Asia Nano forum to pursue Iran's proposals

Members of the 8th Asia Nano Forum (ANF) which was held in Tehran on October 9, 2011, decided to further study and pursue Iran's proposals.The ANF meeting held here in Tehran was attended by the INIC secretary, representatives of 15 Asia-Pacific, and supervisors of 4 European countries in attendance. According to Dr. Ali Beytollahi, the INIC director for international affairs and Iran's representative at the ANF, the members discussed the prospective goals and programs of the forum as well as reports on their respective countries' achievements and activities in nanotechnology. Holding Asian students nanotechnology Olympiad and Asian nanotechnology conference as well as issuing Asian nanoscale certificate were among Iran's proposals to the ANF meeting. "It was decided that a team of Thai, Taiwanese, South Korean and Iranian experts take the responsibility to pursue the proposed plans so that they will be implemented after the necessary analyses and modifications," Beytollahi said. Citing that the nanoscale certificate awarding is accepted by all AFN members, Dr. Beytollahi considered it as a great step towards the development of commerce and nano-based products market in Asian countries. Acquiring public trust to nano-based products is an important issue which is only possible by making the aforesaid certificate international, he added. The nanoscale certificate awarding is exercised in Iran, Thailand and Taiwan. One of the forum events was the reelection of Japan as the next president of the forum. Thailand was also opted as the next ANF host.