On June 7, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by acclamation a resolution declaring 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ). Ghana formally submitted the draft resolution to the General Assembly at its 78th session in May 2024, following an earlier endorsement at the UNESCO General Conference in November 2023 where Mexico had led the initial effort with co-sponsorship from nearly 60 countries. The American Physical Society reported that the resolution garnered co-sponsorship from more than 70 countries before its adoption.
Riche-Mike Wellington, Deputy Secretary-General (Programmes) of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO and the country’s IYQ representative, played a central role in shepherding the resolution. According to UN meeting coverage, Ghana’s representative introduced the text and stated that it would support the broader dissemination of quantum science and technology and mobilize global support for addressing current challenges.
Wellington told the American Physical Society that the proclamation would “bring quantum STEM education and research to young people in Africa and developing countries around the world.” UNESCO was designated as the lead agency and focal point for IYQ 2025, which coincided with the 100th anniversary of the birth of modern quantum mechanics.