Ahmed Zewail (Nobel Prize 1999) “Civilization would not exist without light; light from our Sun and light from the focused and coherent lasers which now have become an important part of our daily lives. The International Year of Light will surely raise awareness of these powerful discoveries and their present wide-ranging, light-based technologies which are significant contributors to the world market. As importantly, the International Year of Light will inspire future discoveries and applications for one of the most important element of our existence: light. “