1. 38th Ministerial Meeting of India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission
Tags: International Relations Important Days
The 38th Ministerial Meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission was held in New Delhi on August 25, 2022.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The Indian delegation was chaired by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and the Bangladesh delegation was led by Minister of State for Water Resources Zaheed Farooq.
The two countries discussed a wide range of issues related to Ganga, Teesta and several smaller rivers during the meeting.
The two sides also discussed the exchange of data and information related to floods, river-bank conservation works, general basin management and India's river interlinking project.
Bangladesh requested for the early completion of the long pending Teesta water sharing treaty.
Both sides also finalised a draft Memorandum of Understanding to share the waters of the Kushiyara River on an interim basis.
Both sides welcomed the finalization of the design of the Feni River Water Drawing Site and its technical infrastructure to meet the drinking water requirements of Sabroom Town in Tripura.
It is noteworthy that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two countries in this regard in October 2019.
This meeting was held after a gap of 12 years
Rivers between India and Bangladesh :
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers.
All are part of the drainage system of the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) basin.
The Padma (Ganga), Jamuna (Brahmaputra) and Meghna (Barak) and their tributaries play an important role in maintaining food and water security in Bangladesh.
The dispute between India and Bangladesh regarding water resource allocation dates back to the time when Bangladesh was East Pakistan.
In 1961, India began construction of the Farakka Barrage which was to be operational by April 1975.
When India began its preliminary planning for the project, Pakistan expressed concerns over the potential effect of the project on East Pakistan.
Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) :
It was constituted in 1972 between India and Bngladesh.
It is a bilateral mechanism to address issues of mutual interest on common / border / transboundary rivers.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
About Kushiyara River :
It is a distributary river in Bangladesh and Assam.
The water of Kushiyara drains into tributaries from Manipur, Mizoram and Assam.
2. World Water Week - 2022
Tags: Important Days International News
World Water Week - 2022 is being held in Stockholm, Sweden from 23 August to 1 September.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Theme of World Water Week 2022 - “Seeing the unseen: The value of water”.
The event has been organised by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI).
The theme of World Water Week 2022 is covered under three main approaches -
The value of water for people and sustainable development
the value of water for nature and climate change
the financial and economic value of water
The event will provide many opportunities for people around the world to unite, promote ideas, innovate and discuss the future.
Around 300 sessions will be organised under World Water Week on water related topics including food security, health, agriculture, technology, biodiversity, climate change etc.
World Water Week will attract top scientists, UN experts, local community groups, entrepreneurs, top politicians, students, CEOs and many more.
This will help in achieving reforms towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
3. World Senior Citizens Day
Tags: Important Days
World Senior Citizens Day is celebrated every year on 21st August with the aim of honouring the elderly around the world.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
History of the day :
The United Nations General Assembly had announced to celebrate this day on 14 December 1990.
International Senior Citizens Day was celebrated for the first time on 1 October 1991.
In the US, President Ronald Reagan signed this resolution on 19 August 1988, and on 21 August 1988, International Senior Citizens Day was celebrated for the first time in the United States.
Ronald Reagan was the first person to introduce Senior Citizens Day.
Importance of this day :
The number of elderly people globally is projected to double in the next three decades.
According to a United Nations report, by 2050, there will be 1.5 billion senior citizens worldwide.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION -
Government of India schemes for the betterment of senior citizens :
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana - This scheme is a social security scheme and pension plan. Launched - May 4, 2017
Varistha Mediclaim Policy - This Senior Citizen Health Insurance is a medical insurance plan for citizens in the age group of 60 to 75 years.
Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana - The objective of this scheme is to provide aids and assistive devices to those senior citizens belonging to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category who are suffering from age related disability or disability. Launch - Year 2017
Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana - Launched - 14 August 2014
4. World Humanitarian Day
Tags: Important Days
World Humanitarian Day is celebrated every year on 19th August in honor of those who have sacrificed their entire lives in the service of humanity.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- Its aim is to spread awareness about the need for humanitarian aid around the world.
The day is a campaign by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Humanitarian Partners.
Theme of World Humanitarian Day 2022 - 'It takes a village'.
