Governments, Countries Section

December 1, 2016

United Nations Secretary-General at New York Society for Ethical Culture

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (at podium) speaks at Ethics in Action: “The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals” at New York Society for Ethical Culture. 29 November 2016. New York, USA. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at Ethics in Action: “The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals” at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. 29 November 2016. New York, USA. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) attends Ethics in Action: “The UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals” at New York Society for Ethical Culture. On the left is Jeffrey Sachs, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). 29 November 2016. New York, USA. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

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“There are many statues of men slaying lions, but if only the lions were sculptors there might be quite a different set of statues.”

― Aesop (621 - 564 BC).

“He’s mad that trusts in the tameness of a wolf, a horse’s health, a boy’s love, or a whore’s oath.”

― William Shakespeare, King Lear (III, vi, 19-21).

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November 24, 2016

UN Secretary-General Addresses Disarmament Event at NYU

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivers a keynote address on “The Future of Multilateral Disarmament” at an event hosted by the Centre for Global Affairs (CGA) of New York University (NYU). The UN Secretary-General also took part in a Q&A session moderated by Edith Lederer, chief UN correspondent for the Associated Press. 22 November 2016. New York, United States. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered a keynote address on “The Future of Multilateral Disarmament” at an event hosted by the Centre for Global Affairs (CGA) of New York University (NYU). The UN Secretary-General (right) with NYU President Andrew Hamilton on the occasion. 22 November 2016. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

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“There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an idea whose time as come.”

— Victor Hugo.

“Victory belongs to the most persevering.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte.

“If they want peace, nations should avoid the pin-pricks that precede cannon shots.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte.

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November 19, 2016

UNESCO names filmmaker & music producer Deeyah Khan as its Goodwill Ambassador for Artistic Freedom and Creativity

Photo: Music producer, composer, documentary film director, and human rights activist, Deeyah Khan, at Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. Photo by Violaine Martin. Image provided by & copyright © United Nations Office at Geneva.

Paris, France - November 18, 2016 — UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova will designate the Norwegian film director of Punjabi (Pakistani) and Pashtun (Afghan) origin Deeyah Khan a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Artistic Freedom and Creativity. The ceremony will take place on Monday, 21 November at 1:00 pm at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

According to UNESCO, Deeyah Khan is being appointed in recognition of her commitment to promote art as a universal language and a force for development, dialogue and social cohesion, for her contribution to the improvement of fairer and freer societies through her work as a film director, and for her commitment in favour of the Organization’s ideals.

As a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Deeyah Khan will promote freedom of creation for artists and the creative industries in developing countries in line with the principles of UNESCO’s 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

The UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors are an outstanding group of celebrity advocates who spread its ideals.

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October 26, 2016

Ending Modern Slavery

Photo: U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, takes a selfie with an outstanding individual who is fighting to end human trafficking at the Annual Meeting of the U.S. President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) at the White House in Washington, D.C., on October 24, 2016. (State Department Photo).

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October 18, 2016

UN Secretary-General Attends Opening of Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador

Photo: QUITO, ECUADOR — UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon (left), attends opening of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, HABITAT III. Rafael Correa, President of Ecuador, is seated on the right. 16 October 2016. Quito, Ecuador. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

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UN Secretary-General Attends Opening of Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador #Habitat3 #NewUrbanAgenda @UN @Habitat3UN https://t.co/yAXXzgKWDl pic.twitter.com/JxNqPpY8DW

— GlobalGiants.Com (@GlobalGiants) October 18, 2016

@GlobalGiants Enjoyed your tweets on #Habitat3 and #NewUrbanAgenda..see insights from our #researchbeacons minds at https://t.co/QLdSKCE8Ry

— Global Dev Institute (@GlobalDevInst) October 21, 2016

The University of Manchester - Global Development Institute @GlobalDevInst — Thanks for your tweet to us! #Habitat3 https://t.co/SoEZ0nb0a2

— GlobalGiants.Com (@GlobalGiants) October 24, 2016

The University of Manchester @OfficialUoM @GlobalDevInst Addressing Global Inequalities #H3Citizens #NewUrbanAgenda https://t.co/Y68OrUC6gh

— GlobalGiants.Com (@GlobalGiants) October 24, 2016

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October 14, 2016

United Nations — Secretary-General meets with Secretary-General-Designate

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with António Guterres, Secretary-General-Designate. The UN General Assembly has appointed Mr. Guterres as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. 13 October 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 12, 2016

85 COUNTRIES IN COMPETITION FOR 2016 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OSCAR

Photo: Poster of “Son of Saul”, winner of the 88th Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Image Credit: © A.M.P.A.S.

Photo: Actor Danny Trejo (left) and Moderator Christopher Nolan prior to a screening of “Heat” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, September 7, 2016. Image Credit: Todd Wawrychuk / © A.M.P.A.S.

