International Year of Chemistry
Encyclopedia
The International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC 2011) commemorates the achievements of chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....

, and its contributions to humankind. This recognition for chemistry was made official by the United Nations in December 2008. Events for the year are being coordinated by IUPAC, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry
The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry is an international federation of National Adhering Organizations that represents chemists in individual countries. It is a member of the International Council for Science . The international headquarters of IUPAC is located in Zürich,...

, and by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

Background

The UN resolution calling for the International Year of Chemistry in 2011 was submitted by Ethiopia and co-sponsored by 23 nations. A case was made that chemistry makes a vital contribution towards achieving the goals of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2005-2014.

Theme

The theme of IYC2011 is "Chemistry–our life, our future," and focuses on the “achievements of chemistry and its contributions to the well-being of humankind.” It aims to raise awareness of chemistry among the general public and to attract young people into the field, as well as to highlight the role of chemistry in solving global problems.

Events

IYC 2011 events are being organized by national chemical societies, such as the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...

, the Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...

, the Brazilian Chemical Society, the Society of Chemical Industry and the Royal Australian Chemical Institute
Royal Australian Chemical Institute
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute Inc. is both the qualifying body in Australia for professional chemists and a learned society promoting the science and practice of chemistry in all its branches. The RACI hosts conferences, seminars and workshops...

, and by regional chemical federations, such as the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences
European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences
The European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences is a European non-profit organisation which works on promoting collaboration between non-profit scientific and technical societies in the field of chemistry. EuCheMS is an Associated Organisation of IUPAC...

 and the Federation of African Societies of Chemistry.

The IYC holds a full list of events on its website. Events scheduled are billed as: - conferences, congresses, symposia, fairs, exhibitions, expositions, grand openings, lectures, meetings, open discussions, workshops, celebrations, shows, art exhibitions, and quizzes,

The IYC Closing Event will be in Brussels, Belgium on Dec 01, 2011.

Some notable events


France

The official launch ceremony of the IYC 2011 took place on 27–28 January in Paris at the headquarters of the United Nations Educational Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It was attended by 1,000+ delegates from 60 countries. Four Nobel Prize Winners attended. UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova
Irina Bokova
Irina Georgieva Bokova is a Bulgarian politician, incumbent Directors-General of UNESCO. She was member of the Bulgarian Parliament from the Bulgarian Socialist Party for two terms, minister and deputy minister of foreign affairs in the socialist cabinet of Prime Minister Zhan Videnov, and was...

 delivered the opening address.

Switzerland

On February 2011 Swiss Post
Swiss Post
Swiss Post is the postal service of Switzerland. A public company owned by the Swiss Confederation, it is the country's second largest employer...

 issued a postage stamp bearing a depiction of a model of a molecule of vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...

 to mark the International Year of Chemistry. Swiss chemist Tadeus Reichstein
Tadeus Reichstein
Tadeusz Reichstein was a Polish-born Swiss chemist and Nobel laureate.Reichstein was born into a Jewish family at Włocławek, Congress Poland, and spent his early childhood at Kiev, where his father was an engineer...

 synthesised the vitamin for the first time in 1933.

United Kingdom

The Royal Society of Chemistry
Royal Society of Chemistry
The Royal Society of Chemistry is a learned society in the United Kingdom with the goal of "advancing the chemical sciences." It was formed in 1980 from the merger of the Chemical Society, the Royal Institute of Chemistry, the Faraday Society and the Society for Analytical Chemistry with a new...

 is celebrating IYC 2011 by reviewing the most significant chemical advances since the millennium.

Australia

An international conference is being held as an official IYC event at the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...

 World Heritage Listed Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...

 between 14–18 August entitled 'Towards Global Artificial Photosynthesis: Energy, Nanochemistry and Governance.'

Canada

Canada has lots of demonstrations for the year of chemistry. 32 universities all around Canada are participating.
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...

 made a "chemistry rendezvous" the 7 may. It included a tour of the chemistry lab, food and demonstrations.

India

Iqra's H.J. Thim College of Arts And Science,Mehrun, Jalgaon, Maharashtra,INDIA has scheduled to Celebrate International Year of Chemistry 2011 in the Academic Year 2011-2012.

See also

  • International observance
    International observance
    International observance denotes a period of time to observe some issue of international interest or concern. This is used to commemorate, promote and mobilize for action. Many of these periods have been established by the United Nations General Assembly, Economic and Social Council or by UNESCO...

  • 2011 in science
    2011 in science
    The year 2011 in science and technology involves many significant events and discoveries, some of which are listed below. 2011 was declared the International Year of Forests and Chemistry by the United Nations.- January :...


REVA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT Bangalore is organising a National Conference on CHEMISTRY. BIO-TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTHCARE - An Interface on 24th and 25th of November 2011. For details Contact- DR. N. RAMESH Principal & Professor of Chemistry Reva institute of Science & Management Bangalore. Website: www.nccbh2011.wordpress.com

External links

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