Official Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Metre Convention in Paris with the Participation of Representatives from the Slovak Institute of Metrology
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention, the Slovak Institute of Metrology (SMÚ) is participating in the international celebrations organized by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM), based in Paris. The three-day event takes place from 20 to 22 May 2025 in Paris and Versailles, with the participation of government representatives, representatives of states, national metrology institutes (NMIs), international partner organizations, and experts from around the world. The Slovak Republic is represented at the event by delegates from the Slovak Office of Standards, Metrology and Testing (ÚNMS SR), the central authority of the state administration responsible for metrology, and by SMÚ as the national metrology institute of the Slovak Republic.
The opening ceremony takes place on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, at the Paris headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Opening remarks are delivered by representatives of UNESCO, representative of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, the President of CIPM, and the President of CIML. The programme of the opening session is dedicated to the historical legacy of the Metre Convention and the development of a unified international measurement system, which underpins trustworthy scientific, technological, and industrial practices.
The following days continue with expert presentations, panel discussions, and speeches by member country representatives at the Palais des Congrès in Versailles. The discussions focus on new challenges in metrology in the context of digitalization, artificial intelligence, climate change, and sustainable development. Discussions also focus on emerging directions in metrological research, such as quantum metrology, personalized medicine, biomarker analysis, and space research, with special emphasis on the importance of international cooperation and a unified measurement system in the context of scientific progress and global trade.
The signing of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 launched systematic international cooperation in the field of measurement and enabled the creation of a unified and comparable system of measurement units, which remains the cornerstone of scientific research, technological advancement, and the global economy.
The full programme of the official celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Metre Convention in Paris is available on the BIPM website: https://thebipm150.org
