Mission & History
ICTP's mission is to:
- Foster the growth of advanced studies and research in physical and mathematical sciences, especially in support of excellence in developing countries.
- Develop high-level scientific programmes keeping in mind the needs of developing countries, and provide an international forum of scientific contact for scientists from all countries.
- Conduct research at the highest international standards and maintain a conducive environment of scientific inquiry for the entire ICTP community.
Thanks to the generous funding from the Italian Government, UNESCO and the IAEA, ICTP has been able to initiate and implement various schemes of support and assistance to scientists from developing countries.
History
For nearly 50 years, ICTP has been ensuring that scientists from
the developing world have access to the same resources and
opportunities enjoyed by their counterparts in wealthier parts of
the world.
Created during the Cold War era in the heart of Europe, a
continent separated by the iron curtain, ICTP provided a rare line
of communication between scientists from the East and West. Later,
ICTP emerged as a focal point of cooperation between the North and
South, aiming to help scientists from developing countries overcome
their isolation and contribute to state-of-the-art research in
physics and mathematics. While details have changed with time, the
basic relevance of the Center has remained unchanged.
In June 1960, the Department of Physics at the University of Trieste organized a seminar on elementary particle physics in the Castelletto in the Miramare Park. The notion of creating an institute of theoretical physics open to scientists from around the world was discussed at that meeting. That proposal became a reality in Trieste in 1964. Pakistani-born physicist Abdus Salam, who spearheaded the drive for the creation of ICTP by working through the IAEA, became the Centre's director, and Paolo Budinich, who worked tirelessly to bring the Centre to Trieste, became ICTP's deputy director. After residing for four years in downtown Trieste, ICTP moved to its permanent location near the Miramare Park in 1968.