Christian Legrain, Nuclear Research Center, Belgium

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«Yes, I think the communication between authority and the public is very important due to the fact that nowadays we are guided more by the ideology rather than by real facts. The intention of all communicators here (at PIME) is to identify the tools that we can use not to convince people, but to explain to them what the challenges of the future are, how the nuclear energy can help for the electricity production, how the nuclear technology is important in a lot of other applications. One of the best examples is the role of radioisotopes in the medical world for imaging and treatment of cancer».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«The development of social media is quite important nowadays. To be informed on everything, the new generation is present at any time on the social media. And we are also in a world of immediacy. It’s the reason why the communicators and among others the research centers and the regulator have to regularly spread information and explanation about the state of the art, the technology, the influence of radiation on man and the environment and so on, and not only communicate when a crisis is rising».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«We know very well the actual situation in Ukraine. Our Nuclear Research Center worked with a lot of people after the Chornobyl accident. We have researchers working on the aspects of contamination and the consequences on man and the environment in our department of radioecology. We are also present in a lot of international organizations and mainly for this point we are very active at UNSCEAR. Furthermore, as a research center, we published summaries and brochures about “20 and 30 years after Chornobyl”. We describe the consequences of the accident based on the scientific studies».

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Zdravka Skugor Ferdebar, Fund for Financing the Decommissioning of the Krsko NPP, Croatia

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«It is absolutely important, but with the radioactive waste management the communication should be deliberate in many ways. For example, if you work with the local community or authorities, you should know your audience very well, to be sure that everything goes right and that the way you communicate is understandable to your audience. It is different if you work with local community that already lives for decades with NPP in their neighborhood or you have to establish, for example, the storage for radioactive waste in local community that is in learning process about it. In that case, the subjects such as nuclear and radioactive waste are mostly unknown to the local community, so it makes them fear at the first side. It is very important to communicate with these people on the way that is the most suitable for them. In this case, you should be always one step forward, you should know what your audience understands and what should be better explained».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«I think that the new technologies are the great way to communicate with the people. Our organization is mostly using website and direct contact with stakeholders. At the moment, we are waiting for the government approval of the National Program for Strategy for Management of Radioactive Waste, Disused Sources and Spent Fuel. After getting this approval, we will use the social media more».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«Ukraine is a very beautiful country. Unfortunately, the situation like one that you are facing now, Croatia faced 25 years ago. I had a chance to study with Ukraine people in my international experience so I know that you are very passionate and reliable people. In many things you are similar to Croatians».

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Boris Le Ngoc, French Nuclear society (SFEN), France

1.Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«I think, this is very important to have this communication. Because people nowadays do not really understand the topics, so they need explanation to understand the main ideas right. What is radiation? What is the NPP and how does it work? I think it is fundamental. We have to explain why the nuclear energy is important in fight with climate changes. But first of all we have to build the common knowledge about the nuclear energy».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«Our organization use Twitter. There we can speak with the politicians and media. Also I think that the great social media is YouTube, where we can make a lot of videos and interviews about nuclear energy».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«Well, first of all this is Chornobyl. There are a lot of people in France, who do not understand why Ukraine still uses the NPPs. France develops the nuclear energy, but we have never had such a big accident as you did. We also do not understand why Ukraine does not clean the exclusion zone. Japan did it. So now their citizens can come back to the Fukushima zone».

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Roman Diukarev, Rosatom State Corporation, Russian Federation

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«Of course, it is important. However, in some countries it is more important and less important in other countries. Here, at the Conference, the representative of the British Company NuGen talked about a wide dialogue with the public before the implementation of Moorside NPP project. Therefore, I am more than sure that they keep the same active communication with the government. NuGen representatives shall report to the government represented by the regulatory authority on any event for the public, on any contact with the community, with the inhabitants of the county of Cumbria. Besides, the government demands not just a report, but an evidentiary study with facts that each resident was heard by the company and his/her opinion was taken into account in the matter of Moorside NPP project. This is an example of intensive work. I believe that not just contact is important in the communication of the government and the public in nuclear area, but also intensity and proactivity. This depends on the project».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«Our corporation uses many social media. The Rosatom has its accounts in Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We pay much attention to content of our web-site. In the 21st century, the use of modern technologies in daily communication is obligatory. As a result of efforts in social networks and proactive communication, we have more than 75% of Russians who support the development of nuclear energy in one way or another».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«My wife is Ukrainian. I did my military service in Ukraine. I have visited Kyiv more than hundred times since 1972 when I was a schoolchild. I love Kyiv very much and I have many friends there».