Photo: Actress Amy Brenneman and Academy CEO Dawn Hudson following a screening of “Heat” presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, on Wednesday, September 7, 2016. Image Credit: Richard Harbaugh / © A.M.P.A.S.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Eighty-five countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language Film category for the 89th Academy Awards. Yemen is a first-time entrant.

The 2016 submissions are:

• Albania, “Chromium,” Bujar Alimani, director;
• Algeria, “The Well,” Lotfi Bouchouchi, director;
• Argentina, “The Distinguished Citizen,” Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat, directors;
• Australia, “Tanna,” Bentley Dean, Martin Butler, directors;
• Austria, “Stefan Zweig: Farewell to Europe,” Maria Schrader, director;
• Bangladesh, “The Unnamed,” Tauquir Ahmed, director;
• Belgium, “The Ardennes,” Robin Pront, director;
• Bolivia, “Sealed Cargo,” Julia Vargas Weise, director;
• Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Death in Sarajevo,” Danis Tanovic, director;
• Brazil, “Little Secret,” David Schurmann, director;
• Bulgaria, “Losers,” Ivaylo Hristov, director;
• Cambodia, “Before the Fall,” Ian White, director;
• Canada, “It’s Only the End of the World,” Xavier Dolan, director;
• Chile, “Neruda,” Pablo Larraín, director;
• China, “Xuan Zang,” Huo Jianqi, director;
• Colombia, “Alias Maria,” Jose Luis Rugeles, director;
• Costa Rica, “About Us,” Hernán Jiménez, director;
• Croatia, “On the Other Side,” Zrinko Ogresta, director;
• Cuba, “The Companion,” Pavel Giroud, director;
• Czech Republic, “Lost in Munich,” Petr Zelenka, director;
• Denmark, “Land of Mine,” Martin Zandvliet, director;
• Dominican Republic, “Sugar Fields,” Fernando Baez, director;
• Ecuador, “Such Is Life in the Tropics,” Sebastián Cordero, director;
• Egypt, “Clash,” Mohamed Diab, director;
• Estonia, “Mother,” Kadri Kousaar, director;
• Finland, “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki,” Juho Kuosmanen, director;
• France, “Elle,” Paul Verhoeven, director;
• Georgia, “House of Others,” Rusudan Glurjidze, director;
• Germany, “Toni Erdmann,” Maren Ade, director;
• Greece, “Chevalier,” Athina Rachel Tsangari, director;
• Hong Kong, “Port of Call,” Philip Yung, director;
• Hungary, “Kills on Wheels,” Attila Till, director;
• Iceland, “Sparrows,” Runar Runarsson, director;
• India, “Interrogation,” Vetri Maaran, director;
• Indonesia, “Letters from Prague,” Angga Dwimas Sasongko, director;
• Iran, “The Salesman,” Asghar Farhadi, director;
• Iraq, “El Clásico,” Halkawt Mustafa, director;
• Israel, “Sand Storm,” Elite Zexer, director;
• Italy, “Fire at Sea,” Gianfranco Rosi, director;
• Japan, “Nagasaki: Memories of My Son,” Yoji Yamada, director;
• Jordan, “3000 Nights,” Mai Masri, director;
• Kazakhstan, “Amanat,” Satybaldy Narymbetov, director;
• Kosovo, “Home Sweet Home,” Faton Bajraktari, director;
• Kyrgyzstan, “A Father’s Will,” Bakyt Mukul, Dastan Zhapar Uulu, directors;
• Latvia, “Dawn,” Laila Pakalnina, director;
• Lebanon, “Very Big Shot,” Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya, director;
• Lithuania, “Seneca’s Day,” Kristijonas Vildziunas, director;
• Luxembourg, “Voices from Chernobyl,” Pol Cruchten, director;
• Macedonia, “The Liberation of Skopje,” Rade Serbedzija, Danilo Serbedzija, directors;
• Malaysia, “Beautiful Pain,” Tunku Mona Riza, director;
• Mexico, “Desierto,” Jonas Cuaron, director;
• Montenegro, “The Black Pin,” Ivan Marinovic, director;
• Morocco, “A Mile in My Shoes,” Said Khallaf, director;
• Nepal, “The Black Hen,” Min Bahadur Bham, director;
• Netherlands, “Tonio,” Paula van der Oest, director;
• New Zealand, “A Flickering Truth,” Pietra Brettkelly, director;
• Norway, “The King’s Choice,” Erik Poppe, director;
• Pakistan, “Mah-e-Mir,” Anjum Shahzad, director;
• Palestine, “The Idol,” Hany Abu-Assad, director;
• Panama, “Salsipuedes,” Ricardo Aguilar Navarro, Manolito Rodríguez, directors;
• Peru, “Videophilia (and Other Viral Syndromes),” Juan Daniel F. Molero, director;
• Philippines, “Ma’ Rosa,” Brillante Ma Mendoza, director;
• Poland, “Afterimage,” Andrzej Wajda, director;
• Portugal, “Letters from War,” Ivo M. Ferreira, director;
• Romania, “Sieranevada,” Cristi Puiu, director;
• Russia, “Paradise,” Andrei Konchalovsky, director;
• Saudi Arabia, “Barakah Meets Barakah,” Mahmoud Sabbagh, director;
• Serbia, “Train Driver’s Diary,” Milos Radovic, director;
• Singapore, “Apprentice,” Boo Junfeng, director;
• Slovakia, “Eva Nova,” Marko Skop, director;
• Slovenia, “Houston, We Have a Problem!” Ziga Virc, director;
• South Africa, “Call Me Thief,” Daryne Joshua, director;
• South Korea, “The Age of Shadows,” Kim Jee-woon, director;
• Spain, “Julieta,” Pedro Almodóvar, director;
• Sweden, “A Man Called Ove,” Hannes Holm, director;
• Switzerland, “My Life as a Zucchini,” Claude Barras, director;
• Taiwan, “Hang in There, Kids!” Laha Mebow, director;
• Thailand, “Karma,” Kanittha Kwunyoo, director;
• Turkey, “Cold of Kalandar,” Mustafa Kara, director;
• Ukraine, “Ukrainian Sheriffs,” Roman Bondarchuk, director;
• United Kingdom, “Under the Shadow,” Babak Anvari, director;
• Uruguay, “Breadcrumbs,” Manane Rodríguez, director;
• Venezuela, “From Afar,” Lorenzo Vigas, director;
• Vietnam, “Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass,” Victor Vu, director;
• Yemen, “I Am Nojoom, Age 10 and Divorced,” Khadija Al-Salami, director.

