IYOG preview: The year of glass

All set for the Year of Glass

This year will see an unprecedented number of events around the globe dedicated to glass as part of the United Nations International Year of Glass celebrations. Jess Mills provides a snapshot of what is happening across all sectors.

Image courtesy of Schott.

In May last year, the United Nations approved the International Year of Glass (IYOG).

This is thanks to the hard work and dedication of many individuals from organisations such as the International Commission on Glass (IGC), ICOM-Glass and the Community Glass Associations.

Never before has there been a year for glass, which presents a vital opportunity to showcase globally how glass innovations are essential to creating a sustainable future.

Glass is a huge part of our everyday lives, although it often gets overlooked. Many forget that glass is an important part of many pharmaceutical industries, as well as photonics, automotive construction and packaging. Without glass, how could we get vaccinated, communicate via social media, drive to work or store perishable items?

Hundreds of events will be taking place this year to emphasise just how important glass is to society. Not just in terms of usability, but for art, education, history, science and the environment. 18 Regional Organisations have been created across the globe to give each section a local committee and streamline planning. Throughout the world, events and activities have been organised, with the support of glassmakers, suppliers, academic and research establishments, museums and many others.

Below, we have highlighted a handful of events organised this year, but there are many more in different regions of the globe. Check the IYOG website for more. https://www.iyog2022.org/home/ upcoming_events/

APRIL

12/04/2022

Presentation of Sustainability Report by Assovetro Communications and Publications, Rome, Italy

Assovetro is a non-profit business organisation, which has planned a series of events to celebrate the International Year of Glass.

A presentation of Assovetro’s Sustainability Report 2022 (that focuses on social sustainability) will take place this April in Rome. The first edition of the report was produced by Ergo, a spinoff company of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa.

Ergo is the first company to be approved by the school’s Academic Senate that specialises in consultancy work, focusing on the environmental management of businesses and local areas.

Organisers: Assovetro Website: http://www.assovetro.it

Contact: Laura Fagotti

19/04/2022

Ukrainian Stained Glass Fundraiser Architectural Lecture, London, UK

Ukrainian glass artist Oksana Kondratyeva will discuss Ukrainian stained glass online on the 19th April, 6pm (GMT +1).

The history of Ukrainian stained glass is complex and multifaceted, a legacy of remarkable variety and virtuosity, from intimate icon painting to monumental slab-glass public art, focussing on Secession, Art Nouveau, modernism & postmodernism.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s Ukraine Appeal.

Organisers: Glaziers Livery Company Website: http://glaziersartfair.com

MAY

03/05/2022 - 06/05/2022

International Year of Glass: Glasses and Glass-Ceramics For A Sustainable Society Science, Conference, Madrid, Spain

After the first hybrid edition in 2020, the 58th edition of the SECV National Congress returns to Madrid after 12 years. A large number of institutes and research centres related to ceramics and glass are concentrated in the capital, which has led to three CSIC institutes uniting as one headquarters.

There will be a symposium on the technology and science specially dedicated to the IYOG, which will be the meeting point of the Spanish glass community. The symposium will be divided into thematic sessions on basic science, industrial glasses and works from the FunGlass EU project.

This year also mark the 60th anniversary of the SECV Bulletin, and CSIC hosting YouCGMed (workshop for young researchers in ceramics and glasses for medical applications), as well as the IYOG, making it an extra special celebration.

Organisers: Spanish Society of Ceramics and Glass Website: http://secv.es

Contact: Francisco Muñoz Fraile

11/05/21 – 12/05/21

Glassman Latin America Monterrey, Mexico

The event focuses on the hollow glassmaking industry and brings together international experts, glass container manufacturers and businesses that use glass containers, to discover the latest innovations.

Glassman Latin America offers a unique opportunity to meet, discuss and focus on the latest issues surrounding the sector.

An accompanying two-day conference will focus on the latest trends and topics in glassmaking such as decarbonisation, digitalisation and net zero emissions. Organisers: Glass International Website: https://glassmanevents.com/latin-america

10/05/2022 - 13/05/2022

CFAS, Le verre: reflet de société, fenêtre sur les avancées technologiques (ACFAS, Glass: Reflection of Society, Window on Technological Advances) Science, Conference, Quebec, Canada The IYOG will be celebrated at the 89th ACFAS conference at Université Laval in Quebec City with a four-day colloquium. Here, glass will bring together artists, architects and glass industries, as well as scientific and academic fields in a multisectorial conference accompanied

by an exhibition of glass art.

