"Light brings us the news of the Universe."

Light for Change - 2015 the International Year of Light

"Light brings us the news of the Universe." - Sir William Bragg (1862-1942) british Physics-Nobelist

On 20 December 2013, The United Nations (UN) General Assembly 68th Session proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015).

In proclaiming an International Year focusing on the topic of light science and its applications, the United Nations has recognized the importance of raising global awareness about how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture and health. Light plays a vital role in our daily lives and is an imperative cross-cutting discipline of science in the 21st century. It has revolutionized medicine, opened up international communication via the Internet, and continues to be central to linking cultural, economic and political aspects of the global society.

In keeping with the motto  "Light for Change" the UNESCO initialses the UN-year with many different stakeholders including scientific societies and unions, educational institutions, technology platforms, non-profit organizations and private sector partners. Some topics are light pollution, light saving and the development of convinient energy-efficient light sources for developing countries.

The opening ceremony of the year of light will take place in Paris on January 19th-20th. Prof. Silvia E. Braslavsky, former group leader at the MPI CEC has been invited personally by Maciej Nalecz, Director of the Division of Basic & Engineering Sciences of the UNESCO, to join the festivity.