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The World Health Assembly (WHA) is an annual gathering of Ministers of Health, health leaders and delegations from all 194 United Nations Member States. In addition to official WHA plenary and committee meetings, there are also many events held on the sidelines of WHA.

World Health Assembly

World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis. The theme this year is "Hepatitis can't wait," highlighting the urgent need to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Check out virt's curated list of events organized around the awareness day and other hepatitis-related events. 

World Hepatitis Day

Arts & Culture

Race & Ethnicity

<p>Mahatma Award recognizes and celebrates impact leaders and change makers across the globe, who are making social impact and leading the way to a sustainable future. Since its inception, Mahatma Award has honored the most accomplished social and community initiatives within the private and public sector, from sustainability to philanthropy to shared value to corporate social responsibility.</p>
<p>Mahatma Award honors individuals and organizations that leverage their resources, expertise, and talent to make a positive impact for larger good. The Mahatma Award exist to put a spotlight on the most remarkable change makers of our time. The Winners recognized are addressing the incredibly complex and equally severe problems, we face today in our society. Their efforts span global poverty and hunger, disease, education, climate change, disaster response and preparedness and health care accessibility and much more.</p>
<p>The Mahatma Award is founded by social entrepreneur and philanthropist Amit Sachdeva, who is also known as the CSR man of India for his advocacy for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Bill in India. The award is hosted by Liveweek Group.</p>

Liveweek

English

Mahatma Award

<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Industrialization has led to environmental degradation in terms of industrial pollution. With industries operating, a 100 per cent pollution-free environment is a myth. It is neither possible nor necessary. While industrial development invariably creates more jobs in any region, possibilities of adverse effects on the environment also increase, if adverse effects are not reduced. There is an urgent need to review and rework the strategies of setting up industry-specific clusters based on comparative advantage. &nbsp;Although, industrialization is the key to wealth and better living, it affects environment and ultimately contributes to&nbsp;climate change. Greenhouse gases are the most significant driver of observable&nbsp;climate change, with only 20 percent recycles of world average&nbsp;in India, accounting for 9.2% of total world emissions. This trend being unsustainable would deplete and degrade fragile ecosystem with emerging need of reorienting consumption through resource circularity by reusing and recycling waste and end of life products to create products, co products and by-products of economic value.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">India&rsquo;s fast-growing economy is unsustainably consuming its resources, with expected increase in its material consumption to six times, from 1.18 billion tonnes in 1970 to 15 billion tonnes in 2020 and projected to be more than double of this by 2030, leading to inherent cost on the natural environment, giving rise to urgent need for series of policy measure on resource management to bring in efficiency in the use of materials drawn from the natural environment for various industries, by focusing on a reuse and recycle philosophy, take forward an environment and development balance is the need of the hour. &nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">With this background and considering the importance of the subject, The Associated Chambers of Commerce &amp; Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) with&nbsp;prime objective to support the streamline India&rsquo;s reuse and recycle model proposes to organize Virtual Industrial Scrap Value creation summit cum exhibition on 29<span style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em;">th</span>&nbsp;and 30<span style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em;">th</span>, September 2021, to bring together the leading experts from the industry and policy makers to address bout the existing challenges, business opportunities, latest technologies, policy frameworks. In this context, we would like to take this opportunity to invite your esteemed organization to support flagship event.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For more information (Partnership/Speaking Opportunities), please get in touch with Gaurav Chaudhary on&nbsp;<a style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none; outline: none;" href="mailto:gaurav.chaudhaary@assocham.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #598fde;">gaurav.chaudhaary@assocham.com</span></a> /9650776438.</span></div>

Registration Required

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM)

Economic Growth

Hindi

Virtual INDUSTRIAL SCRAP VALUE CREATION Summit | Exhibition

<p>A devastating second COVID-19 wave has thrown many families into poverty, permanent job loss, and food insecurity - especially for many women. This has also led to an increase in sexual and gender-based violence. The objective of the project, &lsquo;Addressing COVID-19 Emergency &ndash; Protecting Women and Girls from Gender-based Violence and Providing Agency for Empowerment&rsquo; is to help minimize the economic vulnerability of women members of SEWA Bharat, especially those women who have been at risk of and/or are survivors of violence, during these times. This is being done by focusing on the three Indian states, which include Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Delhi.</p>

