Since 1959, the UN has been ‘designating’ years to acknowledge fields of international endeavor and the importance of their contributions to global society. Some other recent designations include 2021: The International Year of Peace and Trust; 2020: The International Year of the Nurse and Midwife; and 2019: The International Year of Moderation. Not every year receives a designation from the UN, but some years have received multiple; for example, 2009 had five designations, the highest in any one year.
A global coalition of partners, comprising arts organizations, museums, research centers, artists, educators, manufacturers, and glass businesses formed to endorse and advance the resolution. Support eventually came from more than 75 countries around the world.
Despite delays caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the UN General Assembly convened to ratify the resolution on May 18, 2021. The resolution recognizes that “glass has accompanied humankind for centuries, enriching the quality of life of millions, and that, as one of the most important, versatile and transformative materials of history, glass is an important component in many areas, including in aerospace and the automotive sector, architecture, the arts, information and communications technology, energy, health care,” and more.
An international program of events is already planned, including:
- An Opening Conference in Geneva – February 2022
- An International High-Tech Industrial Congress in Shanghai – April 2022
- An International ICG Congress – Berlin, July 2022 (celebrating the 100th Anniversary of DGG)
- International glass displays in Art Galleries and Museums throughout the year
- Closing Congress in Japan, December 2022
Many more activities are also proposed:
- A US Glass Day in Washington DC
- From Pharaohs to High Tech Glass Conference in Egypt, April-May 2022
- Special issues of the more relevant scientific journal related to glass, as International Journal of Applied Glass Science (IJAGS), Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids (JNCS), Journal of Sol-gel Science and Technology (JSGST), Heritage, etc.).
- Special issues of glass magazines as Glass International and Glass Worldwide, as well as scientific and industrial journals related to national glass societies.
Hundreds of activities in museums and exhibitions, academia & research, education and dissemination, companies and societies are planned across the planet focused on a universal distribution of activities at all education levels.
