IYQ 2025 Opening Ceremony Vlog: 100 Years is Just the Beginning 

The International Year of Quantum (IYQ2025) Opening Ceremony at UNESCO in Paris was a landmark event, bringing together some of the world’s leading scientists, policymakers, and industry pioneers. The event marked the beginning of a year-long celebration of quantum science, highlighting its role in shaping the future of technology, education, and global collaboration.

Diya Nair, Global Lead for Outreach and United Kingdom’s Ambassador of Girls in Quantum, attended the ceremony to capture key moments from the event. She created a vlog that takes you behind the scenes, showcasing thought-provoking panel discussions, inspiring keynote insights from Nobel Laureates who have shaped the field and much more! A key focus of the discussions was speakers emphasising the importance of investing in quantum education to equip future generations with the knowledge and skills to shape this rapidly evolving field.

Another central theme was quantum’s potential to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Experts discussed applications in quantum sensing, which could revolutionise medical diagnostics and environmental monitoring; cybersecurity, where quantum encryption promises unprecedented levels of data protection; and financial services, where quantum algorithms could transform risk analysis and optimisation. The event truly served as a call to action, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, industry, and governments to accelerate progress.

Watch the full vlog by Diya here:

As we celebrate 100 years of quantum science, its full potential is still yet to be realised. The discoveries made today will shape the technologies of tomorrow, and this event was a powerful reminder of how far the field has come—and how much further it can go.

Watch the full opening ceremony on the UNESCO YouTube Channel.

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Diya Nair is the Global Lead for Outreach and UK Ambassador of Girls in Quantum.