National
Rising India Summit-2023
⇒ Rising India Summit-2023 was organized in New Delhi on 29-30 March 2023.
» The Vice President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar delivered the closing address at the Rising India Summit-2023 organised by News 18 network in New Delhi on 30 March 2023.
Shri Dhankhar described India as the most functional democracy in the world and stressed that none in the world has legitimacy or credentials to lesson us on this aspect.
» On this occasion, the Vice President also unveiled a coffee table book titled- “Voice of India-Modi and His Transformative Mann ki Baat”.
- The book highlights the success stories of Bharat that found a mention in the Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat episodes.
Theme:
The theme for this year was ‘Real Heroes’ — the common people and their uncommon achievements that brought about a positive change in our country.
About Rising India:
- News18’s Rising India Initiative with the essence of promoting thought leadership at its core, focusses on acquainting the country with critical conversations, many innovations and what the future holds for us.
- The event brings decision-makers, leaders and orators together to unravel the potential of India from far and wide.
International
INDIA- AFRICA JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE ‘AFINDEX-23’
⇒ The 2nd edition of joint military exercise “The Africa-India Field Training Exercise (AFINDEX-2023)” culminated at Foreign Training Node, Aundh, Pune on 29 March 2023.
- AFINDEX-2023 was held from 16 to 29 March 2023.
Participants:
A total of 25 nations of the African continent with 124 participants and Indian troops from the SIKH, MARATHA and MAHAR Regiments participated in the multinational exercise.
Key Points:
- The validation phase of the exercise was witnessed by General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff along all the African Chiefs and representatives who attended the Chiefs’ Conclave.
- Aim of the exercise was to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking execution of Humanitarian Mine Action and Peace Keeping Operations under the UN mandate.
- This joint exercise enabled the armies to learn and adopt methodologies and tactics while conducting such operations. Further, the exercise assisted the forces in correct interpretation of Rules of Engagements while undertaking Peace Keeping Operations.
- The bonhomie, espirit-de-corps and goodwill generated during the exercise will go a long way in further strengthening the bonds between the armies by enabling understanding of each other’s organisation and methodology of conducting various operations.
- This exercise is a harbinger for greater cooperation between Indian & African armies in the future.
Sports
International Abilympics 2023
⇒ The 10th International Abilympics 2023, the global skills competition for persons with disability held in Metz, France from March 23-26, 2023.
» In its best-ever haul at the International Abilympics, after many years India has made history by winning 7 medals at the 10th International Abilympics.
- The 7 medals, included one Gold, two Silver, three Bronze and one Excellence award won by the 13-member Indian contingent in various skill-based competitions.
INDIA has also been selected as one of the 8 executive Committee Members of INTERNATIONAL AMBILYMPICS FEDERATION (IAF) amongst 37 Member Nations.
Indian Winners at International Abilympics 2023:
The team hailing from every corner of the country like Surat, Mumbai, Jabalpur, Vijaywada, Chennai, Pune, Mysore, Bhavnagar, Gaya and Chandigarh participated in 12 select trades from overall 45 Competitive skill categories, under ICT, Crafts, Hospitality, Services and Industry.
Gold medal:
- Chetan Pashilkar from Mumbai, Maharashtra who is Hearing Impaired. He represented India in Skill Category – Painting ‘Waste Reuse’. He used the theme “Sustainable development using technology” for his painting.
Silver medal:
- Priyanka Dabhade from Pune, Maharashtra who represented India in the Skill Category – Embroidery and her Disability is Hearing Impaired.
- Kashif Khan from Mumbai (Maharashtra) who represented India in the Skill Category – Patisserie and Confectionery.
Bronze medal:
- Mohith Majety from Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh, who has Locomotor Disability and represented India in the Skill Category – Photography.
- Avinash KS from Mysore, Karnataka, who is Hearing Impaired and represented India in the Skill Category – Jewellery Making.
- Md. Shamim Alam from Gaya, Bihar who has locomotor disability and represented India in the Skill Category – Tailoring.
Medal of Excellence:
- Priyanka Dabhade from Pune also won the Medal of Excellence at the 10th International Abilympics for her outstanding work, talent and commitment.
About Abilympics:
- Abilympics is also popular called as Olympics of Skills: a movement of ‘Excellence in Skilling’. It comprises of vocational skills competitions, specifically designed for Persons with Disability (PwD), to screen and showcase the best talent in vocational skill categories like IT, Arts & Crafts, Hospitality and Services.
- The event aimed to create public awareness and nurture the productive talent of persons with disability by providing them opportunities to acquire and enhance their vocational skills to achieve economic independence.
Important Day
Inaugural International Day of Zero Waste 2023
⇒ International Day of Zero Waste is observed every year on 30 March. International Day of Zero Waste was celebrated for the first time this year.
Aim:
The International Day of Zero Waste aims to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, support the societal shift towards circularity and raise awareness about how zero-waste initiatives contribute to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Theme:
The theme for International Day of Zero Waste 2023 was ‘Achieving sustainable and environmentally sound practices of minimizing and managing waste’.
Celebration in India on International Day of Zero Waste 2023:
» In line with the theme for International Day of Zero Waste 2023 – The Ministry of Housing and Urban affairs organized Swachhotsav- International Day of Zero Waste: Rally for Garbage Free Cities in New Delhi.
» The Swachh Mashaal March set the tone for the ‘Women-led Swachhotsav’, where citizens rallied for Garbage-Free Cities on 29, 30, 31st March, 2023.
» Shri Hardeep S. Puri launched Swachhotsav, 3-week women-led Swachhata campaign from March 08, 2023.
- The campaign aimed to recognize and celebrate the transition from women in sanitation to women-led sanitation.
- Under the campaign, the first edition of Women Icons leading Swachhata (WINS) Awards 2023 was announced to recognize high-impact women entrepreneurs or women-led enterprises working for urban swachhata.
Background:
» On 14 December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution at its 77th session to proclaim 30 March as International Day of Zero Waste, to be observed annually.
- Türkiye, with 105 other countries, put forward the resolution. It follows other resolutions focused on waste, including “End plastic pollution: towards an internationally legally binding instrument”, adopted at the United Nations Environment Assembly on 2 March 2022.
- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) jointly facilitate the observance of International Day of Zero Waste.
- Zero-waste initiatives can foster sound waste management and minimize and prevent waste. This contributes to reducing pollution, mitigating the climate crisis, conserving biodiversity, enhancing food security and improving human health.