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Еric J. van Leeuwen, COVRA, The Netherlands

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«The communication between the politics and society is important. The authority has to know exactly what is going on in the peoples’ minds about nuclear and radiation safety. At the same time, the politics have to know what is nuclear energy exactly. If they do not know what they are talking about, they cannot give good examples to the public. They should know exactly what the radiation is, what the contamination is; only in this case they can have a real communication with society. That is very important».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«Social media are quite important in every industry nowadays. If it is about nuclear energy, you have to take care that you explain it in the right way. What is nuclear energy? What is radioactivity? What is radiation? If you know the basics, you will get to win. The social media is one of the most important things for the young people. Almost every day they read the news on their tablets and telephones. Then they switch this news with each other».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«This year you are going to have the Eurovision song contest».

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Tay Stevenson, NGO «Generation Atomic», USA

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«Well, it’s very important. People need to be safe and feel secure. Information about nuclear energy should be given in the way that is compelling and accessible to the individuals. Only then, people will be able to see themselves as a part of the community. For a pity, nuclear community has a hole, has not done good job, as it should. I am talking about the situations when the nuclear community is trying to be very quiet about the work they do, hoping that the public would not notice. Unfortunately, the public has forgotten about the nuclear energy as a result. I think the communication between the authority and the people is a kind of relationship that needs building. It has to be built not only on facts, but also on emotions, trust and on good fate. Our organization is trying to build that trust».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«Well, I think that the communication in social media is quite important. I personally use Facebook and Twitter. Our organization uses a special mobile application that is called «Atomic Action». Using this application, you can find all the statistics about nuclear energy; also, you can watch the videos and interviews. Anyhow, for our organization it is not the platform that is important. For us every person is important».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«I know that you lost a piece of your country to Russia. That is unfortunate. In addition, you have very good gymnasts. Your flag is blue and yellow. Moreover, it is hard to spell Ukraine, at least in English».

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John McNamara, «NuGen», Great Britain

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«Yes, for sure. Speaking from the UK perspective it is very important to keep the public update and informed about the recent radiation protection and the waste facilities. In addition, it is very important that this process is regulated, transparent and the general public can anytime check if there are any issues or how if any issues arise they are being handled».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«Social media is a relatively new communication tool and it has to be handled carefully by authorities and organizations in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety. The authorities should be prepared for the conversation, which they sometimes will not be able to control. UK regulator uses social media and puts the news there».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«I have been to Ukraine twice, but in both cases it was connected with Chornobyl. The last time I went to see how was the New Safe Confinement movement completed».

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David Hess, World Nuclear Association (WNA), Great Britain

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«Yes, definitely, it is very important. There are two main issues in communication between the regulators and the public. The first is crisis communication. So it is obvious that people have to trust the regulators when the emergency takes place. If they do not trust, then things will go bad, they will not find the right decision. But for building this trust, we are coming to the second issue. This is ongoing communication, which has to take place before the crisis happens. It requires the regulators to look at directly engaging with community to make sure that that trust is there. That might mean, for example, challenging the misinformation».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«I think that usage of the social media is important as a part of the overall communication strategy, which needs to be systematic and developed. At the same time it is important to understand the role of social media to use it right».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«I know a lot about its nuclear energy. I’ve heard that you have more than 60% of electricity received from NPPs».

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Maryna Suchan, Hungarian Nuclear Community, Hungary

1. Is it important to have communication between the authority and the public in the sphere of nuclear and radiation safety? Why?

«Of course, it is important. Both parties shall be well aware of each other. The more we know, the better; the more we speak, the closer we become. Communication is always valuable and not only in this sphere. Communication is the key to success».

2. Social media as a way of close communication with people. Is it a whim of management or today’s necessity?

«Development of social media is very important today. The Hungarian Nuclear Community has Facebook account and recently we have registered in Instagram».

3. What do you know about Ukraine?

«I am from Russia and know quite a lot about Ukraine. I am very sad that there is war in Ukraine and people are dying. This is terrible».

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