Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee of the 2015 International Year of Light, Professor F. K.A. Allottey, has assured both Partners and Sponsors of the African Regional Conference and Exhibition that, they have a unique platform to create partnerships with key stakeholders and end-users in the field of Optical and Photonics Technology, Culture, Development and Education.

Sponsors may be for example industry partners, universities, research bodies or museums seeking to create new or expand existing global partnerships, or emerging field leaders wishing to demonstrate support for the goals of the International Year of Light.

Sponsorship is an exclusive opportunity to showcase your sustainability vision, strategies and practices before this world-class audience, and demonstrating your support for the four expected outcome of the event as outlined by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana National Commission for UNESCO.

He hinted that the Event, which aims to celebrate the International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies, will reach an audience of tens of millions of scientists, industry leaders and members of the public worldwide.

The International Year of Light consortium already consists of over 100 major international learned societies, volunteer organizations and other international bodies from over 85 countries around the world.

Professor Allotey intimated, that the International Year of Light is a global initiative which will highlight to the citizens of the world the importance of Light and Optical Technologies in their lives, for their futures, and for the development of society.

He appealed to Corporate Ghana and the Business community to take the centre stage of advantage of this unique opportunity to inspire, educate, and connect on a global scale.

Ghana’s involvement in the International Year of Light celebrations in 2015 has already found four identified priority areas that are paramount for the sustainable development of the country. These are:

1.The upgrading of the Laser and Fibre Optics Centre at the University of Cape Coast into a full-fledged Institute for capacity - building in Fibre Optics Technology;

2.The establishment in the country of a sub-regional Laser Medical Application Laboratory (LMAL) to train medical practitioners to make use of the relevant laser  technologies in the field of urology, ophthalmology, dentistry and general surgery.

3.The establishment of a Solar Technology Research Centre to enhance the study and promotion of solar science and the use of alternative energy.

4.The establishment of a Museum of Light and Light-based Technologies as part of solutions to the post-2015 United Nations development agenda.

The African Regional Conference and Exhibition in Ghana is slated for the 14th-16th September 2015.