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In connection with the forthcoming International Chemistry Olympiad of students to be held on July 20-29, 2015 at Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University, a delegation of members of the IChO Steering Committee headed by Chairman Dr. Duckhwan Lee, Professor at Sogang University (South Korea) arrived in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

The members of the Steering Committee comprised representatives from 12 countries. The purpose of their two-day visit is to familiarize themselves with the preliminaries of the organization of the international event. The members of the committee will inspect the classrooms and chemistry laboratories of the University where the theoretical and practical exams of the Olympiad will take place. They will also visit the Heydar Aliyev Center, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympiad will be held, and the hotels to accommodate the team heads, science observers and students of the forthcoming Olympiad.

On January 16, 2015 The President of the 47th International Chemistry Olympiad, Chairwoman of the Organizing Committee, Rector of Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University and corresponding member of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Professor Nargiz Pashayeva had a meeting with the following members of the Steering Committee: Dr. Duckhwan Lee, professor at Sogang University (South Korea), Dr. Carlos Castro-Acuna, professor at Mexico National University (Costa Rica), Dr. I-Jy Chang, professor of the Chemistry Department of National Taipei Normal University, Dr. Gabor Magyarfalvi, professor at Chemistry Institute, Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary), Dr. Petr Holzhauser, PhD, head of the Department of Chemistry and Technology School (Czech Republic), Mr. Fung Fun Man, lecturer from the Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science of National University of Singapore, Dr. Nguyen Tien Thao, PhD, Vice Dean of the Chemistry Faculty of Vietnam National University of Science (Vietnam), Dr. Igrar Nazarov, Vice Dean of the Chemistry Faculty of Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University (Azerbaijan), Dr. Worowan Bhanthumnavin, professor at Chulalongkorn University (Thailand), Dr. Peter Wothers, Lecturer at Cambridge University (United Kingdom), Dr. Alexander Gladilin, professor from the Biochemistry Department of Lomonosov Moscow University (Russia), Dr. Martin Putala, professor, PhD, head of the Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences of Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia).

Nargiz Pashayeva greeted the guests at the meeting held at Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow State University. In her welcoming speech she emphasized that the Organizing Committee assumed full responsibility for the excellence of the Olympiad and expressed her deep gratitude for the highest confidence placed in hosting the event.

“This International Chemistry Olympiad will be a very important event for Azerbaijan, a country with its long history of an oil-producing industry and rich traditions in the science branch of Chemistry” she noted.

According to Nargiz Pashayeva , one of the main tasks of the Olympiad is transparency that will justly reflect the results of students’ skills. For the purpose of avoiding any misgivings the Rector has established “a hotline” for all the participants of the Olympiad to take care of all remarks and opinions during the competition.

Though the students are under the age of 20 the participants of the Olympiad are chiefly students at school. “We must inspire the confidence of students in such scientific competitions and arouse their interest in science”, Nargiz Pashayeva pointed out.

The Rector emphasized, “Throughout the course of my teaching in educational institutions the students’ opinions have been the most important for me. This idea has always been first and foremost. I would like the students to make sure that everything is just in this competition, even if they do not pass. I would like no one to feel offended by our university, the Olympiad organizers, the jury, or through this event as a whole,” said Nargiz Pashayeva.

“The Olympiad organizers have to perform enormous tasks. Not only to extend the influence of the Olympiad and excite interest in Chemistry, but also letting us discover talented young people,” noted Nargiz Pashayeva.

Mr. Duckwan Lee, Chairman of the Olympiad Steering Committee expressed his delight with what he saw in Azerbaijan and in the facilities provided at Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow University.

“This visit to Azerbaijan is the first for most of us. We have come here to make the Olympiad more successful and productive. We wish you make great progress in the Olympiad. We’ll do our best for it.” Mr. Duckhwan Lee pointed out.

The decision on hosting the Olympiad at Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow University was upheld in Washington by the Steering Committee of the International Chemistry Olympiad in July 2012.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan among the CIS countries after Russia is the second country which won the right to host the International Chemistry Olympiad of students. This decision is evidence for the prestige and international recognition of the merits of Baku Branch of Lomonosov Moscow University.