Important Dates & Festivities - Current Affairs for May, 2016

It was celebrated on 29th May with the theme Honouring Our Heroes.The day offers a chance to pay tribute to the Blue Helmets’ invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour more than 3400 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 128 in 2015.

• On the other hand, the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) also issued a set of six new stamps for the occasion.

The Cochin Port celebrated ‘Port Day’ on 26.05.2016 with a business meeting for the exporters and importers and agencies, On the occasion awards were given to companies for the highest performance in export, import and ship handling and cargo handling categories. The winners included Kochi Refinery for highest volume of cargo handling i.e. Lakshmi Machine Works, Coimbatore and Apollo Tyres in the category of exports, Malayala Manorama and Mathrubhumi in the category of imports.

President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee wished the people of Azerbaijan on their republic day which falls on May 28.In a message to His Excellency Mr. Ilham Aliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Indian President extended his greetings.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings to the Government and people of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on the eve of their National Day (May 28, 2016) and His Excellency Mr. Mulatu Teshome, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Argentine Republic on the occasion of their National Day (May 25, 2016)

• In a message to His Excellency Ing. Mauricio Macri, the President of the Argentine Republic, the President has extended his greetings

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on the eve of their Independence Day (May 26, 2016).

• In a message to His Excellency Brig. (Retd) David Arthur Granger, the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the President has said relations between India and Guyana are based on the solid foundation of shared history and culture.
• These have been further strengthened through exchanges of high level visits and people-to-people contacts.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the King and people of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the eve of their Independence Day (May 25, 2016).

• In a message to His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the President extended warm greetings and felicitations
• India and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan enjoy excellent bilateral relations. Last year, the two nations celebrated the 65th Anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of Eritrea on the eve of their Independence Day (May 24, 2016).

• In a message to His Excellency Mr. Isaias Afwerki, the President of the State of Eritrea, the President has extended greetings on the 25th anniversary of the country’s independence

• In his message to His Excellency Mr. Paul Biya, the President of the Republic of Cameroon, the President has extended greetings and felicitations on the occasion of their National Day.
• The Third India African summit was held in New Delhi and Cameroon was an active participant.

The theme was Know Your Numbers. The theme know your numbers is related with the goal of increasing high blood pressure awareness in all populations around the world. The WHD 2016 challenge is to screen three million adults.

• World Hypertension Day (WHD) is an annual initiative of the World Hypertension League (WHL), an affiliated section of the International Society of Hypertension (ISH) first inaugurated in May 2005 and has become an annual event ever since.
• The purpose of the WHD is to promote public awareness of hypertension and to encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control this silent killer, the modern epidemic.

• Hypertension or High blood pressure is very common indeed and hence a major public health issue. It is the major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
• In 2002, it was named as the number one killer by the World Health Organization (WHO) in The World Health Report.
• The risk of stroke is four times greater and the risk of myocardial infarction (a heart attack) two times greater if you have high blood pressure.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the King and people of the Kingdom of Norway on the eve of their Constitution Day (May 17, 2016).King Harald V, the King of Norway, is the ruling monarch.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Republic of Paraguay on the eve of their Independence Day (May 15, 2016). In his message to His Excellency Mr. Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara, the President of the Republic of Paraguay extended his greetings while commenting on how relations have intensified through the India-Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement to which India attaches high importance.

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) was observed across the world on 10 May 2016. The theme for 2016 WMBD 2014 was Stop the Illegal Killing, Taking and Trade of Migratory Birds.The day is observed with an aim to raise awareness and highlight the need for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats.

World Migratory Bird Day is an annual global celebration initiated in 2006 by United Nation.
The event was founded as an effort of the UN's Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA).

As a part of 475th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Maharana Pratap Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma released a Commemorative coin of Rs. 100/- and a Circulation coin of Rs. 10/- in New Delhi on May 9th 2016.

• Maharana Pratap, fearlessly fought the Mughals and protected his people until his death.
• Ministry of Culture has been celebrating the 475th Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap during 2015-16 in association with the State Government of Rajasthan.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee in his message on the occasion of birthday of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, which falls on May 8th, reminded Indians of the power of his writings

• He is the author of many great poetic works and novels

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee attended the 100th birthday celebrations of Giani Zail Singh, former President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (May 5, 2016).

• Zail Singh was a freedom fighter, Chief Minister of Punjab, Home Minister of the Union of India and President of India as well as an able Parliamentarian.
• A documentary on the life of Giani Zail Singh and a book ‘Fragrant Recollections’ (Collection of memoirs and tributes on Giani Zail Singh) were released by the Vice President and Dr. Gurdeep Kuar, daughter of Giani Zail Singh respectively and their first copies were presented to the President on the occasion.

National Day of Prayer was created in 1952 and signed into law by US President Harry S Truman. This title is celebrated on the first Thursday in May.

• America will continue to stand up for those around the world who are subject to fear or violence because of their religion or beliefs, the U.S. President Barack Obama has said proclaiming on Thursday as the National Day of Prayer this year.

In 2016, World Press Freedom Day coincides with three important milestones:

• 250th anniversary of the world’s first freedom of information law, covering both modern-day Sweden and Finland.
• 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration of press freedom principles.
• First year of the 15 year life-cycle of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to Government and people of the State of Israel on the occasion of their National Day (May 03, 2016).

• In a message to H.E. Mr. Reuven Rivlin, President of the State of Israel, the president extended his cordial greetings and best wishes
• He also recalled his first state visit to October in 2015

A symposium on “100 years of the Tank” was organised by South Asia Defence & Strategic Review on 2nd May 2016 at Kothari Auditorium, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi on the occasion of the Armoured Corps Day. Former Governor of Assam Ajai Singh inaugurated the session.

• The International Jazz Day 2016 was observed across the world on 30th April 2016.
• This year, UNESCO celebrated the day at Washington, DC.
• The day celebrates benefits of jazz as an educational tool
• Jazz breaks down barriers and is a symbol of peace and unity.