Imagine having a day to think about how we can make a difference in science, culture, art, education, sustainable development… A day to explore the fields of medicine, communications, energy, with the aim of uniting them all to create a better world. The 16th of May is that day. Proclaimed by UNESCO as the International Day of Light, because light is the key to innovation, the generation of new technologies, medical devices, high-speed Internet, efficient, renewable energies and many more. Celebrate the day of light with us, because light is the future.

What is the International Day of Light?

The International Day of Light is a global initiative that promotes an annual celebration aiming to increase the knowledge of the crucial role that the science of light and the technologies of light represent for fields such as medicine, communications, energy production, agriculture, biology, astronomy, etc.

When is the International Day of Light celebrated?

The International Day of Light is celebrated on May 16th of every year, in commemoration of the first emission of laser light on 1960, obtained by Theodore Maiman with a ruby ​​laser. This laser is a paradigmatic example of how a scientific discovery provides revolutionary tools for the global benefit of society, in communications, in health technologies and many other fields.

The first celebration of the International Day of Light will take place this year, at UNESCO’s General Headquarters in Paris. In Spain, the main act will take place that same day in the Faculty of Physical Sciences of the Complutense University of Madrid.

However, the International Day of Light has a global purpose, and it is planned to carry out numerous activities in Spain around the 16th of May.