International Day of Light is an annual event celebrated in several countries worldwide on May 16. The global event aims to strengthen cooperation and leverage its potential to foster peace and development. The annual celebration of International Day of Light also marks the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman. This day is a call to strengthen scientific cooperation and harness its potential to foster peace and sustainable development. In this article, let’s know more about the history and significance of the international day.

International Day of Light 2024 Date

International Day of Light 2024 will be celebrated on Thursday, May 16.

International Day of Light History

International Day of Light was first celebrated on May 16, 2018. The celebration was organized by UNESCO to mark the anniversary of the day in 1960 when engineer and physicist Theodore Maiman successfully fired the first laser. The International Day of Light followed the International Year of Light in 2015. The Day was proposed by Ghana, Mexico, New Zealand and the Russian Federation and was supported by UNESCO's Executive Board. The UNESCO General Conference approved the proposal in November 2017.

International Day of Light Significance

The International Day of Light is a global celebration that sheds light on the extraordinary ways light impacts our lives. The day highlights the role light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. On this day, organisations and individuals come together to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – building the foundation for peaceful societies.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 16, 2024 11:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).