1) National Press Day: 16th November
•India celebrates “National Press Day” on 16th November every year. The day is symbolic of a free and responsible press. On this day the Press Council of India started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that the press maintains high standards and is not constrained by any influence or threats. To celebrate the day, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu will confer excellence in journalism awards.
2) International Day for Tolerance: 16 November
•The United Nations observes “International Day for Tolerance” on 16th November every year. The United Nations is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and peoples.
•In 1995, to mark the United Nations Year for Tolerance and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi, UNESCO created a prize for the promotion of tolerance and non-violence. The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural or communication fields aimed at the promotion of a spirit of tolerance and non-violence. The prize is awarded every two years on the International Day for Tolerance, 16 November.
3) India to contribute $13.5 mn for UN development activities for 2020
•India will contribute USD 13.5 million for various operational activities of development across the UN agencies for the year 2020. The contribution was announced at the UN General Assembly Pledging Conference for Development Activities. The contribution is in line with the country’s long-standing tradition of supporting development activities across the UN system.
•About 16 countries pledged a total of USD 516 million at the 2019 United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities.
4) National Tribal Festival Aadi Mahotsav to begin in New Delhi
•Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the National Tribal Festival “Aadi Mahotsav” in New Delhi. The theme of the 15-day Mahotsav is celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Craft, Cuisine and Commerce. It will be held at Dilli Haat in INA, New Delhi.
•The tribal textiles manufactured by master tribal craftsmen from Jammu & Kashmir in the North to Tamil Nadu in the South and from Gujarat in the West to Nagaland/Sikkim in the East will be the main attractions.
5) National Mission ‘NISHTHA’ launched in J&K
•National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) has been launched in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. NISHTHA is aimed at improving learning outcomes at Elementary level through integrated Teacher Trainings. NISHTHA is a pioneer scheme being launched across the country, with a total of 86000 Elementary teachers of Government Schools being trained in J&K under the programme.
6) Conference on “Replication of Good Governance Practices in Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh” begins
•Regional Conference on the theme “Replication of Good Governance Practices in Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh” begins in Jammu. The Conference is being organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
•The Conference aims to bring national and state-level organizations on a common platform and to share experiences in Digital Governance, Citizen-Centric Governance, and Capacity Building and Personnel Administration etc. Delegates from 19 states and 4 Union Territories are participating in the Conference.
7) Tobacco Board of India wins Golden Leaf Award
•The Tobacco Board of India, Guntur, has been awarded the Golden Leaf Award at Tab Expo 2019 event in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Executive Director of Tobacco Board, K. Sunitha, was presented the award. The award was presented to the board for its efforts to initiate various sustainability (green) initiatives in Flue-Cured Virginia (FCV) tobacco cultivation in India. The award was given in the most impressive public service initiative category for the year 2019.
•This is the 2nd time the board has bagged the award. In the year 2014, the board bagged the award for its implementation of an electronic auction system, which has made the marketing of flue-cured tobacco in India more transparent and accountable.
8) Movie “Bhonsle” Wins awards at Asian Film Festival Barcelona
•The Critically acclaimed movie “Bhonsle” has won prestigious awards at the Asian Film Festival Barcelona. The film has bagged two awards in the ‘Best Screenplay’ and ‘Best Director’ categories at the festival. The film is directed by Devashish Makhija.
•Bhonsle revolves around a police constable played by Manoj Bajpayee, who tries to help in the struggles of migrants and their battles with the local politicians.