The competitive Foreign Language Film category was introduced in 1956 for the 29th Academy Awards. In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the Academy has created a complete playlist of acceptance speeches and a poster gallery of all the Foreign Language Film Oscar winners.

The 89th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2017, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 6, 2016

U.S. Postal Service Commemorates Festival of Diwali with a Forever Stamp

New York City — October 5, 2016 — The U.S. Postal Service commemorated the joyous Hindu festival of Diwali by dedicating the Diwali Forever stamp. The first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony took place at the Consulate General of India in New York City.

“The Postal Service is honored to issue this Forever stamp that celebrates the Festival of Diwali,” said U.S. Postal Service Vice President of Mail Entry and Payment Technology Pritha Mehra. “We hope these stamps will light up millions of cards and letters as they make their journey through the mailstream.”

Joining Mehra in the dedication ceremony were: Ambassador Riva Ganguly Das, Consul General of India; Diwali Stamp Project Chair Ranju Batra; India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Member of the United Nations Security Council (Ret.) Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri; Sand Hill Group Managing Director M. R. Rangaswami; and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY).

“While this journey may have taken years, the Postal Service has issued a Diwali stamp that will continue to resonate forever,” said Ranju Batra. “Now for the first time there is a stamp that celebrates Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists as Americans forever. Our heartfelt thanks to all of those who have supported this stamp. The Diwali stamp will be a matter of pride for generations to come.”

The stamp design is a photograph featuring a traditional diya oil lamp beautifully lit, sitting on a sparkling gold background. Diya lamps are usually made from clay with cotton wicks dipped in a clarified butter known as “ghee” or in vegetable oils.

Also known as Deepavali, Diwali celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Spanning five days each autumn, Diwali is considered by some to be the start of the new year.

On the Hindu calendar, Diwali falls on the eve of, or on, the new moon that occurs between mid-October and mid-November. In 2016, the main day of the festival will be celebrated Oct. 29 for South Indians and Oct 30 for North Indians.

Diwali is a shortened version of the Sanskrit word Deepavali, which roughly translates as “a necklace of lights.” During Diwali, the flickering oil-wick diyas sprinkle the homes of observers around the world.

Before the festival, many Hindus traditionally go shopping, clean their homes, open their doors and windows, create intricate rangoli — a vibrant floor pattern traditionally made from materials such as rice powder, colored sand and flower petals — and light diyas with hopes that Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, will visit.

In some regions of India, people play games, just as Hindu lore says that the god Shiva did. On the festive main day of the holiday, families pray for Lakshmi, dress up in their best clothes, enjoy lavish feasts and sweets, exchange gifts and light fireworks. Diwali also marks the new year for people in Gujarat and a few other states of India. Diwali also is celebrated as a major holiday by followers of the Jain and Sikh faiths.

