On May 19, 2023, the UNESCO Executive Board adopted by acclamation a decision endorsing the proposal to declare 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ 2025). Mexico’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO presented the proposal on behalf of 59 countries, according to the account published by The Quantum Insider. The American Physical Society noted the efforts of the Mexican Physical Society and Mexico’s delegates on the UNESCO Executive Board for leading the proposal’s presentation.
Close collaboration between the Permanent Delegation of Mexico, the IYQ Executive Committee, and the UNESCO Secretariat from October 2022 through May 2023 was essential to consolidate a text that could be endorsed by member states. The period required intensive advocacy among the Permanent Delegations accredited to UNESCO, as reported by APS.
Following the Executive Board decision, the proposal was forwarded to the 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference for formal adoption. Mexico’s role as lead sponsor made it one of the most prominent diplomatic actors in the global quantum policy arena for 2023.