Current Affairs Aug 2016 - Important Days

News 1 - World Breastfeeding Week 2016 observed

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. The theme for World Breastfeeding Week 2016 is "Breastfeeding: A Key to Sustainable Development".

WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding starting within one hour after birth until a baby is 6 months old. Nutritious complementary foods should then be added while continuing to breastfeed for up to 2 years or beyond.

News 2 - Second National Handloom Day celebrated

The second National Handloom Day celebrations and presentation of various Handloom and Sant Kabir Awards was held in all states on 7^th August, 2016. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani was the chief guest in the main function held at Varanasi.

The National Handloom Day was first celebrated in 2015. To mark the Swadeshi Movement which began on August 7, 1905 and with the objective to generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry and its contribution to the socioeconomic development, the government on July 29, 2015 declared this day as National Handloom Day.

News 3 - International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples observed

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of the World's Indigenous People is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is devoted to the right to education.

This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection. There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in some 90 countries around the world.

News 4 - Union Minister Maneka Sanjay Gandhi kicks of social media campaign on Daughters’ Day

The Ministry of Women and Child Development launched a social media campaign to mark the Daughters Day to be celebrated on 11^th August 2016. The immediate week was celebrated by the Ministry of Women and Child Development as Daughters’ Week, as part of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme.

Through social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter etc, users from across the country will post photographs online with their Daughters, Daughters-in-law and Granddaughters using the hashtag #BBBPDaughtersWeek. This opportunity is being used by the Ministry to engage citizens to celebrate the young women and girls in their lives, and spread the message of valuing the girl child.

News 5 - World Bio-Fuel Day observed

The World Bio-Fuel Day is observed annually across the world on 10^th August with an aim to create awareness about non fossil-fuels (Green Fuels). The day marks the extraordinary achievement of Sir Rudalph Diesel's research experiment which predicted that vegetable oil is going to replace the fossil fuels in the next century to fuel different mechanical engines.

On this occasion, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated a national-level conference, Energy security for India – Creating a Biofuel economy, in New Delhi. The biofuel business in India is expected to touch Rs. 50,000 crore by 2022.

News 6 - International Youth Day celebrated on 12 August

The United Nations’ (UN) International Youth Day is celebrated annually on August 12. The day recognizes the contribution of the world’s youth in enhancing global society.

The theme of the 2016 International Youth Day is “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production”. This year’s Day is about achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It focuses on the leading role of young people in ensuring poverty eradication and achieving sustainable development through sustainable consumption and production.

News 7 - World Humanitarian Day observed on 19^th August

The World Humanitarian Day is observed every year on 19 August to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to mobilize people to advocate for a more humane world. The theme for this year is “One Humanity”.

The UN and its partners are organizing events that will raise awareness of the Agenda for Humanity and inspire people to demand greater global action for the 130 million people affected by conflict and disaster.

News 8 - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition observed globally on 23^rd August

The International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed annually on August 23.

The day offers the opportunity to honour and remember those who suffered and died at the hands of the brutal slavery system. The International Day also aims to raise awareness about the dangers of racism and prejudice today.

This date also pays tribute to those who worked hard to abolish slave trade and slavery throughout the world.

News 9 - International Day Against Nuclear Tests observed globally

The International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed annually on August 29. The day brings public awareness and education about the effects of global nuclear weapon tests and the need to prevent nuclear catastrophes to avert devastating effects on humankind, the environment and the planet.

The United Nations General Assembly d eclared 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests by unanimously adopting resolution 64/35 on 2 December 2009. The Day was first celebrated in 2010.

News 10 - National Sports Day celebrated on 29^th August

August 29 is celebrated as the National Sports Day in dedication to the great hockey player Dhyan Chand. The day is celebrated in the remembrance of the great hockey player Dhyan Chand, 29^th August being his birthday.

This day is celebrated by organizing friendly matches between different Indian hockey teams at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, which was constructed in the respect and honor of Dhyan Chand.

The government gives away awards such as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards on this day.