Latest news with #ISF
India Gazette
2 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
Japan: ISA to host the second edition of the International Solar Festival in Osaka
New Delhi [India], June 30 (ANI): The International Solar Alliance (ISA) will host the next editions of its flagship initiatives--the CEO Caucus and the International Solar Festival (ISF)--at World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, from 3-4 July 2025. These platforms will bring together global leaders, innovators, policymakers, and community champions to advance the global solar transition and foster collaboration across regions, ISA stated in a release. Launched in 2024, the CEO Caucus and International Solar Festival (ISF) have emerged as key platforms shaping the future of solar energy deployment and innovation. 'The CEO Caucus and International Solar Festival are not just flagship initiatives of ISA--they are dynamic, global convenings for public-private collaboration, youth-led innovation, and transformative solar action. By hosting them at World Expo 2025 in collaboration with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), ISA is deepening its commitment to transforming solar movement from Ambition to Action. While India's progress offers a powerful role model for Global South -- reaching 224 GW of renewable capacity as of April 2025, including 108 GW from solar--these platforms are about global momentum bringing together India, Japan and ISA's 124 member countries by sharing stories, building partnerships, and enabling jobs led solar growth,' said Mr Ashish Khanna, Director General, International Solar Alliance. The 2025 CEO Caucus, themed 'Forging the Future of Solar: India-Japan Innovations for a Sustainable Asia' will focus on unlocking new opportunities for cross-border investment, resilient supply chains, and clean energy innovation. A key highlight will be the India-Japan Solar Industry Roundtable, which will explore collaboration in battery storage, green hydrogen, and solar manufacturing--supporting India's ambition of 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030. The Osaka edition builds on the first 2025 CEO Caucus roundtable held in Brussels in June, which explored Europe's role in diversifying and strengthening global solar value chains. The second International Solar Festival will spotlight transformative solar stories from youth, entrepreneurs, and communities through sessions such as 'Young G Limitless: Leading the Solar Takeover,' where young changemakers and technology influencers reimagine the solar future, and 'Dastan-e-Aftaab (Story of the Sun),' a cultural performance celebrating our shared solar heritage and the universal significance of the sun. The Festival's first edition in New Delhi in September 2024 attracted thousands and celebrated solar energy's power to transform lives, fuel dreams, and empower communities. It focused on themes such as Youth Engagement, Gender Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Private Sector Engagement, and Community Empowerment--amplifying underrepresented voices and harnessing the energy of youth and innovators to make solar both aspirational and accessible. Both platforms are now being positioned as annual global convenings for solar advocacy, policy dialogue, and investment mobilisation. CEO Caucus roundtables are also planned across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean in 2025. Reflecting on these global platforms, Mr Khanna added: 'The CEO Caucus and International Solar Festival are not just milestones--they are movements. They embody our belief that solar energy can unite nations, transform lives, and accelerate the sustainable future we all aspire to. Through leadership, innovation, and youth-led action, we are building the solar-powered tomorrow the world urgently needs. We invite stakeholders from across the ecosystem to join us in Osaka and be part of this shared journey,' ISA noted. The events will be held at the Bharat Pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, with the CEO Caucus on 3 July 2025 and the International Solar Festival on 4 July 2025. ISA has welcomed participation from government representatives, industry leaders, innovators, financiers, youth organisations, and civil society to these global solar events. The World Expo 2025, organised by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), is currently underway in Osaka, Japan, from April 13 to October 13, 2025. Themed 'Designing Future Society for Our Lives,' the Expo focuses on three sub-themes: Saving Lives, Empowering Lives, and Connecting Lives. It serves as a global platform for innovation, collaboration, and transformative solutions to shape a better future. With 28 million visitors expected, the Expo is a landmark event driving conversations and action for tomorrow's societies. The International Solar Alliance is a global initiative launched in 2015 by India and France at COP21 in Paris. It has 123 Member and Signatory Countries. The Alliance works with governments to improve energy access and security worldwide and promotes solar power as a sustainable transition to a carbon-neutral future. ISA's mission is to unlock investments in solar energy while reducing the cost of technology and financing it. It promotes the use of solar energy in agriculture, health, transport, and power generation sectors. ISA Member Countries are driving change by enacting policies and regulations, sharing best practices, agreeing on common standards, and mobilising investments. According to ISA, the organisation has identified, designed, and tested new business models for solar projects; supported governments to make their energy legislation and policies solar-friendly through Ease of Doing Solar analytics and advisory; pooled demand for solar technology from different countries; driven down costs; improved access to finance by reducing the risks and making the sector more attractive to private investment; and increased access to solar training, data, and insights for solar engineers and energy policymakers. With its advocacy for solar-powered solutions, ISA aims to transform lives, bring clean, reliable, and affordable energy to communities worldwide, fuel sustainable growth, and improve quality of life. On 6 December 2017, 15 countries signed and ratified the ISA Framework Agreement, making ISA the first international intergovernmental organisation to be headquartered in India. ISA is partnering with multilateral development banks (MDBs), development financial institutions (DFIs), private and public sector organisations, civil society, and other international institutions to deploy cost-effective and transformational solutions through solar energy, especially in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Small Island Developing States (SIDS). (ANI)
