Organizations Section

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.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“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

July 1, 2016

UNESCO World Heritage Committee to Meet & Examine Nominations in Istanbul, Turkey, 10 to 20 July, 2016

Photo: Istanbul, Turkey. UNESCO World Heritage Committee would meet & examine nominations in Istanbul, Turkey, 10 to 20 July, 2016. Image Credit & Copyright © Jeremy Brooks.

Photo: Secretariat Building (part of Capitol Complex), Chandigarh, India - Le Corbusier. UNESCO World Heritage Committee would examine Chandigarh Capitol Complex under the following nomination (jointly filed by seven countries): “The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, Switzerland)”. Image Credit & Copyright © David Quinn.

The World Heritage Committee will examine proposals to inscribe 29 sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List during its 40th session (10 to 20 July, 2016), which will be chaired by Ambassador Lale Ulker, General Director for Overseas Promotion and Cultural Affairs at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The session will be held at the Istanbul Congress Centre.

The Committee will examine the nomination of nine natural, 16 cultural and four mixed sites, i.e., properties that are outstanding both for their natural and cultural characteristics. It will also examine the state of conservation of 108 sites already on the World Heritage List and of 48 sites on the World Heritage in Danger List.

The Following Nominations will be Examined:

Natural Sites:

• Mistaken Point (Canada)
• Hubei Shennongjia (China)
• Techno-volcanic Ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault (France)
• Lut Desert (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• Western Tien Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan)
• Archipiélago de Revillagigedo (Mexico)
• Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay—Mukkawar Island National Park (Sudan)
• Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (Thailand)
• Mountain Ecosystems of Koytendag (Turkmenistan)

Mixed Sites (Natural and Cultural):

• Pimachiowin Aki (Canada)
• Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (Chad)
• Khangchendzonga National Park (India)
• The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Lanscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (Iraq)

Cultural Sites:

• Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites (Antigua and Barbuda)
• The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, Switzerland)
• Stecci—Medieval Tombstones (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia)
• Pampulha Modern Ensemble (Brazil)
• Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (China)
• Roman Urbanism of the Zadar Peninsula with the Monumental Complex of the Forum (Croatia)
• Archaeological Site of Philippi (Greece)
• Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara (India)
• Persian Qanat (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia)
• Archaeological Site and Historic Centre of Panama City [Significant boundary modification of the Archaeological Site of Panama Viejo and Historic District of Panama] (Panama)
• Antequera Dolmens Site (Spain)
• Phu Phrabat Historical Park (Thailand)
• Archaeological site of Ani (Turkey)
• Gibraltar Neanderthal Caves and Environments (United Kingdom)
• Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright (United States of America)

Sites Proposed for Danger Listing:

• Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon)
• Talamanca Range—La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park (Costa Rica/Panama)
• Lower Valley of the Omo (Ethiopia)
• Old Towns of Djenne (Mali)
• Kathmandu Valley (Nepal)
• Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (Uzbekistan)
• Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (Thailand)

From 29 June to 11 July, Istanbul will host a World Heritage Youth Forum, which will bring together young people from different parts of the world who are committed to the protection of heritage. They will adopt a Declaration which will be presented to the Committee during its opening session.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:06 AM | Link to this Post

June 19, 2016

Internationalization of Higher Education: The Enhanced Role of a Public University in Contemporary Academic Environment

Public Universities play a key role in the transformation of the societies they represent and serve.

Thanks to Information Technology, Higher Education is fast becoming internationalized in all disciplines, and Public Universities, all over the world, have started to recognize this fact.

• “Think Globally, Act Locally” is now the norm here as well. Today, a public university with a penchant for seeking flattery from the locals, would find itself sailed into choppy waters.

Photo: Library of Congress, Washington, DC. Library of Congress houses the United States Copyright Office. Image Credit: Adam Fagen.

Our following succinct observation reflects the enhanced role of a public university in contemporary academic environment. This observation has been determined to be copyrightable and has been registered and made a part of its records by the United States Copyright Office, Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:36 PM | Link to this Post

June 16, 2016

Revealed: Asia's 350 Best Universities. China Edges Out Japan in Battle for Regional Superiority

Photo: A building at National University of Singapore (NUS). National University of Singapore (NUS) has been declared Asia’s Finest University in 2016 by QS. Image Credit: oncampus.ru.

LONDON — Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), global higher education analysts, today released the QS University Ranking: Asia 2016.

National University of Singapore (NUS) is established as Asia’s finest university for the third consecutive year. It is followed by the University of Hong Kong. Nanyang Technological University rises one place to the podium, taking the bronze medal. While, in overall performance, China remains the preeminent nation, ahead of Japan.

Commenting on this QS Ranking, National University of Singapore (NUS) President Tan Chorh Chuan said: “Our priority is preparing future-ready graduates and developing top talent, driving innovation and forging strategic collaborations with academic and industry partners, and delivering impact from world-class research. I am heartened that our work is also reflected by NUS continued progress in the rankings.”

In this year’s QS Asia University Ranking:

• 17 nations or territories are featured;
• Hong Kong dominates the top ten with four institutions ranked;
• China, Singapore, and South Korea feature two universities apiece in the top 10;
• China has 82 universities among the 350 ranked, Japan has 74,
• South Korea 54, Taiwan 34, India 23, and Malaysia 20;
• There are 13 Thai universities in the rankings, 11 Indonesian, 10 Pakistani, 8 Filipino and five Vietnamese.
• Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have two apiece; Brunei and Macao one apiece.
• This year’s QS University Rankings: Asia are the largest-ever rankings for the region.

QS University Rankings 2016 (Asia): Top 20

2016 Rank — Institution — Country/Territory

• 1 — National University of Singapore — Singapore
• 2 — University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong
• 3 — Nanyang Technological University — Singapore
• 4 — The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — Hong Kong
• 5 — Tsinghua University — China
• 6 — KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology — South Korea
• 7 — City University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong
• 8 — The Chinese University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong
• 9 — Peking University — China
• 10 — Seoul National University — South Korea
• 11 — Fudan University — China
• 12 — POSTECH — South Korea
• 13 — The University of Tokyo — Japan
• 14 — Tokyo Institute of Technology — Japan
• 15 — Kyoto University — Japan
• 16 — Korea University — South Korea
• 17 — Osaka University — Japan
• 18 — Yonsei University — South Korea
• 19 — Sungkyunkwan University — South Korea
• 20 — Tohoku University — Japan

QS University Rankings 2016 (Asia): India

2016 Rank — Institution

• 33 — Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
• 35 — Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
• 36 — Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
• 43 — Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
• 48 — Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
• 51 — Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)
• 66 — University of Delhi
• 78 — Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
• 94 — Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG)
• 108 — University of Calcutta
• 145 — University of Mumbai
• 155 — Banaras Hindu University
• 169 — Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Amrita University)
• 176 — University of Pune
• 178 — Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani
• 195 — Amity University
• 200 — Manipal Academy of Higher Education
• 231-240 — Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad
• 251-300 — Anna University
• 251-300 — Panjab University, Chandigarh
• 301-350 — Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Allahabad
• 301-350 — Andhra University
• 301-350 — Pondicherry University

QS University Rankings 2016 (Asia): Pakistan

2016 Rank — Institution

• 111 — Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
• 112 — National University of Sciences And Technology (NUST), Islamabad
• 149 — Quaid-i-Azam University
• 149 — Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS)
• 183 — Aga Khan University
• 201-210 — University of Karachi
• 221-230 — Punjab University, Lahore
• 231-240 — COMSATS Institute of Information Technology
• 241-250 — University of Engineering & Technology (UET), Lahore
• 301-350 — University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

QS University Rankings 2016 (Asia): Bangladesh

2016 Rank — Institution

• 109 — University of Dhaka
• 159 — Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:43 AM | Link to this Post

June 8, 2016

UNESCO Creative Cities Network focuses on Creativity and Sustainable Urban Development at Beijing Summit

Photo: Beijing, China. Image Credit: Xiquinho Silva.

Beijing, China — On June 6, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, opened the UNESCO Creative Cities Network Summit (6 - 8 June 2016) with Wang Anshun, Mayor of Beijing, and Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education of the People’s Republic of China.

More than one hundred participants from all over the world attended the Summit, including mayors and policy-makers of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, academics, and experts. The event served as a dialogue and discussion platform for the implementation of the international development agenda focusing on research and policy-making to explore effective ways to integrate culture and creativity in local development strategies.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network comprises 116 cities from 54 countries, covering Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music, and Media Arts, and aims to foster international cooperation with and between cities committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion, and cultural vibrancy.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:45 AM | Link to this Post

January 26, 2016

New Permanent Representative of India Presents Credentials to UN Secretary General

Photos: Syed Akbaruddin, the new Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, presents his credentials to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. 25 January 2016. United Nations, New York. UN Photos/Evan Schneider.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:34 AM | Link to this Post

January 23, 2016

World Economic Forum Announces New Board of Trustees

Photo: The WEF Logo is seen in the congress centre during the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Michael Buholzer.

Photo: Congress Centre before the Opening of the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 14, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Andy Mettler.

Photo: Raghuram G. Rajan, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, speaks during the televised session ‘The Growth Illusion’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Monika Flueckiger.

Photo: Saadia Zahidi, Head of Employment and Gender Initiatives, Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum, is captured during the session ‘The Gender Impact of the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Jolanda Flubacher.

Photo: Arianna Huffington, President and Editor-in-Chief, Huffington Post Media Group, USA, speaking at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Benedikt von Loebell.

Photo: H.M. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance, is captured during the session ‘Fostering Financial Inclusion’ at the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Michael Buholzer.

Photo: A musician is captured during the open forum workshop ‘Making Music across Borders with Yo-Yo Ma’ during the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2016. Image provided by & copyright © World Economic Forum. Photographer: Monika Flueckiger.

Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January 2016 - The Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum yesterday elected Jim Yong Kim, President, The World Bank, Washington DC; and Marc R. Benioff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA, as its new members.

As of 22 January 2016, the Members of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum are:

• Klaus SCHWAB, Chairman of the Board of Trustees
• Patrick AEBISCHER, President, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne, Switzerland
• H.M. Queen Rania AL ABDULLAH of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
• Mukesh AMBANI, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, India
• Marc R. BENIOFF, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Salesforce, USA
• Peter BRABECK-LETMATHE, Chairman of the Board, Nestle, Switzerland
• Mark CARNEY, Chairman, Financial Stability Board; Governor of the Bank of England
• Katherine GARRETT-COX, CBE, Chief Executive Officer, Alliance Trust Plc, United Kingdom
• Orit GADIESH, Chairman, Bain & Company, USA
• Al GORE, Vice-President of the United States (1993-2001); Chairman and Co-Founder, Generation Investment Management, USA
• Herman GREF, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Sberbank, Russian Federation
• Angel GURRÍA, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris
• Susan HOCKFIELD, President Emerita and Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA
• Jim Yong KIM, President, The World Bank, Washington DC
• Klaus KLEINFELD, Chairman and Chief Executive, Alcoa Inc., USA
• Christine LAGARDE, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC
• Jack MA, Executive Chairman, Alibaba Group, People’s Republic of China
• Peter MAURER, President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Switzerland
• Luis MORENO, President, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC
• Indra NOOYI, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo, USA
• Joe SCHOENDORF, Venture Partner, Accel Partners, USA
• Jim Hagemann SNABE, Member of the Board, SAP AG, Siemens AG, Allianz SE, Germany
• Heizo TAKENAKA, Director, Global Security Research Institute, Keio University, Japan; Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy of Japan (2002-2006)
• George YEO, Chancellor, Nalanda University; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore (2004-2011)
• Min ZHU, Deputy Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC

Over 2,500 leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, academia, media and the arts are participating in the 46th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, on 20-23 January, 2016.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:22 PM | Link to this Post

December 29, 2015

New York's Times Square 2016 New Year’s Eve Celebrations

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: New York Countdown during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

• This countdown event was the biggest in the world, with over a million people gathered in Times Square and a television audience around the globe of more than a billion. The 1-million-strong crowd chanted out in a deafening roar as “Happy New Year” appeared on the screen with the final “0” of the countdown, climaxing with confetti exploding into the air.

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: World Capitals Countdown. New Delhi, India, New Year’s Countdown (in Hindi language) at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. The message appeared on the TOSHIBA screen as soon as it was 12 O’Clock midnight In India. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: World Capitals Countdown. New Delhi, India, New Year’s Countdown (in English) at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. The message appeared on the TOSHIBA screen as soon as it was 12 O’Clock midnight In India. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: Demi Lovato performs during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 31, 2015: Demi Lovato performs during New Year’s Eve celebrations at Times Square on December 31, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for TOSHIBA CORPORATION. © 2015 Getty Images).

