2023

2023 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It was the 2023rd year of the Common Era and the fifth year of the 2020s. The year saw ongoing global challenges as well as notable advances across politics, the economy, science, and culture.

In international affairs, the war in Ukraine persisted and shaped security and energy policy across Europe and beyond. The year also featured political upheavals in several regions, including coups and leadership changes in Africa, and a major escalation in the Israel–Hamas conflict in October following attacks on Israel. Diplomatic efforts, sanctions, aid, and peace talks continued amid fragmentation in some alliances.

Natural disasters and climate events included the February earthquake in Türkiye and Syria and widely reported heat waves and wildfires in various regions. The COP28 climate summit was held in Dubai in late 2023, focusing on emissions reduction, adaptation, and climate finance.

Economically, inflation remained elevated in many economies, and central banks maintained cautious policies as supply chains normalized. The year also saw rapid advances in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence, with growing adoption of multimodal models, automation, and data-centric tools affecting business and society.

In sport and culture, 2023 featured several major events: the Rugby World Cup in France, won by South Africa; the Cricket World Cup in India, won by Australia; the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, won by Spain; and the Eurovision Song Contest won by Sweden. Scientific and exploratory efforts continued across space and Earth sciences, with JWST observations and continued planning for future crewed and robotic missions.