When people hear “quantum,” many still picture chalkboards full of strange symbols. In 2025, though, the word has left the classroom and landed in political speeches, tech strategies, and even Latin American news headlines.
The reason is simple. The United Nations turned 2025 into the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, a kind of global spotlight on one of today’s most powerful scientific tools.
What the International Quantum Year is really about
The U.N. General Assembly approved the Quantum Year after a proposal backed by UNESCO and groups such as the American Physical Society. It marks about 100 years since modern quantum theory took shape.
The goal is not only to celebrate famous equations. The initiative wants citizens to understand how quantum ideas affect daily life, from medical devices to secure communications and advanced sensors.
UNESCO coordinates the year through a global secretariat and a steering committee that includes universities, labs, industry, and governments. Together, they plan events, campaigns, and training efforts.
This mix of players shows that quantum science is no longer “only physics.” It has become part of education policy, industrial plans, and international cooperation.
From weird particles to useful technology
At its core, quantum physics studies the behavior of matter and energy at very small scales, where particles can be in superposition or share information through entanglement.
These ideas sound abstract, but they already support devices that people use every day. Semiconductors, lasers, and MRI scanners all rely on quantum effects that engineers learned to control.
The new wave of “quantum technologies” builds on more recent results, especially around precise control of single photons, atoms, or qubits. This enables quantum computers, ultrasecure communication, and very sensitive measurement tools.
According to UNESCO and expert panels, these systems could help design better drugs and materials, optimize logistics, improve climate models, and create new kinds of encryption and sensors.
Closing the global ‘quantum divide’
Quantum tech is not only a race between the United States, Europe, and China. There is also a risk of a “quantum divide” that leaves Latin America and other regions behind.
To avoid that, the Quantum Year promotes capacity building, student exchanges, regional hubs, and open education. The idea is to give more countries access to training, labs, and partnerships.
Reports on science in Ibero‑America already warn that the region has limited quantum infrastructure compared with global leaders, but also highlight strong human talent and growing interest.
For Latin American universities, this year is a chance to join international networks, secure funding, and show governments why early action in quantum research matters.
Why Latin America should care about quantum tech
Quantum technologies may feel distant, yet they connect to very concrete regional problems. Quantum sensors can help monitor water, crops, and infrastructure. Quantum‑enhanced models can improve energy grids and traffic.
In security, quantum communication could protect critical data, while quantum computers will eventually threaten some current encryption methods, forcing countries to adopt post‑quantum standards.
For health and pharma, quantum simulation can speed up the design of new molecules, which is key for vaccines, antibiotics, and treatments for tropical diseases common in Latin America.
These links explain why regional organizations and experts call quantum tech a “strategic opportunity” rather than a luxury topic for rich countries only.
Colombia and regional moves in the Quantum Year
The article also mentions that some Latin American countries are already aligning with the Quantum Year through national programs and laws. Colombia is one of the clearest examples.
In 2025, its Ministry of Science launched a “year of quantum sciences, Colombia chapter,” along with calls such as ColombIA Inteligente 2025 to fund projects in quantum technologies and artificial intelligence for the regions.
Plans include building the first Colombian quantum computer with public universities, strengthening labs, and forming alliances with partners in Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia.
Similar steps appear in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, where national strategies and pilot projects try to connect local priorities with global quantum advances.
A Quantum Year that should not be a one‑year story
The International Year of Quantum Science and Technology turns 2025 into a giant public classroom. It invites citizens and leaders to learn why the “quantum world” matters outside textbooks.
For Latin America, the real test comes after the closing events. If countries use this momentum to invest in education, research, and fair cooperation, quantum tech can become a tool for development, not another wave that passes by and widens old gaps.