JEDDAH: A Saudi team is participating in the International Chemistry Olympiad, which is being held in Switzerland from July 16-25. The team is participating with the support of the Saudi Education Ministry and the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, known as Mawhiba. On Sunday, the team embarked on its journey with the aim of achieving success and recognition while representing the Kingdom on a global platform. Saudi Arabia has accumulated a commendable track record in previous editions of the Olympiad, securing 10 silver medals, 25 bronze medals and two certificates of appreciation. This year, the Saudi team’s participation is also intended to familiarize members with the organizational aspects of the event in preparation for hosting it next year. Following the Olympiad’s conclusion, the Kingdom will receive the flag symbolizing its role as host of the 56th edition, scheduled to take place in Riyadh from July 22 to Aug. 1, 2024. Badr Al-Majrathi, manager of the Competitions Department at Mawhiba, said the Saudi team went through a rigorous journey of training and qualification through forums and camps. These activities were conducted under the guidance of a team of Saudi and international coaches, with the aim of competing for top positions and securing prizes at the competition. A recent training camp took place in Budapest, Hungary. The Olympiad is an annual competition for high school students that occurs at the end of the academic year and spans 10 days. It consists of two exams — one theoretical and one practical — each lasting five hours. The host country is responsible for organizing and preparing the questions. Each participating country forms a team of up to four students, with participants being under the age of 20 and not yet enrolled in university. The Olympiad’s primary goals are to foster communication and collaboration among students, and facilitate the exchange of educational and scientific experiences between nations. The concept originated in Czechoslovakia in 1968, when chemistry Olympiads were integrated into the secondary education system across Soviet bloc countries. Initially, only countries from the bloc were invited to participate.