Formal 5 minutes Spech on the opening of 5th IJSO

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Formal 5 minutes Spech on the opening of 5th IJSO

Distinguish Guests:
Minister of Education Science and Technology: Dr. Byong-Man Ahn
Governor of Gyeongnam Province: Dr. Tae ho Kim
Chairman of Organizing Committee of the 5th IJSO: Prof. Sang Chun Lee
Executive Committee members of IJSO
International Organizing Committee of IJSO
All Leaders, Parents, Guides
All students the participants of the 5th IJSO

It is my pleasure to be here with all of you today, at the opening ceremony of the 5th IJSO in Changwon Exhibition Convention Center.

I am proud to say that the IJSO is one of the fastest growing among Science competitions. We started the 1st IJSO in Jakarta-Indonesia in 2004 with 33 countries to participate. Today at the 5th IJSO, there are already 49 countries to participate, although a few countries are coming for the first time as observers. At this opportunity, I would like to welcome you all who are coming to observe how actually the IJSO is held.

Welcome to the Family of IJSO! We do really expect that at the next IJSO you all will come with a full team.
I would like also to welcome all new countries who just come for the first time to joint IJSO with a full team. Since the member of IJSO is now reaching 57 countries, starting next year at the 6th IJSO in Baku-Azerbaijan, according to our statue, each new country will not be allowed to come with a full team, but must first come as an observer.

At this 5th IJSO, We actually predicted that around 60 countries will joint us, since all Executive Committee members, Local Organizing Committees, and also the head quarter of IJSO in Jakarta, had worked very-very hard in promoting IJSO and also inviting many new countries.
However there are only 49 countries shown up here in Changwon. We think that this happen due to what I call it as “the Silent Tsunami” from USA.

I am also very proud for the works of all members of the Local Organizing Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. Sang Chun Lee, who is still able to keep the 5th IJSO is running smoothly, although The Republic of Korea is also hit by that Silent Tsunami.

The International Science Festival that is also held during the 5th IJSO, which is responded with very high enthusiasms by so many young students with variety of ages, parents, universities, and companies related to science is really impressed us all.

I understand that these all will not be possible, without the strong support by the Government of the Republic of Korea, The government of Gyeongnam Province, and all private companies and universities either financially or physically. At this opportunity, as the President of IJSO, I would like to express my highest gratitude for the supports that has been given for success of the 5th IJSO.

For all the private companies that are supporting the 5th IJSO, I do hope that it will continue their supports for IJSO events, not only here in Korea, but also when it will be held in other countries.  It should be realized that these smart and very talent young students from all over the world will be the ambassadors for your companies in their countries.

Finally, I do really hope that all of us who are coming here, Leaders, parents, no matter from which parts of this world we are, let our students compete fairly in Science, and then let them also enjoy the beauty and the variety of the good foods of this Country, especially at this Gyeongnam Province.

For the students, may you all give the best of the best that you all have during solving the problems that you will receive from the Scientifics Committee. After doing your best for the problems, no matter how you did it, try also your best to forget them. You all must remember that there are also other things that are also very important for all of you to do, such as to learn from each other, and make an everlasting friendship in your life long ahead.

Good luck to all of you.

Thank You/Gamsahamnida

Prof. Dr. Masno Ginting.
President of  IJSO

Bank Account

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National Sort Code : 93-22-21
Branch, Allied Irish Banks, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland
Account Number : 03091-011
Account Name : IJSO
IBAN : IE52 AIBK 9322 2103 0910 11 (BIC: AIBKIE2D)

Treasures : Paraic James & Michael A. Cotter

(Updated : October 06, 2006)

First IJSO Opening Remarks

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REMARKS
 BY
 PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
 AT
 THE OPENING CEREMONY OF
 THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR SCIENCE
 OLYMPIAD (IJSO)

Jakarta, 6 December 2004

Good Afternoon everybody,

My name is Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and I am the President of Indonesia.

