Annual-Report-2024 - Flipbook - Page 13
Greetings From Stockholm and From the Nobel Laureates
Fostering Global Connections –
Inspiring Future Generations
Donna Strickland greeting the audience on behalf of the
participating Nobel Laureates
Astrid Söderbergh Widding, Chair of the Nobel Foundation Board,
delivering the traditional Greetings from Stockholm
It is my privilege and pleasure to offer greetings on behalf of the 36 Nobel Laureates who
are with us this week. We do bring a wealth
of experience and are looking forward to interacting with
the over 600 of the brightest young minds on the planet.
Where we bring the experience, you bring the energy and
the diversity.
When I first came to Lindau in 2019, I had just won
the Nobel Prize, and much was being made of me being
only the third woman to win a Physics Nobel Prize.
I have gone from being only the third woman to
being one of three living women who are Nobel Physics
Laureates. Anne L’Huillier is here. And joining us at
Lindau is the woman who knows what it's like to be the
only living woman with a Nobel Prize in Chemistry: Ada
Yonath. I was inspired by her stories the first time I was
at Lindau. Lindau is a place where students and postdocs
can meet Laureates – where Laureates have the opportunity to meet and learn from each other.
One of the original aims of the Lindau Meetings was to reconcile people in post-war
Europe – quite a different historical context.
It is an aim which is more important than ever, perhaps in
these times of increasing polarization in our world. And
the role of science diplomacy cannot be underestimated.
Laureates meet new generations of Young Scientists
under very, very favourable conditions, thus becoming
great sources of inspiration for all of us gathered here.
The Young Scientists indeed, you come from all over the
world, and I think this is extremely important. It is very
much in line with the vision of Alfred Nobel himself.
I'm convinced that Alfred Nobel would have been
delighted. He wanted the prize in his name to really make
a difference.
And what could be more beneficial than letting
Laureates with great accomplishments meet and inspire,
and also themselves, be inspired by promising Young
Scientists?
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