On 20 December 2013, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015), focusing specifically on light science and its applications. The objective of the IYL 2015 is to raise global awareness about how light-based technologies can be used to promote sustainable development and provide us with solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture and health.

Light plays a pivotal role in our daily lives and the study of light is a fundamental and cutting-edge discipline of science in the 21st century. Light science and its applications have revolutionized medicine and opened up global communication via the Internet. The discipline plays a fundamental role in linking cultural, political and economic fields across the globe.

The UGR’s International Year of Light Conference Series

In order to raise public and political awareness about the pivotal role of light in the modern world, the UGR has organised a conference series which will take place throughout the months of April and May 2015. The series will answer questions such as ‘Why an International Year of Light in 2015?’ and will examine topics such as: light and the universe; light and the environment; light related phenomena and painting; colour; and medicine. An International Year of Light is a fantastic opportunity to make local, national and international policymakers and stakeholders aware of the problem-solving potential of light-based technology, as well as the environmental issues related to light.