International Day of Light 2025: Why is it celebrated on May 16? Know history, theme, and significance
International Day of Light 2025: On May 16, the United Nations celebrates International Day of Light (IDL), an annual global movement to increase awareness of the essential role that light-based technologies play in everyday life and commemorate the anniversary of physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman's first successful laser operation in 1960.
The IDL emphasises the role of such technologies in science, technology, art, and culture, thereby contributing to UNESCO's goal of education, equality, and peace. In 2025, it's being celebrated on Friday, May 16, under the theme 'Light, Innovation, Society.'
'The laser is a perfect example of how a scientific discovery can yield revolutionary benefits to society in communications, healthcare and many other fields,' according to the lightday.org website.
The United Nations declared 2015 the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015) to enhance global awareness of the achievements of light research and its uses.
The event facilitated connections and collaborations between policymakers, industry leaders, scientists, artists, social companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and the general public.
Following the success of IYL 2015, Ghana, Mexico, New Zealand and Russia placed a resolution before the UNESCO Executive Board supporting the idea of an International Day of Light, which was adopted on September 19, 2016, at the Board's 200th session at the UNESCO HQ in Paris, France, with the first IDL held on May 16, 2018.
Celebration offers various sectors of society worldwide the opportunity to engage in activities that showcase how science, technology, art, and culture can contribute to achieving the goals of UNESCO. These goals include establishing the groundwork for peaceful societies.
The event allows people from all walks of life globally to participate in events that demonstrate how science, technology, art, and culture can help UNESCO achieve its objectives. These objectives include establishing the foundation for peaceful civilisations.
In essence, the International Day of Light is an opportunity to promote awareness about the critical role that light plays in our lives while also emphasising its importance in changing our world and inspiring future advancements, in addition to, seeking to foster scientific collaboration and investigate the potential of light-based technologies for promoting peace and sustainable development.
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Srikumar Chattopadhyay is a retired scientist with the Centre for Earth Science Studies, Thiruvananthapuram, and is now Consultant, Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council, Thiruvananthapuram
