| United Nations | A/RES/66/284 |
General Assembly |
Distr.: General 12 July 2012 |
|
Sixty-sixth session
Agenda item 14
Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[without reference to a Main Committee (A/66/L.51 and Add.1)]
66/284. International Year of Crystallography
The General Assembly,
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| Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries and General Assembly resolutions 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years, |
| Recognizing that humankind’s understanding of the material nature of our world is grounded, in particular, in our knowledge of crystallography, |
| Stressing that education about and the application of crystallography are critical in addressing challenges such as diseases and environmental problems, by providing protein and small molecule structures suited for drug design essential for medicine and public health, as well as solutions for plant and soil contamination, |
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Considering that the impact of crystallography is present everywhere in our daily lives, in modern drug development, nanotechnology and biotechnology, and underpins the development of all new materials, from toothpaste to aeroplane
components,
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| Considering also the significance of the scientific achievements of crystallography, as illustrated by twenty-three Nobel Prizes awarded in the area, and that crystallography is still fertile ground for new and promising fundamental research, |
| Considering further that 2014 marks the centenary of the beginning of modern crystallography and its identification as the most powerful tool for structure determination of matter, |
| Being aware that 2014 provides an opportunity to promote international collaboration as part of the sixty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the International Union of Crystallography, |
| Noting the broader welcome by the crystallographic community worldwide of the idea of 2014 being designated as the International Year of Crystallography, |
| Recognizing the leading role of the International Union of Crystallography, an adhering body of the International Council for Science, in coordinating and promoting crystallographic activities at the international, regional and national levels around the world, |
| 1. Decides to proclaim 2014 the International Year of Crystallography; |
| 2. Invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, mindful of the provisions of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to facilitate implementation of the International Year of Crystallography, in collaboration with Governments, the International Union of Crystallography and its associated organizations throughout the world, relevant organizations of the United Nations system, the International Council for Science, as well as other relevant non-governmental organizations, also invites the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to keep the General Assembly informed of progress made in this regard, and stresses that the costs of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution above and beyond activities currently within the mandate of the lead agency should be met from voluntary contributions, including from the private sector; |
| 3. Encourages all Member States, the United Nations system and all other actors to take advantage of the International Year of Crystallography to promote actions at all levels aimed at increasing awareness among the public of the importance of crystallography and promoting widespread access to new knowledge and to crystallography activities. |
| 121st plenary meeting 3 July 2012 |