Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) will host this year’s World Metrology Day celebrations to be marked on Monday.
World Metrology Day commemorates the signing, on May 20, 1875, of the Metre Convention, an international treaty designed to ensure that everyone around the world used the same metric system to measure weight and length, in order to ensure fair trade.
The celebrations help the public to understand what is meant by the science of measurement and why people are so dependent upon it.
The metric system which is now the universal standard for measurements was created more than 200 years ago.
The treaty established a global measurement system, the foundation for scientific discovery, industrial advancement, international trade facilitation, and ultimately, a better quality of life while protecting the environment.
Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano will lead the celebrations in Kenya at the Boma Hotel in Nairobi.
Other guests include the Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Dr Juma Mukhwana, Managing Director of KEBS Esther Ngari, National Standards Council Chairman Anthony Munyiri and representatives from UNESCO.
The theme for the 2024 World Metrology Day is "sustainability," which raises awareness of the need for accurate measurements in the development of a sustainable global economy and environment.
According to UNESCO, metrology provides the foundation for data-driven decision-making and policy development in sustainability.
“By ensuring accurate measurements across various aspects of sustainability, it helps organisations, governments and individuals make informed choices that contribute to a more sustainable future,” it said.
“Our focus for World Metrology Day in 2024 is on the numerous measurement opportunities that contribute to the establishment of a sustainable global economy and environment.”
The Metre Convention has since been ratified by over 100 countries and economies. In November 2023, UNESCO’s governing bodies proclaimed that 20 May would henceforth be celebrated as World Metrology Day.
Celebrations of the Day each year are jointly supported by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures and the International Organization of Legal Metrology.