The International Year of Sound (IYS 2020) is a global initiative to highlight the importance of sound in all aspects of life on earth and will lead towards an understanding of sound-related issues at the national and international level.

Inspired by the achievements of La Semaine du Son (The Week of Sound), and following naturally as an important contribution to UNESCO Resolution 39 C/49 25 September 2017 on “The Importance of Sound in Today’s World: Promoting Best Practices”, the International Commission for Acoustics (ICA) is mobilizing its Member Societies and International Affiliates to promote best practices in sound during the year of 2020 to create an International Year of Sound (IYS 2020).

International Year of Sound will be formally opened on January 31, 2020 at Paris.

In 2011 the ICA Board agreed to the concept of an International Year of Sound to be declared before the end of the decade. This was endorsed at the General Assembly in 2013. We spent some time following th path as for the International Year of Light by seeking UNESCO and ultimately the UN approval. For various reasons that pathway became unachievable so established an agreement with the organisers of La Semaine du Son (LSdS) to work collaboratively to arrange an International Year of Sound in 2020.

The purpose of the ICA is to promote international development and collaboration in all fields of acoustics including research, development, education, and standardisation.

The IYS 2020 consists of coordinated activities on regional, national and international levels. These activities aim to stimulate the understanding and awareness throughout the world of the important role that sound and hearing plays in all aspects of our society. The IYS 2020 provides a focus that will encourage transfer of knowledge on creating, controlling, hearing and using sound in nature, in the built environment and in all aspects of our life.