National
First ‘Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture’
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi attended the first ‘Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture’ (AJML), by Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister, Government of Singapore, on 8th July, 2022 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Prime Minister also addressed the gathering during the event.
Organised by:
The Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance organised the first ‘Arun Jaitley Memorial Lecture’ in recognition of Shri Arun Jaitley’s invaluable contribution to the nation.
Key Points:
- The keynote address at the first AJML was delivered by Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Senior Minister, Government of Singapore, on “Growth through Inclusivity, Inclusivity through Growth’.
- The lecture was followed by a panel discussion by Mr. Mathias Cormann (OECD Secretary-General) and Shri Arvind Panagariya (Professor, Columbia University).
“Hariyali Mahotsav” - Tree Festival
⇒ The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change organized “Hariyali Mahotsav” – Tree Festival, at Talkatora Stadium, New Delhi, on 08 July 2022 celebrating the nation’s zeal for planting trees and saving forests.
- The event was organised in collaboration with the State Governments, Police Institutions of NCT Government of Delhi and Schools of Delhi for undertaking plantation drives on the occasion and creating awareness about the importance of trees to protect our environment for present as well as future generations.
Key Points:
- Commemorating the 75th year of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”, this year, “Hariyali Mahotsav” was celebrated by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
- The programme involved planation activities at 75 Nagar Vans, 75 km of road length around 75 Police establishments, in 75 schools of Delhi and 75 degraded sites across the country.
- The Mahotsav was organized to create awareness about the importance of trees and green cover to protect our environment against air pollution and global warming. Trees and forests play a very crucial role in maintaining an ecological balance and contribute to the environment by providing oxygen, improving air quality, climate amelioration, conserving water, preserving soil, and supporting wildlife.
- This Mahotsav marks the endeavor to plant saplings in order to invest towards building a secure future for future generations to come.
- The event symbolizes a unison of nation coming forward and engaging in mass plantation drives at various levels to increase the green cover of the country with the help of mass media, civil societies, schools and colleges.
NMA recommends two sites to be declared as Monuments of National Importance
⇒ National Monuments Authority has recommended two sites associated with Dr Ambedkar, the Father of Indian Constitution and a great social reformer, to be declared as Monuments of National importance.
- NMA has recommended that Sankalp Bhumi Banyan tree campus in Vadodara, where Dr. Ambedkar had taken a resolve to eradicate untouchability on 23th September, 1917 be declared as Monument of National Importance.
- This place is more than hundred years old and a witness to the beginning of social respect revolution heralded by Dr. Ambedkar.
2. NMA has also recommended a place in Satara (Maharashtra) where Bhim Rao Ramji Ambedkar received his primary education in Pratap Rao Bhosle High School to be declared as monument of National importance.
- The school register still shows with pride a child student Bhim Rao’s signatures in Marathi.
International
India elected as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention
⇒ India has been elected as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the 2022-2026 cycle.
The elections for the Intergovernmental Committee took place during the 9th General Assembly of the 2003 Convention held at UNESCO headquarters, Paris, from 5th to 7th July 2022.
- Against the four seats falling vacant within the Asia-Pacific group, six countries, namely, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand had presented their candidature.
- India received 110 votes from the 155 State Parties that were present and voting.
Other Points:
- In the past, India has served two terms as a member of the Intergovernmental Committee of this Convention. One from 2006 to 2010 and the other from 2014 to 2018.
- For its 2022-2026 term, India has formulated a clear vision for the protection and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
- Some of the priority areas that India will focus upon include fostering community participation, strengthening international cooperation through intangible heritage, promoting academic research on intangible cultural heritage, and aligning the work of the Convention with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- India ratified the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in September 2005. As a member of the intergovernmental committee, India will have the opportunity to closely monitor the implementation of the 2003 Convention.
- With 14 inscriptions on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, India also ranks high in the listing of intangible cultural heritage. After the inscription of Durga Puja in 2021, India submitted the nomination for Garba of Gujarat to be discussed in 2023.
- India is also a member of World Heritage committee of UNESCO (2021-2025).
About Intergovernmental Committee:
- The Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention consists of 24 members and is elected in the General Assembly of the Convention according to the principles of equitable geographical representation and rotation. States Members to the Committee are elected for a term of four years.
- Some of the core functions of the Intergovernmental Committee include promoting the objectives of the Convention, providing guidance on best practices, and making recommendations on measures for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.
- The Committee also examines requests submitted by States Parties for the inscription of intangible heritage on the Lists as well as proposals for programmes and projects.
Death
Japan's former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
⇒ Japan’s former prime minister Shinzo Abe died at the age of 67 on 08 July 2022 after being shot in the city of Nara. Abe was shot while delivering a campaign speech at Yamato-Saidaiji Station, Nara.
Mr. Abe served as Prime Minister of Japan, and President of the Liberal Democratic Party from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.
He was the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history.