From Spy Ghana via Xinhua

The celebration is under the theme ‘Harnessing Light and Light- based Technologies for Africa’s Development’. The International Year Of Light (IYL) 2015 is a global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health.

Ghana, in partnership with the Permanent Declarations of Mexico, Russia and New Zealand, initiated the process that led to the UN’s proclamation of the IYL 2015 at the 190th session of the UNESCO Executive Board in Paris on December 20, 2013.

Ghana’s creativity has brought on board global partnerships involving the optical societies, scientific unions, and photonic giant industries around the world to harness the benefits of light.

In a speech to launch the event, Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama said Ghana’s initiative had brought into the limelight the need to explore further the potentials of light to improve livelihoods, build communities and connect people in many ways.

“As indicated in the state of the nation address to parliament, my government has made tremendous effort to put clean energy at the doorsteps of the rural folks as part of our commitment to fully incorporate renewable energy into our energy supply mix. A number of solar and biomass projects are being pursued,” he said.

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