Following the global success of the International Year of Light in 2015, the Unesco General Assembly will vote on November 7, 2017 to create an International Day of Light. This day is set for May 16
The aim of this International Day of Light is to focus on a specific moment in time, illustrating the important role played by light and its associated technologies in everyday life, education, research, innovation, sustainable development, culture, health and the march towards ever more precise knowledge of our universe.
The first International Day of Light will take place on Wednesday, May 16, 2018. The official inauguration ceremony will take place at Unesco headquarters in Paris in the afternoon.
All countries, with France at the forefront, are invited to launch initiatives to get all regions, all sectors of activity and all categories of players involved in making this day a moment to celebrate the role of Light in joy, beauty, curiosity and a thirst for progress. In 2015, France had been very active in making this international year a success: over 1,400 events across the country. The opening and closing ceremonies were particularly prestigious: on January 8, 2015 in the grand amphitheatre of the Sorbonne, and on February 23, 2016 in the grand salons of Paris City Hall. France's commitment has been recognized and applauded by other countries around the world.
Unesco has mandated the "Comité National Lumière & Société", now an independent association, to be the official representative in France ("National Node") of the International Day of Light to prepare for the first International Day of Light on May 16, 2018.
"Lumière & Société" wants to make May 16 the Festival of Light, like the Fête de la Musique on June 21.
The mission of the "Comité National Lumière & Société" association is to promote the role of light in society and to bring together all the players and communities associated with light and its concrete or symbolic use. This mission, illustrated by the baseline "Because Light is a source of progress", is organized around five objectives:
- Raising awareness of the role of Light among public authorities and opinion leaders
- Attracting young people to the lighting professions
- Informing the general public about the applications of light
- Highlighting natural and legal players of the Light
- Referencing, accrediting and promoting Light-related events
Learn more: www.lumiere-societe.fr