• The Diwali stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp. This Forever stamp is always equal to the value of the current First Class Mail — 1 Ounce price.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 5, 2016

L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards 2017 Announced

Photo: Prof. Emmanuelle Charpentier, 2016 Laureate, L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science. Image Credit: Thierry Bouët for L’Oréal Foundation. Image provided by & Copyright © L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science.

Photo: A trainee at the 2016 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Rising Talents Training Session, Paris. Image Credit: Stéphane Cardinale for L’Oréal Foundation. Image provided by & Copyright © L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science.

Photos: France L’Oréal-UNESCO 2016 Awards Ceremony. Images provided by & Copyright © Fondation L’Oréal.

The L’Oréal Foundation and UNESCO today announced the laureates of the 2017 L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awards in the physical sciences. They will receive their awards at a ceremony in Paris on 23 March 2017.

Proposed by an international community of more than 2,000 leading scientists, the five laureates were selected by an independent international jury of 12 renowned scientists presided this year by Professor Christian Amatore, of the French Académie des sciences.

Each laureate will receive a prize of €100,000 as reward for her contribution to science.

Laureates are as under:

CONTINENT
Name of the Laureate
Nationality
Designation
Field

• AFRICA AND THE ARAB STATES

Professor Niveen KHASHAB
Lebanese
Associate Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), SAUDI ARABIA

Analytical Chemistry
“For her contributions to innovative smart hybrid materials aimed at drug delivery and for developing new techniques to monitor intracellular antioxidant activity.”

• ASIA PACIFIC

Professor Michelle SIMMONS
Australian
Professor, Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology - University of New South Wales, AUSTRALIA

Quantum Physics
“For her pioneering contributions to quantum and atomic electronics, constructing atomic transistors en route to quantum computers.”

• EUROPE

Professor Nicola SPALDIN
British
Professor and Chair of Materials Theory, ETH Zürich, SWITZERLAND

Solid State Physics
“For her groundbreaking multidisciplinary work predicting, describing and creating new materials that have switchable magnetic and ferroelectric properties.”

• NORTH AMERICA

Professor Zhenan BAO
USA
Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, USA

Material Chemistry
“For her outstanding contribution to and mastery of the development of novel functional polymers for consumer electronics, energy storage and biomedical applications.”

• LATIN AMERICA

Professor Maria Teresa RUIZ
Chilean
Professor, Department of Astronomy, Dept. / Universidad de Chile, CHILE

Astrophysics
“For her discovery of the first brown dwarf and her seminal work on understanding the faintest stars, including stars at the final stages of their evolution (white dwarfs).”

Through its “For Women in Science” programme, a worldwide partnership with UNESCO, the L’Oréal Foundation motivates girls in High School to pursue scientific careers, supports women researchers and rewards excellence in a field where women remain underrepresented.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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October 3, 2016

Commemoration of International Day of Non-Violence at the United Nations

Photo: Syed Akbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, speaks at the special event marking the International Day of Non-Violence, organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.

The Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the non-violence philosophy, as an occasion to disseminate the message of non-violence. 02 October 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider.

Photo: Peter Thomson, President of the seventy-first session of the UN General Assembly, speaks at the special event marking the International Day of Non-Violence, organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.

The Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the non-violence philosophy, as an occasion to disseminate the message of non-violence. 02 October 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider.

Photo: UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, speaks at the special event marking the International Day of Non-Violence, organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations.

The Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the non-violence philosophy, as an occasion to disseminate the message of non-violence. 02 October 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider.

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September 25, 2016

General Debate of the UN General Assembly’s Seventy-First Session

Photo: A view of the General Assembly Hall as Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, addresses the general debate of the Assembly’s seventy-first session. 20 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Cia Pak.

Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hosted a luncheon in honour of world leaders attending the general debate of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly.

Mr. Ban (right) exchanges a toast with United States President Barack Obama. 20 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Manuel Elias.

Photo: United States Secretary of State John Kerry with Samantha Power, US Permanent Representative to the UN, during the general debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-first session. 20 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine.

Photo: The Security Council adopted resolution 2310 (2016) urging all States that have either not signed or not ratified the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) to do so without further delay. The Council also called upon all States to refrain from conducting any nuclear-weapon test explosion or any other nuclear explosion and to maintain their moratoria in this regard. The resolution was adopted with a vote of 14 in favour, and one abstention (Egypt).

A view of the Security Council Chamber as the representative of Egypt signals his country’s abstention in the vote. 23 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Manuel Elias.

Photo: Documentation for use of delegations at the high-level peacebuilding fund pledging conference entitled “Invest in Sustaining Peace”, co-organized by the Permanent Missions of Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sweden and the United Kingdom. 21 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/JC McIlwaine.

Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (centre) addresses the commemoration event for the 30th anniversary of Declaration on Right to Development. 22 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Kim Haughton.

Photo: A view of the dignitaries’ gallery at the opening of the general debate of the seventy-first session of the General Assembly. Those pictured include (front row, from right): Yoo Soon-taek, wife of the UN Secretary-General; Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States; Jill Biden, Second Lady of the United States. 20 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Kim Haughton.

Photo: Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), speaks to journalists at a press conference where the first-ever IMPACT 10x10x10 University Parity Report was unveiled. 20 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Laura Jarriel.

Photo: Sushma Swaraj, Minister for External Affairs of India, addresses the General Debate of the General Assembly’s seventy-first session. 26 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Cia Pak.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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September 18, 2016

Peace Bell Ceremony in Observance of International Peace Day

Photos: Students carrying Members States’ flags during the annual Peace Bell Ceremony held at UN headquarters in observance of the International Day of Peace (21 September). 16 September 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photos/Laura Jarriel.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“You do not get peace by shouting: Peace. Peace is a meaningless word; what we need is a glorious peace.”

—Napoleon Bonaparte.

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September 17, 2016

Athens named UNESCO World Book Capital for 2018

Photo: Athens City, Greece. Image Credit & Coyright © Xiquinho Silva.

Photo: The Acropolis, Athens, Greece. Image Credit & Coyright © Xiquinho Silva.

Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, has named Athens World Book Capital for 2018 on the recommendation of the programme’s Advisory Committee.

The city of Athens was chosen for the quality of its activities, supported by the entire book industry. The proposed programme includes meetings with writers, translators and illustrators, concerts, thematic exhibitions, poetry readings and workshops for publishing professionals. The aim of the programme is to make books accessible to the city’s entire population, including migrants and refugees. Members of the Advisory Committee also praised Athens’ cultural infrastructure and its expertise in organizing international events.

Cities designated as UNESCO World Book Capital undertake to promote books and reading and to organize activities over the year which starts with the celebration of World Book and Copyright Day (23 April).

The Advisory Committee brings together representatives of UNESCO, the International Publishers Associations (IPA) and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). It recently met in Paris, at UNESCO’s Headquarters, to examine a record number of candidacies for the title of World Book Capital.

Athens is the 18th city to become World Book Capital. It was preceded by Madrid (2001), Alexandria (2002), New Delhi (2003), Antwerp (2004), Montreal (2005), Turin (2006), Bogota (2007), Amsterdam (2008), Beirut (2009), Ljubljana (2010), Buenos Aires (2011), Yerevan (2012), Bangkok (2013), Port Harcourt (2014), Incheon (2015), Wroclaw (2016) and Conakry (2017).

|GlobalGiants.Com|

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September 6, 2016

"Investment in Universities Pays" indicate the just announced QS World University Rankings 2016/2017

Photo: The University of Chicago Campus, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Image Credit & Copyright © Corey Seeman.

Photo: A building at the university campus. ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Image Credit & Copyright © Juhanson.

• The thirteenth edition of the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings, announced today, indicates that investment in higher education - either public or private - is a key differentiating factor between this year’s risers (South Korea, Russia, the US, and China) and fallers (Most of Western and Southern Europe, South Africa, and Latin America).

• MIT is the world’s top university for the fifth consecutive year.
• Stanford, 2nd and Harvard, 3rd, follow.
• US institutions hold all top-three places for the first time since 2004/5.
• Western European institutions consistently suffer drops, particularly the UK and Germany. The University of Cambridge drops to fourth.
• Russia and South Korea rise significantly (16 top-500 universities compared to 13 last year).
• China progresses; Tsinghua (24th) achieves its highest-ever position.
• National University of Singapore (12th) leads Asian universities.
• Australia and Canada increase their representation in the top 200, with nine universities apiece, one more than last year.
• Latin America struggles, but sees a top-100 institution for the first time since 2006. Universidad de Buenos Aires (85th) occupies the second-highest rank ever achieved by a Latin American university.
• Universidade de Sao Paulo also occupies its highest-ever position (120th).

TOP 20 UNIVERSITIES 2016/2017

1. MIT (US)
2. STANFORD (US)
3. HARVARD (US)
4. CAMBRIDGE (UK)
5. CALTECH (US)
6. OXFORD (UK)
7. UCL (UK)
8. ETH ZURICH (SWITZERLAND)
9. IMPERIAL COLLEGE (UK)
10. CHICAGO (US)
11. PRINCETON (US)
12. NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE (SINGAPORE)
13. NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (SINGAPORE)
14. EPFL (SWITZERLAND)
15. YALE (US)
16. CORNELL (US)
17. JOHNS HOPKINS (US)
18. UPENN (US)
19. EDINBURGH (UK)
20. COLUMBIA (US)

QS World University Rankings 2016/17 — INDIA

QS RANK — INSTITUTION

• 152 — Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore
• 185 — Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
• 219 — Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
• 249 — Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
• 302 — Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
• 313 — Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)
• 399 — Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
• 481-490 — Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG)
• 501-550 — University of Delhi
• 651-700 — University of Calcutta
• 701+ — Banaras Hindu University
• 701+ — Panjab University Chandigarh
• 701+ — University of Mumbai
• 701+ — University of Pune

74,651 academics and 37,781 employers contributed to the rankings through the QS global surveys, the largest of their kind. QS analyzed 10.3 million research papers and 66.3 million citations, indexed by Elsevier’s Scopus database.