Sewa Bharat

Cash Transfers to Address the Impact of COVID-19: Empowerment through Livelihoods and Preventing Gender-based Violence

<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cyber security has been a major focus across multiple knowledge bodies in the world. There have been concerted efforts by knowledge bodies to enhance the existing cyber security standards and bring consistency in security practices. Considering the shortage of specialist cyber security skills in managing, implementing, assessing and governing security technologies and controls, the standardization of security practices and abundant guidance from knowledge bodies significantly reduces the risks of oversight while implementing security controls and processes.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #201f1e;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">India's cyber security landscape is going through an interesting phase as businesses are keenly looking at innovative tools to protect themselves from cyber-attacks and threats. While India's cyber security needs are not different from that of the rest of the world, there are a host of areas which require unique approach.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Keeping in mind, India's business landscape and needs for cyber security tools and solutions,</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span lang="IT" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">ASSOCHAM</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">is organising a Virtual Conference on Cyber Security &amp; Cyber Resilience:</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Stepping Towards a More Secure Digital Future</span></em></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">on October 07, 2021; 11 AM Onwards,</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">with an aim to safe guard the cyber-attack with the help of modern Technology to enhance economy and to build the cyber- resilient environment. This conclave aims to address key issues in the cyber space by bringing together relevant stakeholders across sectors and forge a way forward to avert cyber risks for both Government and Corporate.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #201f1e;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">During this afore cited virtual conference ASSOCHAM will release a concept paper on&nbsp;</span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&ldquo;</span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cyber Security</span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&rdquo;&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">with an objective to spread cyber related awareness and to reduce the cybercrime cases.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span lang="IT" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">ASSOCHAM</span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&rsquo;</span><span lang="IT" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">s Virtual Conference on</span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cyber Security &amp; Cyber Resilience</span><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">will be attended by the representatives from the Central Government &amp; State Governments, various Ministries, Law Enforcement Agencies, Police, Business, Information Technology, Corporate Sector, Academicians, Scholars, Service Providers, International Organizations and distinguished thought leaders.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span dir="RTL" lang="AR-SA" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.12px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222222;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222222;">For sponsorship opportunities &amp; any other information</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222222;">, you may please contact:</span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222222;">Utsav Jain</span></span></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span class="Hyperlink0" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none; outline: none;" href="mailto:utsav.jain@assocham.com"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black;">utsav.jain@assocham.com</span></span></a></span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222222;">&nbsp;</span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: #222222;">&nbsp;</span></span></div>

Virtual Conference on Cyber Security & Cyber Resilience : Stepping Towards a More Secure Digital Future

<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In last one and half years, this ongoing pandemic has motivated all industry sectors, all over the world to adapt automation and smart-technologies for improving their operations and increasing their productivity. Hence, it was apt for ASSOCHAM to take lead in promoting the use of smart technologies in Healthcare, Agriculture, BFSI, Transportation, BFSI Solutions, Education &amp; MSMEs, that&rsquo;s how&nbsp;</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">SMARTecIndia Initiative&nbsp;</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">was first organized in 2020, and became a successful global platform witnessing impressive participation of leaders from government and industry, stakeholders from domestic and international markets and enthusiasts of smart technologies.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The SMARTecIndia Initiative is a unique Digital platform that has reached out to maximum target audience all over the world to showcase, reward, recognize and celebrate the world of smart technologies and how they are making our lives and businesses smarter and simpler.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />ASSOCHAM SMARTecIndia Initiative also hosts&nbsp;<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">Annual Innovators&rsquo; Excellence Awards</span>&nbsp;on our flagship platform&nbsp;<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">EnnovateIndia</span>&nbsp;to celebrate the unique zeal of innovations of the entrepreneurs and leaders from all industry sectors. The winners of the 1<span style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative; font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em;">st</span>&nbsp;Edition of ASSOCHAM Innovators Excellence Awards included names like Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd, Tech Mahindra Foundation, CESC Ltd and many others.</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">&nbsp;</span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'open sans', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: justify;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">For more information, please visit us at&nbsp;</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; color: #333333; text-decoration-line: none; outline: none;" href="http://www.smartecindia.in/"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;">www.smartecindia.in</span></a></span></div>

