IYQ Global Events
IYQ is being celebrated worldwide through hundreds of independently organized events and activities. Selected events with a global reach and impact have received the special designation of “IYQ Global Event” from the IYQ Steering Committee and are receiving financial support from IYQ partners. Additional IYQ Global Events and Activities will be added to the list below as the year progresses.
Brilliant (Quantum) Poetry
The Brilliant (Quantum) Poetry competition invites participants worldwide to submit poems inspired by quantum science themes, such as superposition, entanglement, and uncertainty. Submissions will be accepted in all UN official languages, with English translations for judging.
Virtual Event
Launch: March 21, 2025
Submission Deadline: June 21, 2025
ICTP Global Event on Quantum Science and Technology
In celebration of the IYQ, ICTP joins forces with the Italian Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, the ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) to organize a week-long global event addressed to a wide community.
The event will focus on historical aspects, the impact on society, and selected advances of quantum science and technology.
Dates: May 26-30, 2025
Location: Trieste (Italy), Rome (Italy), Sao Paulo (Brazil).
ITU & Quantum Coalition Future Leaders in Quantum Hackathon
The virtual hackathon features four tracks: Science, Education, Art, and Innovation. Each with two challenges co-designed by industry sponsors and university clubs. It includes pre-hackathon workshops, a 36-hour hackathon period with opening/closing ceremonies, team formation
opportunities, and mentorship, and post-hackathon activities like showcasing winning projects and sending winners to the Quantum for Good track being organized as part of the AI for Good Summit in Geneva.
The event emphasizes hands-on learning, global collaboration, and real-world problem-solving.
Participate and win great prizes!
The pool prize amount is $10,000, and a trip to Geneva!
Dates:
Pre-Hackathon Workshop Series: March 14 to May 14, 2025
Hackathon: March 14 to July 8, 2025.
Location: Virtual and Geneva, Switzerland
Storytelling from the Lab
Storytelling from the Lab is an innovative virtual tour and storytelling initiative designed to make quantum science accessible and engaging for young learners. Our approach integrates virtual lab tours, where quantum researchers explain fundamental concepts in simple, relatable terms, with a science storytelling segment, where a scientist reads a children’s book related to quantum technology or general science topics. Virtual events and exposure to quantum technologies is particularly important for students who do not live near labs, quantum companies, or research hubs, and have no way of accessing a global in-person event.
Dates: Year-long, frequency to be determined
Location: Virtual
Link to the event coming soon.
Quantum Now / Ici Quantique
QUANTUM NOW | ICI QUANTIQUE is the premier executive forum designed to explore the current state of the quantum industry and innovation, providing senior decision-makers with the insights, relationships, and strategic clarity needed to navigate the emerging quantum economy.
Taking place June 18-19 in Montréal, Québec, Canada, during the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, the event will feature a highly curated program that delves into critical topics such as the state of the quantum sector, understanding and seizing quantum economic advantage, the importance of international collaboration in accelerating quantum development, real-world use cases, and practical pathways for quantum adoption.
Dates: June 18-19, 2025
Location: Grand Quay of the Port of Montreal
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Communicating Quantum Science and Technology to Public
The event will bring national and international outreach and science communication experts, and practitioners of quantum technologies to discuss the issues, difficulties, and opportunities related to the public communication of quantum technologies. Topics such as hype, misinformation, false expectations, and the roles and responsibilities of different actors will be discussed. We will also incorporate discussions on the role of entertainment media (movies, TV shows, games, social media) for the purposes of public communication of quantum technologies.
Date: June 28, 2025
Location: Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea (South Korea)
Link to the event coming soon.
Quantum Crossroads - at the Intersection of Arts, Culture, and Quantum Science and Technology
Quantum Crossroads is a global event sponsored by the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. It will bring together experts and stakeholders to discuss the intersection of quantum science and technology with arts, culture, and creative technologies. The event is led by a global committee and hosted by Te Whai Ao – Dodd-Walls Centre and Tūhura, Otago Museum.
