National
Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau
⇒ Shri Manish Desai has assumed charge as Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau (PIB) on 01 September 2023.
- Shri Desai takes over after the superannuation of Shri Rajesh Malhotra on 31 August 2023.
Shri Manish Desai, a 1989 batch Indian Information Service Officer. Prior to this, Shri Desai has worked as Principal DG, Central Bureau of Communication, looking after Government advertising and outreach activities.
President Droupadi Murmu inaugurates a 12-foot statue of Mahatma Gandhi and a 'Gandhi Vatika'
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu unveiled the 12 feet high statue of Mahatma Gandhi and inaugurated ‘Gandhi Vatika’ at Gandhi Darshan, New Delhi on September 4, 2023.
Key Points:
- The statue is located at the entrance of the 45-acre Gandhi Darshan complex.
- ‘Gandhi Vatika’ is also located in the complex of Gandhi Darshan near the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.
- To enhance the visitor experience, a selfie point has been established within Gandhi Vatika.
- The Gandhi Vatika features multiple statues of Mahatma Gandhi depicting him in various postures.
International
RBI Governor Shri Shaktikanta Das received the Award for being rated “A+” in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023
⇒ Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das received the Award for being ranked ‘A+’ in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023 on 14 October 2023 in Marakkesh city of Morocco.
- The awards were announced in September 2023.
Key Points:
- The award recognizes those central bank governors whose strategies outperformed their peers through originality, creativity, and tenacity.
- Two other central bankers- Thomas J. Jordan of Switzerland and Nguyen Thi Hong of Vietnam along with RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das earned an ‘A+’ grade in the Global Finance Central Banker Report Cards 2023.
- Shri Das has been placed at the top of the list of three central bank governors who have been rated A+.
Central Banker Report Card:
- The Central Banker Report Card, which have been issued by Global Finance on an annual basis since 1994, assess and assign grades to the central bank leaders in 101 significant regions and nations.
- It encompasses entities like the European Union, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Bank of Central African States, and the Central Bank of West African States.
International Aerospace Conference: Moving Towards Inclusive Global Value Chains
⇒ Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Union Minister for Civil Aviation & Steel inaugurated the ‘International Aerospace Conference: Moving Towards Inclusive Global Value Chains’ on 01 September 2023.
Organised by:
The Conference was jointly organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on 1st and 2nd September 2023 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
The International Aerospace Conference was a G20 initiative in the aerospace sector under G20 and B20 priority, focusing on developing inclusive global value chains for Global trade and Investment and aims to promote and strengthen trade and investment among the G20 countries.
Discussion:
In the conference, panels of luminaries discussed a range of issues pertaining to global value chains and how to make them all-inclusive.
The conference involved five sessions covering the following issues:
- Spawning Global Value Chains in Design & Robust Aerospace Manufacturing: Importance of MSMEs
- Integrated Global MRO Services
- Women in Aviation: Fireside chat
- Advanced Technologies in Aerospace & Air Mobility: Changing Skill Sets
- Building Scale in Aerospace Manufacturing
In the last couple of decades, there has been a mammoth increase in Global Value Chains which has transformed the global economy. Over these years, GVCs have worked as an engine of growth and driven economic growth, technological innovation, and job creation. This event further contributed to preparing India towards matching the challenges that the global supply chain offers.
UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2023
⇒ On the occasion of International Literacy Day 2023, the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2023 ceremony was held on September 8, 2023 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
- 2023 Literacy Prizes recognize projects from Bangladesh, Dominican Republic, Finland, Pakistan, South Africa and Uganda.
Theme:
Every year, the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes focus on a specific theme.
- For 2023, the spotlight is on ‘Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for peaceful and sustainable societies’.
UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2023 Winners:
» The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize: 3 Awards Winners
- GraphoGame (Finland)- ‘GraphoGame’ programme
- Himalayan Literacy Network (Pakistan)- ‘Himalayan Literacy Network’ programme
- ‘Snapplify’ (South Africa)- ‘Africa e-Library project: Promoting mother-tongue literacy’ programme
About The UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize:
- Established in 1989, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Korea, it gives special consideration to mother language-based literacy development.
- Each prize winner receives a medal, a diploma and US$20.000.
» The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy: 3 Awards Winners
- ‘Friendship’ (Bangladesh)- ‘Empowering remote and climate vulnerable Communities with Digital Literacy’ programme
- ‘Dominican Republic Education and Mentoring (DREAM) Project’ (Dominican Republic)- ‘My Very Own Library’ programme
- ‘Uganda National Self-Advocacy Initiative’ (Uganda)- ‘Peaceful communities’ programme
About The UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy:
- Established in 2005, with the support of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, it gives special consideration functional literacy, leveraging technological environments, in support of adults in rural areas and out-of-school youth.
- Each prizewinner receives a medal, a diploma and US$30.000.
Background:
- Since 1967, UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have rewarded excellence and innovation in the field of literacy. Every year, the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes reward projects that promote literacy.
- Currently there are two UNESCO International Literacy Prizes.