The idea for an international year was firstdiscussed in 2006, during the April meeting of the IUPAC Executive Committee.Following that meeting, an IUPAC task group developed a plan to secure thedesignation by UNESCO of an International Year of Chemistry. That project (IUPAC project2007-011-1-050) was successfully completed when in April 2008 the ExecutiveBoard of UNESCO endorsed the proposal for proclamation by the United Nations of2011 as an International Year of Chemistry (IYC).
The International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC2011) is a worldwide celebration of the achievements of chemistry and itscontributions to the well-being of humankind. Under the unifying theme "Chemistry -our life, our future", IYC 2011 will offer a range ofinteractive, entertaining, and educational activities for all ages. The Year ofChemistry is intended to reach across the globe, with opportunities for publicparticipation at the local, regional, and national level.
The goals of IYC 2011 are to increase thepublic appreciation of chemistry in meeting world needs, to encourage interestin chemistry among young people, and to generate enthusiasm for the creativefuture of chemistry. The year 2011 will coincide with the 100th anniversary ofthe Nobel Prize awarded to Madame Marie Curie - an opportunity to celebrate thecontributions of women to science. The year will also be the 100th anniversaryof the founding of the International Association of Chemical Societies, providinga chance to highlight the benefits of international scientific collaboration.
Both the OIML and the BIPM are deeply involvedin the improvement of chemical measurements, either through the CIPM CCQM (ComitéConsultatif pour la Quantité de Matière in French, or ConsultativeCommittee for Amount of Substance) or through many of the OIML TechnicalCommittees. For this reason, the two International Metrology Organizations havedecided to join the IYC 2011 and have Chemistry as the theme for this year's WorldMetrology Day.