SUNSTONE is dedicated to reinforcing the SESAME (Synchrotron light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) facility. This initiative includes eight key European and Middle Eastern research infrastructures and organisations, with the Paul Scherrer Institut as an associate participant. The primary aim of SUNSTONE is the sustained consolidation of SESAME, a pivotal research infrastructure utilised by eight member countries (Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine and Turkey), along with other nations in the Middle East, and has an extended focus towards Africa. The project endeavours to bolster SESAME's scientific capabilities, service provision, and its standing as an international hub of research and excellence. The project addresses several crucial challenges: • Enhancing SESAME's visibility and membership in the Middle East through targeted outreach and promotional activities; • Guaranteeing the long-term sustainability of SESAME and its role in fostering African scientific advancement; • Broadening and educating a wider user community in light source techniques; • Elevating the quality of user support at SESAME facilities; • Amplifying the international influence of European light sources and their collaboration with SESAME; • Developing the capacity and skills of African researchers; • Tackling global societal issues by capitalising on SESAME's capabilities. SUNSTONE capitalises on past achievements and partnerships, deepening ties between European facilities, SESAME, and their respective user communities. As an associate to The League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources (LEAPS), SESAME has strong European connections. In its outreach to Africa, SESAME's membership already includes Egypt, supplemented by ongoing collaborations with additional African entities. These connections will be strategically leveraged to effectively pursue objectives related to African scientific growth and capacity enhancement.

The overall objective of the project Beamline for Tomography at SESAME (BEATS) is to pave the way for an efficient and sustainable operation of the Synchrotron light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) research infrastructure. The project builds upon the OPEN SESAME project, and has the following key objectives: • Develop and consolidate the scientific case and build up a science community, paying particular attention to the R&D and technology needs of the SESAME Members and beyond. Today, there is already significant interest from the Cultural Heritage and Archaeology community. Applications in Environmental and Materials Sciences, with links to industries in the region, shall also be explored; • Design, procure, construct, and commission a beam line for hard X-ray full-field tomography at SESAME; • Foster collaborations among the project partners in all aspects of the technical work to ensure that a comprehensive transfer of knowledge to SESAME staff is accomplished within the lifetime of the project; • Address the issue of sustainability of operation by preparing medium- to long-term funding scenarios for the tomography beamline. The consortium is a blend of leading research facilities in the Middle East (SESAME and the Cyprus Institute), well established European synchrotron radiation facilities and high-energy laboratories (DESY, ELETTRA, ESRF, INFN and PSI) with a decades-long experience in synchrotron radiation research and technology, and more recently founded synchrotron laboratories (ALBA and SOLARIS).

The OPEN SESAME project will ensure optimal exploitation of the Synchrotron light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) light source. With this aim, OPEN SESAME has three key objectives: 1. To train SESAME staff in the storage ring and beamline instrumentation technology, research techniques and administration for optimal use of a modern light source facility. 2. To build-up human capacity in Middle East researchers to optimally exploit SESAME’s infrastructure. 3. To train SESAME staff and its user community in public outreach and corporate communications, and to support SESAME and its stakeholders in building awareness and demonstrating its socio-economic impact to assure longer term exploitation. Each objective is tackled by a work package. Firstly, SESAME staff training is addressed by 65 staff exchanges planned between SESAME and the European partners. Secondly, capacity-building is targeted by five training schools, a short-term fellowship programme and an industrial workshop. Finally, a proactive communications strategy will be created, including an educational “roadshow” to all of the SESAME Members, and a training programme in research infrastructure administration and their economic role and impact for young science managers of SESAME Member stakeholders. The project directly addresses the INFRASUPP-2016-2017 call to support SESAME. OPEN SESAME is well aligned to the broader scope of the work programme with activities that will have a lasting impact on a reinforced European Research Area, and particularly in strengthening international cooperation for research infrastructures with a key Region located close to Europe. The project has been developed closely with SESAME, its Directors and international Training Advisory Committee. The OPEN SESAME consortium is composed of ten European institutes (six light sources, The Cyprus Institute, CERN, CNRS and Instruct) along with SESAME itself.