Archives of International Solvay Conferences for Physics and Chemistry recognised as Unesco World Heritage

Wednesday 31 May 2023 - On 18 May , the Unesco World Heritage Committee decided to inscribe the archives of the International Solvay Conferences for Physics and Chemistry as documentary heritage in its Memory of the World Register. The decision recognises the historical significance of the archives to humanity and the importance of preserving them for future generations. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) submitted the application with the support of the Solvay Science Project. "Every scientist knows two surnames: Nobel and Solvay. Nobel needs no explanation. Solvay refers to the Solvay Conferences for Physics and Chemistry that have been held here in Brussels every three years since 1911," says VUB rector and physicist Jan Danckaert. "These meetings were the first international scientific conferences, similar to what we would call workshops today.