Entrepreneuership

ASSOCHAM SMARTecIndia Initiative

<p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b72fc326-7fff-2402-a6f1-6ed9613671b8"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; color: #4f4c59; background-color: #ffffff; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Join a roundtable with leaders from FCDO and USAID on October 6th, 2021, to discuss how both agencies, their delivery partners, and partner governments are fostering systemic change for gender equality in education, with a focus on adolescent girls. The discussion brings together FCDO and USAID leaders in gender equality and education, adolescent girls, national government representatives, and delivery partners. It will demonstrate how sustainable partnerships can maximize global efforts to build back better in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, support systemic change so that more girls can stay in school, be safe and learn, and open up a deeper dialogue about inclusive education. </span></span></p>

CORE Group

Fostering Systemic Change for Adolescent Girls’ Education: A Roundtable with FCDO and USAID

<p><span style="color: #44464b; font-family: 'Libre Franklin', sans-serif; font-size: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;">This seminar will show how residential caste-segregation is independent of city size, using the first ever large-scale evidence of neighborhood-resolution data from 1,235 of the largest cities in contemporary India. Bharathi will discuss one of the central conundrums in Indian urbanism &mdash; the persistence of caste segregation across the country, and across cities of varying sizes. This finding punctures a hole in one of the central normative promises of India&rsquo;s urbanization: the gradual withering of traditional caste-based segregation. This seminar will provide further fine-grained evidence on the ghettoization of the most spatially marginalized groups in urban India: Muslims and Dalits.</span></p>

University of Pennsylvania, Center for the Advanced Study of India

Diversity, Equity &amp; Inclusion

Indigenous Rights

Residential Segregation in an Urbanizing India

<p>A growing number of studies suggest many COVID-19 survivors experience some type of heart damage, even if they didn't have underlying heart disease and weren't sick enough to be hospitalized. This latest twist has healthcare experts worried about a potential increase in heart failure. The cardiac and vascular impacts of Coronavirus, including STEMI, stroke, VTE, shock, heart failure, myocarditis and arrhythmias are only increasing the rate of Cardiac mortality in India. Statistics suggest that nearly one-fourth of those hospitalized with COVID-19 have been diagnosed with cardiovascular complications, which have been shown to contribute to roughly 40% of all COVID-19-related deaths. Experts feel that the time has arrived where screenings to detect cardiovascular damage should become a routine part of follow-up care for COVID-19 patients. A country like India needs more than just awareness. Right from the diagnostics tests to the availability of drugs and treatment at an affordable price, India has a lot to deal with. The National List of Essential Medicines and National List of Essential Diagnostics have helped to a certain extent, but this is time that the next level discussions take place. It's time that the country invests in research directed towards implementing simple but effective CVD prevention strategies and health system strengthening to combat CVD. It's time that India talks about Cardiac Rehabilitation. This Conclave focuses on increasing the awareness towards the right kind of heart care, while highlighting some of&nbsp;the pertinent issues that have been brushed under the carpet</p>

Financial Express

Short Supply Of Cardiologists: A Reality Check In India

Achieving global nuclear disarmament is one of the oldest goals of the United Nations. It was the subject of the General Assembly’s first resolution in 1946, which established the Atomic Energy Commission (dissolved in 1952), with a mandate to make specific proposals for the control of nuclear energy and the elimination of atomic weapons and all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction. The United Nations has been at the forefront of many major diplomatic efforts to advance nuclear disarmament since. In 1959, the General Assembly endorsed the objective of general and complete disarmament. In 1978, the First Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament further recognized that nuclear disarmament should be the priority objective in the field of disarmament. Every United Nations Secretary-General has actively promoted this goal.

