The Working Group created to carry out this task planned an agenda full of institutional, social, cultural and recreational-sports initiatives, as well as the creation of commemorative content to involve all members in the celebration and make it their own, taking up, with a vision of the future, the legacy of the past.
The first step was to define the 50th Anniversary logo. To do so, a contest open to all members was held, and David Francés’ proposal was the winner. This image has presided over each one of the initiatives of this celebration.
Of special note is the participation of the artist David Barrera, who has captured in a 4×2.5-meter mural the essence of the SNE and its impact on society. This mural, which can be dismantled, was created live by the artist during the celebration of the SNE Annual Meeting in 2023 in Toledo. The work has been and is being used as a photocall at many of the SNE’s commemorative events and/or other activities.
The spirit of celebrating 50 years of life looking to the future was embodied in a special session during the Spanish Nuclear Plants Operational Experience Meeting: “50 years of SNE. The next 50 years”. The same day, an emotional meeting was held with those who have been presidents of the SNE over the 50 years and were able to be present.
As part of the commemorative activities, and with the aim of paying tribute to all the members who have been members of the different SNE Boards of Directors and working commissions, the so-called Institutional Act was held at the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid. A hilarious Maestrissimo by the Yllana theather group was performed in its chamber hall.
At the end of the celebration, the printed version of the commemorative book of the 50th Anniversary was distributed among those present. The book will be reissued, once all the celebrations are over, with a digital version with links to all the photographic and video images of each one of the events and activities carried out.
The 2024 Annual Meeting of the SNE in Córdoba, was also a moment to celebrate the 50th Anniversary. Among other activities carried out by different working commissions of the SNE, a children’s story (Alara and the light factory) was presented, published to show children the role that nuclear power plants play in a world we want to be clean. At this Meeting, the reedition of the book of the basic course on nuclear science and technology, prepared by the Spanish Nuclear Young Generation Commission, was also available, which was delivered to each one of its authors and reviewers.
Along with the initiatives already mentioned, the Working Group launched “GO NUCLEAR!”, an invitation to explore the most dynamic and entertaining facets of the nuclear sector through sports activities. “GO NUCLEAR!” has been a platform for fun, fellowship and sportsmanship. In addition to the sports activities, the SNE’s 50th Anniversary Photo Contest was held, in which the winning photos of the annual contests since they began to be held in 1996 competed.
In 2024, the SNE’s traditional Nuclear Thursdays were dressed up as the 50th Anniversary and all members were offered talks on the history of nuclear science and technology, the most relevant milestones in astronomy in the last 50 years, the 50 years of annual meetings, the SNE’s soundtrack and 50 years of nuclear medicine.
The last of the events held, open to all members, was the Social Event. The meeting, in November, allowed all the participants to evoke the history of the SNE, with a clear vocation for the future, and to toast to these first 50 years of life of the Spanish Nuclear Society.
