What were we doing @ UNESCO HQ? What is the International Year of Light 2015? And “Liter of Light”?

* photo gallery at the bottom of the post & video in the middle!

IYL2015-Jan-Paris-061PARIS On 23rd December 2013, The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2015 as the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (#IYL2015). On 19th and 20th January 2015, we were at the opening ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in the City of Light (Ville Lumière): in these two days, special guests/speakers from around the world and from every cultural field, both scientific and humanistic, have presented ideas and reflections, studies and innovative realities, that show the importance of light and optical technologies for life and progress.

Memorable and exciting (in fact, one of the most applauded!) the speech by physical Alessandro Farini (from Florence) who brought on the bright stage of the United Nations a clear demonstration of how Art and Science can communicate and make use of each other. Italians can tell so much about beauty to the world! We recommend you to watch and listen to the video of this fascinating speech: Light, Vision and Art: an Indivisible Relationship.

But what was CCT doing at the opening ceremony of the International Year of Light (#IYL2015) at the headquarters of UNESCO?

CCT-SeeCity was invited together with the The Midnight Run (MNR) team as we have obtained the patronage of UNESCO for a series of cultural events that, from May to September 2015, will celebrate Light in five european capital cities with many young artists; and after, thanks to the participants’ contribution, we’ll illuminate “The House of Marietou” in Pikine – (an educational centre under work in the east outskirts of Dakar, capital city of Senegal, Africa) – through the sustainable project Liter of Light (LOL). The events we are organizing are part of the official programme of the International Year of Light promoted by UNESCO but we’ll revealed all details about in a next post. [In the meanwhile, you can follow the website themnr.com/light2015, the facebook page The Midnight Run and the hashtag #MNRlight2015!]


[CCT + MNR + LOL = #MNRlight2015!] Naturally, we have participated to the opening ceremony of the IYL2015 also toghether with our friends of Liter of Light Italia (we talked about them HERE): Liter of Light (the famous ONG, winner of the most important prize for sustainability: “Zayed Future Energy Prize” 2015) – present with an exhibition space (in the room where there is the artwork Mur de la lune by Joan Mirò, 1957) – was invited by United Nations to show its important experience to the international audience: so, architect Illac Diaz has told the work done until now by the ONG that he founded in 2011 in Manila (Philippines) and that today is in 18 countries: thanks to the energy solar and to a sustainable technology, Liter of Light brings illumination to people living literally in darkness (about 1.5 billions of people do not have any access to electricity), involving local communities to create small business and jobs.

What is Liter of Light? We tell you in this 3-minute video!

Why 2015 is the International Year of the Light?

It was chosen by the United Nations the 2015 because it allows to celebrate various milestones in the history of the science of light that go back 50, 100, 150, 200 and even 1000 years ago. First of all, the drafting of the “Book of Optics” in the XI century, during the golden age of Arabic by Ibn al-Haytham, better known as Alhazen, who first described the operation of the darkroom, studied eye structure and mechanisms of vision.

Where is the headquarters of UNESCO?

The UNESCOUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – is an institution founded on 4th November 1946 in Paris and indeed its headquarters is located in this city:

7 Place de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris – 15th arrondissement
metro: Cambronne (Line 6) and Ségur (Line 10)

The main building on the Place de Fontenoy, which houses the Headquarters of UNESCO, was inaugurated on 3 November 1958. The Y-shaped design was invented by three architects of different nationalities under the direction of an international committee. Nicknamed the ‘three-pointed star’, the entire edifice is world famous not only because it is the home of a well-known organization but also because of its particular architecture. It is open to the public for guided tours Tuesday through Friday (info: unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/where-we-are/visit-us/).

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P.S. If you want to celebrate the International Year of Light with us – but especially with the many young artists of The Midnight Run – and to illuminate a special place with Liter of Light… follow us: #MNRlight2015! Soon all info…

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