On June 7, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly at its 78th session adopted Resolution A/RES/78/287 proclaiming 2025 as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ). Ghana formally submitted the draft resolution in May 2024, and the measure garnered co-sponsorship from more than 70 countries before its approval, according to the American Physical Society.
Under the resolution, UNESCO was designated as the lead UN agency for the IYQ, while the American Physical Society was tasked with administering the campaign through an international consortium. Founding partners of the consortium included the American Physical Society, the German Physical Society (DPG), the Chinese Optical Society, SPIE, and Optica.
The resolution stated that the IYQ should “be observed through activities at all levels aimed at increasing public awareness of the importance of quantum science and applications.” It recognized quantum research and development as relevant to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in areas including health, inequality reduction, infrastructure, economic growth, climate action, and clean energy. The year 2025 was chosen to mark the centenary of the initial development of quantum mechanics.