Towards anInternational Year of Glassin 2022
Promoted by

History is full of milestones, turning
points where advances in glass
stimulated change:• 3500 years ago, glass beads &jewellery• 3000 years, exquisite Egyptian bottles
for expensive perfumes;• As BC became AD, glass-blowing gave
intricate, collectable objects;• A millennium ago, glass windows
flooded our sacred buildings withlight, elaborate goblets celebrated
dynasties, decorated mosque lamps
spoke of a patron’s generosity.

• Now we view the world through glass– our phone screens - glass fills ourarchitectural skyline, solar panelsand glass-reinforced wind turbines
blades dominate renewable energy
markets, and glass is integrated into
the fine arts.
Scientific endeavour has also relied on
glass:• Galileo’s telescope opened our eyesto the wonders of the cosmos;• microscopes let us study cells andmicrobes and so understand diseases;• light bulbs enabled reading andnight-working,• glass valves ushered in electronics,• and now optical fibres are thehidden network behind the worldwide web.
Glass is the sustainable tool supporting

United Nations building in glass

our developed society. Appropriately
ancientwriters
equatedtheglassblower’s breath with the wisdom of
the philosopher Seneca. Some suggest
we now live in ‘The Glass Age’.

Glass optical ﬁbre preformMilestones to be celebrated in 2022:• 670th anniversary of first depiction ofeyeglasses in a painting;• 200 years of Fresnel Lenses in coastal
lighthouses;• 100 years since glass discovered inKing Tutankhamun’s Tomb;• 100 years of the German Society ofGlass Technology (DGG);• 70th anniversary of the Pilkington
patent for Float Glass;• 60 years of the Studio Glass
Movement;• 45th anniversary of Anderson, Mott& Van Vleck’s Nobel prize (glassymaterials).

Our vision
Our vision for a United Nations
International Year of Glass (IYoG2022) is tocelebrate the past, present and future ofthis transformative material by:• Demonstrating its role in advancing
civilization throughout recorded history.
• Organizing international festivals, withworkshops that excite and inform thepublic of this rich history, and highlightlinks between glass, art and culture.
• Holding: an inaugural Conference inGeneva, Switzerland; a July InternationalGlass Congress in Berlin, Germany;a Glass Technology event in China; aCongress in Egypt; and a World Congress
and Exhibition on glass art and history.
• Stimulating glass research in educationalorganizations, industry, and the publicdomain, including museums, to address
the great challenges the world faces
such as sustainable, equitable growth
and an improved quality of life for all.
• Building worldwide alliances focusing on
science and engineering for young people,

Bioglass structures

addressing gender balance and tacklingthe needs of emerging economies.
UN developmental Goals and GlassThe UN has set a series of development
goals with a completion date of 2030. In
the following we demonstrate how glass is
helping to address these targets.
GOAL 3: Good health and well-being
Biocompatible and bioactive glasses havebeen universally life changing for patients.
Specialty glasses can bond broken bones
without rejection. Deep, persistentwounds, especially in diabetic patients,
are hard to treat but new glasses show aremarkable restorative capacity.
Porous hollow glass microspheres(HGMs) can encapsulate fragile drugs
but reject undesired biological agents.
Radioactive Yttrium-90 delivered in HGMs
has treated liver cancer.
Chemically inert glass vials, cartridges,
syringes and ampoules prevent interaction
with their contents, particularly active
formulations. The EpiPen® auto-injector
cartridge treats severe allergic reactions- at its heart is chemically strengthened
glass; millions have been made. Glass has
multiple roles in orthodontics and eventoothpaste.
GOAL 4: Quality education
A quality education underpins sustainable
development. An inclusive educationdelivers the tools to create innovative
solutions for the world’s pressing problems.
A well-rounded education offers insights
into how society copes with change.
Education is at the heart of theInternational Commission on Glass (ICG);
it links experts in science, technology,art, history and education and in the last
decade has organized 20 schools in Europe,
China, India, North America and SouthAmerica. The book Teaching Glass Bettercelebrates these Schools, capturing theirdevelopment and summarizing content.

Board positions. The IYoG board willpropose and support committees chairedby women and, whether organising acongress or a smaller event, a balancedconstituency. Educating industry andinstitutions to manage diversity, making it
an engine for innovation and creativity, isthe best path to a brighter future. Gendermatters. Women are half of the world; theymust become half the glass world.
ICG Summer School class
Sharing staff across schools propagatesbest practice. An ICG Youth Outreach teamarranges events and mentors to attract andretain future talent.
Beyond ICG University Glass Art
programs are transforming craftspeople
into sculptors. Brazil and India already run
educational glass programs for younger
students and technicians. ICG actors
represent many international teachingorganizations - our IYoG goals are to share
aspirations, stimulate fresh ideas and seed
new courses.
GOAL 5: Gender equality
Gender equality is a fundamental humanright, a foundation for a peaceful,prosperous and sustainable world. A mustfor the IYoG, it will be achieved by recruiting
top glass-women for plenary and invited
talks, as well as CEO and Management

Goal: a 50:50 admin split
GOAL 6: Clean water and sanitation
In the last century billions have experienced
an unprecedented rise in living standards,
but many still live in poverty with littleaccess to clean water. Sufficient fresh
water exists but damaging economics orpoor infrastructure cause millions to dieannually from diseases linked to inadequate
supplies, sanitation and hygiene. Similar
issues impact adversely on food security,
life choices and educational opportunities.
Industrial
discharges,
excessagrochemicals and domestic waste landfill

contaminate surface and groundwater.
Glass can mimic current water treatment
processes. Porous foam glass or phaseseparated glass filters can aid sanitization(and purify air, another global issue).
Sunlight on coated glass immersed insolutions of organic pollutants can oxidize
many into non-toxic products and likewise
restore drinking water. Most cost-effective
is a combination of porous glass filters withtitania-coated glass.
GOAL 7: Affordable and clean energy
Energy epitomises the opportunities andchallenges the world faces. Universal
access to energy is crucial to build moresustainable and inclusive communities andin turn entails more efficient generation,
renewable energy sources and ways tostore it. Sunlight is the main carbon-neutral
source and brings more energy hourly tothe earth than society consumes annually,
But renewable energy is just 17% (2018) ofglobal consumption.
Solar energy harvesting uses: photovoltaic cells, solar thermal energy
generation
andphotobioreactors.
Photovoltaics need glass protective covers
which are highly transparent and haveantireflection coatings. Solar thermal
devices have glass mirrors to reflect
the sun’s rays and heat a fluid inside a
glass tube, which powers a generator. In
photobioreactors, microorganisms such as
green algae grow in glass tubes, convertingfibers were the precursor to the Internetand catalysed a paradigm shift in globalcommunications. They are indispensablein our knowledge-based society.

Architectural glass, the Louvre, Paris
solar into chemical energy.
Turbine blades made from fiberglassreinforced composites convert windenergy to electricity. Improved glass design
has created stronger composites andgiven us larger, more efficient and reliablewindmills.
Nuclear power is another low carbon
energy source but generates radioactive
waste that decays over geological time.
New glasses will dissolve and immobilise
this waste.
New glasses are also improvingsolid-state batteries and hollow glass
microspheres may have a role in hydrogenstorage for transport.
GOAL 9: Industry, innovation,infrastructure
Investing in infrastructure such ascommunication technologies is imperative
for sustainable development and increasessocial cohesion. Low-loss glass optical

Glass ﬁbre optics play a vital role incommunications
Product development is being driven
by the demand to send more data further;on the horizon are photonic crystal fibers(made from glass) and communication via
quantumly entangled photons.
But photonics is more than fibers:
opticalcommunicationsindustries
manage information streams with circuitry
fabricated wholly or partly in glass such as
spherical lenses, prisms and beam splitters.
Recent advances concern signals suchas 5G carried over fiber-optic cables. Fiberlasers exploit rare earth doped glass andare now standard for many applications.
Their use in surgery and therapy isexpanding and they are furthering studies
in nonlinear optics.

