Month: November 2016

Mrs. Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush, daughter of legendary actor and noteworthy film-maker Rajinikanth was recently appointed United Nations Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India. This proud announcement was made by Ms. Lakshmi Puri, U.N. Assistant Secretary General and U.N. Women Deputy Executive Director. Ms. Lakshmi Puri believes that since Mrs. Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush is a remarkable dancer, she inspires confidence in young women and across South India and beyond.

During the ceremony, Mrs. Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush said in her acceptance speech that it will be an honour for her to serve as United Nations Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India. Dr. Rebecca Reichmann Tavares, Representative of United Nations Women India, warmly welcomed Mrs. Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush to the United Nations Women family with the words, “We are delighted to have Aishwaryaa as UN Women’s Advocate for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in India. As a filmmaker, dancer – and now writer – she is perfectly placed to reach out to a range of audiences, particularly young people, and to encourage them to speak out and act to prevent violence against women, create a level playing field for women and girls, and most importantly, help change mindsets and attitudes that allow inequalities to persist.”

Apart from being a classical dancer, Mrs. Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush is a leading film director and writer as well. On her honorable accomplishment, Mr. Rajinikanth shared his emotions by saying that he feels “proud and delighted” to see his daughter being associated with the United Nations. Also, it is expected that a startup entrepreneur, Mrs. Aishwaryaa Rajinikanth Dhanush will make the required contribution in raising awareness of United Nations Women’s core beliefs regarding gender equality and women’s empowerment across India, augmenting the organization’s efforts to close the gender gap and achieve a more equal world—Planet 50-50—by the year 2030.

It was an occasion of great celebration for many when on 4th September 2016, the catholic nun Mother Teresa was proclaimed as a saint in a mass gathering. The canonization ceremony commenced at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City. At the event, Cardinal Angelo Amato addressed Pope Francis and read out a short bio of Mother which was followed by the Formula of Canonization read by Pope Francis in Latin. Later, he performed other rites after which Mother Teresa was announced Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

One of the most renowned nuns who served thousands of poor people in Kolkata, Saint Teresa was born as Agnese Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 to ethnic Albanian parents. She left her home when she was eighteen to join the Irish order of Loreto. In the year 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity which presently has more than 4,500 nuns across the globe. Mother Teresa was also awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her immense contribution. She died in 1997.

Speaking on the occasion, Pope Francis praised the generous saint and said, “She bowed down before those who were spent, left to die on the side of the road, seeing in them their god-given dignity.” He also added, “She made her voice heard before the powers of the world, so that they might recognize their guilt for the crimes of poverty they themselves created.”

Thousands of people from various cities came to attend the event. A 12-member delegation led by Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and delegation from West Bengal and New Delhi including Mamata Banerjee and Arvind Kejriwal also became a part of the event. Around 1,500 homeless people across Italy were also brought to Rome in buses to be given seats of honor at the celebration and were served a pizza lunch by nuns.

The gala evening of the 90th annual Academy Awards on 4 March, 2018 was marked with scintillating presence of celebrities from the Hollywood. “The Shape of Water” ruled the charts, winning best picture and best director (for Guillermo del Toro) and also nabbed prizes for production design and original score. Mr Gary Oldman won the lead actor award for his work as Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour” and Ms Frances McDormand earned her second best actress Oscar for  her role as a grieving mother in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Mr Sam Rockwell (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”) and Ms Allison Janney (“I, Tonya”) won supporting actor and actress honors.

Frances Mcdormand, who is the winner of the Best Actress 2018 was also previously nominated for four times for Academy Award nomination. She was previously nominated for Actress in Supporting Role for North Country (2005), Almost Famous (2000) and Mississippi Burning (1988). She also won the Best Actress in Supporting Role for her role in Fargo.