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By admin: July 30, 2023

Bengaluru becomes the first Indian city to join the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF)

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Karnataka capital Bengaluru has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Indian city to join the prestigious World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF).

An Overview of the News

• The World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF) is a global network of cities that collaboratively research and share intelligence to explore the important role of culture in shaping future prosperity.

• Bengaluru is the 41st city to join WCCF, which already includes 40 cities across six continents such as New York, London, Paris, Tokyo and Dubai.

• In the past year, the cultural essence of Bengaluru has been showcased through multimedia assets by WCCF as part of a collaborative project called 'Unboxing Bangalore'.

• The 'Unboxing BLR Foundation' established in April 2022 played a key role in this achievement. The Foundation is a non-profit initiative, founded by Prashant Prakash, founding partner of Accel India, and Malini Goyal, a philanthropist and journalist.

World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF):

• WCCF was established in 2012.

• Justin Simmons, the Deputy Mayor of London for Culture and Creative Industries, was instrumental in its setting up.

• In 2015, Queen Elizabeth recognized Justin Simmons' significant contribution to culture in London.

• As a token of appreciation, Justin Simmons was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

About Bengaluru

• Known as the 'Silicon Valley of India', Bengaluru has more than 30 government and private museums. Notably, in 2019, India's first interactive music museum was inaugurated, and later in February 2020, the Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) opened, becoming the first major private art museum in South India.

• At the core of Bengaluru's vibrant intellectual and cultural exchange is the Bengaluru International Centre, established in 2019 within a 20,000 sq ft renovated industrial warehouse. Another hub of creativity is the Bangalore Creative Circus, which acts as an urban living laboratory.

• Bengaluru serves as a major centre for film production, especially hosting the Kannada film industry which produces over 100 films annually. In addition, the city has a rich musical heritage, which includes North Indian (Hindustani) and South Indian (Karnataka) classical music.

• Living up to its title as the "Garden City of India", Bengaluru is adorned with many green spaces, notably the nationally acclaimed Botanic Garden, Lal Bagh and Cubbon Park. These green areas add to the natural charm and beauty of the city.

UNESCO urges global ban on smartphones in schools to promote human-centred education approach

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published its 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report titled "Technology in Education: A Tool on Whose Terms", which supports a worldwide ban on smartphones in schools where technology integration Does not improve learning outcomes.

An Overview of the News

• UNESCO advocates a more "human-centred approach" to education and highlights the need to reduce reliance on digital technology.

• Excessive use of smartphones has negative effects on children's academic performance and emotional competence.

• UNESCO's Manos Antoninis raised concerns about data leaks in educational technology, revealing that only 16 percent of countries have laws guaranteeing data privacy in the classroom.

• The shift to online-only learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of approximately 500 million students worldwide.

• The report emphasises that the right to education is increasingly linked to meaningful connectivity. One in four primary schools do not have access to electricity, making it important to set standards for connecting schools to the Internet.

• The survey conducted by UNESCO reveals that only 11 out of 51 governments have implemented a curriculum for artificial intelligence (AI) in schools.

About UNESCO

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN)

• It is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UN SDG), a coalition of United Nations agencies and organisations that aims to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Headquarters:- Paris, France

• Director General: -Audrey Azoulay

• Founded:- 16 November 1945 in London, United Kingdom

• The organisation has -193 members and 11 associate members