The International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 (IYL2015), which is led by UNESCO, officially started in Paris, 19-20.1.2015. Its main objective is to raise global awareness of how light-based technologies can provide solutions to the global challenges of sustainable development. Light-based technologies have many applications in fields as diverse as medicine, communications or energy. They offer the possibility of a transition towards more sustainable lifestyles, and can contribute to alleviate poverty, especially for 1.3 billion people living off the grid, with no access to electricity.
The opening ceremony was located in UNESCO building in the centre of Paris, France. The 2-day event gathered over 1,000 participants, including decision makers, industry representatives, leading scientists, ambassadors and many more interesting people. Five Nobel Prize laureates were giving lectures: Ahmed Zewail (“Light and Life”); Steven Chu (“Energy and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities”); William Phillips (“Einstein, Time and Light”); Serge Haroche (“Light and the Quantum”) and Zhores Alferov (“Efficient Light Conversion and Generation”). HiLASE Center as one of national coordinators for IYoL 2015 was represented by its Project Manager, Mr. Tomas Mocek.
