The second National Handloom Day will be celebrated all over the country, on August 7, 2016. The main function will be held in Varanasi in which Sant Kabir Awards and National Handloom Awards will be presented. The Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani would be the Chief Guest on the occasion. Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (I/C), Shri Rajiv Pratap Rudy would be the Guest of Honour. Minister of State, Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta and the Textiles Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Mahboob Ali would also grace the occasion.
•    Besides the main event in Varanasi, there will be many other programmes. The National Handloom Day will also be celebrated at state level in all the states. In addition, the Day will also be celebrated in more than 200 handloom clusters. Doordarshan will also broadcast a special one hour long programme on that day in the evening.
•    7th August was notified by the Government of India as National Handloom Day vide Gazette Notification dated 29th  July, 2015 with the objective to generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry and its contribution to the socioeconomic development of the country in general and to promote handlooms, increase income of weavers and enhance their pride in particular. 
•    The date August 7 has been chosen due to its special significance in India’s freedom struggle; it was on this day in 1905 that the Swadeshi Movement was formally launched, at a massive meeting in the Calcutta Town hall. The movement involved revival of domestic products and production processes. The Government of India has declared August 7 as National Handloom Day every year, in memory of this.
•    The first National Handloom Day was celebrated last year and Hon’ble Prime Minister was the Chief Guest in the main event held in Chennai on 7th August, 2015
 

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Republic of Macedonia on the eve of their National Day (August 2, 2016). 
•    In a message to His Excellency Mr. Gjorge Ivanov, the President of the Republic of Macedonia, the President has said, “On behalf of the Government, the people of India and on my own behalf, it is with great pleasure that I extend warm greetings and felicitations to Your Excellency and to the people of the Republic of Macedonia on the occasion of your National Day. 
•    The long-standing relations between India and Macedonia have remained warm and friendly – based on the strong foundation of our age-old cultural and economic linkages. 
•    Over the recent years, our bilateral relationship has flourished – strengthened by our mutual understanding and multi-dimensional cooperation. 
•    He said that he is confident that our ties will continue to expand and diversify to the mutual benefit of the peoples of our two countries. 
•    He conveyed his best wishes for Excellency’s good health and well-being and for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of the Republic of Macedonia.

The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Swiss Confederation on the eve of their National Day (August 1, 2016). 
•    In a message to His Excellency Mr. Johann N. Schneider-Ammann, the President of the Swiss Confederation, the President has said, “On behalf of the Government, the people of India and on my own behalf, it is with great pleasure that I extend warm greetings and felicitations to Your Excellency and to the people of the Swiss Confederation on the occasion of your National Day. 
•    Historically India and Switzerland have shared warm and cordial relations, and the recent visit to Switzerland of India’s Prime Minister underlines that friendship. 
•    Governments will strive to work together to advance our friendly ties to the mutual benefit of our two peoples. 
•    He conveyed his Excellency’s good health and well-being and for the continued progress and prosperity of the friendly people of the Swiss Confederation.”

International Tiger Day was observed on 29 July 2016. The day is held annually on 29th July to give worldwide attention to the reservation of tigers.
•    The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues.
•    It was founded in 2010 at the St. Petersburg Tiger Summit, with the aim to double the big cat population by 2022.
•    As per latest data by tiger experts, the world has lost 97 percent of all wild tigers in a little over 100 years.
•    The World Wildlife Fund and the Global Tiger Forum says that the number of wild tigers has gone up to 3890 from the earlier 2010 estimate of 3200.
•    In 1915, the number of tigers was 1 lakh.
•    Some species of tigers have already been extinct.
•    India leads tiger population countries with an estimated population of 2226.
•    Despite countries such as India, Nepal, Russia and Bhutan registering a rise in tiger population, the status of the animal remains endangered.
•    Poaching has been the biggest threat to tigers in India. 81 tigers were victims to poachers in 2014, 25 in 2015 and by April 2016 it was 28.
•    According to reports of United Nations Environment Programme and Interpol, the environmental crime industry, which includes illegal trade in wildlife, is worth 258 billion dollars.
•    Expansion of cities and agriculture by humans led to loss of 93% natural habitat for tigers lost
•    Fewer tigers can survive in small, scattered islands of habitat, which make tigers more vulnerable to poaching, which lead to a higher risk of inbreeding.
•    Sundarbans, a large mangrove forest area shared by India and Bangladesh on the northern coast of the Indian Ocean, is one of the world’s largest places where tiger populations is found.
•    Sundarbans harbors Bengal tigers and protects coastal regions from storm surges and wind damage.
•    Rising sea levels that were caused by climate change threaten to wipe out these forests and the last remaining habitat of this tiger population.
•    WWF study says that without mitigation efforts, projected sea level rise will go up by nearly a foot by 2070, which could destroy nearly the entire Sundarbans tiger habitat.

To promote anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela's vision of education for all children through using technology, a series of affordable mobiles and tablets pre-embedded with content on the life and times of the former South African President have been launched in the country.

•    The project by AG Media in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Foundation is a Mandela Day initiative as millions of South Africans are preparing to a 67-minute community service tomorrow in memory of the globally-revered leader's 98th birth anniversary.
•    All devices feature exclusive educational content and approved content never seen before about Mandela in the form of pictures, wallpapers, quotes and more.
•    In schools, where the Mandela Library project has already built a library, the devices will be donated on merit basis, like how many children attend the school and their needs.
•    AG Mobile's CEO Anthony Goodman said that encouraging learning and education among the children is the cornerstone of the Nelson Mandela Long Walk to Freedom Education Project.

July 17, is “officially” World Emoji Day.The concept of World Emoji Day has been created by Jeremy Burge, the founder of Emojipedia. Emojipedia is a emoji data base which stores information about all things emoji. 
•    July 17 is displayed on iOS Calendar Emoji. 
•    Emojis are not just symbols with facial expression. It is a form of language in its own and has been constantly growing and evolving. 
•    Emojis have evolved from basic icons with smiley expressions to varied characters and themes with respect to diversity of race, religion and gender. 
•    These unique icons have not only given its users many reasons to laugh but has also put them in uncomfortable situations due to lack of knowledge about each and every expression. 
•    Micro-blogging site Twitter has been encouraging people to use #worldemojiday and tweet about their favorite emojis. 

The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) was on 15 July 2016 observed globally with the theme Skills Development to Improve Youth Employment.

•    On the occasion, United Nations organised the event facilitated by the UN Envoy on Youth Ahmad Alhendawi. 
•    The event was co-organized with the Permanent Missions of Portugal and Sri Lanka to the United Nations, UNESCO and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
•    The day is observed to create more awareness and a discussion on training and the development of skills for the youth of today, in hopes of creating a better opportunity for them when it comes to employment.
•    The World Youth Skills Day was established by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on 11 November 2014.
•    The Assembly designated 15 July as the World Youth Skills Day in order to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development.