The International Year of Chemistry 2011 (IYC 2011) will commemorate the achievements of chemistry and its contributions to humankind. This recognition for chemistry was made official by the United Nations in December 2008.
Events for the year are being coordinated by IUPAC, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, and by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.
http://www.chemistry2011.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Year_of_Chemistry
