Important Dates & Festivities - Current Affairs for September, 2015

World Heart Day commenced in 2000. The aim of this day is to educate people across the world regarding heart diseases and strokes which are the leading cause of death leading to loss of 17.3 million lives every year on an average. This annual day reflects key issues and topics pertaining to heart health. This year (2015) them is creation of heart healthy environments. Environmental factors such as availability of nutritious food or smoke free zones can help individuals to make healthy choices for their heart. At least 80% of the premature deaths from CVD could be avoided if 4 main risk factors are controlled namely usage of tobacco, unearthly food, lack of physical activity and alcohol over consumption. CVD is the world’s number one killer right now.

On this day, Addl. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. P. K Mishra while presiding as the Chief Guest for Valedictory session, praised the NDMA for relief and rehab efforts in Kashmir and quake hit Nepal. This was followed by technical sessions to examine issues pertaining to four major calamities, namely, cyclone, earthquake, floods and landslides. The 11th Formation Day was observed at Vigyan Bhawan marketing the completion of 10 years of efforts to strengthen and improve disaster risk reduction.

World Tourism Day is celebrated on 27th September each year. This year, various activities have been organised for World Tourism Day such as free entry for tourists to nearly 200 ticketed monuments and museums across India except Bihar as a part of the World Tourism day’s celebration on Sunday. India tourist hotspots are aiming to attract international tourists. The monuments which will be free for entry include 116 National monuments like Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qutub Minar, Red Fort, 35 Museum sites under the ASI (like Buddhist sites includes Sanchi and others) along with Museums under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture. Panel Discussion on the theme of “One Billion Tourist One Billion Opportunities”will be held in New Delhi.

The third and final shahi snaan (royal bath) during the ongoing Kumbh Mela will take place at Trimbakeshwar near Nashik on 25th September 2015 .Thousands of seers, mahants and sadhus belonging to 10 Akhadas will take the holy dip in ‘Kushavartha Teerth’ [holy pond] from 4.15 A.M. to 12.00 P.M.. A royal procession will be taken out by the seers and Mahants and devotees will be allowed to take the holy dip till late night. On September 18 2015, devotees had taken the holy dip in river Godavari on the occasion of third ‘shahi snaan’ at Nashik.

Independence Day was celebrated on 24th September 2015 and Indian President extended warm greetings and felicitations on this occasion. The government of this republic is supportive of India. Guinea Bissau is a founder member of the Team-9 Initiative.  Under this framework, GOI has extended LOC of US$ 25 million to Guinea Bissau. India is the sole importer of almost the entire crop (98%) of cashew nuts from Guinea Bissau every year.

President  Pranab Mukherjee has congratulated the people of Trinidad and Tobago on their Republic Day.  Relations between India and Trinidad & Tobago date back to 30 May 1845. 2 way bilateral trade between India and Trinidad & Tobago include the following - petroleum-crude & products, drugs and pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, garments, rice and other food stuff including spices, I.T. services, auto components, machinery and transportation equipment, plastic products, cosmetics, organic/inorganic chemicals, electronic goods, non-ferrous metals, gems & jewelry, silk, sports goods, paints, footwear, carpets, leather goods etc. constitute the export basket from India.  Items of export from this country  include scrap metals, wood and wood products, asphalt, chemicals.

World Rhino Day observed on September 22, 2015 to celebrate 5 species of rhino-Black, White, Greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos. World Rhino Day was announced by WWF-South Africa in the year 2010. In India, they day was celebrated with awareness programmes at Kaziranga National Park (Assam), Manas National Park (Assam) and Laokhowa Burachapori (Assam). According to Save the Rhino, there are 29,000 rhinos left across the globe today. Numbers fell from 5 lakh rhinos to 70,000 in 1970.

Eastern Command has organized series of commemorative events as part of ongoing Golden Jubilee celebrations of 1965 Indo-Pak war. An army band concert has been organized and a film on war was screened inside Fort William. Solemn martyrs homage ceremony was also held at Vijay Smarak.

International Day of Peace was observed on 21 September 2015 across the globe to acknowledge and recognize the efforts of those who have worked hard to end conflict and promote peace. The International Day of Peace is a day of ceasefire and the theme of International Day of Peace for the year 2015 is Partnerships for Peace- Dignity for All. UNGA has devoted this day to the strengthening of ideals of peace within and among nations. International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with its opening session, which was held each year on the third Tuesday of September. The first Peace Day was observed in September in the year 1982. During 2001, the UNGA by unanimous vote adopted resolution 55/282, which established 21 September as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire.