International Organizations, Defence, Books & Authors, World History

Notes:
August 10 is International Biodiesel Day. This day spreads awareness about the benefits of biodiesel as an alternative fuel. Biodiesel is made from renewable sources like vegetable oils and animal fats. It is biodegradable and cleaner for the environment compared to fossil fuels. Celebrating International Biodiesel Day promotes the production and use of this eco-friendly fuel option.

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In India, April 24th is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Diwas every year. This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993

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The Secretariat of the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) is located in Switzerland. Established in 2002, IADI aims to enhance the effectiveness of deposit insurance systems worldwide. Switzerland is known for its strong financial sector and is home to many international organizations, making it a strategic location for IADI.

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The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights is awarded by South Korea. Established in 2000, it honors individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the promotion of human rights, particularly in the context of the Gwangju Uprising of 1980, where citizens protested against authoritarian rule. The prize aims to raise awareness of human rights issues globally.

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Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) is an organization under United Nations. It is one of the five regional commissions under the jurisdiction of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. It is located in Thailand.

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The BIS was formed in 1930. The main actors in its establishment were the then-Governor of The Bank of England, Montagu Norman, and his German counterpart Hjalmar Schacht, later Adolf Hitler’s finance minister. The Bank was originally intended to facilitate reparation payments imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War. The need for the bank was suggested in 1929 by the Young Committee, and was agreed to in August of that year at a conference at the Hague. A charter for the bank was drafted at the International Bankers Conference at Baden Baden in November. The charter was adopted at a second Hague Conference on January 20, 1930

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The Tuluva dynasty ruler, Sri Krishna Dev Raya (1509-1529 AD) composed the epic poem, ‘Amuktamalyada’ ( in telugu) that tells the well-known story of the daughter of Periazhvar, Goda Devi, who used to wear the garlands intended for Lord Ranganatha before they were offered to the deity and thus known as ‘Amukta Malya Da’ (one who wears and gives away garlands).

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World Conference on Disaster Reduction is a United Nations conference bringing together government officials, non-governmental experts and other specialists from around the world to discuss the growing trend of people affected by natural disasters. The first WCDR conference was held in Kobe, Japan January 10- 22, 2005. The outcome of this conference was Hyogo Framework for Action. The HFA suggests five specific priorities for action:

1. Making disaster risk reduction a priority;
2. Improving risk information and early warning;
3. Building a culture of safety and resilience;
4. Reducing the risks in key sectors;
5. Strengthening preparedness for response.

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WAVES stands for Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES). It is a World Bank-led global partnership that aims to promote sustainable development by ensuring that natural resources are mainstreamed in development planning and national economic accounts. It helps countries to adopt and implement accounts that are relevant to the initiative. It also helps to develop approaches to ecosystem accounting methodology and establish a global platform for training and knowledge sharing.

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Upon the founding of the IMF, its three primary functions were: to oversee the fixed exchange rate arrangements between countries, thus helping national governments manage their exchange rates and allowing these governments to prioritize economic growth, and to provide short-term capital to aid the balance of payments.