Yet, today around 13,400 nuclear weapons remain. Countries possessing such weapons have well-funded, long-term plans to modernize their nuclear arsenals. More than half of the world’s population still lives in countries that either has such weapons or are members of nuclear alliances. While the number of deployed nuclear weapons has appreciably declined since the height of the Cold War, not one nuclear weapon has been physically destroyed pursuant to a treaty. In addition, no nuclear disarmament negotiations are currently underway.

Meanwhile, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence persists as an element in the security policies of all possessor states and many of their allies. The international arms-control framework that contributed to international security since the Cold War, acted as a brake on the use of nuclear weapons and advanced nuclear disarmament, has come under increasing strain. On 2 August 2019, the United States’ withdrawal spelled the end of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, through with the United States and the Russian Federation had previously committed to eliminating an entire class of nuclear missiles. The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (“new START”) will expire in February 2021. Should this treaty not be extended, as provided for in its articles, or expire without a successor, it will be the first time the world’s two largest strategic nuclear arsenals have been unconstrained since the 1970s.

Frustration has been growing amongst Member States regarding what is perceived as the slow pace of nuclear disarmament. This frustration has been put into sharper focus with growing concerns about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of even a single nuclear weapon, let alone a regional or global nuclear war.

The General Assembly commemorates 26 September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. This Day provides an occasion for the world community to reaffirm its commitment to global nuclear disarmament as a priority. It provides an opportunity to educate the public - and their leaders - about the real benefits of eliminating such weapons, and the social and economic costs of perpetuating them. Commemorating this Day at the United Nations is especially important, given its universal membership and its long experience in grappling with nuclear disarmament issues. It is the right place to address one of humanity’s greatest challenges; achieving the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.

In accordance with General Assembly resolution 68/32 and subsequent resolutions, the purpose of the International Day is to further the objective of the total elimination of nuclear weapons through enhancing public awareness and education about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total elimination. In so doing, it is hoped that these activities will help to mobilize new international efforts towards achieving the common goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

<strong>Background</strong>

The General Assembly declared the International Day in December 2013, in its resolution <a href="https://undocs.org/A/RES/68/32">68/32</a> as a follow-up to the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/ga/68/meetings/nucleardisarmament/">high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament</a> held on 26 September 2013, in New York.

This was the latest in a series of efforts by the General Assembly to raise public awareness and to seek deeper engagement on nuclear disarmament matters. In 2009, the General Assembly had declared 29 August as the International Day against Nuclear Tests (resolution <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/64/35">64/35</a>).

In resolution <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/68/32">68/32</a>, the General Assembly called for the “urgent commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament of a comprehensive convention on nuclear weapons to prohibit their possession, development, production, acquisition, testing, stockpiling, transfer and use or threat of use, and to provide for their destruction.”

In 2014, in its resolution 69/58, the General Assembly further expressed its desire to commemorate the Day and requested the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly to make all arrangements necessary to commemorate and promote it, including by convening an annual meeting of the Assembly to commemorate the International Day and to provide a platform for the promotion of these activities. The General Assembly repeated these requests and call in subsequent years in its resolutions <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/70/34">70/34</a>, <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/71/71">71/71</a>, <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/72/251">72/251</a>, <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/73/40">73/40</a>, and <a href="http://undocs.org/a/res/74/54">74/54</a>.

The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons has been observed annually since 2014. Pursuant to the resolutions of the General Assembly, the Member States, the United Nations system, and civil society, including non-governmental organizations, academia, parliamentarians, the mass media, and individuals are encouraged to commemorate and promote the International Day through enhancing public awareness and education about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total elimination.

To observe the International Day, the United Nations is supporting events both in New York and Geneva. United Nations Information Centres around the world are encouraged to raise awareness to the observance of International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

United Nations

Crisis &amp; Conflict

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons 2021

<h3>Rebuilding tourism in a safe, equitable, climate-friendly way</h3>
Tourism has been among the hardest hit of all sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic. No country has been unaffected. Restrictions on travel and a sudden drop in consumer demand have led to an unprecedented fall in international tourism numbers, which in turn have led to economic loss and the loss of jobs.

Women, youth, and workers in the informal economy are the most at risk from tourism sector job losses and business closures due to the pandemic. At the same time, the destinations most reliant on tourism for jobs and economic growth are likely to be the hardest hit.

The tourism crisis is also a threat to wildlife conservation initiatives and to the protection of the world's cultural heritage. The sudden fall in tourism revenues has cut off funding for biodiversity conservation. With livelihoods at risk in and around protected areas, cases of poaching and looting are expected to rise. With 90% of World Heritage Sites closed as a result of the pandemic, humanity's cultural heritage is at risk in all parts of the world.

On this World Tourism Day, the COVID-19 pandemic represents an opportunity to rethink the future of the tourism sector, including how it contributes to sustainable development goals, through its social, cultural, political, and economic value. Tourism can eventually help us move beyond the pandemic, by bringing people together and promoting solidarity and trust – crucial ingredients in advancing the global cooperation so urgently needed at this time.

<strong>The impact of COVID-19 on tourism</strong>

Data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk. The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts a loss of 1.5 to 2.8 percent of global GDP. Check the last <a href="https://www.un.org/en/coronavirus/it-imperative-we-rebuild-tourism-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Secretary General's policy brief</a> about the impact of the pandemic on tourism and the roadmap towards a more sustainable and inclusive tourism sector.

<strong>Global community unites to celebrate “tourism and rural development”</strong>

The 2020 edition of World Tourism Day, with the theme of “<a href="https://www.unwto.org/world-tourism-day-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tourism and Rural Development</a>”, will celebrate the unique role that tourism plays in providing opportunities outside of big cities and preserving cultural and natural heritage all around the world.

This year’s international day of observation comes at a critical moment, as countries around the world look to tourism to drive recovery, including in rural communities where the sector is a leading employer and economic pillar providing jobs and opportunity, most notably for women and youth.

Development through tourism can also keep rural communities alive. It is estimated that by 2050, 68% of the world population will live in urban areas, while 80% of those currently living in ‘extreme poverty’ live outside of towns and cities.

The situation is particularly hard for youth: young people in rural communities are three times more likely to be unemployed than older adults. Tourism is a lifeline, offering young people a chance to earn a living without having to migrate either within their home countries or abroad.

World Tourism Day 2020 will once again be celebrated by UNWTO’s Member States in all global regions as well as by cities and other destinations and by private sector organizations and individual tourists. It comes as communities in rural areas also struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These communities are usually much less prepared to deal with the short and longer-term impacts of the crisis. This is due to a number of factors, including their aging populations, lower income levels, and the continuing ‘digital divide’. Tourism offers a solution to all of these challenges.

For the first time in the 40-year history of World Tourism Day, the official celebration will not be hosted by a single Member State of the United Nations specialized agency. Instead, nations from the Mercosur bloc (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, with Chile joining with observer status) will serve as joint hosts. This co-hosting agreement exemplifies the spirit of international solidarity that runs through tourism and which UNWTO has recognized as essential for recovery.

Sustainable Cities &amp; Communities

Wildlife protection

Music

Visual Arts

World Tourism Day 2021

September 28 is World Rabies Day, a global health observance started in 2007 to raise awareness about rabies and bring together partners to enhance prevention and control efforts worldwide. World Rabies Day is observed in many countries, including the United States.

While <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html">rabies</a> is a 100% preventable disease, more than 59,000 people die from the disease around the world each year. World Rabies Day is an opportunity to reflect on our efforts to control this deadly disease and remind ourselves that the fight is not yet over. Major health organizations including the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a>, the <a class="tp-link-policy" href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/programs/nrmp/ct_rabies" data-domain-ext="gov">United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)<span class="sr-only">external icon</span></a>, the <a class="tp-link-policy" href="http://www.who.int/rabies/en/" data-domain-ext="int">World Health Organization (WHO)<span class="sr-only">external icon</span></a>, the <a class="tp-link-policy" href="http://www.oie.int/animal-health-in-the-world/rabies-portal/" data-domain-ext="int">World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)<span class="sr-only">external icon</span></a>, and the <a class="tp-link-policy" href="http://www.fao.org/home/en/" data-domain-ext="org">Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)<span class="sr-only">external icon</span></a> have pledged to eliminate human deaths from dog-transmitted rabies by 2030.

The theme for World Rabies Day 2020 is “End Rabies: Collaborate, Vaccinate”– you can help by <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/prevention/animals.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keeping pets up to date on their rabies vaccination</a>, and collaborating with doctors, veterinarians, educators, community workers, policymakers, and others in your community to raise awareness around rabies prevention and control.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Treatments

Primary Health Care

Global Health Research &amp; Development

Infectious Diseases

World Rabies Day 2021

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On 17 November 2015, the <a href="https://en.unesco.org/">United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization</a> (UNESCO) <a href="https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000235297">declared</a> 28 September as International Day for Universal Access to Information. Considering that several civil society organizations and government bodies in the world have adopted and currently celebrate this observance, the UN General Assembly also <a href="https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/74/5">adopted</a> 28 September 2019 as the International Day for Universal Access to Information.

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Digital Divide

Disinformation

Data for public good

International Day for Universal Access to Information 2021

In May 2012, world leaders committed to<strong> reducing global mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025</strong>. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is accountable for nearly half of all NCD deaths making it the world’s number one killer. World Heart Day is, therefore, the perfect platform for the CVD community to unite in the fight against CVD and reduce the global disease burden.

Created by the World Heart Federation, <strong>World Heart Day informs people around the globe that CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death claiming 17.9 million lives each year</strong>, and highlights the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control CVD. It aims to <strong>drive action to educate people</strong> that by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided.

World Heart Day is a global campaign during which individuals, families, communities, and governments around the world participate in <strong>activities to take charge of their heart health and that of others</strong>. Through this campaign, the World Heart Federation <strong>unites people from all countries and backgrounds</strong> in the fight against the CVD burden and inspires and drives international action to encourage heart-healthy living across the world. We and our members believe in a world where heart health for everyone is a fundamental human right and a crucial element of global health justice.

World Heart Federation

Health Systems &amp; Universal Health Coverage

World Heart Day 2021

This year we celebrate the first-ever observance of the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. It also comes during the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought about a global wake-up on the need to transform and rebalance the way our food is produced and consumed.

Reducing food losses and waste is essential in a world where the number of people affected by hunger has been slowly on the rise since 2014, and tons and tons of edible food are lost and/or wasted every day. Food loss and waste also put unnecessary pressure on the natural resource base and on the environment, depleting the natural resource base and generating greenhouse gases.

Read more and discover what you can do. Take action, start something. Stop food loss and waste. For the people. For the planet.

<strong>Why is it important to reduce food loss and waste?</strong>

Globally, around 14 percent of food produced is lost between harvest and retail. Significant quantities are also wasted in retail and at the consumption level.

When food is lost or wasted, all the resources that were used to produce this food -, including water, land, energy, labour, and capital – go to waste. In addition, the disposal of food loss and waste in landfills, leads to greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.

Actions are required globally and locally to maximize the use of the food we produce. The introduction of technologies, innovative solutions (including e-commerce platforms for marketing, retractable mobile food processing systems), new ways of working, and good practices to manage food quality and reduce food loss and waste are key to implementing this transformative change.

Reducing food loss and waste requires the attention and actions of all, from food producers to food supply chain stakeholders, to food industries, retailers, and consumers.

<strong>Key messages</strong>
<ol>
 	<li>There is no room for food loss and waste in this time of crisis! The COVID-19 pandemic is a wake-up call to rethink the way in which we produce, handle and waste our food!</li>
 	<li>Reducing food losses and waste provides a powerful means to strengthen our food systems.</li>
 	<li>Innovation, technologies, and infrastructure are critical to increasing the efficiency of food systems and to reducing food losses and waste.</li>
 	<li>Public interventions should seek to facilitate investments in food losses and waste reduction by private actors, especially at this critical time.</li>
 	<li>Innovative business models, with the participation of the private sector, need to be shaped and new approaches are needed to finance them, to stop food loss and food waste.</li>
 	<li>We should all be food savers: for the people, for the planet!</li>
</ol>
<strong>Did you know?</strong>
<ul>
 	<li>To monitor SDG Target 12.3, FAO has created the Food Loss Index (FLI). The focus of the indicator is on percentages of food removed from the supply chain. The FLI monitors changes in these percentages over time, relative to a base period currently set at 2015, in order to track progress against SDG Target 12.3.</li>
 	<li>FAO’s current work on measurement is critical to tracking progress on reducing food losses against the Global Food Loss Indicator, of 14 percent.</li>
 	<li>When reductions in food loss occur close to the farm, they are most effective in addressing food insecurity and in alleviating stress on land and water.</li>
 	<li>When reductions in food waste occur downstream in the supply chain and at the consumer level they are key to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.</li>
 	<li>The largest improvements in food security are likely to occur by reducing food losses in the early stages of the supply chain, especially on-farm and at harvest in countries with high levels of food insecurity.</li>
 	<li>Nutrient loss due to quantitative and qualitative food loss and waste may represent a missed opportunity to reduce malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.</li>
</ul>

Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste 2021

<strong>The role of language professionals</strong>

International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding, and cooperation, contributing to the development, and strengthening world peace and security.

Transposition of a literary or scientific work, including technical work, from one language into another language, professional translation, including translation proper, interpretation, and terminology, is indispensable to preserving clarity, a positive climate, and productiveness in international public discourse and interpersonal communication.

Thus, on 24 May 2017, the General Assembly adopted <a href="https://undocs.org/en/A/RES/71/288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resolution 71/288</a> on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding, and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.

<strong>Why 30 September?</strong>

30 September celebrates the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator, who is considered the patron saint of translators.

St. Jerome was a priest from North-eastern Italy, who is known mostly for his endeavor of translating most of the Bible into Latin from the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. He also translated parts of the Hebrew Gospel into Greek. He was of Illyrian ancestry and his native tongue was the Illyrian dialect. He learned Latin in school and was fluent in Greek and Hebrew, which he picked up from his studies and travels. Jerome died near Bethlehem on 30 September 420.

Every year since 2005, the United Nations invites all its staff, accredited permanent missions staff, and students from select partner universities to compete in the <a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/st-jerome-translation-contest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN St. Jerome Translation Contest</a>, a contest which rewards the best translations in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, as well as German, and aims to celebrate multilingualism and highlight the important role of translators and other language professionals in multilateral diplomacy.

<strong>Multilingualism, a core value of the United Nations</strong>

Languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education, and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet.

There is growing awareness that languages play a vital role in development, in ensuring cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, but also in attaining quality education for all and strengthening cooperation, in building inclusive knowledge societies and preserving cultural heritage, and in mobilizing political will for applying the benefits of science and technology to sustainable development.

An essential factor in harmonious communication among peoples, multilingualism is also regarded by the United Nations General Assembly as a core value of the Organization. By promoting tolerance, multilingualism ensures effective and increased participation of all in the Organization’s work, as well as greater effectiveness, better performance, and improved transparency.

<strong>Translation at the UN</strong>

The United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of language professionals. Several hundred language staff work in UN offices in New York, Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi, or at the United Nations regional commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva, and Santiago. Translators are one type of language professionals employed at the UN.

<strong>UN language specialists include:</strong>

<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/editorial-desktop-publishing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Editorial and desktop publishing assistants;</a>
<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/editing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Editors;</a>
<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/interpretation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Interpreters;</a>
<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/precis-writing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Précis-writers;</a>
<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/production-editing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Production editors and desktop publishers;</a>
<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/zh/content/translation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Translators;</a>
<a href="https://www.un.org/dgacm/content/verbatim-reporting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Verbatim reporters</a>

United Nations translators handle all kinds of documents, from statements by the Member States to reports prepared by expert bodies. The documents they translate cover every topic on the United Nations agenda, including human rights, peace and security, and development. New issues arise every day. UN documents are issued simultaneously in the six official languages of the Organization (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish). Some core documents are also translated into German. This multilingual documentation is made possible by United Nations translators, whose job is to render clearly and accurately the content of original texts into their main language.

Interested in working as a language specialist at the United Nations? Please check <a href="https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=LE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN Careers on Competitive examinations for language professionals</a>.

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