Following a tour of Isfahan's historical landmarks, the Olympiad participants attended the municipality's banquet, according to the secretariat of the 54th IPhO.

Ali Ghasemzadeh, the mayor of Isfahan, highlighted the city's previous experience hosting the 38th IPhO in 2007. "Isfahan hosted 69 countries in IPhO 2007, and now, 17 years later, we are hosting 46 countries from around the world," he said.

Ghasemzadeh warmly welcomed the young scientists, stating, "As Isfahan's mayor and on behalf of Isfahan's warm and hospitable people, I welcome the presence of these teenage and young scientists in our city."

Discussing Isfahan's rich history and scientific achievements, Ghasemzadeh noted, "Isfahan is a city of historical, artistic, cultural, scientific, and industrial significance, with a history spanning fifty thousand years. It has been the capital of Iran during three major civilizations."

He added, "Isfahan has always been a hub of peaceful coexistence for the great and God-worshipping religions of Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. The city boasts 300 active registered artistic fields, and its bazaars are filled with handicrafts produced by these artisans."

The mayor also highlighted the city's educational accomplishments, stating, "We have 199 colleges with 208,000 students, 28 of which are among the best in Iran. We also have over 4,000 academic senates and about 70,000 students engaged in research and development."

Ghasemzadeh continued, "Around 9,000 foreign students from more than 12 different countries are currently studying at Isfahan universities in BSc, MSc, and doctoral programs, with more than half of these students being Iranian girls."

The banquet was attended by competitors, their leaders, and observers from the 46 participating countries, as well as officials from Isfahan University of Technology and the International Physics Olympiad.