IUPAP’s President, Silvina Ponce Dawson, participating in the Panel Discussion Exploring the strategic priorities that will define the next decade of quantum science and technology at the IYQ closing ceremony on February 11, 2026. Photo courtesy of Sandro Scandolo.
IUPAP was a proud partner of the 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, which officially closed with a ceremony in Accra, Ghana, on February 10-11, 2026.
Officially proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on June 7, 2024, IYQ2025 built on years of international collaboration, including early endorsement from IUPAP’s 30th General Assembly in 2021. Recognizing the importance of quantum science and technology and the need for wider awareness of its past and future impact, the proclamation resulted from the joint efforts of several scientific societies, which marked the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics as a milestone in the advancement of science.
The year-long celebration was launched on 4–5 February 2025 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris with a high-level opening ceremony featuring keynote addresses and roundtable discussions on equity, education, innovation, and the global quantum ecosystem. The first keynote address was delivered by Prof. Anne L’Huillier, 2023 Nobel Laureate in Physics, on “Watching the Quantum World with Ultrashort Light Pulses,” followed later by a keynote from Prof. William D. Phillips, 1997 Nobel Laureate in Physics, who shared his perspective on the past, present, and future of quantum science.
As part of the activities celebrating IYQ2025, IUPAP partnered with UNESCO to launch the IUPAP–UNESCO International Colloquia on Physics for Society, focusing on IYQ-related themes throughout 2025. Five colloquia were organized. The opening and closing events each attracted more than 700 registrations and over 300 simultaneous participants. The series also included a lecture by Andrew Forbes (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa) and two roundtable discussions on synchrotron light initiatives in Africa and on the intersection between industry and the quantum world. Recordings of all colloquia are available on IUPAP’s YouTube channel.
As part of its public engagement initiatives, IUPAP also launched the IUPAP–IYQ2025 International Photo Contest to capture the beauty and impact of quantum science. The contest invited submissions from around the world illustrating quantum phenomena, their role in everyday life, and the global practice of quantum research and education. Two categories were featured—“Beyond our eyes” and “At a glance”—with three prizes awarded in each. The contest was recognized as an official IYQ2025 Global Event. Winners were announced on October 24, 2025, and invited to attend the virtual IUPAP General Assembly on October 31. The winning entries were displayed at the IYQ2025 Closing Ceremony in Accra, Ghana.
Continuous display of the winning entries of the IUPAP–IYQ2025 Photo Contest at the IYQ Closing Ceremony in Accra, Ghana.
IYQ2025 provided a unique opportunity to highlight the global relevance of quantum science, foster inclusive education and research, and strengthen international cooperation in physics.
During the closing ceremony, UNESCO launched the Global Quantum Initiative for Sustainable Development (GQI), of which IUPAP is a founding partner. GQI is a three-year multilateral framework aimed at creating a collaborative platform where UNESCO Member States, scientific institutions, industry, and other stakeholders can co-develop strategic priorities, exchange knowledge, and shape inclusive global guidelines. The initiative seeks to prevent the emergence of a long-term “quantum divide” and will lead to the development of a shared, evolving document—the Global Quantum Agenda (GQA). IUPAP will play an active role in this process, supporting the global scientific community and promoting equitable access to the benefits of quantum technologies.
