20 YEARS OF EUROPEAN RESEARCHERS’ NIGHT: SKOPJE HOSTS THE CERN EXHIBITION

The EU Delegation and Europe House yesterday, with an event held at Diamond Mall, marked the European Researchers’ Night 2025. The event represented the final step in a series of activities organized by Europe House across the country. This year is a jubilee for science, as all over Europe 20 years of the European Researchers’ Night are being celebrated, making 2025 a significant moment in promoting science. That is why the main event this year, the exhibition “CERN and the Universe: The Science that Connects Us”, was realized in cooperation with one of the world’s most important scientific institutions – CERN, the leading center for nuclear and particle physics, as well as with the Institute of Physics at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Skopje.

At the opening of the exhibition, speeches were delivered by the EU Ambassador, H.E. Michaelis Rokas, Prof. Dr. Mimoza Ristovska from the Institute of Physics at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dr. Tadeusz Kurtyka from CERN, as well as Jan Stojanovski, a student at the same faculty, internationally recognized in physics and mathematics and a representative of the new generation of young researchers. In his address, Ambassador Rokas emphasized: “The purpose of this event is to spark curiosity among young people and encourage them to aspire to careers in science and technology. Through exhibitions like this one, we show that science is not abstract – it is alive, a living practice that affects us all. At a time when disinformation and conspiracy theories too often dominate public discourse, such initiatives demonstrate the EU’s commitment to fact-based knowledge and critical thinking. As the renowned Polish-French physicist and chemist, Nobel Prize laureate Marie Skłodowska-Curie said: ‘Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.’” Dr. Tadeusz Kurtyka from CERN added: “I would like to express my gratitude to Europe House and the scientific community of Skopje for the decision to dedicate this event, as part of the European Researchers’ Night, to the CERN exhibition. I hope that this exhibition will contribute, even if in a small way, to the activities of Europe House that lead towards your country’s EU membership and promote the priorities and initiatives dedicated to the younger generation. I sincerely hope that this exhibition will serve as a bridge for deepening ties and strengthening cooperation between CERN and Macedonian scientists, and let me add that we would be delighted to welcome you as our guests at CERN!”. Prof. Dr. Mimoza Ristovska, who spent the entire year of 2020 at CERN in Geneva, stated: “While today at this exhibition we see the scientific results and technologies that emerged from CERN for the benefit of humanity, let us remember that behind them stands the European spirit of cooperation among peoples, carefully nurtured by someone.” Jan Stojanovski, student and young researcher, said: “I am especially proud that in our country there are scientists who work in different fields and who are part of international teams. From participating in competitions, I have seen that there are also many young people who are ready to dedicate their lives to science. I hope they will continue on that path and develop this noble calling.”

Over the next two weeks, the exhibition “CERN and the Universe: The Science that Connects Us” will give visitors the opportunity to explore the history of the universe and particle physics, take part in virtual tours of CERN’s accelerator, and visit the children’s science corner where, through play, children can learn about atoms and the periodic system.

Activities marking the European Researchers’ Night were also held in Bitola, Struga, Ohrid, Tetovo, Veles, Kriva Palanka, Kumanovo, and Strumica, where parallel programs with different initiatives were realized, all in the spirit of science and research. In Bitola, citizens had the chance to experience virtual reality; in Struga and Ohrid, activities were organized under the motto “Science by the Shore”; in Strumica, children and high school students engaged in creating scientific experiments; while in Veles, a scientific “treasure hunt” was carried out. In Kriva Palanka and Kumanovo, students took part in laboratory sessions and were awarded a symbolic “young scientist passport.” In rural schools in the Tetovo region, young people participated in laboratory workshops, and it is planned, through Europe House, for students from Kochani to travel to Skopje to visit the CERN exhibition. Additionally, within the program, another event is planned – a masterclass by Dr. Tadeusz Kurtyka from CERN on the topic “CERN, the Large Hadron Collider and Future Particle Accelerators”, to be held at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Skopje.

By marking the European Researchers’ Night and through the partnership with CERN and the Institute of Physics at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the EU Delegation and Europe House once again emphasized their strong commitment to science, research, and innovation. Through such events, science is not only brought closer to the public, but young people also see their future as part of the European scientific community. The events aim to give visibility to talented young researchers, connect them with global scientific practices, and provide them with inspiration for new ideas and achievements. This initiative highlights the importance of making science accessible to everyone, whether they are pupils, students, or curious citizens eager to learn more.

The exhibition “CERN and the Universe: The Science that Connects Us” at Diamond Mall in Skopje remains open to the public until October 15. All interested are invited to visit, discover fascinating facts about the universe and particle physics, and experience science up close through interactive content and educational activities.