I am so happy to welcome all of you to Istana Negara, or “State Palace”, which is a very historic building and a very special place for the Indonesian people.

So much of the history of Indonesia, so many important things has happened in this building. This is where I swear in my Cabinet Ministers, where I receive foreign ambassadors, and have meetings with world leaders.

And because all of you are so special, so very talented, we decided to have the Opening Ceremony of the First International Junior Science Olympiad here in this palace. You can tell your parents that you are sitting in a room where Presidents and Kings and Prime Ministers usually sit. That is how special you are.

This is the First International Junior Science Olympiad, an international science competition for junior high students. I can not begin to express how much my heart is filled with pride and joy to find myself here today with the best and the brightest students from all over the world. As President, my job is simply to open this ceremony, but the real star of this event is you.

I know many of you have traveled far from your home country to compete at this Science Olympiad. Your parents must be so proud of you. Your teachers must be so proud of you. Your country must be so proud of you. You know, even though I am older than you, I am also a student. A few months ago, after several years of hard studying, I was fortunate enough to finally complete my Doctorate degree at the Bogor Institute for Agriculture. So you see, I too have a great love for science. And perhaps because of this, my Education minister has asked me to give you a few words of advise, from one scientist to another scientist. So here it is.

I think the most important thing I want to tell you is to be thankful for the special gift of learning that God has given you.

As a life-long student, I have learned a powerful lesson: no matter who you are, no matter where you come from, no matter how rich or poor, city-boy or village-girl, no matter your skin color or family background, each and everyone of us has the same capacity for learning. We all have the same brain cells. It is up to each and every one of us how we use this gift from God. You can choose to use your mind to become a smarter person, or you can simply waste it by closing your mind. It is all up to you. But I know from experience that those who succeed in life, those who are able to reach their dreams, and those who change the world, are always the ones who can take advantage of this gift of learning.

The other important thing I would tell you is to never, ever stop dreaming. Never stop imagining. Never stop thinking. Never stop wondering. Never stop being curious. Never stop asking question. Never stop trying to search for answers.

This is the only way by which you will know more, and understand better, not just about science, but about life in general, and also about your own self. No wonder that the most important inventions of the world, the ones who change the fate of mankind, always come from curious minds, who never stop asking “why” and “how”. This is we must always remember what Albert Einstein once said: “imagination is more important than knowledge”. So open up your mind wide open, because you have no idea how creative you can be once you pump the power of knowledge into your brain cells. The fact that you are here competing in a prestigious international junior science Olympiad, means that you have used the power of your mind more effectively than the average students to master science.

Finally, while it is obvious that all of you are talented in the field of science, it is even more important for you to know how to apply your knowledge, so that you can use that knowledge to make life better, to help others, for the good of society. Remember what Spiderman said in the movie: “With great power, comes great responsibility.” Well, whether you are a Spiderman, or President, or Science Student, that is very true: “With great power, with great knowledge, comes great responsibility”.

You are all here because you are so talented, so gifted, so smart. I am amazed to think of what you will know in the next 5 years, or the next 10 or 20 years. Do not get tired of gaining more knowledge, and always use your knowledge wisely. I want to share with you a saying that I think you will find useful in the years ahead. The saying goes: “20 years from now, it will not matter how your hair looked, how well you danced and what brand of jeans you wear. What will matter is the knowledge you gained and how you apply it in your life”. As you move on in life, I hope you will remember this.

In the next few days, all of you will be part of something very special. Your knowledge and skills in science will be tested. You will be competing with the best and the brightest in the field of science. And by competing with the best, you will only get better. I know that all of you will come out from this Olympiad a better scientist.

This junior science Olympiad will end on December 14, but I hope that the friendship that you will make during this exciting international event will last a life time, and will change your life. And that is another thing that I have learned in my life: knowledge will bring you far, but friendships, even farther. If you come away from this conference with better knowledge and better friends, you will go far in life.