Photo: December 28, 2015. Two giant, seven-foot-tall numerals - the “1” and “6” in 2-0-1-6 - arrive in Times Square. Like the “20,” the “16” is illuminated by Philips outdoor bulbs. Image Credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC.

Photos: Waterford Crystal Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. The Times Square Ball is a time ball located on a roof at the New York City’s Times Square. The ball descends 141 feet (43 m) in 60 seconds down a specially designed flagpole, beginning at 11:59 p.m. ET, and resting at midnight to signal the start of the new year. Image Credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC.

New York, NY — December 29, 2015 — Toshiba corp. will liven up a global countdown event as the official sponsor for the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration. The 60-second countdown to midnight will be enhanced by audio and pyrotechnic effects on the TOSHIBA VISION screen, located directly below the world famous Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball.

The screen will feature New Year’s Eve content and entertainment for the more than one million-plus expected revellers. In addition, about one billion viewers around world are expected to watch it.

The New Year’s Eve at the symbolic center of New York City has become more than just a celebration - it’s a global tradition. Every year as the clock nears midnight on December 31, the eyes of the world turn once more to the dazzling lights and bustling energy of Times Square. Anticipation runs high. The world holds its breath, and cheers as the clocks strike twelve.

Photos: December 28, 2015. Confetti Wishes at the Wishing Wall in Times Square, New York. Every wish submitted from anywhere in the world is printed on a piece of confetti and included in the 3,000 pounds of confetti released at midnight over the one million revellers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve. Images Credit: Countdown Entertainment, LLC.

New Year’s Eve | 2016 Virtual Wishing Wall — Your wishes will be added to the confetti that flutters down in the heart of Times Square on New Year’s Eve!

The Wishing Wall is on Times Square’s Broadway plazas, between 42nd Street and 47th Street, every day until December 29. For those who can’t make it to Times Square, wishes are being collected online at the Times Square New Year’s Eve Virtual Wishing Wall.

Every wish submitted - via the Wishing Wall in Times Square, or online - will be printed on a piece of confetti and included in the 3,000 pounds of confetti released at midnight over the one million revellers in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.

“Writing down a wish is a great opportunity to look back and reflect on the past year while looking forward to a brighter future,” said Tim Tompkins, President, Times Square Alliance. “We anticipate tens of thousands of people from across the world will submit wishes as we countdown the final days of 2015.”

“Having the Wishing Wall in Times Square and online creates an opportunity for everyone to participate in our global celebration,” added Jeff Straus, President, Countdown Entertainment. “It’s magical having wishes from around the world floating down on the million revellers in Times Square as we greet the New Year.”

“We are thrilled to be part of this worldwide celebration and encourage everyone to join in on the fun and submit their wish for 2016,” said Chris Rondeau, Chief Executive Officer at Planet Fitness. “There’s no better way to jumpstart the New Year than with a wish or a goal for the year ahead.”

MAKE YOUR WISH FOR 2016

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultan’s Turret in a Noose of Light.”

— The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (Edward Fitzgerald Translation).

Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:22 AM | Link to this Post

December 12, 2015

The Branding of Universities: What is Your University's "Global Brand Value" ?

Photo: University of Michigan Commencement 2015. Image Credit & Copyright © University of Michigan.

Photo: Harvard University Commencement 1982, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard University has replaced the University of Cambridge at the top of the global ranking that measures how universities perform on graduate employability. Photographer, Image Credit & Copyright © Paul.

Nowadays, students, whatever their nationality, are increasingly choosing to apply to universities with strong brands over electing a university because it is in their own country or a specific other. That is to say, a student will choose for instance Harvard (US) or McGill (Canada) because they have become strong international brands recognised everywhere by recruiters, thus guaranteeing employability.

Which universities stand out in preparing graduates for the job market?

To answer the above question, the Global Employability University Survey and Ranking 2015 was designed and commissioned by French human resources consulting agency Emerging and carried out by the German market research firm Trendence.

Created from the combined votes of 2,200 recruiters and 2,400 managing directors of international companies across 20 countries, the Global Employability University Ranking differs from other rankings in that it doesn’t take into account academic criteria; it only seeks to represent the point of view of the market.

