Andorra Hosts First National World Robot Olympiad Final with 300 Young Competitors
Andorra stages its inaugural national final of the World Robot Olympiad, uniting 300 competitors under age 22 in robotics challenges inspired by ancient civilizations. The public event culminates months of qualifiers and promotes STEAM education and ethical innovation.
Key Points
- 120 teams from Spain and Andorra, including 8 local squads, compete at Pavelló Toni Martí on Sept 12-13.
- Event open to public, expecting up to 1,000 attendees; winners advance to world final in Puerto Rico.
- 'Ancient Civilizations' theme features robotics challenges on history and heritage across 11 categories.
- Organizers highlight ethics, STEAM skills, and Andorra's role in robotics education after decade of support.
Andorra will host the first national final of the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) on September 12 and 13 at Pavelló Toni Martí, bringing together 120 teams from Spain and the principality—including eight local squads—for around 300 young competitors.
The open-to-the-public event could draw up to 1,000 people, including families. Winners will secure spots for Spain and Andorra at the world final in Puerto Rico, now confirmed for December 8 to 10 by most reports, though some sources cite November 11 to 13. This edition's "Ancient Civilizations" theme tasks participants with robotics challenges tied to historical cultures and heritage preservation.
The schedule features robot testing and tweaks on Saturday, with finals across 11 categories on Sunday morning. Competitors up to age 22 tackle remote-controlled bots, team sports, scientific projects in Future Innovators, and engineering in Future Engineers. All participants and coaches sign an ethical protocol emphasizing fair play.
The finals cap 26 local qualifiers across Andorra and Spain. Joan Rovira, director at Aula Tecnològica Loopa, described it as Andorra's largest educational robotics tournament to date after more than a decade of involvement, with local teams investing roughly 200 hours each in building and coding. He framed the gathering as a celebration rather than just a contest and noted the need for about 60 volunteers and referees, many from past editions.
Carles Soler, president of Fundació EducaBot, emphasized values like effort, resilience to failure, and ethical commitment beyond technical prowess. Jordi Nadal, Andorra Telecom's director general, called the hosting a major milestone that positions Andorra at the heart of robotics education for both territories. He highlighted themes including technology for human good, cultural creativity, sustainability, and environmental care, alongside STEAM competencies.
Andorra Telecom has supported WRO and First Lego League since 2013, involving 1,500 students and steering dozens into technical careers. Organizers seek to spark scientific passions, draw more girls into the field, nurture local talent, and enhance Andorra's profile as an events destination.
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