International Day of Light “aims to raise awareness of the critical role light-based technologies play in our lives, elevating science, technology, art, and culture to help achieve the goals of UNESCO  education, equality, and peace” (spie.org).

Theodore Maiman, an engineer and physicist, successfully fired the first laser on May 16, 1960, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) chose to honor his accomplishment with the International Year of Light and Light=Based Technologies in 2015 (Light 2015). From that year forward, the International Day of Light has been recognized on May 16.

Celebrating may be more difficult this year and last, due to the pandemic, but the committees involved have not given up. “We anticipate a strong focus on hybrid and online events in many countries. Although virtual events cannot replace hands-on outreach, they do provide other opportunities to hear from a broad range of international speakers and allow us to reach a much larger audience,” according to eps.org.