Organisers: COPL, Université Laval Website:https://www.acfas.ca/ evenements/congres/programmepreliminaire/600/619

Contact: IYOG-Canada

JUNE

09/06/2022 - 12/06/2022

Borg Furnace Project (BFP) 2022 Archaeology, Perl, Germany

At the BFP, scientific questions about processing techniques are examined in archaeological experiments on glass furnaces reconstructed according to Roman models and various techniques are tested and refined.

To this end, glass vessels (e.g. moulded bowls, free and mould-blown drinking glasses, jugs and bottles, etc.) and Roman window glass panes are produced at the wood-fired clay furnaces.

The project is open to the public. Organisers: Archäologiepark Römische Villa Borg - Bettina Birkenhagen and Frank Wiesenberg Website: http://www.glasofenexperiment. de/

Contact: Borg Furnace Project (BFP)

22/06/2022 - 24/06/2022

Women in Glass: Artists and Scientists Science, Conference, Alcorcón (Madrid), Spain

2022 will be the IYOG and the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Museum of Glass Art in Alcorcón. This Ibero-American Congress is created around women in glass, artists and scientists, whose objective is to establish bridges between professional women who work in glass.

This includes listening to experiences in which ingenuity supplies the lack of supplies, providing tools to improve work and facilitating the conjunction between both worlds of art and science.

Alicia Durán, Research Professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), former President of the International Commission on Glass (ICG) and Chair of the United Nations International Year of Glass 2022, will also be in attendance.

The workshops will also be recorded for those who cannot attend in-person.

Organisers: Spanish Society of Ceramics and Glass Website: https://secv.es/mujeres-y-vidrio/

Contact: Jesús Martínez

JULY

03/07/2022 - 08/07/2022

26th International Congress on Glass Science, Conference, Berlin, Germany

2022 will mark the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the DGG, an excellent occasion and a high motivation to organise and host the 26th International Congress on Glass (ICG2022).

ICG2022 provides plenary sessions and 45 technical sessions grouped in eight symposia and includes the 13th International Congress on Advances in Fusion and Processing of Glass (AFPG2022), a valuable opportunity for glass scientists and technologists. Organisers: Deutsche Glastechnische Gesellschaft e.V. (DGG) Website: https://www.hvg-dgg-events.com/icg2022

Contact: Thomas Jüngling

10/07/2022 – 15/07/2022

The 16th International Conference on the Physics of Non-Crystalline Solids Science, Conference, Canterbury, United Kingdom

The 16th International Conference on the Physics of Non-Crystalline Solids will be an international forum for discussion of the most recent developments in the physics of non-crystalline solids. It is the latest in a series started in 1958.

Glass is a scientifically fascinating material, and even its fundamental nature is one of the major unsolved problems in physics. Furthermore glasses, glass-ceramics and sol-gel derived materials are also enormously important for their practical applications.

Organisers: The Society of Glass Technology Website: https://sgt.org/mpage/PNCS16

Contact: Alex Hannon

SEPTEMBER

25/09/2022 - 29/09/2022

XIII BrazGlass - Brazilian Symposium on Glasses and Related Materials (joint with the XX Brazilian MRS - Materials Research Society Meeting) Science, Conference, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil BrazGlass is a biennial symposium that gathers students, researchers and professionals from the industry that research and produce glasses and glassceramics for diverse applications.

Examples include biomaterials, catalytic and energy conversion/storage materials, reinforcement and optical materials. All glass-related topics are welcome.

Organiser/Contact:

Prof. Andrea de Camargo

Website: https://www.sbpmat.org.br/20encontro/

NOVEMBER

18/11/2022 - 20/11/2022

Drafting of the Manifesto Dedicated to the Future of Glass Recycling & Sustainability, Venice, Italy The Civic Museums Foundation, together with the IUAV and the University of Ca’ Foscari, will promote the drafting of the manifesto dedicated to the future of glass. Organisers: Fondazione Musei Civici and University of Venice Ca’ Foscari Website: http://www.museovetro.visitmuve.it

Contact: Chiara Squarcina

DECEMBER

08/12/2022 – 09/12/2022

International Year of Glass 2022 Closing Ceremony A closing ceremony will take place in Japan this December. Website: https://www.iyog2022.org/

Alicia Durán – IYOG’s Alicia Durán will be in attendance at the Women in Glass conference this June in Spain.