• Ben Sowter, Head of Research, QS, said: “Institutions in countries providing high levels of targeted funding, whether from endowments or the public purse, rise. Conversely, Western European nations making or proposing cuts to public research spending lose ground to their US and Asian counterparts.”

The rankings include 916 universities from 81 countries. Thirty-three countries feature in the Top 200. The US dominates, with 48 institutions, ahead of the UK (30), Netherlands (12), Germany (11), Canada, Australia (9), Japan (8), China (7), France, Sweden and Hong Kong (5).

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How Do University Rankings Help Students? #QS World #University #Rankings. @TopUnis #highered, #internationalization https://t.co/Rj4ygRDIUy

— Global Giants (@GlobalGiants) September 4, 2016

Top 10 Universities in the World 2016/17 #QS World #University #Rankings @TopUnis #highered #internationalization https://t.co/IcukxSW9nV

— Global Giants (@GlobalGiants) September 6, 2016

Top 10 Universities in India 2016/17 #QS World #University #Rankings. @TopUnis #highered #internationalization https://t.co/qdQ6dclm0j

— Global Giants (@GlobalGiants) September 6, 2016

@GlobalGiants Don't miss the new #QSWUR 2016/17, out on September 6th: https://t.co/jjvI6fqI6s

— Top Universities (@TopUnis) September 4, 2016

Thanks @TopUnis. Check our post here: https://t.co/jmIiHmKAb8 QS World University Rankings 2016/2017 #QSWUR

— Global Giants (@GlobalGiants) September 6, 2016

@GlobalGiants Congratulations! #QSWUR

— Top Universities (@TopUnis) September 6, 2016

Edited & Posted by Editor | 5:36 AM | Link to this Post

August 23, 2016

2016 Olympic Games come to a Close as Rio Rocks to Carnival Charm

Olympic Nerd # 2 - Rio 2016. #Olympics General Knowledge Quiz #Rio2016. https://t.co/NEHoNRoLkQ

— Global Giants (@GlobalGiants) August 24, 2016

Rio 2016 — Aquecimento - Cerimônia de Encerramento (Closing Ceremony Warm Up) https://t.co/CVGCdU0aC7 via @YouTube

— Global Giants (@GlobalGiants) August 23, 2016

• All the World Records of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

• Korea’s Jin wins third consecutive Gold in Men’s 50m Pistol.

• Italy’s Rossetti wins Gold in Men’s Skeet Shooting.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. Men’s Marathon. Photographer: Alex Ferro. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. Olympic Boulevard, Orla Conde, Rio de Janeiro. Photographer: Alexandre Macieira. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. Canoe Slalom Whitewater Rapids competition. Photographer: Renato Sette Camara. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. Sailing competition. Photographer: Renato Sette Camara. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. A dancer entertains the crowd at Olympic Boulevard. Photographer: GAEL. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. Artistic Gymnastics. Photographer: Renato Sette Camara. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Photo: 2016 Olympics, Rio de Janeiro. Closing Ceremony. Photographer: JP Engelbrecht. Image Credit & Copyright © Visit.Rio.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, threw a spectacular party to celebrate the end of the 2016 Olympic Games. Closer in feel to a rock concert than a ceremony, the high-energy mix of music, dance and physical art neatly summed up the sense of joyful abandon that the city prides itself on.

Samba, frevo and choro - dances synonymous with Brazil’s rich musical heritage - all made a welcome bow with thousands of high-class athletes in attendance.

