National Dengu Day

National Dengue Day: It is observed on 16 May in India to create awareness about dengue, how is it caused, preventive measures and methods to control the disease in the country. The day is observed (16 May) with the recommendation of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Dengue is prevalent across the country. This year due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, awareness campaign, rally, etc. regarding Dengue is not organised in the country but can be spread through online.

Dengue

Dengue is a viral disease that is caused by mosquito. It can lead to flu-like illness like high fever with headache, severe muscle and joint pain. In recent decades, the incidence of dengue has increased. Mainly, it occurs in tropical and subtropical areas of the world.

International day of Light

The United Nations marks the International Day of Light (IDL) — an annual initiative held globally to raise awareness on the critical role played by light-based technologies in everyday life — on May 16. The IDL highlights the contribution of such technologies in various avenues such as science, technology, art, and culture, thus helping achieve the UNESCO goals of education, equality, and peace.

The day selected, May 16, marks the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman. “The laser is a perfect example of how a scientific discovery can yield revolutionary benefits to society in communications, healthcare and many other fields,” the lightday.org website reads.

The IDL is administered from the International Basic Science Programme (IBSP) of UNESCO, and its Secretariat is located at the Abdus Salam International Centre of Theoretical Physics (ICTP) at Trieste, Italy.

Why is the International Day of Light celebrated?

In 2015, to raise global awareness of the achievements of light science and its applications, the UN observed the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies 2015 (IYL 2015). The event helped establish links and collaborations between decision makers, industry leaders, scientists, artists, social businesses, NGOs, and the public at large.

Following the success of IYL 2015, Ghana, Mexico, New Zealand and Russia placed a resolution before the UNESCO Executive Board supporting the idea of an International Day of Light. It was adopted on September 19, 2016 at the Board’s 200th session at the UNESCO HQ in Paris, France. The Board decision was endorsed by the UNESCO General Conference at its 39th session on November 7, 2017, and the first IDL was held on May 16, 2018.