I trust that all local Olympiad Committee members are: working very hard to make your stay in Indonesia as enjoyable as possible. I must tell you, Indonesia is a wonderful country. We are a people who love life, who love peace, who love progress, and who love science. We are now in the middle of the rain season, but that will not stop you from seeing and feeling warm heart everywhere you go.

I am therefore pleased to declare the International Junior Science Olympiad open. My very best wishes to all of you, and please also convey my respect to your parents and your teachers, along with our thanks for sending you to this important Olympiad. Tell them something they already know: that we are all so very proud of you.

Good luck, everyone

Thank you.

Jakarta, 6 December 2004

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

Dr. H. SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO

Story of IJSO

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The idea of initiating the International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) was originally from the experience of our students who were success in obtaining gold medals at International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) for Junior High Students. Even though they had been trained for almost one year, and success in getting Gold Medal, but most of them were not pursue their degree in Physics at the University level. Most of them are more interesting in taking Engineering as their major. Thinking of how important science for our country, then we are thinking that we should find another way to make our young students love this subject more and more. Then we came up with an idea of starting the competition from early ages internationally. We think that by letting the students more involve in science competition, starting when they are still at junior high student, such as by creating this Junior Science Olympiad at International Level,  it may encourage them to know more and more about science. It may also good experience for students to know each other when they are quite young, since young people will make friend much more easily compare with older students. After Olympiad, we hope that they will still communicating each other, either by mail or emails that now bring the countries without borders.

Thank to the Indonesian Ministry of Education, the director General for Primary and Secondary Education, and the Director of Secondary Education for their highly understanding of how important science is, and for their very strong support, especially for the financial of initiating this 1st International Junior Science Olympiad. Without their support it is not possible for me to hold this Olympiad in Indonesia. Most people thought that this Olympiad was a very ambitious program, due to the short time from the initiation to the date of the Olympiad in December 2004.

For this reason, starting last March I have been working very hard to promote this Olympiad to many places at different countries such as, Groningen-Netherlands, Paris-French, Madrid-Spain, Lisbon-Portugal, Vietnam, Montreal-Canada, Brisbane-Australia, and ended at Busan-Korea last July. Most of the team leaders of Science competitions, and also delegates who attended the meetings or conferences where I was promoting IJSO are so interested to joint. However, many of them had too little time to prepare their team members or to find the sponsor to support them to attend this Olympiad. We are also so thankful for Indonesian Garuda Airlines, who was willing to give 40% off to all participants of IJSO who fly with Garuda. This news was able to increase the number of participants of the 1st IJSO significantly.

Due the hard work that I have done and also Garuda’s offer, originally there were 44 countries had formally registered to participate the 1st IJSO in Jakarta-Indonesia. However, due to the effect of Bomb Blast in Kuningan-Jakarta, which was near to the Australian Embassy, then six countries directly withdrew their participation. Then another bad news appeared. Due to some of management problems, starting November 2004, Garuda temporarily suspended all of its flight from Europe. This news made some countries in Europe that already registered, had also to withdraw from this Olympiad, due to financially difficulties.

Finally there are only 36 participant- countries that were able to joint this 1st IJSO in Jakarta-Indonesia. But it was truly and International Olympiad, since at least one country from each continent, from America to Africa was presents at the 1st IJSO. All IOC members were working very hard to make the participantn’s stay as enjoyable as possible, starting when they step their foots in the land of Indonesia, until again they took their foots from Indonesian land, the day after the Closing Ceremony, so their visit to Indonesia will never been forgotten. All teams were come not only try to win Gold medals, but much more important was that all students were able to make friends from another part of the world, and will try to keep their friendship last forever. At the end of the Olympiad, all leaders agreed to  make IJSO become an International Organization such as other Olympiad organizations, and declare that IJSO as an annually events, so our young and bright students will have many chances to meet each other in different countries. The hope is that this Olympiad will make our young students love science much more than before.

 

Prof.Dr. Masno Ginting
 1st President of IJSO.