Dates: July 7-8, 2025
Location:
International Symposium on Quantum Science, Technology and Innovation 2025 (Quantum Innovation 2025)
The Quantum Innovation, hosted by the Japanese government, research institutes, and industry alliances, is an international symposium aimed at bringing together multidisciplinary researchers to present and exchange groundbreaking ideas in quantum science and technology. It covers a wide range of topics, including the latest achievements, trends, and demands in quantum science and technology, such as quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum cryptography, and quantum communication.
Dates: from July 29 to August 2, 2025
Location: Osaka, Japan
ARC-EDS: Driving Entrepreneurship and Innovation to Combat Youth Unemployment
The Global Event celebrating the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ 2025) will be organized as a key component of the Africa Regional Conference and Exhibition on Education and Skills Development (ARC-EDS). The Global Event will advance the development of Quantum Education on a global scale.
Dates: August 5-7, 2025
Location: Accra International Conference Center (AICC), Accra, Ghana
Link to the event coming soon.
5th International Conference on the History of Quantum Physics
The centenary of quantum mechanics and the United Nations International Year of Quantum Science and Technology provide an ideal opportunity to revive the influential “HQ” series of conferences on the History of Quantum Physics, initiated by the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin.
Dates: August 11-14, 2025
Location: Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
IYQ Global Event on International Cooperation: Addressing the Global Quantum Divide and Governance
The purpose of the event is to address the very multidisciplinary and multidimensional topics of International Cooperation and Global Governance in Quantum Technologies. It will bring together experts in diplomacy, international cooperation, peace, and international security, governance, including anticipatory tech governance),
economics, private investments, policy analysis, capacity building, emergent technologies, international standards, quantum science and technology, and national quantum initiatives.
The Global Organising Committee membership will cover the different regions of the World.
Dates: August, 2025
Location: United Nations headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya.
Link to the event coming soon.
The Ethical, Legal, and Social Aspect of Broadening Global Ownership of Quantum Technologies
The event will be on cross-cutting issues on ELSA of QT around the world on broadening global ownership of quantum technologies, with a particular focus on the context of underdeveloped and developing countries and regions.
Dates: September 10-11, 2025
Location: Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City Campus, Mexico
Link to the event coming soon.
IYQ Global Event on Quantum Science and Technology for Sustainable Development
The conference will produce engaging public content highlighting how quantum science and technologies contribute to sustainability goals. The materials will translate complex quantum concepts into accessible formats for the general public and demonstrate practical applications for addressing global challenges.
Dates: October 27-30, 2025
Location: Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Link to the event coming soon.
Quantum Metrology: From Foundations to the Future
The event will bring together experts from around the world for a mix of keynote talks, panel discussions, hands-on demonstrations, and interactive exhibits. It will open with a keynote exploring the history of metrology in quantum science, setting the stage for discussions on how measurement science can unlock its impact across industries like navigation, computing, and healthcare. Personal stories will highlight how quantum technologies are changing lives, while an international panel will explore the importance of global collaboration.
Dates: November 03-07, 2025
Location: National Physical Laboratory (NPL), Teddington South-West London, UK
Link to the event coming soon.
PAST IYQ GLOBAL EVENTS
IYQ Opening Ceremony at UNESCO
The 2025 International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) recognizes 100 years since the initial development of quantum mechanics. The Opening Ceremony took place at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, to celebrate the Launch of IYQ 2025.
Dates: February 4-5, 2025
Location: UNESCO, Paris, France
IYQ Opening Ceremony in Geneva
On 21st February 2025, over 100 individuals–including policymakers, diplomats, scientists, and educators–gathered to celebrate the launch of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ) in Geneva, following the official Opening Ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
Date: February 21, 2025
Location: Geneva Conservatory of Music, Switzerland