On 23 September, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) organised the  ‘First Pillar Ceremony’ led by H.E. Mr Fernando Arias, OPWC Director-General, during which the first pillar of the new Chemistry and Technology (“ChemTech Centre”) was secured in place in The Hague (The Netherlands). This building, scheduled to be fully operational by the end of 2022, will host laboratories as well as training and equipment facilities to support the work of the organisation in implementing a global ban on chemical weapons.

Floris Rutjes was invited to attend this ceremony in his capacity as President of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS). This event symbolically marked the start of the construction of the ChemTech Centre.

Read more about it here.