Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard inaugurates the IPN Robotics and Advanced Technologies Tournament in Durango

• Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, IPN Director General Arturo Reyes and Durango Governor Esteban Villegas inaugurated the Robotics and Advanced Technologies Tournament.
• The Foreign Secretary recognized IPN Director General Reyes for bringing this event to Durango to help develop advanced technologies.
• The IPN and Durango state government signed an agreement to expand their collaboration on issues such as water and agave.
• We are renewing and asserting the Cardenista desire to provide quality education to the most disadvantaged sectors: Reyes Sandoval

Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, Director General of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN) Arturo Reyes, and Durango Governor Esteban Villegas inaugurated the Robotics and Advanced Technologies Tournament (TRYTA), a competition organized by IPN students for youths from educational institutions around the country to demonstrate their skills and advance technological development in the region.

At the inaugural event in the Bicentennial Cultural Center, the Foreign Secretary said that the Mexican government is doing its best to prepare Mexico’s youths for the challenges of the future, where there will be many robots and artificial intelligence will be part of their lives.

He welcomed the fact that the State of Durango is taking part today in the development that will determine how its youths live in the future. “Today we are planting a seed that will grow because you are going to make it happen, but we have to act now,” he said.

He highlighted the leadership and initiative of Dr. Reyes Sandoval for bringing this event to Durango to develop advanced technologies there. “The IPN Director General was in one of the world’s most advanced teams for vaccine research and that is why President Andrés Manuel López Obrador invited him to head the Polytechnic Institute. Now he is traveling all over the country trying to encourage others to do the same,” he said.

He recognized Dr. Reyes and the governor of Durango for organizing the competition. This is the first time it is being held outside of Mexico City. He also recognized the former IPN Director General and former Durango Governor Héctor Mayagoitia, saying, “You can count on the federal government and the President of Mexico, who sends you warm greetings.”

Director General Reyes Sandoval said that, in its 87 years as a leading scientific and educational institution in Mexico, the IPN has always promoted modernization with a view to the technological independence of the country.

“We are renewing the Cardenista desire to provide quality education to the most disadvantaged sectors, to those who need it most, and making it possible to participate in and build up the sectors that comprise the economy of this great country and of this great state, such as the high-tech industry,” he said.

He explained that the IPN educational model trains students to themselves construct a training process that is comprehensive, active and enthusiastic. They are capable of designing their own lives and career paths; they participate in academic, recreational, artistic, sports and cultural programs; and are an example of responsibility within the institution.

The Robotics and Advanced Technologies Tournament is an activity that embodies the goals of the IPN, where students put to the test all the knowledge they acquire every day in the classroom.

“Over the last 20 years, Mexico has participated in and achieved top honors at international robotics competitions.  Our institution has always performed remarkably well and has established itself as a powerhouse at the international level in developing teams for robotic competitions,” he said.

The tournament, originally organized by the IPN Interdisciplinary Engineering and Advanced Technologies Unit  (UPIITA), aims to spark students’ interest in advanced technologies and to contribute to innovative scientific and technological development that has a social impact on Mexico, thus making the IPN internationally known through competitions, which its students always win.

The IPN offers Mechatronics Technician and Industrial Automation Technician careers, which are taught at five high schools, and Industrial Robotics, Control and Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Mechatronics Engineering careers, which are taught at the university level.

He said he was pleased that Durango was hosting this international event, which enables Mexican students at all educational levels to open their wings and develop applications for solving the future problems of our society and industry. Throughout the annual TRYTA competitions, there have been 4,000 competitors with 1,000 robots in 13 categories.

Durango Governor Villegas highlighted the progress made by the state in terms of water supply and electricity. He said that Durango exports thinkers, talented young people who go to other states. Therefore, companies that provide well-paid jobs are needed.

He thanked Foreign Secretary Ebrard for promoting projects that will lead to large investments. “We are in a strategic location for investment; we have railways to the United States and Canada, we are going to build a dry port,” he added.

He also recognized the IPN for working for young people and bringing the competition to Durango.  “The idea is that we train free young people who fight for their dreams and move forward.”

During the ceremony, IPN Director General Reyes Sandoval and Governor Villegas signed a collaboration agreement through which two IPN Centers located in Durango will expand their collaboration with the state on water studies and analysis and the certification of the agave denomination of origin, among other issues.