The United Nations (UN) General Assembly 68th Session proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies. The resolution was adopted with co-sponsorship from 35 countries among which is Spain.
By this decision the United Nations recognizes the importance of Light and Light-based Technologies on the life of the citizens of the World, global society development and the challenges Humanity faces. Among other fields, light has revolutionized medicine, the way we produce goods and it has made possible the amazing development of Internet in just a few years.
For centuries, light and its applications have been a link that transcended all boundaries, not only geographical or cultural but also those related to gender or age. Light is in itself a very attractive subject to motivate education. Thus, the increase of global awareness about science diffusion and teaching, particularly on light and its technologies, is essential to address challenges such as sustainable development and to improve the quality of life due to their direct impact on areas such as energy, agriculture, health and education.
According to the International year of Light Partnership, the Goals of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies are:
Improve public understanding of how light and related technologies affect daily lives, and are central to the future development of the global society.
Build worldwide educational capacity through activities targeted on science for young people, addressing issues of gender balance, and focusing especially on developing countries and emerging economies.
Enhance international cooperation by acting as a central information resource for activities coordinated by learned societies, educational establishments and industry.
Disseminate scientific discoveries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that have shown the fundamental centrality of light in science.
Highlight the importance of research and promote scientific careers both into the fundamental science of light and its applications
Promote the importance of lighting technology in sustainable development, and for improving quality of life in the developing world.
Highlight and explain the intimate link between light and art and culture, enhancing the role of optical technology to preserve cultural heritage.
Maintain these goals and achievements in the future beyond the International Year of Light.
The activity of the Institute of Optics,CSIC, focuses on the study of light and its interaction with matter and living beings in areas like Physiological Optics, Image Processing, Optical Metrology, Laser-Matter Interaction, Optical Communications, Nonlinear Dynamics in Optical Systems, Nanophotonics or Laser Materials Processing. Thus, the Institute of Optics fully supports the decision of the 68th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and joins the celebrations of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies.
We have organized activities such as Conferences, Workshops and Outreach activities in Schools that will contribute to achieve the objectives of the International Year of Light and promote the importance of light and its related technologies into Society. You may find more information about them in this link .
You can also find more information on the International Year of the Light 2015 and activities organized by other institutions in www.luz2015.es
