On 15-16 May, MEPhI Science Diplomacy Club and MGIMO International Security Club organized II Science Diplomacy School "The NPT: preserving the legacy". The school brought together 13 experts, 38 participants, and 30 students from Russia, Ireland, the United States of America, France, the United Kingdom, Uganda, India, Bangladesh, Germany, Switzerland, Republic of Korea, Romania, Japan, Sweden, China.
The school was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). In this regard, it had the following thematic areas: non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful use of nuclear energy.
The vice-rector of MEPhI Tatyana Leonova and deputy director of the Institute of International Relations of MEPhI Andrei Cherkassky addressed the participants with a welcoming speech.
During two working days, experts held lectures; among them were former Head of Verification and Security Policy Office, reporting to the IAEA Director General Tariq Rauf, Director of Open Nuclear Network, a program of One Earth Future Laura Rockwood, External Relations Officer, Protocol and International Cooperation (CTBTO) Maria Chepurina, Associate Professor IIR MEPhI Vladimir Kuchinov, Advisor to the Director General of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Vladimir Artisyuk, PIR Center Consultant Andrei Baklitsky, IMEMO RAS Research Fellow Dmitry Stefanovich, First Secretary of the Permanent Mission of Russia to the International Organizations in Vienna Gleb Maslov, IMEMO RAS Research Associate Darya Selezneva, Director of the Eurasia and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Program, Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, USA Sarah Bidgood.
On the second day, the organizers held activities: a scenario analysis of results of the NPT Review Conference 2021 together with an analyst at the MGIMO Institute for International Studies Adlan Margoev, IAEA safeguards intellectual game with a researcher at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Noah Mayhew, interactive workshop with an analyst for the Open Nuclear Network, the program of One Earth Future Veronika Bedenko. The role play “NPT Negotiation Process: Back to the 1960s” was organized by Ksenia Pirnavskaya, student of IIR MEPhI.
Despite obvious difficulties, the School has become a platform for all members of “non-proliferation and disarmament” family to discuss outstanding issues, share experience, and make new acquaintances among like-minded people.
