International Day of Light
16 May 2026 - 16 May 2026
Region(s): Nationwide
Type(s): promotion
The International Day of Light is a global initiative that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. The broad theme of light will allow many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality, and peace.
Aotearoa New Zealand is the first country in the world to see the new day’s light, which makes a great opportunity to celebrate.
For more information go to: www.lightday.org.
Related content
For ideas on how to use this day in your teaching, explore the wide range of content – articles, activities, videos and more – under the light and colour topic.
Check out these collections below for more inspiration. If you sign in, you can then add it to your own collection list so you can adapt and share.
Light and colour – a collection previously created for a webinar, but useful for teachers and students working at NZC levels 1–4.
Light and shadows – is for teachers and students working at New Zealand Curriculum levels 1 and 2. It is cross curricular – linking Physical World and Planet Earth and Beyond concepts with literacy, mathematics and measurement, social sciences and Māoritanga.
How we see the world – this collection supports the House of Science resource kit – but it is also useful for anyone interested in light, colour and the workings of the human eye.
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