Launch of the UNESCO “Mathematics for Action” toolkit

Today, on International Day of Mathematics (IDM) celebrated worldwide annually on 14 March, ISC Member the International Mathematical Union (IMU) invites you to join one or more of the many events organized in the frame of #idm314 and to explore the “Mathematics for Action” toolkit launched by UNESCO on the occasion of the Day.

IDM was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2019 and the first celebration was held on 14 March 2020. The theme for the 2022 IDM is Mathematics Unites and it provides an opportunity to explain and celebrate the essential role that mathematics and mathematics education play in breakthroughs in science and technology, improving the quality of life, empowering women and girls, and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.

Promotion of international cooperation in mathematics is at the heart of the International Mathematical Union’s mission. The IMU is, therefore, proud to be a partner in UNESCO’s new tool kit ‘’Mathematics for Action: Supporting Science-Based Decision Making’’ in the frame of 2022 IDM, which promotes mathematically-grounded solutions to global challenges. Falling within the scope of the International Year of Basic Science for Sustainable Development 2022, the toolkit showcases the essential role mathematics has to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 UN Agenda.

Carlos Kenig, IMU President

🗞 Read the IMU press release on IDM2022

The 2022 International Day of Mathematics is part of the 2022 International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development.

Join the online celebration live stream

The IDM main event is a series of five short talks in different languages for the general public on mathematics and how it unites us. No registration required.

🔵 Arabic session: 14 March, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm UTC
🟢 Portuguese session: 14 March, 12:00 pm – 01:00 pm UTC
🟡 English session: 14 March, 02:00 pm – 03:00 pm UTC
🟠 French session: 14 March, 03:30 pm – 04:30 pm UTC
🟣 Spanish session: 14 March, 05:00 pm – 06:00 pm UTC

Explore the toolkit

Everything we do is based on some mathematical structure, and although mathematics is often considered abstract, it is fundamental to how we understand nature, the larger universe, with its time and space dimensions and a myriad of uncertainties. The COVID-19 pandemic brought mathematical modeling to the forefront of public attention and debate. Vocabulary such as ‘flattening the curve’ has become part of the collective lexicon. Governments all over the world rely on mathematics not only to forecast the epidemic but also to understand social issues like vaccine hesitancy.

Mathematics has allowed for pivotal improvements in weather prediction and has applications
in agriculture and fisheries. With new mathematical approaches, a tropical cyclone’s track can now be predicted up to 1 week in advance giving communities time to evacuate, and potentially
saving lives and reducing economic losses.

The toolkit “Mathematics for Action: Supporting Science-Based Decision Making“ is a collection of 25 briefs covering 11 SDGs, focusing on engaging stories of mathematics in action and providing insightful information for decision-makers and for all those who seek proofs to challenging questions and it presents new avenues for scientific research. Written by mathematicians and thought leaders from across the globe, it presents fascinating research of how mathematics is addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

🗞 Read the UNESCO press release on the launch of the toolkit

Participate in an IDM event near you

Nearly 1200 events have been registered on the 2022 IDM events map. Click on the map to find the events near you or explore more activities to celebrate IDM.

The International Day of Mathematics is a project led by ISC Member, the International Mathematical Union (IMU).

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash