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LIST OF IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL

ORGANIZATIONS
1. SAARC
Full Form: - South Asian Association for Regional Corporation
Member Countries: - (8) Maldives, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Pakistan, Afghanistan [Newest Member, 2007], India, Nepal (TRICK
– MBBS PAIN)
Observer Countries: - (9) Australia, China, EU, Iran, Japan,
Mauritius, Myanmar, South Korea, US

Founded: - Dhaka on 8 December 1985

Head Quarter: Kathmandu, Nepal

Present Secretary General: - Esala Ruwan Weerakoon, Sri Lanka
(Mar 2020 –)
1st Secretary General: - Abul Ahsan, Bangladesh (1985-1989)
Secretary General from India: - 1. Kant Kishore Bhargava (1989-
1991) 2. Sheel Kant Sharma (2008-2011)

Summits: - 1st Summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh at 1985

2nd Summit in Bangalore, India at 1986
8th Summit in New Delhi, India at 1995
14th Summit in New Delhi, India at 2007
19th Summit in Islamabad, Pakistan at 2016 (cancelled)

Significance For India

 Neighbourhood first
 Geostrategic significance
 Regional stability
 Global leadership role
 Game changer for India’s Act East Policy
Objectives
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 Agriculture and Rural Development

 Women, Youth, and Children
 Health and Population Activities
 Science and Technology and Meteorology
 Environment and Forestry
 Human Resource Development, and
 Transport

2. ASEAN
Full Form: - Association of South East Asian Nations
Member Countries: - (10) Brunei, Cambodia [Newest Member,
1999] Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam (TRICK-TV CLIP of MBBS)
Observer Countries: - (2) Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste
Founding Members: - Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,
Singapore and Thailand

Establishment: - 31 July 1967

ASEAN Day: - 8th August

Objective: - Promotes intergovernmental cooperation, and

facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational and
socio-cultural integration

Motto: - One Vision, One Identity, One Community

Head Quarter: Indonesia, Jakarta

Present Secretary General: - Lim Jock Hoi, Brunei (1 January,
2018 - )
1st Secretary General: - Hartono Dharsono, Indonesia

India and ASEAN

 India's relationship with ASEAN is a key pillar of her foreign
policy and the foundation of Act East Policy.
 India has a separate Mission to ASEAN and the EAS in Jakarta.
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 India and ASEAN already has 25 years of Dialogue Partnership,

15 years of Summit Level interaction and 5 years of Strategic
Partnership with ASEAN.
 Economic Cooperation:
o ASEAN is India's fourth largest trading partner.
o India's trade with ASEAN stands at approx. 10.6% of India's
overall trade.
o India's export to ASEAN stands at 11.28% of our total
exports. The ASEAN-India Free Trade Area has been
completed.
o ASEAN India-Business Council (AIBC) was set up in 2003
to bring key private sector players from India and the ASEAN
countries on a single platform.
 Socio-Cultural Cooperation: Programmes to boost People-to-
People Interaction with ASEAN, such as inviting ASEAN
students to India, Special Training Course for ASEAN diplomats,
Exchange of Parliamentarians, etc.
 Funds: Financial assistance has been provided to ASEAN
countries from the following Funds:
 ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund
 ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund
 ASEAN-India Green Fund
 Delhi Declaration: To identify Cooperation in the Maritime
Domain as the key area of cooperation under the ASEAN-India
strategic partnership.
 Delhi Dialogue: Annual Track 1.5 event for discussing politico-
security and economic issues between ASEAN and India.
 ASEAN-India Centre (AIC): To undertake policy research,
advocacy and networking activities with organizations and think-
tanks in India and ASEAN.
 Political Security Cooperation: India places ASEAN at the
centre of its Indo-Pacific vision of Security and Growth for All in
the Region.
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3. UNESCO
Full Form:- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization
Members - 193
Associate Members:- 11(as on April2020)
Founded: - 16 November 1945

Head Quarter:- World Heritage Centre Paris, France

Present Director General: - Audrey Azoulay (2017 – present)
Parent Organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council
1st Conference: - Paris, 1946
Conferences chaired by India: - 7th Conferences in 1952 at Paris
9th Conference in 1956 at New Delhi

Objectives
 Attaining quality education for all and lifelong learning

 Mobilizing science knowledge and policy for sustainable

development
 Addressing emerging social and ethical challenges
 Fostering cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of
peace
 Building inclusive knowledge societies through information and
communication
 Focuses on global priority areas - “Africa” and “Gender
Equality”.
History
 In 1942, during the Second World War, the governments of the
European countries, which were confronting Germany and its
allies, met in the United Kingdom for the Conference of Allied
Ministers of Education (CAME).
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 Upon the proposal of CAME, a United Nations Conference for

the establishment of an educational and cultural organization was
convened in London in November 1945.
 At the end of the conference, UNESCO was founded on 16
November 1945.
 The first session of the General Conference of UNESCO was
held in Paris during November-December of 1946.
Areas of Specialization of UNESCO
Education Transforms Lives

 It is at the heart of UNESCO’s mission to build peace, eradicate

poverty and drive sustainable development.
 The Organization is the only United Nations agency with a
mandate to cover all aspects of education.
 It has been entrusted to lead the Global Education 2030
Agenda through Sustainable Development Goal - 4.
 ‘Education 2030 Framework for Action’ (Incheon
Declaration) is the roadmap to achieve the global education 2030
agenda...
 Its work encompasses educational development from pre-school
to higher education and beyond.
 Themes include global citizenship and sustainable development,
human rights and gender equality, health and HIV and AIDS, as
well as technical and vocational skills development.
Protecting Our Heritage and Fostering Creativity

 It is becoming a fact that no development can be sustainable

without a strong culture component.
 UNESCO has adopted a three-pronged approach to make
culture takes it rightful place in development strategies and
processes:
 Spearheads worldwide advocacy for culture and development.
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 Engages with the international community to set clear policies

and legal frameworks.
 Works on the ground to support governments and local
stakeholders to safeguard heritage, strengthen creative industries
and encourage cultural pluralism.
Some Important Conventions and International Treaties of
UNESCO to protect and Safeguard the World’s Cultural and
Natural Heritage:
 The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the
Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)
 The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage (2003)
 The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)
 The Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural
Heritage (2001)
 The Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and
Natural Heritage (1972)
 The Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing
the Illicit Traffic of Cultural Property (1970)
Science for a Sustainable Future

 Science equips us to find solutions to today’s acute economic,

social and environmental challenges and to achieving sustainable
development and greener societies.
 UNESCO works to assist countries to invest in Science,
Technology and Innovation (STI), to develop national science
policies, to reform their science systems and to build capacity to
monitor and evaluate performance through STI indicators...
 Also, UNESCO works with its member states to foster informed
decisions about the use of science and technology, in particular in
the field of bioethics.
Social and Human Sciences
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 UNESCO helps to enable people to create and use knowledge for

just and inclusive societies, support them in understanding each
other and working together to build lasting peace.
 It promotes mutual understanding among member states through
its intergovernmental Programme like Management of Social
Transformations (MOST), its Youth Programme and
the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence Programme which
include initiatives for democracy and global citizenship,
intercultural dialogue, peace-building.
Communication and Information

 UNESCO advances freedom of expression and the safety of

journalists combat online hate speech, as well as disinformation
and misinformation through awareness raising initiatives.
 It also supports universal access to information and knowledge
through promoting Open Solutions, including Open Educational
Resources, access for marginalized people, and multilingualism in
Cyberspace.
UNESCO and INDIA
Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO
(INCCU)

 India has been a member of the UNESCO since its inception in

1946.
 UNESCO constitution requires that each Member State should
have a principle body that shall work with the Organization. Thus,
in India, Indian National Commission for Cooperation with
UNESCO (INCCU) was commissioned.
 UNESCO has two Offices in India
 The New Delhi cluster office for eleven countries in South and
Central Asia (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran,
Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka)
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 The MGIEP – the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for

Peace and Sustainable Development fully supported and funded
by the Government of India.
UNESCO’s International Prizes and India
UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance
and Non-Violence

 It is established through the generous donation of the UNESCO

Goodwill Ambassador, Indian artist, writer and diplomat Mr
Madanjeet Singh, the prize honours his lifelong commitment to
the cause of peace and tolerance.
 The creation of the Prize in 1995 marked the United Nations Year
for Tolerance and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma
Gandhi.
 Since 1996, the Prize has been awarded every two years and,
since 2002, it amounts to US $ 100,000.
The UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science

 It is an international distinction created by UNESCO in 1951

following a donation from Mr Bijoyanand Patnaik, Founder and
President of the Kalinga Foundation Trust in India.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India:

1. Iconic Riverfront of the Historic City of Varanasi

2. Temples of Kanchipuram
3. Hire Benkal, Megalithic Site
4. Bhedaghat-Lametaghat in Narmada Valley
5. Satpura Tiger Reserve
6. Serial Nomination of Maratha Military Architecture in
Maharashtra

UNESCO Natural World Heritage Sites

Kaziranga National Park Assam 1985
Keoladeo Ghana National Park Rajasthan 1985
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Manas Wildlife Sanctuary Assam 1985

Nanda Devi National Park and Valley of Flowers Uttarakhand 1988, 2005
Sundarbans National Park West Bengal 1987
Western Ghats Maharashtra, 2012
Goa, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu and Kerala
Great Himalayan National Park Himachal Pradesh 2014

UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Chandigarh 2016
Outstanding Contribution to the Modern
Movement
Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Maharashtra 2018
Mumbai
Historic City of Ahmedabad Gujarat 2017
Jaipur City Rajasthan 2020
Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara Bihar 2016
(Nalanda University)
Rani-Ki-Van Gujarat 2014
Hill Forts of Rajasthan Rajasthan 2013
The Jantar Mantar Rajasthan 2010
Red Fort Complex Delhi 2007
Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park Gujarat 2004
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Maharashtra 2004
Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka Madhya Pradesh 2003
Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya Bihar 2002
Mountain Railways of India Tamil Nadu 1999
Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi Delhi 1993
Qutub Minar and its Monuments, Delhi Delhi 1993
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi Madhya Pradesh 1989
Elephanta Caves Maharashtra 1987
Great Living Chola Temples Tamil Nadu 1987
Group of Monuments at Pattadakal Karnataka 1987
Churches and Convents of Goa Goa 1986
Fatehpur Sikri Uttar Pradesh 1986
Group of Monuments at Hampi Karnataka 1986
Khajuraho Group of Monuments Madhya Pradesh 1986
Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram Tamil Nadu 1984
Sun Temple, Konarak Orissa 1984
Agra Fort Uttar Pradesh 1983
Ajanta Caves Maharashtra 1983
Ellora Caves Maharashtra 1983
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Taj Mahal Uttar Pradesh 1983

International Days observed at UNESCO

14 January World Logic Day

24 January International Day of Education

27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the

Victims of the Holocaust

11 February International Day of Women and Girls in Science

13 February World Radio Day

21 February International Mother Language Day

8 March International Women's Day

20 March International Francophonie Day

21 March International Day of Nowruz

21 March World Poetry Day

21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination

22 March World Water Day

6 April International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

15 April World Art Day

23 April World Book and Copyright Day

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30 April International Jazz Day

3 May World Press Freedom Day

5 May African World Heritage Day

5 May World Portuguese Language Day

16 May International Day of Light

21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and

Development

22 May International Day for Biological Diversity

5 June World Environment Day

8 June World Oceans Day

17 June World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

18 July Nelson Mandela International Day

9 August International Day of the World's Indigenous People

12 August International Youth Day

23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade

and its Abolition

8 September International Literacy Day

15 September International Day of Democracy

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21 September International Day of Peace

28 September International Day for the Universal Access to Information

5 October World Teachers' Day

11 October International Day of the Girl Child

13 October International Day for Disaster Reduction

17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

24 October United Nations Day

27 October World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

2 November International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against

Journalists

5 November World Day of Romani Language

10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development

3rd Thursday in World Philosophy Day

November

16 November International Day for Tolerance

25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against

Women

29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

1 December World AIDS Day

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3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities

10 December Human Rights Day

18 December International Migrants Day

18 December World Arabic Language Day