Varanasi and Jaipur designated as members of UNESCOs Creative

Cities Network
December 12, 2015

Two Indian cities for first time have been designated as members of UNESCOs Creative
Cities Network (UCCN).

Two cities are

Varanasi City (Uttar Pradesh): It has been added in the City of Music category of
network.
Jaipur City (Rajasthan): It has been added in the City of Crafts and Folk
Art category of network.

It was announced by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova. They are among the 47 cities
from 33 countries that have been designated as new members of UNESCO Creative Cities
Network.

About UNESCO Creative Cities Network

UCCN was launched in 2004. It aims to strengthen cooperation with and among cities that
have recognised creativity as a strategic factor of sustainable development in regards with the
economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects.

The Network covers seven creative fields including Crafts and Folk Arts, Film, Media Arts,
Gastronomy, Design, Literature and Music.

Tags: UNESCO Varanasi Art and Culture Jaipur

First red alert on pollution declared in Beijing

December 8, 2015
 The Chinese government has issued its first red alert on pollution (smog) it its Capital Beijing
due to hazardous air quality caused by severe air pollution.

The warning was an upgrade from the previous second highest orange alert. The red alert is
the most serious (highest) warning on a four-tier system of emergency air-pollution response
system was adopted in 2013.

Under the alert

Government has advised schools to be voluntarily close unless they had good air
filtration systems.
Half of private cars in the capital city would be also ordered off the road during the
period with an odd-even number plate system in force.
The other extra measures to be enforced include halting outdoor construction, banning
fireworks and outdoor cooking.

China, the worlds biggest carbon emitter in recent times is grappling with the serious chronic
problem of the air pollution leading to smog in cities. Most of the pollution is caused by the
coal-fired power plants along with vehicle emissions, heating systems and construction and
factory work.

Particulate matter (PM) 2.5

Readings of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 particles in Beijing also has climbed 300
micrograms per cubic meter which is far more than World Health Organization (WHO)
permissible limit of 25 per cubic meter.

PM2.5 are fine particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter that may occur naturally or from
anthropogenic activities like human industrial processes. They often reach the lungs causing
lifelong respiratory disease and may be fatal if it mixes into the bloodstream.

Tags: China Environment Pollution Beijing

First car-free day observed in Delhi

October 22, 2015

First Car-Free Day was observed in Delhi on 22 October 2015 to encourage the people to use
public transport instead of using their cars.

It was observed from 7 AM till 12 noon on the stretch connecting Red Fort to India Gate via
Delhi Gate and ITO.
 Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia took part to
observe this day by taking part in a cycle rally. DTC also had deployed additional buses with
frequency of one or two minutes on this route for better facilitation of commuters.

Delhi government has decided to observe Car-Free Day on different road stretches on the
22nd of every month. This initiative seeks to reduce pollution and traffic congestion in Delhi
by encouraging residents to use public transport.

Tags: Delhi Environment New Delhi Pollution Public Trasnportation

Tenth World Hindi Conference begins in Bhopal

September 11, 2015

The Tenth World Hindi Conference ( ) has begun in Bhopal, Madhya

Pradesh with the theme of Hindi Jagat-Vistar and Sambhavnaye.

The three-day conference was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has been
organised in Madhya Pradesh for the first time and being held in India after 32 years.

It is joint event of Union Ministry of External Affairs in partnership with the state
Government of Madhya Pradesh.

This edition of conference will host scholars from 39 countries who are going to discuss
issues like Hindi in administration, foreign policy and law during the event. An exhibition
showcasing assimilation of Hindi with modern techniques also has been set up at the
conference venue.

World Hindi Conference

The First World Hindi Conference was organized in Nagpur by then Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi. It was held from 10 to 12 January 1975. Since then every year 10th January
is being observed as the World Hindi Day.
In the first conference, then Prime Minister of Mauritius Seewoosagur Ramgoolam
was Chief Guest and it was attended by 122 delegates from 30 countries.
Ninth edition of World Hindi Conference was held in Johannesburg, South Africa in
2012.

Tags: Madhya Pradesh Ministry of External Affairs Narendra Modi Bhopal Hindi

Tallest mountain in North America, Mount McKinley renamed as Denali

 September 3, 2015

United States has changed the name of tallest mountain in North America Mount McKinley
to its original native name Denali.

It was announced by US President Barack Obama ahead of his three-day visit to Alaska to
highlight the issue of climate change. It was renamed following the lead of the state of
Alaska, US Department of the Interior (USDoI) in conjunction with the US Board on
Geographic Names (USBGN).

Key facts

The summit elevation of Mount Denali is 6,190 m above sea level. It is located in the
Alaska Range and Denali National Park in the US state of Alaska.
Till 1896, it was named as Denali (meaning as High One or Great One) among the
natives of Alaska, but was renamed as Mount McKinley in the honour of William
McKinley after he was nominated to become the US President.

Tags: Geography United States North America Alaska

21st edition of Delhi Book Fair begins

August 29, 2015

The 21st edition of the Delhi Book Fair has been launched at the Pragati Maidan in New
Delhi.

The book fair has been organised by the Federation of Indian Publishers in association with
India Trade Promotion Organisation. It will be held till 6th September 2015

The theme of the book fair is Skill development. This edition of fair will largely focus on
inculcating the idea of skill-based professions and career interests of the youth.

Books solely focusing on skill development i.e. hard and soft skills will be available at the
fair for all age groups. A section of the book fair theme is also devoted to former president Dr.
A.P.J.Kalams books.
Tags: Delhi Fairs & Festivals