Background :
On 19 August 2003, a bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killed 22 humanitarian aid workers.
The special representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was also killed in the attack.
In 2008, five years after the attack, the General Assembly passed a resolution to designate 19 August as World Humanitarian Day.
Significance of the day :
The day serves as a remembrance of the sacrifices made by people for humanitarian causes and needs.
This year the day aims to draw attention to the selfless service of thousands of volunteers who provide immediate medical care, food, shelter and protection to people during crises.
Need of humanitarian service :
As per UN estimates, 274 million people will need humanitarian aid and protection in 2022.
This number has seen a significant increase since 2021 when the figure stood at 235 million, the highest in the past several decades.
The United Nations and allied organizations aim to help the 183 million people most in need of humanitarian aid in 63 countries, which will require $41 billion.
5. World Photography Day
Tags: Important Days
World Photography Day is celebrated every year on 19 August.
IMPORTANT FACTS -
- The day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science and history of photography.
Photography is one of the most important art forms, it is a means of expressing one's feelings and personal expression by pictures.
There is a famous saying of Henrik Ibsen in which he said, 'A picture is worth a thousand words'.
Sometimes pictures express feelings more effectively than words.
The first permanent photograph of an object was taken in year 1826 by the Frenchman Joseph Nicephore Niepce.
Theme of World Photography Day 2022 :
Theme 2022 - "Pandemic Lockdown through the lens."
This theme sheds light on how we view the pandemic-induced lockdown through the camera or lens.
The lockdown was imposed due to the Corona epidemic and during that period many people learned the wonderful skills related to photography.
History of World Photography Day :
World Photography Day celebration started in France on January 9, 1839.
At that time a photography process was announced which was called the dagorotype process and this process is today considered to be the world's first photography process.
It was invented by Joseph Nicephore and Louis Douger, who were the native of France.
On August 19, 1839, the French government announced this invention and got its patent.
To remember this forever, 'World Photography Day' is celebrated every year on 19th August.
6. World Organ Donation Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year 13 August is celebrated as World Organ Donation Day across the world with an aim to raise awareness about organ donation.
Important facts
Apart from this, “National Organ Donation Day” is celebrated on 27 November every year in India.
This year's theme is “let’s pledge to donate organs and save lives”.
Importance
This day is celebrated to dispel the myths of organ donation.
It wants to encourage people to donate their healthy organs after death as it will save more lives.
Its aim is to help people realise that many people lose their lives due to unavailability of healthy organs. Thus, voluntarily donating your healthy organs can change the lives of many people.
History of world organ donation
The first temporarily successful transplant of a human kidney was performed by Jean Hamburger in Paris in 1953.
A kidney was transplanted from the mother to a 16-year-old child.
However, the first long-term successful kidney transplant was performed in the US in 1954.
This successful transplant was performed by Dr. Joseph Murray.
For this, Dr. Joseph Murray received the "Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine" in the year 1990.
7. International Youth Day
Tags: Important Days
International Youth Day is celebrated across the world on 12 August every year.
Important facts
The day aims to draw attention to the cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.
It also aims to raise awareness about the challenges and difficulties faced by youth around the world.
Everyone aged 15 to 24 is considered young, and according to statistics, more than half of the people on our planet are 30 or younger, and this number is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030.
Background
The United Nations General Assembly began efforts to focus on youth in 1965.
In the year 1999, the United Nations decided to celebrate this day as International Youth Day every year.
It was based on a recommendation made to the United Nations General Assembly by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for the Welfare of Youth in Lisbon in 1998.
The first International Youth Day was celebrated on 12 August 2000.
Theme of 2022
"Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages" is the theme for 2022.
This year's theme aims to spread the message that achieving the Sustainable Development Goals requires action across all generations, including youth.
It also aims to raise awareness of ageism, which has negative aims at young and old individuals alike.
8. World Elephant Day
Tags: Important Days
World Elephant Day is celebrated every year on 12 August to raise awareness about the conservation of elephants around the world.
Important facts
Poaching is the first threat facing elephants.
Habitat loss, human-elephant conflict, abuse by humans and other issues are some of the issues that affect elephants.
World Elephant Day is also celebrated to draw people's attention to these issues and to tell them the importance of protecting this humble animal.
Theme of 2022 - Bringing the World Together to help Elephants
Background
World Elephant Day was first celebrated on 12 August 2012.
It was due to the efforts of Canadian filmmaker Patricia Sims and the Elephant Breeding Foundation of Thailand that August 12 was celebrated as World Elephant Day.
World Elephant Day aims to spread awareness about the plight of Asian and African elephants.
Some facts about elephant
Elephants are the largest land mammals found on Earth.
The African savanna (bush) elephant is the largest land animal on our planet.
It has 3 species - African savanna (bush), African forest and Asian.
Elephants are pachyderms, which means they have thick skin, with some areas covering about 2.5 cm of skin.
It is found throughout Southeast Asia, including the forested regions of India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
India has the largest number of Asian elephants.
There are about 28,000 elephants in India, of which about 25% are in Karnataka.
Elephants are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Initiatives for conservation of Elephants
Project Elephant
Elephant corridors and reserve
Gaj Yatra Nationwide campaign
Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme
9. International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2022
Tags: Important Days
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples which is also known as World Tribal Day is observed on 9th August every year.
Important facts
This special day is celebrated around the world to protect the rights of the indigenous population.
Theme of 2022 - ‘The Role of Indigenous Women in the Preservation and Transmission of Traditional Knowledge"
The theme emphasizes the role that women of indigenous communities play in carrying forward their traditions and cultures.
Background
The first Working Group on Indigenous Populations was created by the United Nations after the United Nations meeting in Geneva on 9 August 1982.
In this meeting, the UN body was tasked with drafting the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The main focus was to work on issues related to education, culture, economic and social development, environment and health of these communities.
The United Nations General Assembly on 23 December 1994 decided to observe the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August every year.
Significance of the day
The day plays an important role in sharing updates on annual projects and announced themed activities.
This year the event is being organized by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
The event invites Indigenous peoples, Member States, United Nations institutions, civil society and the general public to join virtual sessions to discuss the current scenario of the world's indigenous communities.
About Indigenous Peoples
There are 476 million indigenous peoples worldwide and spread over 90 countries.
They speak more than 4,000 languages.
They represent about 5% of the world’s population.
The vast majority of indigenous peoples – 70% live in Asia.
Indigenous people are often marginalized and discriminated against, making them even more vulnerable to violence and abuse.
10. World Biofuel Day
Tags: Important Days
World Biofuel Day is celebrated every year on 10 August to highlight the importance of biofuels.
Theme of 2022 - ‘Biofuels for Sustainability and Rural Income’.
Background of the day
August 10 was chosen as World Biofuel Day because it was on this day in 1893 that the German scientist Sir Rudolf Diesel successfully ran his diesel engine on groundnut oil.
This was a pioneering discovery as it created a safe, renewable and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.
In India, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change started celebrating World Biofuel Day, from 2015.
What are Biofuels?
Any hydrocarbon fuel that is obtained and produced from an organic material is called a biofuel.
It can be in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
Biofuels are produced from animal waste, algae, and industrial and agricultural waste.
They are eco-friendly, sustainable, renewable and biodegradable.
Types of Biofuel
Bioethanol, biodiesel and biogas are the three types of biofuels used in India.
Bioethanol is made from sugar and starchy crops and surplus agricultural waste and biomass.
Biodiesel is produced from various types of vegetable oil and agricultural waste and biomass waste from forests.
Biogas is produced through anaerobic digestion of biomass waste and animal waste.
Significance of the day
The day is a platform for the Indian government to raise awareness about non-fossil fuels.
The day commemorates the activities of the government in developing and strengthening the biofuel sector in the country.
The Petroleum Ministry allows blending of biodiesel made from cooking oil with diesel, while ethanol to be blended with petrol.
Biodiesel was initially produced from imported palm oil, but the use of cooking oil as a raw material was promoted to reduce costs.
The Ministry of Petroleum announced on June 5 this year that India had achieved the target of blending 10 percent ethanol with petrol.
The central government has claimed that there has been a reduction in carbon emissions by 27 lakh tonnes.