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Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:26 AM | Link to this Post

August 5, 2016

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Elects New Officers and Members

Photo: Ukraine shooter Denys Kushnirov prepares to take a shot to win the gold medal of the 10m Air Pistol Boys Final Competition of the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games. Photo: SPH-SYOGOC/Kent Chow. Image provided by & copyright © International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offers a toast at the dinner hosted by Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympics Committee (IOC), on the eve of the opening of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 04 August 2016. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Photo: On Target. Archery. Marcus D’almeida of Brazil competes during the Men’s Recurve Individual match of archery event at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China, on Aug. 26, 2014. Image Credit: Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi. Image provided by & copyright © International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Photo: IOC President Thomas Bach arrives in Rio De Janeiro to attend the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. President Bach went directly to the Olympic Village from the airport to meet athletes and view the facilities in the village. Photograph by Ian Jones. Image provided by & copyright © International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Photo: Rio 2016: Olympic Torch Relay: Olympic Museum 29.04.2016 Lausanne, Switzerland. Photograph by IOC/A. Meylan. Image provided by & copyright © International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Photo: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. August 4, 2016: IOC President, Thomas Bach alongside the newly elected IOC members, L to R, Karl Stoss, Tricia Smith, Anant Singh, Auvita Papilla, Luis Alberto Moreno, Ivo Ferriani, Sari Essayah, and Nita Ambani during the third day of the 129th IOC Session at the Windsor Oceanic Hotel in Rio De Janeiro ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Photograph by IOC/Ian Jones. Image provided by & copyright © International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. August 4, 2016 — Two new IOC Vice-Presidents were elected along with seven new Members on the Executive Board at the 129th IOC Session ahead of the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

Juan Antonio Samaranch (ESP) and Ugur Erdener (TUR) will replace outgoing Vice-Presidents Nawal El Moutawakel (MAR) and Sir Craig Reedie (GBR). Five new and returning Members will also be joining the Executive Board: Gian Franco Kasper (SUI), Angela Ruggiero (USA), Sergey Bubka (UKR), Ser Miang Ng (SIN), and Willi Kaltschmitt (GUA). Ching-Kuo Wu and Patrick Hickey are resuming their seats as representatives of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) respectively. The new Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, Angela Ruggiero, replaces outgoing Chair Claudia Bokel, following the elections earlier this week. The newly composed EB will begin its work after the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

Following a proposal from the Executive Board, eight new IOC Members were elected at the 129th IOC Session ahead of the Olympic Games Rio 2016:

1. Nita Ambani (IND);
2. Sari Essayah (FIN);
3. Ivo Ferriani (ITA);
4. Luis Moreno (COL);
5. Auvita Rapilla (PNG);
6. Anant Singh (RSA);
7. Tricia Smith (CAN); and
8. Karl Stoss (AUT).

The newly-elected Members represent a cross-section of expertise from the worlds of sport, culture, medicine, sociology, business, law and management. Gender equality is guaranteed with four women and four men on the list.

Nita Ambani, from India, is the chairperson and founder of Reliance Foundation and a non-executive director of Reliance Industries. She is married to Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. She is also owner of the Cricket Team — Mumbai Indians. She is the first indian woman to become member of IOC.

The addition of the new Members brings the total number of IOC Members to 98.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:56 PM | Link to this Post

August 4, 2016

India's National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Announces Revised Grading System

Photo: University of Mumbai, India. Image Credit: Steve.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of India has informed that it has reviewed and revised its grading system from a four grade system to a seven grade system. More number of letter grades within the same CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) range will lead to further differentiation in quality of accredited institutions. The details of the revised grading system, being implemented from 1st July, 2016 onwards, are as follows:

The NAAC has further informed that the present system of descriptors for letter grades, i.e., Very Good, Good, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory, has been discontinued in the revised grading system.

This information was given by the Union Human Resource Development Minister, Mr. Prakash Javadekar, in parliament.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an organisation that assesses and accredits institutions of higher education (universities and colleges) in India. It is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission of Government of India and is headquartered in Bangalore.

According to NAAC, “Assessment and Accreditation is broadly used for understanding the “Quality Status” of an institution. In the context of Higher Education, the accreditation status indicates that the particular Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) - a College, a University, or any other recognised Unit therein, meets the standards of quality as set by the Accreditation Agency, in terms of its performance, related to the educational processes and outcomes, covering the curriculum, teaching-learning, evaluation, faculty, research, infrastructure, learning resources, organisation, governance, financial well being and student services.”

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Edited & Posted by Editor | 7:40 AM | Link to this Post

July 30, 2016

International Tiger Day

Photo: Tiger cubs in Mysore, India. 01 April 1987. Mysore, India. UN Photo/John Isaac.

Observed annually on 29 July, International Tiger Day - also known as Global Tiger Day - seeks to promote the protection and expansion of wild tiger habitats and to gain support through awareness for tiger conservation. Some 97 per cent of all wild tigers have been lost in just over 100 years. As few as 3,000 tigers live in the wild today, and a number of tiger species have already become extinct.

With only a few thousand of the species remaining in the wild, mainly in Asia, the UN is reiterating its call for zero tolerance for wildlife crime as part of its 2016 Wild for Life campaign, which aims to mobilize millions of people around the world to take personal action to end the illegal trade in wildlife.

