2015 International Year of Soils Launch

The 68th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2015 as the International Year of Soils (IYS). The IYS will be formally launched in an event organized during the 69th session of the UNGA, on 5 December 2014, in New York, US. Concurrent launch events will be held at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in Rome, Italy, as well as in Bangkok, Thailand, and elsewhere in the world. The launch date coincides with the World Soil Day (WSD). The IYS 2015 will promote awareness and understanding of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem functions.