GENEVA: President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who is currently in Switzerland in course of her participation at the International Labour Conference, visited CERN —  the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers — on Friday.

She was welcomed by a high level official and two Nepali scientists — A Sharma and S Shrestha — at the CERN, which was established in 1952.

The high level official informed her of the CERN's activities. Information was shared also about the CERN's activities in Nepal and the opportunity it offered to Nepali scientists.

During the visit, President Bhandari hailed the CERN for its scientific research and development for the human peace. She also thanked the CERN for its assistance to Nepali students of science stream. The President also inquired the officials whether the CERN could make efforts to lessen the losses in the earthquake in Nepal, as it is in the quake-prone zone.

The President also observed the synchrocyclotron. A short presentation was made before the President about the issues of research on the energy physics.

During the visit, the President inspected the control room of the CERN where she was briefed by D Chaltern and Nepali scientist S Shrestha. On the occasion, Nepali students B Pandit and D Chalise were also present. In the control room of the CERN, President Bhandari signed in the visitor's book while spokesperson D Chaltern presented a scientific product as the gift to the President.

CERN is an official observer of the United Nations and the Centre is considered a pioneer scientific laboratory.

The CERN's main area of research is particle physics — the study of the fundamental constituents of matter and the forces acting between them, according to the official website of the CERN.

The World Wide Wave (WWW) in the world was also started by the CERN.

Present on the occasion were Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shanker Das Bairagi, Nepal's Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representatives of UN, Geneva, Dipak Dhital, President's Personal Secretary Dr Bimala Poudel Rai and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bharat Raj Poudel.