Celebrating "human warmth and solidarity"
As part of a long holiday tradition at ITER, more than 150 people gathered in the headquarters lobby for carols, cookies, and the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.
As he prepared to take part in the ceremonial lighting, ITER Deputy Director-General for Corporate Luo Delong noted the tree was a metaphor for the project itself: “We are lighting the tree as we are all working for the energy of the future, which means the light of the future.”
The ITER site is located in the small village of Saint-Paul-lez-Durance (population ~880) and every year the municipality offers a Christmas tree for the project’s headquarters. “It’s a great pleasure for our community to give the Christmas tree to ITER every year,” says Elise Placé, the deputy mayor of Saint-Paul-lez-Durance. “May the illumination of the tree reflect human warmth and solidarity.”