Current Affairs Sep 2018 - International

1 - PM Modi inaugurates Pashupatinath Dharmashala in Nepal

Mr. Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India and Mr. K. P. Oli, the Prime Minister of Nepal jointly inaugurated the 400-bed Nepal-Bharat Maitri Pashupati Dharamshala - a rest house for pilgrims located in Kathmandu, Nepal.

On this occasion, Mr. Modi said that India and Nepal have had the spiritual connection. Further, he says that the temples of Pashupatinath, Muktinath, and Jankidham showcase the illustration of Nepal's unity in diversity and these temples act as bond between India and Nepal.

2 - 4^th International Ayurveda Congress held in Netherlands

From September 1 to September 2, 2018, the 4^th International Ayurveda Congress (IAVC) was held in Leiden, Netherlands. This session was jointly organized by International Maharishi Ayurveda Foundation, Netherlands; All India Ayurvedic Congress, New Delhli; and International Academy of Ayurveda, Pune, in association with Indian Embassy in Netherlands. Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik, the Minister of State, (IC) for AYUSH, inaugurated this Congress.

The congress emphasized on the promotion and propagation of Ayurveda medicines in Netherlands as well as in its neighboring countries.

3 - Education Ministers Meet for the First Time in the History of G20

Chaired by Argentine Education Minister Alejandro Finocchiaro, the G20 Education Ministerial Meeting was held on 5^th and 6^th September, 2018 in Mendoza, in western Argentina, to discuss the foundations for future education systems. This is the first meeting of its kind in the history of the G20.

From India, the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Satya Pal Singh lead a high level delegation to the G-20 Education Ministers’ Meeting as well as Joint Ministerial Meeting. Besides, the meeting was attended by over 30 delegation leaders including Themis Christophidou, Director-General of Education, Youth, Sport and Culture of the European Union; Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japanese Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology; Betsy Devos, US Secretary of Education; and Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO.

The major agenda of the meeting was to identify the challenges and opportunities of globalization, digitalization and societal diversity, and to define the skills needed in our future workplace and society. Officials aim to craft innovative and inclusive policies that prepare children, young people and adults to become full participants in our ever-changing future.

4 - India - UAE Partnership Summit 2018

A two-day India-UAE Partnership Summit (IUPS) will be held in Dubai from October 30, as confirmed by Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Navdeep Singh Suri.

India-UAE Partnership Summit (IUPS) is an event specifically designed for promotion of investments from UAE to India and India to UAE. The focus sectors for IUPS 2018 are investments in Education and SMEs/Start-ups, along with presentations by Indian States seeking investments.

5 - Naropa Festival Ended in Ladakh with World Record in Dance

A total of 299 women wearing traditional Ladakhi wedding attire danced together to mark the last day of the Naropa festival and also created a Guinness World Record in the process.

They danced on 20^th September, 2018 (Thursday) at an altitude of over 4,500 metres above sea level at Hemis, a Buddhist monastery situated 45 km from Leh and they have broken record. It is officially declared by Swapnil Dangarikar (Official Adjudicator).

Guinness World Records declared the dance performance as the 'Largest Ladakhi Dance' by Live to Love, Pel Drupka Charitable Trust and Young Drukpa Association Ladakh at Hemis. Celebrated every 12^th year of the Tibetan calendar, the Naropa festival, is also known as the ‘Kumbh Mela of the Himalayas.’

6 - AYUSH Information Cell Inaugurated at the Indian Embassy in Romania

On September 19, 2018, during the visit to Romania, Vice president of India Shri Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated the AYUSH Information Cell. Ministry of AYUSH has set up an AYUSH Information Cell at the Indian Embassy in Romania with an objective to disseminate authentic information about AYUSH system of medicine and encourage Ayurveda practice in Romania.

On this occasion, a book on ‘Ayurveda in Romania’ was also released. Besides, The AYUSH Information Cell, Romania will facilitate to organise lectures, consultation, conduct seminars, training courses and develop awareness of AYUSH system among public in Romania.

7 - WHO Launched 'SAFER', An Initiative to Reduce Harmful Use of Alcohol

The World Health Organization (WHO) released SAFER, a new initiative and technical package outlining five high-impact strategies designed to help governments to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and related health, social and economic consequences.

What SAFER is?

SAFER is the newest WHO-led roadmap designed exclusively to assist governments and other civil society organizations in taking practical steps to accelerate progress on health, beat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through addressing the harmful use of alcohol, and achieve development targets.

Besides, SAFER also:

Provides five high-impact strategic actions, which are prioritized for implementation to sponsor health and development
Strengthens restrictions on alcohol availability
Enforces drink-driving countermeasures
Facilitates access to screening, brief interventions, and treatment
Enforces bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion