The Sign Festival brings together science and art. The laser beam intersects with Petrin and the Academy of Sciences

The two institutions also want to celebrate the 61 years since May 16, 1960, when the American physicist and engineer Theodore Memman successfully launched the world’s first laser system. UNESCO established May 16 in 2017 as the International Day of Light, and since 2018 this event has been celebrated across continents.

“The beam represents the installation of laser light, which is directed from the Petřín watchtower to the headquarters of the Academy of Sciences. It is a reminder and celebration of the International Day of Light.” “We remember this noble source of the world and what brings good light to the company,” Roman Hvezda, Director of the ELI Beamlines Research Center told Novinka.

“The Petrin Lookout Tower is an interesting point in Prague and the Academy of Sciences as the mother of science in the Czech Republic. ELI Beamlines are under it, so we decided to link the art, which so characterizes the Sign Festival, with the science that our center represents,” Hvězda added.

ELI Beamlines and Signal Festival wants to symbolically draw attention to the fundamental importance of science and scientific activity for society at large.

“Apart from art and public space, science and technology are the third most important pillars defining the essence of the Sign Festival. Science accompanies us every second of our lives. That is why we now want to remind the contribution of science to humanity through art in public spaces,” Martin Buschta said, Director of the Sign Festival.

The beam will be lit on May 15 and 16, always from 8 pm until midnight.