The Global Employability University Ranking 2015 Results - Top 150

Rank — Institution — Country — Score

1. Harvard University — United States — 662
2. University of Cambridge — United Kingdom — 633
3. University of Oxford — United Kingdom — 609
4. California Institute of Technology — United States — 597
5. Yale University — United States — 575
6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology — United States — 571
7. Stanford University — United States — 552
8. Columbia University — United States — 531
9. Princeton University — United States — 509
10. University of Toronto — Canada — 483
11. Technical University of Munich — Germany — 411
12. University of Tokyo — Japan — 398
13. Ecole Normale Superieure — France — 386
14. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology — Hong Kong — 378
15. Imperial College London — United Kingdom — 369
16. Peking University — China — 363
17. National University of Singapore — Singapore — 360
18. Duke University — United States — 348
19. University of California, Berkeley — United States — 333
20. Indian Institute of Science — India — 332
21. McGill University — Canada — 319
22. Mines Paris Tech — France — 308
23. University of Edinburgh — United Kingdom — 296
24. University of Manchester — United Kingdom — 288
25. HEC Paris — France — 278
26. Tokyo Institute of Technology — Japan — 273
27. IE University — Spain — 270
28. Johns Hopkins University — United States — 263
29. New York University — United States — 262
30. University College London — United Kingdom — 261
31. Boston University — United States — 249
32. Australian National University — Australia — 243
33. University of Melbourne — Australia — 242
34. Fudan University — China — 240
35. Centrale Supelec — France — 238
36. Ecole Polytechnique — France — 236
37. ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich — Switzerland — 235
38. Cornell University — United States — 228
39. University of British Columbia — Canada — 223
40. Heidelberg University — Germany — 222
41. LMU Munich — Germany — 220
42. University of Sydney — Australia — 219
43. King’s College London — United Kingdom — 218
44. University of Montreal — Canada — 216
45. London School of Economics and Political Science — United Kingdom — 215
46. Boston College — United States — 212
47. Goethe University Frankfurt — Germany — 208
48. University of California, Los Angeles — United States — 205
49. Ghent University — Belgium — 203
50. London Business School — United Kingdom — 202
51. Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne — Switzerland — 201
52. University of Copenhagen — Denmark — 199
53. Kyoto University — Japan — 197
54. University of Chicago — United States — 195
55. University of New South Wales — Australia — 194
56. Monash University — Australia — 192
57. Shanghai Jiao Tong University — China — 191
58. University of Navarra — Spain — 190
59. Tsinghua University — China — 189
60. Chinese University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong — 188
61. University of California, San Francisco — United States — 187
62. KU Leuven — Belgium — 185
63. Dartmouth College — United States — 183
64. Ecole de Management de Lyon — France — 182
65. ESSEC Business School — France — 180
66. Stockholm University — Sweden — 178
67. Humboldt University of Berlin — Germany — 176
68. University of Zurich — Switzerland — 175
69. Brown University — United States — 175
70. Indian School of Business — India — 174
71. University of California, San Diego — United States — 173
72. University of Helsinki — Finland — 172
73. University of Pennsylvania — United States —169
74. University of Bristol — United Kingdom —168
75. Delft University of Technology — Netherlands — 165
76. Michigan State University — United States — 165
77. Carnegie Mellon University — United States — 164
78. University of Nottingham — United Kingdom — 163
79. Georgetown University — United States — 162
80. University of Birmingham — United Kingdom — 161
81. University of Sao Paulo — Brazil — 160
82. Frankfurt School of Finance and Management — Germany — 158
83. University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong — 157
84. Lund University — Sweden — 155
85. Erasmus University Rotterdam — Netherlands — 154
86. McMaster University — Canada — 153
87. University of Gottingen — Germany — 151
88. Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology — Korea Republic — 149
89. Northwestern University — United States — 148
90. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay — India — 146
91. University of Washington — United States — 144
92. Hebrew University of Jerusalem — Israel — 143
93. Technical University of Berlin — Germany — 141
94. Bocconi University — Italy — 138
95. University of Lausanne — Switzerland — 135
96. National Taiwan University of Science and Technology — Taiwan — 133
97. Case Western Reserve University — United States — 130
98. Ohio State University — United States — 129
99. University of Southern California — United States — 127
100. KTH Royal Institute of Technology — Sweden — 126
101. University of Texas at Austin — United States — 125
102. University of Bern — Switzerland — 125
103. Eindhoven University of Technology — Netherlands — 124
104. Leiden University — Netherlands — 123
105. Pierre and Marie Curie University — France — 122
106. ESADE Business School — Spain — 121
107. Polytechnic University of Milan — Italy — 120
108. Texas A&M University — United States — 119
109. Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education — Mexico — 118
110. Getulio Vargas Foundation — Brazil — 117
111. Rice University — United States — 116
112. Pohang University of Science and Technology — Korea Republic — 115
113. Technical University of Denmark — Denmark — 115
114. University of Groningen — Netherlands — 114
115. Paris-Sud University — France — 113
116. Brigham Young University — United States — 113
117. Seoul National University — Korea Republic — 112
118. Nanyang Technological University — Singapore — 112
119. Purdue University — United States — 111
120. University of Alberta — Canada — 111
121. Trinity College Dublin — Ireland — 111
122. Osaka University — Japan — 110
123. National Autonomous University of Mexico — Mexico — 110
124. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey — United States — 109
125. Karolinska Institute — Sweden — 109
126. Nanjing University — China — 109
127. Zhejiang University — China — 108
128. University of Florida — United States — 108
129. Lomonosov Moscow State University — Russian Federation — 108
130. University of Michigan — United States — 108
131. Georgia Institute of Technology — United States — 108
132. Keio University — Japan — 107
133. Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa — Italy — 107
134. University of Basel — Switzerland — 106
135. Technion Israel Institute of Technology — Israel — 105
136. Sciences Po — France — 104
137. Yonsei University — Korea Republic of — 103
138. National Taiwan University — Taiwan — 101
139. University of Wisconsin-Madison — United States — 99
140. University of Auckland — New Zealand — 98
141. University of Oslo — Norway — 96
142. Saint Petersburg State University — Russian Federation — 95
143. University of Geneva — Switzerland — 94
144. National Tsing Hua University — Taiwan — 93
145. City University of Hong Kong — Hong Kong — 89
146. Tel Aviv University — Israel — 87
147. University of Science and Technology of China — China — 78
148. Bauman Moscow State Technical University — Russian Federation — 78
149. University of Vienna — Austria — 74
150. King Saud University — Saudi Arabia — 73

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:16 AM | Link to this Post

December 11, 2015

47 cities join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Photo: Starstruck. Austin, Texas. Austin has just been designated UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts. Photographer, Image Credit & Copyright © Thomas Hawk.

Paris, 11 December 2015 - UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, has announced the designation of 47 cities from 33 countries as new members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The results of this year’s Call bears witness to the Network’s enhanced diversity and geographical representation with 22 cities from countries not previously represented.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network has welcomed the following cities within its seven creative fields (Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music):

1. Adelaide (Australia) - Music
2. Al-Ahsa (Saudi Arabia) - Crafts and Folk Art
3. Austin (United States of America) - Media Arts
4. Baghdad (Iraq) - Literature
5. Bamiyan (Afghanistan) - Crafts and Folk Art
6. Bandung (Indonesia) - Design
7. Barcelona (Spain) - Literature
8. Belem (Brazil) - Gastronomy
9. Bergen (Norway) - Gastronomy
10. Bitola (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) - Film
11. Budapest (Hungary) - Design
12. Burgos (Spain) - Gastronomy
13. Denia (Spain) - Gastronomy
14. Detroit (United States of America) - Design
15. Duran (Ecuador) - Crafts and Folk Art
16. Ensenada (Mexico) - Gastronomy
17. Gaziantep (Turkey) - Gastronomy
18. Idanha-a-Nova (Portugal) - Music
19. Isfahan (Iran [Islamic Republic of]) - Crafts and Folk Art
20. Jaipur (India) - Crafts and Folk Art
21. Katowice (Poland) - Music
22. Kaunas (Lithuania) - Design
23. Kingston (Jamaica) - Music
24. Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Music
25. Liverpool (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Music
26. Ljubljana (Slovenia) - Literature
27. Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of the Congo) - Crafts and Folk Art
28. Lviv (Ukraine) - Literature
29. Medellín (Colombia) - Music
30. Montevideo (Uruguay) - Literature
31. Nottingham (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) - Literature
32. Obidos (Portugal) - Literature
33. Parma (Italy) - Gastronomy
34. Phuket (Thailand) - Gastronomy
35. Puebla (Mexico) - Design
36. Rasht (Iran [Islamic Republic of]) - Gastronomy
37. Rome (Italy) - Film
38. Salvador (Brazil) - Music
39. San Cristobal de las Casas (Mexico) - Crafts and Folk Art
40. Santos (Brazil) - Film
41. Sasayama (Japan) - Crafts and Folk Art
42. Singapore (Singapore) - Design
43. Tartu (Estonia) - Literature
44. Tongyeong (Republic of Korea) - Music
45. Tucson (United States of America) - Gastronomy
46. Ulyanovsk (Russian Federation) - Literature
47. Varanasi (India) - Music

For the very first time, two Indian cities — Varanasi and Jaipur — have joined UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This is a historic first for India in this elite global compact.

Launched in 2004, the Network now comprises 116 cities worldwide. It aims to foster international cooperation with and between cities committed to investing in creativity as a driver for sustainable urban development, social inclusion and cultural vibrancy.

By joining the Network, cities commit to collaborate and develop partnerships with a view to promoting creativity and cultural industries, to share best practices, to strengthen participation in cultural life, and to integrate culture in economic and social development strategies and plans.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:14 PM | Link to this Post

December 4, 2015

Miss Universe 2015 Contestants in Las Vegas

Photos: Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach wins Miss Universe 2015 title. Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach [EDITOR’S PICK, see below], Miss Universe Philippines 2015, is crowned the winner at the conclusion of The 2015 MISS UNIVERSE Telecast airing live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on FOX Sunday, December 20. Congratulations Pia!
Images provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographers: Richard D. Salyer, Patrick Prather.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, Miss Universe Philippines 2015, poses for a photo inside Planet Hollywood on Wednesday December 9th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Ariadna Gutierrez, Miss Universe Colombia 2015, is announced as a top 10 finalist in Yamamay swimwear during The 2015 MISS UNIVERSE Telecast airing live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on FOX Sunday, December 20. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Flora Coquerel, Miss Universe France 2015, poses in her evening gown upon arriving at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Sarah-Lorraine Riek, Miss Universe Germany 2015, poses in her evening gown upon arriving at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filminbg, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo (EDITOR’S PICK): Laura Spoya, Miss Universe Peru 2015, poses in her evening gown upon arriving at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Exotics Racing Event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Flora Coquerel, Miss Universe France 2015, poses for a photo at Exotics Racing on Wednesday December 9th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Darren Decker.

Photo: Giada Pezzaioli, Miss Universe Italy 2015, poses for a photo at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on Monday, December 7th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Comedian/Writer Nick Teplitz introduces the 2015 Miss Universe contestants during the Welcome Event at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on Monday December 7th. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Matt Petit.

Photo: Olivia Jordan, Miss USA 2015, is interviewed during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 5th, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Sarah-Lorraine Riek, Miss Universe Germany 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 4th, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Mariana Jimenez, Miss Universe Venezuela 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 3rd, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Yun Fang Xue, Miss Universe China 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 1st, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Cecilie Wellemberg, Miss Universe Denmark 2015, and Martine Rodseth, Miss Universe Norway 2015, pose during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 2nd, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Toria Nichole, Miss Universe Bahamas 2015, arrives at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 1st, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

Photo: Marthina Brandt, Miss Universe Brazil 2015, poses during registration at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on December 3rd, 2015. The 2015 Miss Universe contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the DIC Crown in Las Vegas. Tune in to the FOX telecast at 7:00 PM ET live on Sunday, Dec. 20, from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to see who will become Miss Universe 2015. Image provided by & Copyright © The Miss Universe Organization, New York. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer.

THE 2015 MISS UNIVERSE CONTESTANTS

• ALBANIA — Megi Luka
• ANGOLA — Whitney Houston A. Shikongo
• ARGENTINA — Claudia Alexis Barrionuevo
• ARUBA — Alysha Boekhoudt
• AUSTRALIA — Monika Radulovic
• AUSTRIA — Amina Dagi
• BAHAMAS — Toria Nichole Fanakos
• BELGIUM — Annelies Sven D. Törös
• BOLIVIA — Romina Rocamonje
• BRAZIL — Marthina Brandt
• BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS — Adorya Rocio Baly
• BULGARIA — Radostina Borislavova Todorova
• CANADA — Paola Nunez
• CAYMAN ISLANDS — Tonie Maria Chisholm
• CHILE — H Maria Belen Jerez Spuler
• CHINA — Yun Fang Xue
• COLOMBIA — Ariadna Guiterrez Arévalo
• COSTA RICA — Brenda Castro
• CROATIA — Mirta Kustan
• CURACAO — Kanisha Sluis
• CZECH REPUBLIC — Nikol Svantnerova
• DENMARK — Cecilie Wellemberg
• DOMINICAN REPUBLIC — Clarissa Molina
• ECUADOR — Francesca Keyko Cipriani
• EL SALVADOR — Fatima Idubina Rivas
• FINLAND — Rosa-Maria Ryyti
• FRANCE — Flora Coquerel
• GABON — Ornella Fanny Obone Mbomeyo
• GEORGIA — Janet Kerdikoshvili
• GERMANY — Sarah- Lorraine Riek
• GHANA — Hilda Akua Frimpong
• GREAT BRITAIN — Narissara Nena France
• GREECE — Michaela Eleni Fotiadi
• GUATEMALA — Jeimmy Tahiz Aburto
• GUYANA — Shauna Andrea Ramdyhan
• HAITI — Lisa Elizabeth Drouillard
• HONDURAS — Iroshka Lindaly Elvir
• HUNGARY — Nikoletta Nagy
• INDIA — Urvashi Manvar Singh Rautela
• INDONESIA — Anindya Kusuma Putri
• IRELAND — Joanna Cooper
• ISRAEL — Avigail Alfatov
• ITALY — Giada Pezzaioli
• JAMAICA — Sharlene Dayowi Radlein
• JAPAN — Ariana Miyamoto
• KOREA — Seoyeon Kim
• KOSOVO — Mirjeta Shala
• LEBANON — Cynthia Roger Samuel
• MALAYSIA — Vanessa Tevi Kumares
• MAURITIUS — Sheetal Khadun
• MEXICO — Wendy Esparza
• MONTENEGRO — Maja Cukic
• MYANMAR — May Barani Thaw
• NETHERLANDS — Jessie Jazz Vuijk
• NEW ZEALAND — Samantha Sarah Lesley McClung
• NICARAGUA — Daniela Torres
• NIGERIA — Debbie Collins
• NORWAY — Martine Rodseth
• PANAMA — Gladys Brandao Amaya
• PARAGUAY — Myriam Arevalos
• PERU — Laura Vivian Spoya
• PHILIPPINES — Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach
• POLAND — Weronika Szmajdzińska
• PORTUGAL — Emília Araujo
• PUERTO RICO — Catalina Morales
• RUSSIA — Vladislava Evtushenko
• SERBIA — Dasa Radosavljevic
• SINGAPORE — Lisa Marie White
• SLOVAK REPUBLIC— Denisa Vysnovska
• SLOVENIA — Ana Halozan
• SOUTH AFRICA — Refilwe Mthimunye
• SPAIN — Carla Barber Garcia
• SWEDEN — Paulina Brodd
• TANZANIA — Lorraine C. Marriot
• THAILAND — Aniporn Chalermburanawong
• TURKEY — Asli Melisa Uzun
• UKRAINE — Anna Vergelskaya
• URUGUAY — Bianca Sanchez
• USA — Olivia Jordan
• VENEZUELA — Mariana Coromoto Jimenez
• VIETNAM — Huong Pham

