UNESCO held the closing ceremony of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) on February 10 and 11, 2026, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana. The two-day event brought together government officials, UNESCO directors, university professors, and representatives from international scientific associations, according to News Ghana. Ghana’s Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, delivered remarks at the ceremony.
At the closing ceremony, UNESCO formally launched the Global Quantum Initiative (GQI) for 2026 to 2028. According to a UNESCO description of the initiative, the GQI requires a total budget of $3.6 million over three years and serves as a UNESCO-led platform for dialogue, cooperation, and capacity building in quantum science and technology. Organizations can engage through three partnership modalities: Founding Partners, Programme Partners, and Contributors.
Ghana was selected as the host because it led efforts to secure the UN General Assembly proclamation of the IYQ in 2024. The ceremony also featured the release of the UNESCO IYQ 2025 Report, panel discussions on Africa and the future of quantum science, and cultural programming. The event was livestreamed and open to the public with prior registration.