security said.
ICONS 2024 will consist of two parts (a) a Ministerial segment, and (b) a scientific and technical programme.
The two-day ministerial segment (from 20-21 May) will feature national statements, interactive sessions for Ministers, high level policy discussions and the adoption of a Ministerial Declaration. The three-day scientific and technical programme (from 22-24 May) will include an opening plenary session, high-level policy discussions, parallel streams of technical sessions, poster sessions and a concluding plenary session dedicated to the President's Report.
This will be the fourth ministerial-level international conference on nuclear security and will bring together ministers, senior government officials, high-level staff from agencies involved in making policy for, and managing, nuclear security, and technical and legal experts working in all areas of nuclear security. The conference aims to attract industry and civil society representatives, including non-governmental organizations and academic institutions.
ICONS 2024 will build on the previous International Conferences on Nuclear Security, held in 2013, 2016 and, most recently, in 2020. Each conference has informed the development of the subsequent IAEA Nuclear Security Plan developed shortly after each conference, and the scientific and technical discussions have informed the work of the global nuclear security community.
"There are certainly many new perspectives and ideas in the area of nuclear security that can be presented in ICONS 2024," Buglova said. "ICONS 2024 aims to offer the national authorities, regional networks, international organizations and companies the forum to reflect on what has already been done, but most importantly, to look ahead to the future."
Experts are invited to submit abstracts for the technical sessions' presentations under the following four themes:
- Policy and regulations for nuclear security
- Technology and infrastructure for nuclear security prevention, detection and response
- Capacity building for nuclear security
- Cross-cutting nuclear security topics
The conference programme will also include side events and exhibitions including interactive sessions or demonstrations.
