History of International Youth Nuclear Congress
The popularity of nuclear science and technology has fallen over the last
twenty years. This fall in popularity has resulted in a
similar fall in new specialists entering the nuclear field. In comparison, most
predictions of future world energy requirements
all point towards nuclear being key within the solution.
 This latter fact has been clearly recognised by the present young nuclear
professionals. A group of whom initiated the idea
of holding an International Youth Nuclear Congress (IYNC) in 1997. This idea
was grounded in their belief that the efforts
the young generation organisations were making in promoting the nuclear industry
in individual countries would be
more efficient and have more impact if integrated globally. Such global
integration required the gathering together of people
interested in collaborating within the nuclear field.
At the International Forum "Youth and the Plutonium Challenge" held in Obninsk,
Russia in the summer of 1998,
the participants confirmed once again their interest in holding the Congress and
the first meeting to organise the event took
place during the European Nuclear Congress in Nice, France in autumn of the same
year. It was at this meeting the youth from
Russia, France, the United States and Slovakia prepared and stated the mission
of the IYNC.
 The city of Bratislava, Slovakia was chosen as the location for the first
congress. Bratislava has a rich history
dating back to the Early Stone Age. It is a comfortable, placid and inexpensive
city situated in the center of
Europe not far from the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
The Congress was supported by the representative organisations of the nuclear
industry from around the world. This support
gave the Congress the impetus to attract sponsorship from international
organisations which in turn allowed it to bring together
many international experts and young professionals from around the globe.Such an involved event could not take place without significant preparation and
an executive commitee was set up and held
several preparatory meetings in Boston, USA; Obninsk, Russia; and Bratislava,
Slovakia.
 The Executive Committee included the representatives from different countries
and different organizations who worked
intensively over a period of two years. They invited young nuclear professionals
through out the world to provide their
opinions on the future of the nuclear industry and their ideas to stimulate both
its growth and awakening interest in it. Many
organizations responded and sent their young specialists to the Congress all of
which enabled the commitee to convert
the dream of the congress into a reality.
| 
