Prague and Bratislava welcome over 300 students from 76 countries at the 50th International Chemical Olympiad

23/07/2018
Prague and Bratislava welcome over 300 students from 76 countries at the 50th International Chemical Olympiad

On 19-29 July 2018, the Czech Republic and Slovakia hosts the 50th International Chemical Olympiad, an annual competition for the world’s most talented chemistry students at the secondary school level.

The venue of the event is symbolic because in 1968, just before the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops, the first year of this competition for talented students took place in the former Czechoslovakia. While the first Olympiad was attended by 18 students from the three states of the current Visegrad Group, this year it will present a record of more than 300 contestants from 76 countries around the world.

Each country is represented by four students who have succeeded in national rounds. All teams will attempt to complete three practical and eight theoretical tasks and Czech team will hopefully build on the success of the last year. Previously (last year in Thailand), the Czechs took four medals in total.

"The opportunity to organize the International Chemical Olympiad is a great privilege. Last year, in Thailand, the ceremonies were held under the supervision of the Royal Family. The next year in Paris will be held under the auspices of the Nobel Prize winner for Chemistry Jean-Marie Lehn," said Karel Melzoch, Rector of the Prague University of Chemistry and Technology for Novinky.cz

The opening ceremony of the competition will take place in Stará Tržnice (Bratislava) on July 20th and the winners will be awarded at the results ceremony, which will take place eight days later in Rudolfinum (Prague).

Besides a competition, a rich accompanying program is being prepared for the contestants and their mentors, culminating at the Summer IChO Party. It will take place on July 25th on the premises of the University of Chemistry and Technology. In addition, there will be a concert of Tata Bojs, Debbi and Kašpárek v rohlíku, interactive chemical experiments, a street food market, and a fire show.

GUARANT International organizes this event with a budget of more than 40 million Czech koruna alongside with the University of Chemistry and Technology and the Comenius University in Bratislava.

More information about the event can be found at https://50icho.eu/.

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