Lift-off for World Year of Physics



Over 1000 participants, including eight Nobel Prize Laureates, personalities from the world of science and close to 500 students from 70 countries took part in the "Physics for Tomorrow" conference at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on 13 January 2005. The event marked the official launch of the International Year of Physics, proclaimed by the United Nations. The International Year aims to highlight the importance of physics and its contribution to the development of many other scientific disciplines. It is also to help fight the current lack of enthusiasm for sciences among young people. Throughout 2005, events will be organized across the world to debate physics and it implications to society.

The conference was organized by UNESCO, the lead UN organization for the International Year, and by the physics community, in particular by CERN, CNRS and CEA, EU Commission, EPS, IUPAP and others.


CERN Director-General, Robert Aymar, participating to the Inauguration Session of the Launch Event of the International Year of Physics.

CERN's involvement in the event started with a contribution by the Director General to the opening ceremony, followed by the participation of Carlo Rubbia in the Round table on "What can physics bring to the socio-economical challenges of the 21st century" and the talk of Georges Charpak about "Teaching and education in physics".

During the launch of the "Year of Physics", the Director General emphasised the following three messages:

  • Physics is a crucial driving force for innovation in our societies;
  • Science brings nations together in fair partnerships, attracting and training the most talented people;
  • Sciences and derived technologies provide for the basis of the global Knowledge Society of tomorrow.

The event provided another opportunity for closer relations between CERN and UNESCO, one of the observer organizations to the CERN Council. As the 50th anniversary celebration highlighted, CERN was founded under the auspices of UNESCO in 1954 and the two organizations share a number of common goals such as advancing the understanding of nature, bringing nations together by science and training young people from many nations in science and technology for the benefits of all.


Many students attended the launch of the International Year of Physics which aims, among other objectives, to rekindle interest in this science amongst young people.