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:32 AM | Link to this Post

November 30, 2015

Paris Climate Change Conference — COP21

Photo: A view of the Ecole Militaire (Military School) and the Eiffel Tower from the Headquarters of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in Paris, France. The UN Secretary-General will be attending the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21), taking place in Paris from 30 November - 11 December 2015. 29 November 2015. Paris, France. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Photo: A view of the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, where UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is meeting with Francois Hollande, President of France, ahead of this year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP21), taking place in Paris from 30 November - 11 December 2015. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) poses for a photo with the artist Naziha Mestaoui, at the special event, “One Heart One Tree: Lighting of the Eiffel Tower”, taking place on the eve of the Paris Climate Change Conference (COP21).

1 Heart 1 Tree is an interactive artwork created by Ms. Mestaoui that allows people around the world to plant virtual trees on the Eiffel Tower that grow at the rate of each individual’s heartbeat. For every digital tree planted, a real tree will be planted through reforestation programs all over the world. 29 November 2015. Paris, France. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Photo: Paris, France. November 30, 2015. UN Conference on Climate Change - COP21. Arrival of Heads of States and Governments at Le Bourget Airport. Welcome by Francois Hollande, President of France, and Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations. On the left is Segolene Royal, Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, France. Image Credit: COP Paris 2015.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:45 AM | Link to this Post

November 18, 2015

French President Francois Hollande invokes the unity of all cultures at UNESCO’s Leaders’ Forum

Photo: Mr Francois Hollande, President of France, participates in UNESCO’s Leaders’ Forum. Paris, France. November 17, 2015. © UNESCO/Nora Houguenade.

Photo: Opening of the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO. Paris, France. November 16, 2015. © UNESCO/N. Houguenade.

Photo: Japanese Tea Ceremony celebrating the 70th Anniversary of UNESCO. Paris, France. November 13, 2015. © UNESCO/P. Chiang-Joo.

Photo: Japanese Tea Ceremony celebrating the 70th Anniversary of UNESCO. Paris, France. November 13, 2015. © UNESCO/P. Chiang-Joo.

Photo: Leaders’ Forum, marking UNESCO’s 70th Anniversary. A short performance by the World Orchestra for Peace. Musicians representing 19 nationalities play works by Samuel Barber and Tchaikovsky. Paris, France. November 16, 2015. © UNESCO/Nora Houguenade.

Photo: Ms. Smriti Irani, India’s Minister of Human Resource Development, attends Leaders’ Forum marking UNESCO’s 70th Anniversary. Paris, France. November 16, 2015. © UNESCO/Nora Houguenade.

Paris, France — November 18, 2015 — The President of France, Francois Hollande, declared his commitment to “freedom, human creativity and intercultural dialogue” in his address at the Leaders’ Forum, which on 16 and 17 November brought together Heads of State and Government from all over the world in the context of the 38th session of UNESCO’s General Conference.

The afternoon session of the Leaders’ Forum, organized on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of UNESCO, also featured addresses by the President of the Republic of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

The French President, welcomed to UNESCO by the Organization’s Director-General, Irina Bokova, was accompanied by the French Minister for the Economy and Finance, Michel Sapin, the Minister for Culture, Fleur Pellerin, and the Secretary of State in Charge of Development and the Francophonie, Annick Girardin. The French President declared: “I wished to be present at the General Conference because you stand for the unity of all cultures of the world. […] And what better place to affirm the need to hold fast than here, at UNESCO, an institution which was born of a Utopia to unite the whole of humanity through science, education and culture and which found a welcoming home in Paris.”

President Hollande paid tribute to UNESCO’s crucial role in protecting cultural heritage and cultural diversity. “Yes, UNESCO is the moral conscience of humanity. What underpinned its foundation was the promotion of the diversity of cultures, a diversity based on the idea that culture links people to their history and to their territory; a diversity anchored in the recognition of the equal dignity of cultures, as every people has a special message to bring to the world.”

Earlier in the afternoon, in a message read by United States Ambassador Crystal Nix-Hines, Permanent Delegate of the U.S. to UNESCO, U.S. President Barack Obama thanked UNESCO for its “unwavering commitment to building peace and tolerance around the world.” He encouraged the Organization to pursue its mandate in global citizenship education.

Echoing this declaration, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan invited the international community to bolster its support for the Organization. “More time and resources should be invested into the spread of a culture of peace. UNESCO has the appropriate mandate, genuine experience, and rich assets such as education, culture, sport, communication and science to serve as one of the most effective and shortest ways to prevent conflicts.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world.”

— Socrates.

“My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.”

— Thomas Paine.

