INTERNATIONAL
UN / UNESCO
48th UNESCO World Heritage Committee Session Concludes in Busan; Sarnath Inscribed
The 48th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee took place at BEXCO in Busan, South Korea, chaired by Lee Byong-hyun.
The committee inscribed 25 new heritage sites (19 cultural, 5 natural, 1 mixed), taking the global count of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to 1,273 across 173 nations.
India's Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was officially recognized as a new UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Three nations—Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Sudan—received their first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site inscriptions.
The committee adopted the Busan Declaration, adding 'Collaboration' as the 6th C to the existing 5 Cs (Conservation, Credibility, Capacity-building, Communication, Communities).
Exam Perspective: World Heritage Committee decisions and new Indian site additions are mainstay questions across competitive examinations.
The committee inscribed 25 new heritage sites (19 cultural, 5 natural, 1 mixed), taking the global count of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to 1,273 across 173 nations.
India's Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was officially recognized as a new UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Three nations—Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Sudan—received their first-ever UNESCO World Heritage Site inscriptions.
The committee adopted the Busan Declaration, adding 'Collaboration' as the 6th C to the existing 5 Cs (Conservation, Credibility, Capacity-building, Communication, Communities).
Exam Perspective: World Heritage Committee decisions and new Indian site additions are mainstay questions across competitive examinations.
Key Facts / Static GK
UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; Director-General: Audrey Azoulay; Founded: 16 November 1945.
Practice Quiz — 4 August 2026
Q1. Who among the following was recently appointed as Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India to oversee financial markets regulation and foreign exchange departments?
Answer: (A) Monisha Chakraborty — Monisha Chakraborty was appointed as the Executive Director (ED) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), where she will supervise foreign exchange and financial markets regulation.
Q2. Who has been appointed as India's next Ambassador to Iran?
Answer: (A) Vishwesh Negi — Diplomat Vishwesh Negi, who was serving as a Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been designated as India's next Ambassador to Iran.
Q3. Which lake was recently declared as Arunachal Pradesh's first Ramsar site, making it the 101st Ramsar site in India?
Answer: (B) Glaw Lake — Glaw Lake in Arunachal Pradesh, situated within Kamlang Tiger Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, was declared a Wetland of International Importance, taking India's Ramsar site total to 101.
Q4. Which bank recently introduced 'Specialé Senior Citizen Savings Account' and 'SavingsMax Account for Women'?
Answer: (B) HDFC Bank — HDFC Bank introduced two targeted savings products—Specialé Senior Citizen Savings Account and SavingsMax Account for Women—to cater to specific customer demographics.
Q5. What is the name of the new insurance digital platform launched by Karnataka Bank in collaboration with SprintMoney?
Answer: (B) KBL Finsurance — Karnataka Bank launched 'KBL Finsurance', a platform built by fintech SprintMoney, to integrate and automate insurance offerings across all branch locations.
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