LEDs based on light emission fromcrystalline semiconductors, require a
phosphor, often a doped glass, to produce
white light. One-dimensional photonicstructures, which can manipulate light,are made by depositing glass layers withdifferent refractive indices. 2D and 3D
photonic crystals require self-assembling
glass nanoparticles and are attracting
interest as sensors.
Television began with glass cathode ray
tubes before moving to glass flat panel
displays. As resolution improves and pixel
size shrinks, thin film deposition display
electronics need panels with exceptionallystable dimensions. Ultra-thin glasses forbendable, even foldable displays are being
developed. Integrated optical circuits infilms on ultra-thin glasses may soon leadto a breakthrough like that in flexible
electronics. Glasses to visualize information
through augmented and virtual reality
devices offer another revolution.

3D printed glass artefact

Glasses have transformed data storage.
Rewritable storage is realized by toggling
regions between glassy and crystalline
states. Magnetic memory disks are highstrength, high-stiffness glasses for fasterreading and higher densities. Glass
holographic memories promise exceptional
capacity.
Sol-gel has been a developing process
technology for 50 years. Low temperatureand low cost, it works well for coatingsand membranes and offers: mechanicaland corrosion protection; anti-reflectivity;hydrophobicity;
photocatalytic
selfcleaning; with optical and optoelectronic
functions such as filters, switches,waveguides and integrated optical circuits
for solar cells, solid-state lighting andcommunications.

Thin and flexible glass for futureapplications
GOAL 11: Sustainable cities & communities
Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce,culture, science, production, socialdevelopment and more. At their best,cities have enabled social and economicadvances. But by 2030 cities will house

5 billion people and require efficientmanagement. Issues include: congestion,
underfunded services, a lack of adequate
housing, solid waste management, ageing
infrastructure and air pollution.
In transport, glazing allows unimpaired
vision and contributes to safety andsecurity, as well as style. So, airplane cockpit
windshields are chemically strengthened.
Innovative designs offer thermal comfort;
improve fuel efficiency by light-weighting;and integrate display features which
expand entertainment and connectivity
options.
Contemporary architectural designs
use larger windows with more energyefficient coated panes and new double/
triple glazing formats. Buildings may soon
be energy-neutral or even contribute to
the energy grid.
A TNO study showed that new glazing
could reduce energy consumption
across the EU by 30% in 2030, saving CO2
emissions of 94 million tons. Savings arepotentially greater using glazing-integrated
photovoltaics, switchable/electrochromic
glazing and other novel technologies. TheEU aims by 2050 to have the first climate
neutral economy.
Glass containers lessen solid urban
waste (SUW). The “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”
philosophy is vital to a sustainable lifestyleand waste management. 60% of SUW ispackaging, mostly single use, often nonrenewable or scarce materials. ‘Reduce’means using durable goods such as glass
kitchenware. Some hotels and restaurants
use returnable glass bottles for ‘Reuse’and glass jars are often reused for storage.
Supermarkets though prefer singleuse containers leading to the third R,‘recycling’, the transformation of an object
into a raw material and back. Glass is the
only truly recyclable container: one glass
bottle produces another, a perfect “circulareconomy” expressed as “from cradle tocradle”. Glass containers are the only ones
with the GRASS and Food Safety stamp in
Europe and US.