“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — The whole world is one single family.”

— Maha Upanishad.

Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:29 AM | Link to this Post

November 12, 2015

Global Innovation Index 2015: Switzerland, UK, Sweden, Netherlands, USA are Leaders

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO Main Building and the Place des Nations in summer. © WIPO 2011. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO Conference Hall. Foyer of the WIPO Conference Hall featuring volumes and perspectives created by ramps, staircases, railings, landings and mezzanines. The Conference Hall was inaugurated in September 2014. © WIPO 2014. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. WIPO Director General Opens “Georgian Heritage” Exhibition at WIPO on the sidelines of the WIPO Assemblies, which met in Geneva from October 5 to 14, 2015. © WIPO 2015. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Photo: World Intellectual Property Organization. A Member of the Delegation from the Russian Federation attends the Committee on Development and Intellectual Property. The Sixteenth Session of WIPO’s Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from November 9 to November 13, 2015. © WIPO 2015. Photographer: Emmanuel Berrod.

Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United States of America are the world’s five most innovative nations, according to the Global Innovation Index 2015, while China, Malaysia, Viet Nam, India, Jordan, Kenya, and Uganda are among a group of countries outperforming their economic peers.

The GII (Global Innovation Index) 2015 looks at “Effective Innovation Policies for Development” and shows new ways that emerging-economy policymakers can boost innovation and spur growth by building on local strengths.

“Innovation holds far-reaching promise for spurring economic growth in countries at all stages of development. However, realizing this promise is not automatic,” said WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, “Each nation must find the right mix of policies to mobilize the innate innovative and creative potential in their economies.”

The GII, co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), surveys 141 economies around the world, using 79 indicators to gauge both innovative capabilities and measurable results.

Top Rankings

1. Switzerland
2. United Kingdom
3. Sweden
4. Netherlands
5. United States of America
6. Finland
7. Singapore
8. Ireland
9. Luxembourg
10. Denmark

• In terms of innovation quality - as measured by university performance, the reach of scholarly articles and the international dimension of patent applications - a few economies stand out. The US and the UK stay ahead of the pack, largely as a result of their world-class universities, closely followed by Japan, Germany and Switzerland. Top-scoring middle-income economies on innovation quality are China, Brazil and India, with China increasingly outpacing the others.

Soumitra Dutta, Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University and co-author of the report, points out that “Innovation quality matters. Creating world class universities and investing in research is essential for staying ahead in the global race for successful innovation.”

Regional Innovation Leaders

Rank in Region — Country Name — GII 2015 Rank

Central and Southern Asia

1. India — 81
2. Kazakhstan — 82
3. Sri Lanka — 85

Europe

1. Switzerland — 1
2. United Kingdom — 2
3. Sweden — 3

Latin America and the Caribbean

1. Chile — 42
2. Costa Rica — 51
3. Mexico — 57

Northern Africa and Western Asia

1. Israel — 22
2. Cyprus — 34
3. Saudi Arabia — 43

Northern America

1. United States of America — 5
2. Canada — 16

Southeast Asia and Oceania

1. Singapore — 7
2. Hong Kong (China) — 11
3. Korea, Rep. of — 14

Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Mauritius — 49
2. South Africa — 60
3. Senegal — 84

The Global Innovation Index 2015 (GII), in its 8th edition this year, is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), a specialized agency of the United Nations.

Published annually since 2007, the GII is now a leading benchmarking tool for business executives, policy makers and others seeking insight into the state of innovation around the world.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:10 PM | Link to this Post

November 5, 2015

Global Education Community adopts and launches Education 2030 Framework for Action

Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) and Gordon Brown (left), United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education, with an education youth ambassador at the Oslo Summit on Education for Development. 07 July 2015. Oslo, Norway. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France - November 4, 2015 - “Today, with the Education 2030 Framework for Action, Governments from across the world have agreed on how to translate a promise on paper to change on the ground,” said UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova at the launch event.

• The Education 2030 Framework for Action was adopted by more than 70 Ministers, representatives of Member States, the United Nations, multilateral and bi-lateral agencies, civil society, regional organizations, the teaching profession, academia, youth, and the private sector.

Ministers and Heads of Delegation took the floor throughout a day-long meeting, which ended with closing addresses by Kishore Singh, Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education, and the Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Mr Henry Puna.

• The FFA, the result of an unprecedented consultative process, provides guidance to countries for the implementation of the Education 2030 agenda. It aims to mobilize all stakeholders around the new global education goal and targets, and proposes ways of implementing, coordinating, financing and reviewing the 2030 education agenda—globally, regionally and nationally—to guarantee equal educational opportunity for all.

“Never before has the world consulted in such depth on a new goal in education, bringing all voices to the table. Never before has the world agreed on such a detailed road-map for the implementation of a new goal,” said the UNESCO Director-General.

The Declaration entrusts UNESCO, the United Nations’ specialized agency for education, to continue its mandated role and lead and coordinate Education 2030.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

— Aristotle.

Edited & Posted by Editor | 8:23 AM | Link to this Post

October 24, 2015

Empire State Building Lighting Ceremony on Occasion of United Nations Day

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at the Empire State Building to symbolically turn on a switch for the lighting of the building “UN blue” on the occasion of United Nations Day. 23 October 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

Some 300 sites around the world will be lit in “UN blue” beginning on Friday as part of the global celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

UN Headquarters in New York will light up for two nights — October 23 and October 24.

Some Sites lit in “UN Blue” on 24 October 2015 —

Photo: Empire State Building, New York, USA. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: J Mattsson / United Nations Information Centres.

Photo: Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: UNIC Canberra / Christopher Woodthorpe / United Nations Information Centres.

Photo: Great Wall, Badaling, Beijing, China. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: Oriental Outlook Magazine / Guang Yang, Jiang Zhu / United Nations Information Centres.

Photo: Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Mumbai, India. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: Dhiraj Singh / United Nations Information Centres.

Photo: Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, India. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: Deepak Malik, Freelance Photographer / United Nations Information Centres.

Photo: Heydar Aliyev Center, Baku, Azerbaijan. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: UN in Azerbaijan / United Nations Information Centres.

