The 11th International Symposium on Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material, (NORM XI) took place from October 13 to 17, 2025, in Accra, Ghana. This marked the first NORM symposium held in Sub-Saharan Africa since the series began in 1997 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
The event was organised by Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Ghana Association for Radiation Protection (GARP), African ALARA Network (AFAN) and Nuclear Regulatory Authority, Ghana (NRA) in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Over 100 participants attended in person at the Mensvic Grand Hotel with many more joining via livestream. The European NORM Association (ENA) was represented by President Fidel Grandia from Amphos 21, Vice-President Rainer Gellermann from Nuclear Control & Consulting and Board Members Boguslaw Michalik (also a member of the NORM XI Steering Committee) and Rosabianca Trevisi. ENA also contributed with materials to the poster exhibition, including a banner, flyer and printed poster.
The conference featured 12 thematic sessions and multiple panel discussions opening with “Fundamental and practical aspects” and concluding with a panel on “Regional approaches in confronting challenges and seeking solutions” where Bogusław Michalik, representing ENA, participated as a panelist. Presentations were recorded and are available on the IAEA ORPNET forum (https://www.iaea.org/services/networks/orpnet).
ENA members actively participated with several presentations and contributions to panel discussions. President Fidel Grandia also co-chaired Session 4 “Sustainable Management of NORM: Valorisation of NORM tailings and residues. Fostering Emerging Markets of Secondary Raw Materials” while Board Member Boguslaw Michalik chaired session Session 8: “Assessment of Doses to People and Non-Human Species”, highlighting ENA’s engagement in shaping discussions on sustainable NORM management.
During the panel session. “Benefits of establishing Africa NORM and Radon Association: Sharing Experiences” President Fidel Grandia actively contributed to discussions, which ultimately led to the official launching of the African NORM and Radon Association (ANRA). At the close of the panel, Fidel Grandia and Rainer Gellermann presented three copies of the book Radioactivity: A History of a Mysterious Science by Marjorie C. Malley to African representatives, symbolically representing Africa’s growing role in this field. In his speech Rainer Gellermann highlighted that the history of radiation has long been international, yet Africa’s contributions remain underrepresented. He encouraged participants to „write the history of radioactivity and radiation protection on the African continent – because it is your own history“.
