Dear Supporters of the International Day of Light,
 
As events worldwide are being organized in preparation for the first International Day of Light in 2018, we are delighted to announce that the UNESCO Associated Schools Network is enthusiastically joining in. The UNESCO Associated Schools Network has over 10,000 schools in over 180 countries and we encourage event organisers and student chapters to collaborate with UNESCO schools on activities for the International Day of Light.
 
We also welcome new organizations coming on board to support the goals of the International Day of Light. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at dayoflight@eps.org for more information on sponsorship and support opportunities. You can review the various possibilities here.

If you need resources for organizing your events, you can find plenty on the IDL website, including a new presentation about IDL that you can use to share the goals of the celebration and motivate other to organize activities. In addition, SPIE has developed a series of digital resources that would help you create your event.
 
Regarding worldwide IDL 2018 events, our Event Programme is increasing every week, including now events in over 33 countries around the world.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us via Twitter, Facebook or by email if you have any questions about IDL or you want to share any idea or resources. For a successful International Day of Light in 2018, your involvement is fundamental.

John Dudley
International Day of Light Steering Committee Chair

We are delighted to announce that the UNESCO Associated Schools Network is joining the International Day of Light celebrations. The UNESCO Associated Schools Network has over 10,000 schools in over 180 countries and work in support of UNESCO's mission promoting international understanding, peace, intercultural dialogue, sustainable development and quality education.  We encourage all local event organisers and student chapters to check if there is a local UNESCO school near you, and see how you can share your excitement for light with the next generation either by proposing a visit to a school, or by inviting school students to your event.
 
You can find more information here.

We are glad to announce the following new International Day of Light Sponsors and Collaborating Partners:

Steering Committee: Chinese Optical Society (COS).

Platinum Sponsors: Dodd-Walls Centre for Photonic and Quantum Technologies.

Gold Sponsors: Leiden University and Lighting Europe.

Collaborating Partners: Light Painting World Alliance (LPWA).
 
Find more information about sponsorship opportunities here.

For specific enquiries about sponsorship and support opportunities, please contact dayoflight@eps.org.
 

• CLEO to host International Day of Light Speaker: Nobel Laureate John C. Mather

To celebrate the official proclamation of the International Day of Light, Nobel Laureate John C. Mather of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, USA, will provide a plenary presentation, entitled, “Exploring the Universe at the Speed of Light,” at CLEO on 16 May 2018 at the San Jose Convention Center, California, USA. Find more about it here.

• "Let's Paint with Light!"

Dates: 10-11 May 2018
Location: Baykal village, Bulgaria

The Art Workshop will take place during the traditional National Baikal Astro Party, which is included in the National Calendar for Interests of Children and Students of the Ministry of Education and Science. Kids will paint on t-shirts with fluorescent dye stars, galaxies and planets.

• International Day of Light in Ireland

Dates: 15-16 May 2018
Location: Galway, Ireland

In Galway, there will be a programme to mark the International Day of Light. These will include a variety of hands-on workshops and talks for children, adults and families at the university.

• Journée internationale de la lumière

Dates: 22-23 May 2018
Location: Dakar, Senegal

Depending on the programme of the International Day of Light 2018 we will organize a workshop with students at University of Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD). The topic of this workshop is light and science. The aim of the workshop is, to develop practice skills for students with completion design of new optical demonstration day-to-day life.