Current Affairs International Day of Light 2020 – May 16

International Day of Light 2020 – May 16

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The United Nations marks the International Day of Light (IDL) — an annual initiative held globally to raise awareness on the critical role played by light-based technologies in everyday life — on May 16.
The IDL highlights the contribution of such technologies in various avenues such as science, technology, art, and culture, thus helping achieve the UNESCO goals of education, equality, and peace.
The day selected, May 16, marks the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman. “The laser is a perfect example of how a scientific discovery can yield revolutionary benefits to society in communications, healthcare and many other fields,” the lightday.org website reads.
The IDL is administered from the International Basic Science Programme (IBSP) of UNESCO, and its Secretariat is located at the Abdus Salam International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP) at Trieste, Italy.

Why is the International Day of Light celebrated?

In 2015, to raise global awareness of the achievements of light science and its applications, the UN observed the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 (IYL 2015).
The event helped establish links and collaborations between decision makers, industry leaders, scientists, artists, social businesses, NGOs, and the public at large.
The Board decision was endorsed by the UNESCO General Conference at its 39th session on November 7, 2017, and the first IDL was held on May 16, 2018.

Objectives of the IDL –

Improve the public understanding of how light and light-based technologies touch the daily lives of everybody, and are central to the future development of the global society.
Emphasis the importance of basic research in the fundamental science of light, the need for investment in light-based technology to develop new applications, and the global necessity to promote careers in science and engineering in these fields.
Promote the importance of lighting technology and the need for access to light and energy infrastructure in sustainable development, and for improving quality of life in the developing world.