International Day of Light

May 16, Friday

International Day of Light is celebrated annually on May 16. It was established by UNESCO to emphasize the role of light and light technologies in science, culture, education, sustainable development, and solving global challenges of humanity.

History of the holiday
The date was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser by American physicist Theodore Maiman on May 16, 1960.
The holiday was officially proclaimed in November 2017 at the UNESCO General Conference.

Goals of the International Day of Light
- Promotion of science and technologies in the field of light
- Support for education in optics and photonics
- Encouragement of the development of new light technologies
- Raising awareness of energy efficiency issues
- Increasing awareness of the role of light in culture and art

How the holiday is celebrated
- Scientific conferences and lectures
- Organization of exhibitions and interactive events
- Demonstration of innovations in lighting and photonics
- Workshops for schoolchildren and students
- Art exhibitions and light shows

Interesting facts about light
- Light is one of the most fundamental forms of energy in the universe.
- The speed of light in a vacuum is about 299,792 kilometers per second.
- Light plays a key role in photosynthesis processes that support life on Earth.

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International Day of Light in other years

2021 May 16, Sunday
2022 May 16, Monday
2023 May 16, Tuesday
2024 May 16, Thursday
2026 May 16, Saturday

International Day of Light in other countries