Do you know what albedo is? ☀️
It is a surface’s ability to reflect sunlight, a phenomenon that plays an essential part in regulating Earth’s climate and maintaining the balance of our planet.
Today is #InternationalDayOfLight, an opportunity to recognise how light shapes science, technology and everyday life.
Light allows nature to grow and flourish, influences our well-being and powers technologies that have transformed our societies, from optics and lasers to fibre optics, solar energy and medical imaging.
As the only UN agency with a mandate in the basic sciences, UNESCO proclaimed this International Day to highlight the importance of light and light-based technologies in advancing science, innovation and international cooperation.
Light fuels groundbreaking scientific discovery, powering transformative innovations and real-world solutions that illuminate our shared future.
Women scientists play a pivotal role in advancing light research—from photonics to optics—yet their contributions remain underrepresented in #STEM.
On this International #DayOfLight, #UNESCO is at the forefront of advancing gender equality through prestigious initiatives like the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards, elevating women's visibility, leadership, and invaluable impact in these cutting-edge fields.
By championing diverse voices, we propel #Science forward for a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.
#WomenInScience
🇮🇩 In Bali, a youth-led movement is taking action against plastic pollution and rethinking our relationship with single-use plastics.
♻️ Created by sisters Melati Wijsen and Isabel Wijsen, @byebyeplasticbags mobilises communities through education, awareness campaigns and collective action to reduce plastic waste and encourage more sustainable everyday practices.
What began as a local initiative has grown into a broader reflection on how citizen engagement, particularly among young people, can help drive environmental awareness and community action.
🌏 The initiative is part of #UNESCOGreenCitizens, which supports citizen-led projects working to protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems and strengthen resilience to climate change through UNESCO’s scientific networks and programmes.
👉 Swipe to discover the project and learn more via the link in bio.
This initiative is made possible thanks to our partner @kloranebotanicalfoundation .
The world of higher education is changing, fast. But not always equally.
UNESCO's first Higher Education Global Trends Report reveals a complex picture: record enrolment, growing mobility, and real progress on gender parity, alongside persistent gaps in completion, leadership, and access that no region can afford to ignore.
The data tells the story. Swipe through.
When heritage is lost, a part of humanity is too.
In Gaza, 164 heritage sites have been damaged—but efforts to protect what remains are already underway. UNESCO has mobilized action to protect and stabilize structures, supporting local workers, and helping communities hold on to their cultural foundations.
These efforts are not just about preservation. They are about resilience, dignity, and the future.
Because protecting heritage means protecting people.
#UNESCO #Gaza #CulturalHeritage #ProtectHeritage #ForThePeople
Immerse yourself in World Heritage! 🏛
Developed by UNESCO with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (@mocsaudi ), Dive Into Heritage is an innovative online platform using cutting-edge digital technologies to bring World Heritage Sites to global audiences.
From ancient stones to cultural practices, it safeguards not just sites — but also their living heritage.
Phase one is live. More sites are on the way. 🌴
@ksaforunesco@ic0nem
Real solutions are already making a difference.
From ecosystem restoration across borders to schools teaching sustainable living in desert environments, the UNESCO Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Conservation, established with the support of the Sultanate of Oman, celebrates initiatives shaping a more sustainable future.
These are not just ideas. They are concrete solutions led by communities, scientists and educators around the world.
✨ Swipe to discover how change is already happening.
As #QuantumScience and technology continue to evolve, the question is not only how fast they advance, but who gets to shape and benefit from them.
From a century of scientific breakthroughs to today’s emerging technologies, quantum science is transforming how we understand and interact with the world. Yet without inclusive access, education and international cooperation, these advances risk deepening global divides.
As the sole UN agency with a mandate in basic sciences, UNESCO was designated to lead the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology in 2025. In 2026, it also launched the Global Quantum Initiative to help ensure these advances benefit everyone.
👉 Swipe to explore how quantum science evolved and why inclusion matters more than ever.
🌊 What happens in the cryosphere affects us all.
The cryosphere is undergoing irreversible decline, triggering accelerated glacier melt, permafrost thaw, sea ice loss and rising risks of glacial lake outburst floods.
Through the Decade of Action for Cryospheric Science, led by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme, the global community is working towards:
‣ Better observe and predict cryosphere change
‣ Assess the risks for societies
‣ Support adaptation on the ground
‣ Turn science into decision-ready insights
Because in a rapidly changing world, science must guide action.
Images from the new Polar Ocean Image Collection on the Ocean Image Bank curated by @theoceanagency .
From “in danger” to recovery. That is what collective action looks like.
This #AfricanWorldHeritageDay, we highlight three sites in Africa that have been removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger:
Abu Mena (Egypt)
Old Town of Ghadamès (Libya)
Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar)
This is a milestone and a shared victory.
Working together with UNESCO, States Parties have led years of sustained efforts to reduce threats and restore these sites. From tackling illegal logging and protecting biodiversity to stabilising fragile structures and rebuilding after conflict, these actions have made a real difference.
The List of #WorldHeritage in Danger is not only about identifying risks. It is a tool to mobilise international support, strengthen protection and enable recovery.
Today, these efforts are paying off. #ForThePeople
In a digital world, who decides what information we trust?
AI and new technologies are reshaping how information is created, shared, and consumed. They open new possibilities — but also amplify misinformation, distort visibility, and put journalists at risk.
As surveillance is targeting reporters and algorithms are boosting harmful content, the foundations of trust in information are under pressure.
These challenges demand more than awareness — they require action:
➡️ protect freedom of expression
➡️ support independent journalism
➡️ ensure platform accountability
➡️ safeguard access to reliable information
The future of information is being shaped now — press freedom must be part of it.
#WorldPressFreedomDay