Glass bottles: easily recycled or reused
Culture is essential to city life, enhancing
the well-being of its inhabitants. Museums
have a strategic role, preserving theheritage of humanity for scholarshipand enjoyment. In museums with glasscollections art, science, archaeology,history and social sciences meet. Glassobjects spanning history, works of art
and glass for everyday use, are displayedwith specialized glassware for industry

and science. They describe raw materials
and production, telling the stories of
those who made and used them. Glassmuseums, particularly ones with hot andcold workshops, promote lifelong learning
through programs for young and old (Goal4).

Early production of large glass sheets
GOAL 12: Responsible consumption &production
Sustainability means “doing more andbetter with less”. It concerns efficiency
throughout the life cycle; infrastructure,supply chains and basic services; green
and decent jobs; and a better quality of life
for all.
Glass firms are addressing theseenvironmental challenges and ICG
organizes international bench-marking
exercises to stimulate improvement.
Glass is innately environmentally friendly.
Most glasses are made from safe, readily
available raw materials. Recycling rates
are high and industry actively seeks moreenergy efficient melting technologies andalternative glass compositions to reduce

its carbon footprint. It has a rich historyof responding to challenge, a valuable
example for the future.

The glass industry has a long history ofenergy conservation. Electric melting andhydrogen based fuels oﬀer sustainability
Educating consumers on sustainable
lifestyles
depends
on
distributing
information through standards, labels
and advertising. The concept of a “circulareconomy” needs to be understood so all
can commit to the challenges of globalchange; ways to maintain lifestyle without
damaging the planet need explaining.
Many organizations already do this and an
IYoG can help to disseminate best practice.
GOAL 13: Climate Action
Climate change is affecting every country
on every continent, disrupting national
economies and individual lives, costing
people, communities and even countries.
Glass
recyclingandproduct
lightweighting have increased the energy

efficiency of glass melting substantially;affordable pathways to decarbonization
are under development. Glass windows
let light into homes and offices while
protecting from harsh weather. Doubleglazed units increasingly have vacuum
insulated glazing, a more effective newtechnology. Laminated glasses improve
acoustic damping to reduce “noisepollution”. Architects are using moreglass for its functionalities and appealing
aesthetics.
Energysavingglass
products
compensate during their service life several
times over for the energy used to makethem. So, replacing single with doubleglazed windows can give a 5 month energy
payback.
GOAL 14: Life below water
The world’s oceans and rivers – theirtemperature, chemistry, currents and life

Furnace modelling to improve eﬃciency

– drive global systems that make Earthhabitable. Careful management is vitalfor a sustainable future but plastic waste
is polluting them. Marine animals ingest it
causing health issues for humans consuming
seafood: immune disorders, birth defects,
some cancers. Glass packaging is infinitely
recyclable and a safe, clean alternative
made of natural, plentiful materials.
GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve goals
A successful sustainable developmentagenda requires partnerships between
governments, the private sector and civilsociety built on principles and values, ashared vision and goals with people andthe planet at the center; partnerships areneeded at global, regional, national andlocal levels. An IYoG will underline thevaried roles of glass and stimulate, mobilize
and redirect such partnerships to unlock
their resources and deliver sustainable
development.

Summary
With its unparalleled versatility andtechnical capabilities, glass has fosterednumerous
culturalandscientificadvancements. Its history is shared withthe evolution of humankind. Its future
will contribute to the challenges of asustainable and fairer society. For an IYoG
we (the International Commission on Glass;the Glass Art Society, the Community ofGlass Associations and the InternationalMuseums Organisation) will:• Weave together the multicolored
threads of technology, social history andart through educational programs andmuseum exhibitions.
• Plan national and international eventsfor varied audiences centered on glass
history, key anniversaries, technologies,applications, and building a future.
• Promote networking among glassassociations; R&D centers; universities,
colleges, schools; producers, processors
and suppliers; museums; and civilsociety.
• Mobilize
governments,industry,
academia and cultural centers tocollaborate in the initiative and promotea multitude of activities, building on theimaginative programs already proposed.
• Activate support for a UN IYoG byshowing that glass is worth celebrating.
Let’s drink a glass to that!