UN Human Rights Prize: The United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights (UN Human Rights Prize) was announced recently. These awards were instituted by the General Assembly of United Nations in 1966 and are intended to honour and commend people and organizations which have done outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other United Nations human rights instruments. The first awards were given in 1968 and are given every five years since then. This year the Award was given to Asma Jahangir (Pakistan’s late human rights activists), Rebeca Gyumi (Tanzania), Joanna Wapichana (Brazil) and Front Line Defenders (Irish organisation).

First world agriculture prize: The First World Agriculture Prize was launched by Indian Council of Food and Agriculture or ICFA. It carries a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and recognise the individuals who have served humanity through agriculture. It will be an annual prize. This year the first World Agriculture Prize were given the father of green revolution in India - Shri MS Swaminathan.