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Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:08 PM | Link to this Post

July 17, 2016

Chandigarh Capitol Complex declared UNESCO World Heritage Site

Photo: The Open Hand Monument, designed by Le Corbusier, is a symbolic structure located at Capitol Complex, Chandigarh, India. It is the emblem of the Chandigarh Administration and symbolizes “the hand to give and the hand to take; peace and prosperity, and the unity of mankind”. Image Credit & Copyright © Fernando Stankuns.

Photo: Pavillon Le Corbusier, Zurich, Switzerland. Image Credit & Copyright © Emiliano.

Photo: Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp, France. The Chapelle Notre Dame du Haut in Ronchamp was designed by Le Corbusier in the 1950s. It is one of the first and most famous post-modern architectural designs. Photographer, Image Credit & Copyright © Roiability.

Istanbul, Turkey, July 17, 2016 — Chandigarh Capitol Complex, India, has just been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list as a part of “The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, Switzerland)”.

The Chandigarh Capitol Complex comprises three buildings — Legislative Assembly, Secretariat and High Court.

India’s application for World Heritage Site status for Chandigarh Capitol Complex is actually part of an international effort as it involves 17 Le Corbusier buildings from Germany, France, Argentina, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland, and India - all collectively declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, Switzerland)—Chosen from the work of Le Corbusier, the 17 sites comprising this transnational serial property are spread over seven countries and are a testimonial to the invention of a new architectural language that made a break with the past. They were built over a period of a half-century, in the course of what Le Corbusier described as “patient research”. The Capitol Complex in Chandigarh (India), the National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo (Japan), the House of Dr Curutchet in La Plata (Argentina) and the Unite d’habitation in Marseille (France) reflect the solutions that the Modern Movement sought to apply during the 20th century to the challenges of inventing new architectural techniques to respond to the needs of society. These masterpieces of creative genius also attest to the internationalization of architectural practice across the planet.

Following is the list of the 17 Le Corbusier sites that have been declared UNESCO World Heritage:

Year Designed: Site

• 1923: Houses La Roche and Jeanneret / Paris, France
• 1923: Small villa on Lake Geneva / Corseaux, Switzerland
• 1924: City Frugès / Pessac, France
• 1926: House Guiette / Antwerp, Belgium
• 1927: Houses in the Weissenhof-Siedlung / Stuttgart Germany
• 1928: Villa Savoye and gardener’s lodge / Poissy, France
• 1930: Building Clarity / Geneva, Switzerland
• 1931: Apartment building at Porte Molitor / Boulogne-Billancourt, France
• 1945: Housing unit / Marseille, France
• 1946: Manufacture in Saint Die / Saint-Die-des-Vosges, France
• 1949: Doctor’s House Curutchet / La Plata, Argentina
• 1950: Notre Dame du Haut / Ronchamp, France
• 1951: Shed Corbusier / Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
• 1952: Capitol Complex / Chandigarh, India
• 1953: Couvent Sainte-Marie-de-la-Tourette / Éveux, France
• 1953: House of Culture of Firminy / Firminy, France
• 1955: National Museum of Fine Arts of the West / Tokyo, Japan

The 40th session of the World Heritage Committee, which opened in Istanbul, Turkey, on 10 July closes today. It is chaired by Ambassador, Director General of Cultural Affairs and Promotion Abroad of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lale Ulker.

• REACTIVE MONITORING

“Once a site is inscribed on the World Heritage List (and becomes a ‘World Heritage Property’), the State Party has to ensure that effective and active measures are taken for its protection, conservation and presentation. To do so, States Parties are encouraged to establish services for the protection, conservation and presentation of the heritage, to take appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures to protect the heritage, not take any deliberate measures that directly or indirectly damage their heritage or that of another State Party to the Convention, and finally to provide information to the World Heritage Committee on the implementation of the Convention and on the state of conservation of their properties. To ensure that all possible measures are taken to prevent the deletion of any property from the World Heritage List, the World Heritage Committee has adopted a specific process, which is called Reactive Monitoring”.

• CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF WORLD HERITAGE SITES

“To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself”.

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The elephant is the lion’s meat,
With drops of trickling ichor sweet;
Though lack thereof should come to pass,
The lion does not nibble grass.

— The Panchatantra.

Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:35 AM | Link to this Post

July 8, 2016

UN Secretary-General Visits Military Helicopter Peacekeeping Operations Centre in Beijing

Photos: United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits the China Military Helicopter Centre for Peacekeeping Operations in Beijing. 07 July 2016. Beijing, China. UN Photos/Eskinder Debebe.

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“The lion needs, for his appointing,
No ceremony, no anointing;
His deeds of heroism bring
Him fortune. Nature crowns him king.”

— The Panchatantra. Arthur W. Ryder’s Translation.

Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:47 AM | Link to this Post