Table of Contents
GS-2
- 75th anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping missions
Facts for Prelims
- ‘Stolpersteine’
- 2023 FW13
- KSS-III Batch-II Submarine
75th anniversary of United Nations peacekeeping missions
Context: Recently the United Nations observed the 75th anniversary of its peacekeeping missions.
About UN Peace keeping:
- The International Day of UN Peacekeepers is observed annually on May 29th. It is a day dedicated to honouring the contributions and sacrifices of United Nations (UN) peacekeepers in maintaining peace and security around the world.
- The day also serves as a tribute to those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
- The theme of the 75th anniversary “Peace begins with me” recognizes the service and sacrifice of peacekeepers, past and present, including more than 4200 who have given their lives under the UN flag.
- It also pays tribute to the resilience of the communities that we serve, who continue to strive for peace despite many obstacles.
- This campaign also calls on each of us to join the global movement for peace. Alone, we can never succeed.
- But, together, we can be a strong force for change.
Progress till now:
- For 75 years, UN peacekeepers have saved and changed lives in the world’s most fragile political and security situations.
- Peacekeeping is flexible and over the past two decades has been deployed in many configurations.
- Today’s multidimensional peacekeeping operations are called upon not only to maintain peace and security, but also to facilitate the political process, protect civilians, assist in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants; support the organization of elections, protect and promote human rights and assist in restoring the rule of law.
Significance of UN peacekeeping missions:
- Recognizing Peacekeeping Efforts: The day serves as a global recognition of the crucial role played by UN peacekeepers in maintaining peace and security around the world. It acknowledges their commitment and tireless efforts in preventing conflicts, protecting civilians, and promoting stability in areas affected by violence and war.
- Honouring Fallen Peacekeepers: The International Day of UN Peacekeepers is an occasion to honor and remember those peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
- It pays tribute to their bravery and sacrifice, emphasizing the profound impact they have made in the pursuit of peace.
- The day offers an opportunity to express gratitude and support to the families and loved ones of fallen peacekeepers.
- Promoting Awareness and Understanding: The day raises awareness about the challenges faced by UN peacekeepers and the complex nature of their work.
- It helps foster understanding and appreciation among the general public, highlighting the significance of peacekeeping operations in resolving conflicts and preventing the escalation of violence.
- Advocating for Peace and Security: The International Day of UN Peacekeepers serves as a platform for advocating peace and security at the international level.
- It encourages governments, organizations, and individuals to recommit themselves to the principles of peacekeeping and to strengthen their support for UN peacekeeping missions.
- Strengthening International Peacekeeping: The day provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements, challenges, and future directions of UN peacekeeping.
- It encourages discussions and dialogue on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of peacekeeping operations, including the development of new strategies, technologies, and approaches.
- The day’s significance lies in its role as a catalyst for advancing the field of international peacekeeping and promoting continuous improvement in peacekeeping practices.
Challenges:
- UN peacekeeping faces increasingly difficult challenges, including attacks against our peacekeepers, complex mandates, and uneven political support.
- Peacekeeping is essentially a collective endeavour: a partnership.
- The Charts below show the number of peacekeepers, country-wise, who died due to malicious acts during peacekeeping missions.
Way Forward:
- We require strong, collective action if we are to succeed in addressing the existing challenges. Strengthening peacekeeping means helping countries who provide us with troops and police, including by supporting training needs to ensure we deploy personnel equipped and prepared to accomplish these tasks.
- Thus, ensuring that all United Nations personnel maintain the highest standards of conduct must be at the heart of our collective efforts. We must continue to work harder and closely with Member States who possess the authority to hold all categories of personnel accountable for criminal conduct.
‘Stolpersteine’
Context
A plaque commemorating a victim of Nazi persecution in Nuremberg became the 100,000th \”Stolperstein\” recently.
About Stolpersteine:
- Stolperstein are small, brass memorialsplaced in the pavements of cities across Europe to commemorate victims of Nazi persecution.
- The Stolpersteine are a project initiated by German artist Gunter Demnig since 1992.
- These small stonesserve as a reminder of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and the countless lives that were lost.
- \”Stolperstein\” is a German word meaning, literally, \”stumbling stone,\” or, metaphorically, \”stumbling block.\”
- The first Stolpersteinwas placed on 16 December 1992, a date which marked 50 years since an order was signed to begin the mass deportation of Jewish people and Roma from Germany.
- Each of the brass plaques embedded in pavements recalls the fate of a personwho was persecuted by the Nazis, deported, murdered or driven to suicide.
- Unlike some other memorialsthat focus on specific persecuted groups, the Stolpersteine honour all victims of the Nazi regime, including Jewish, Sinti, Roma, disabled, dissident, and Afro-German and “asocial” citizens.
- The inscription on each stone begins “Here lived”, followed by the victim’s name, date of birth, and fate: internment, suicide, exile or, in the vast majority of cases, deportation and murder.
- Each Stolperstein is individually funded and can be sponsored by private individuals, schools or and organisations.
It is the largest decentralized Holocaust memorial in the world.
2023 FW13
Context
Astronomers have recently discovered a ‘quasi-moon’ called ‘2023 FW13’ that orbits the Earth but is actually gravitationally bound by the Sun.
About 2023 FW13:
- It is an asteroidwhich has been designated as a quasi-satellite or a quasi-moon.
- It is among the few known quasi-moonsor satellites that we know of in our solar system.
- It was identified byexperts utilizing the Pan-STARRS telescope situated atop Hawaii’s Haleakala volcano.
- It has been in Earth\’s vicinity since 100 BCand will keep circling our planet for at least another 1,500 years, until AD 3700.
- Features:
- The newfound asteroid 2023 FW13 circles the sun in sync with Earth.
- According to preliminary estimates, its diameter is from 10 to 20 meters.
- While not gravitationally bound to Earthin any discernible way (like our Moon), the asteroid\’s bizarre orbit makes it circle our planet occasionally, earning it the name of a quasi-satellite or quasi-moon.
- At the closest pointin its slightly elliptical orbit around Earth, the moon comes within about 223,693 miles (360,000 km) of our planet.
What are quasi-moons?
- Quasi-moons are also known as \’quasi-satellites\’ because they appear to orbit our planet in the same way that our natural satellite, the Moon.
It is a space rock that circles the Earth, but is gravitationally bound by the sun.
KSS-III Batch-II Submarine
Context
South Korea has recently come up with a special proposal to provide its advanced KSS-III Batch-II submarine to India.
About KSS-III Batch-II Submarine:
- The KSS-III, the largest submarine to ever be built by South Korea, is being developed in two phases, Batch-I and Batch-II.
- It is a series of diesel-electric attack submarines.
- KSS-III Batch-II is an advanced version of its predecessorin terms of combat management systems, firepower, and sonar capabilities.
- It is jointly developed by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).
- Features:
- The submarine will be 89 metres long, 6 metres wide, and have a displacement of around 3,600 tonnes.
- The Batch-II series will be equipped with lithium-ion batteries,which will reportedly make it capable of cruising at higher speeds with a greater period of underwater endurance, life expectancy, and durability.
- Additionally, the submarines will be equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)technology that will allow them to operate without access to atmospheric oxygen.
- It will also be capable of carrying a crew of 50 members.
- It can fire missiles such as Hyunmoo-4-4submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM).
- The submarines can attain a maximum operating speed of approximately 20knots and cruising range of 10,000 nmi.
The navigation aids on board the submarine include an inertial navigation system (INS) and global positioning system (GPS).