Celebrated on May 20 each year, World Metrology Day helps the public understand what measurement science is and why we depend so much on it. This little-known science underlies countless aspects of our daily lives. Every time we buy a kilogram of oranges, use our car’s GPS to navigate, swallow a pill, cross a bridge or enter a building, we should spare a thought for the metrologists who made it all possible.

Through World Metrology Day, we seek to promote awareness of the importance of metrology, educating the public on the practical applications of measurement systems and the key role that metrology plays in scientific and technological progress. Furthermore, this day also offers the opportunity to celebrate achievements in the field of metrology and to recognize the work of experts and scientists who contribute to the improvement of measurement systems.

A bit of history

The metric system that is the universal standard for measurements today was created over 200 years ago. World Metrology Day commemorates the signing of the Meter Convention in 1875, an international treaty designed to ensure that everyone around the world used the same metric system to measure weight and length, to ensure fair trade. The Metering Convention has since been ratified by more than 100 countries and economies. In November 2023, the governing bodies of UNESCO proclaimed that 20 May will be celebrated as World Metrology Day (42 C/Resolution 21). The Day’s celebrations each year are jointly supported by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and the International Organization of Legal Metrology.

Read also:

https://bilanciailcd.it/en/press/2024/05/02/metrology-the-science-of-measurement/

Goals

The main objectives of World Metrology Day are:

Knowledge and awareness
The main objective is to increase knowledge and awareness of the importance of metrology in people’s daily lives. It seeks to inform the public about how metrology affects various aspects of their lives, such as health, safety, the environment and product quality.

Promoting precision
Metrology aims to ensure accurate, precise and reliable measurements. One of the main objectives of World Metrology Day is to promote the importance of such measurements to ensure the quality, safety and reliability of the products and services we use.

Standardization
Metrology is about creating consistent and universal measurement standards. The aim is to promote understanding of the importance of such standards and the harmonization of measurements internationally, in order to facilitate international trade and promote equal treatment between countries.

Innovation and development
Metrology is an ever-evolving field, with the development of new technologies and approaches to measurement. The objective is to promote innovation in the field of metrology and support research and development of new tools and methodologies to improve the precision of measurements.

International collaboration
Metrology requires strong collaboration between countries to ensure internationally consistent measurement standards. The aim is to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange between different countries and different metrology organizations to improve the reliability of measurements globally.

Public trust
One of the main objectives of World Metrology Day is to promote public confidence in measurements and measurement results. An attempt is made to inform the public about the measurement procedures, the instruments used and the quality of the measurements to increase trust and transparency.

Whether measuring our body temperature, the amount of fuel in our vehicle, or the quality of the products we purchase, metrology is present in our daily lives in often overlooked ways. It is important to recognize the importance of metrology and the enormous work carried out by experts and scientists to ensure the accuracy of our measurements.