Photo: New Arbat Avenue, Moscow, Russia. 24 October 2015. Photo Credit: Nikita Kiselev / United Nations Information Centres.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 2:40 PM | Link to this Post

September 1, 2015

World Conference of Speakers of Parliament Opens at UN Headquarters

Photo: A view of the General Assembly Hall as Saber Chowdhury of Bangladesh (shown on screens), current President of the the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), addresses the opening session of the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, taking place at UN headquarters from 31 August through 2 September. 31 August 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.

Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Sumitra Mahajan, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India. 31 August 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider.

Photo: UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson (right), meets with Laura Boldrini, President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy. 01 September 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Evan Schneider.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:45 PM | Link to this Post

August 4, 2015

World Leaders to Formally Adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda in September

Photo: David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN, addresses a press conference on the agreement achieved on 2 August by Member States on the outcome document of the United Nations Summit to adopt the post-2015 development agenda to be held in New York from 25 to 27 September 2015. Mr. Donoghue, along with Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya, co-facilitated the negotiations leading to the agreement on the document. 03 August 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Barack Obama, President of the United States, in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C. 04 August 2015. Washington, DC, United States. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

• The 193 Member States of the United Nations reached agreement today on the outcome document that will constitute the new sustainable development agenda that will be adopted this September by world leaders at the Sustainable Development Summit in New York.

Concluding a negotiating process that has spanned more than two years and has featured the unprecedented participation of civil society, countries agreed to an ambitious agenda that features 17 new sustainable development goals that aim to end poverty, promote prosperity and people’s well-being while protecting the environment by 2030.

More than 150 world leaders are expected to attend the Sustainable Development Summit at the UN headquarters in New York between 25 to 27 September to formally adopt the outcome document of the new sustainable agenda.

The preamble of the 29-page text, “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” states, “We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet.” It continues, “We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps which are urgently needed to shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.”

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:01 AM | Link to this Post

July 1, 2015

Miss USA 2015 Registration and Fittings at L’Auberge Baton Rouge Casino & Hotel

Photo: Polikseni Manxhari, Miss Massachusetts USA 2015, with makeup artist Kayla Evans during registration and fittings on Monday, June 29th at the L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge. The 2015 Miss USA contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the D.I.C. Crown in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The 2015 Miss USA Pageant will take place on Sunday July 12, 2015 at the Baton Rouge River Center. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Photo: Gretchen Reece, Miss Indiana USA 2015, visits with the children at the Emerge Center on Thursday, July 2nd, 2015. The 2015 Miss USA contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the D.I.C. Crown in Baton Rouge. Tune in to the Reelz telecast at 8:00 PM ET on July 12, 2015 live from the Baton Rouge River Center to see who will be crowned Miss USA 2015. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Photo: Renee Wronecki, Miss Illinois USA 2015, visits with the children at the Emerge Center on Thursday, July 2nd, 2015. The 2015 Miss USA contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the D.I.C. Crown in Baton Rouge. Tune in to the Reelz telecast at 8:00 PM ET on July 12, 2015 live from the Baton Rouge River Center to see who will be crowned Miss USA 2015. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Photo: Jackie Croft, Miss Vermont USA 2015, visits with the children at the Emerge Center on Thursday, July 2nd, 2015. The 2015 Miss USA contestants are touring, filming, rehearsing and preparing to compete for the D.I.C. Crown in Baton Rouge. Tune in to the Reelz telecast at 8:00 PM ET on July 12, 2015 live from the Baton Rouge River Center to see who will be crowned Miss USA 2015. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

Photo: Olivia Jordan, Miss Oklahoma USA 2015, with makeup artist Tammy Mixon during registration and fittings on Monday, June 29th at the L’Auberge Casino & Hotel, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Photographer: Richard D. Salyer. Image provided by and copyright © Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP, New York, NY.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

Edited & Posted by Editor | 3:07 PM | Link to this Post

June 29, 2015

Special Event to Mark 70th Anniversary of Signing of United Nations Charter

Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivers a speech at the United Nations Champions Dinner at the Venetian Ballroom, Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. This special event was a part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco on this day in 1945. 26 June 2015. San Francisco, United States. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Photo: Aerial View of San Francisco, California, during the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon trip to Palo Alto to deliver a speech at Encina Hall of Stanford University in California entitled “The UN at 70: A conversation with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon”. 26 June 2015. San Francisco, United States. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Photo: The San Francisco Conference, 25 April - 26 June 1945. India Signs the United Nations Charter. Sir A. Ramaswami Mudaliar, Member of the Governor-General’s Executive Council and leader of the delegation of India, signs the United Nations Charter. 26 June 1945. San Francisco, United States. © UN Photo/Rosenberg.

Photo: The San Francisco Conference, 25 April - 26 June 1945. Members of the Delegation from India. Standing (left to right): Sgt. Crickmay, Mr. Ollenbach, Mr. Nagar, Mr. Thampi, Miss Felton, Miss Jones, Miss Hull, Mr. P. A. Menon, Mr. Nair, Capt. Brownsdon. Seated (left to right): General Cawthorn, Mr. Bartley, Sir Ramaswami Mudaliar (Chairman), Sir V. T. Krishnamachari, Mr. K.P.S. Menon, Dr. Thomas. 26 June 1945. San Francisco, United States. © UN Photo.

Photo: The San Francisco Conference, 25 April-26 June 1945. The signatures of France and Argentina for the Charter of the United Nations. 26 June 1945. San Francisco, United States. © UN Photo.

Photo: The San Francisco Conference, 25 April-26 June 1945. The signature of China for the Charter of the United Nations. 26 June 1945. San Francisco, United States. © UN Photo.

Photo: The San Francisco Conference, 25 April - 26 June 1945. The United States Sign the United Nations Charter. Tom Connaly, United States Senate, member of the U.S. Delegation, signs the United Nations Charter. 26 June 1945. San Francisco, United States. © UN Photo/McCreary.

Photo: Picture of a copy of the “Charter of the United Nations”. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Mark Garten.

Photo: A view of the Rhythms of One World International Choral Festival Concert, a global event celebrating the 70th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter “We the Peoples”. The event was organized by the Permanent Mission of Romania and the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation, Inc. under the patronage of UNESCO in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Public Information. 29 June 2015. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Loey Felipe.

|GlobalGiants.Com|

“We, the peoples of the United Nations, determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal right of men and women and of nations large and small….And for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors…have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.”

— Preamble, Charter of the United Nations.

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

— Napoleon Bonaparte.

Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:46 AM | Link to this Post