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
International Human Rights, Children's Welfare Film Fund Established by Producer Uday Jhunjhunwala (EXCLUSIVE)
Independent producer Uday Jhunjhunwala has unveiled the establishment of a fund, fiscally sponsored by Desipina Productions, for film, theater, prose and poetry projects centered on international human rights and children's welfare during South Asian House's programming at the Tribeca Festival. The fund was among several projects that gained momentum as South Asian House concluded its third consecutive year of programming at the festival, partnering with the Islamic Scholarship Fund (ISF) and Arab Film and Media Institute (AFMI) to spotlight the need for authentic representation in film. More from Variety 'Inside' Review: Guy Pearce and Cosmo Jarvis Are Inmates in an Offbeat Aussie Prison Drama 'Sham' Review: Takashi Miike's Real-Life Courtroom Thriller Ends Up Shedding Its Complexities Tribeca Studios and OpenAI to Establish AI-Integrated Short Film Program (EXCLUSIVE) One of the highlights of the programming was a panel at the AT&T Untold Stories Lounge, curated by Rohi Mirza Pandya, founder of South Asian House/Box Office Guru Media. Moderated by Shruti Ganguly, the conversation featured panelists Aizzah Fatima from ISF and Maya Labban from AFMI. The event opened with a video message from Alana Hadid of Watermelon Pictures, who emphasized the importance of 'freeing the narrative.' The panel addressed the stark underrepresentation of Muslim characters in Hollywood, citing a June 2021 USC Annenberg study that found only 1.6% of nearly 9,000 characters in the 200 most popular films between 2017-2019 were Muslim, despite Muslims comprising 1.8 billion people globally. Beyond the main panel, South Asian House produced Tribeca Talks with ISF at the BrownGirl Clubhouse, while AFMI presented a mixer at MadamJi during the festival week. 'Where the Light Enters You,' a short documentary co-directed by Academy member Hemal Trivedi and Matt Alesevich, announced its Oscar qualifying run and Impact first campaign, aiming to build awareness around grassroots healthcare reform in rural India. Gitesh Pandya, founder of Box Office Guru, moderated a panel featuring South Asian filmmakers from Tribeca-selected films, including 'Pinch' director Uttera Singh, 'Poreless' producer/star Akbar Hamid, and 'The Patel Motel Story' co-directors Rahul Rohatgi and Amar Shah. The programming also included Industry Talks and a shorts screening featuring South Asian, Arab and Muslim filmmakers discussing authentic representation and industry access. Participants included entertainment lawyer Maaha Khan, cultural strategist Hiba Irshad, musician and actor Samrat Chakrabarti, co-directors Ronald Austin Jr. and Vinny Anand, comedian Atheer Yacoub, and actors Cindy Shi and Piyali Syam. ISF curated short films featured work by filmmakers Fatimah Asghar, Angbeen Saleem, Fahim Hamid and Habib Yazdi, who were in attendance. 'This partnership with Tribeca Festival has been incredible — their support means the world to us, and their commitment to diverse audiences is unparalleled,' said Pandya. 'To have these conversations in my hometown – where the grit and determination of independent filmmakers is the heartbeat of the city and to do so alongside such a brilliant group of women with an engaged audience – was truly a dream.' South Asian House, founded by Pandya and Monika Samtani, creates celebratory spaces for South Asian communities at major festivals. ISF, established in 2009, works to elevate American Muslim storytelling in media, while AFMI focuses on reshaping Arab narratives through film to challenge global stereotypes. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Avetta Rounds Out First 2025 Summit Series Event by Joining Intersociety Forum, Awarding Top North American Customers and Revealing Details on International Summits
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avetta®, the leading provider of supply chain risk management (SCRM) software, today concluded its North America Avetta Summit Series event in Nashville, Tennessee by announcing the company's participation in the Intersociety Forum (ISF). The ISF is a coalition of leading organizations dedicated to improving worker safety and health while promoting safety practices as a strategic advantage. Avetta also revealed its 2025 North America customer award winners—13 companies and three individuals making a significant positive impact through innovation, safety leadership and sustainability. Lastly, the company unveiled the dates for upcoming Avetta Summit Series events in London and Sydney this fall. Joining the ISF in protecting workers and driving successful businesses At the event, Avetta pledged its support for the ISF's occupational health, safety and environmental core principles, which are designed to better protect workers and serve as a foundation of economic competitiveness. Those principles are: Business-driven practice: Standards and worker well-being. Beyond compliance: Embracing risk and safety management systems. Leading indicators: Revolutionizing record keeping for predictive insights. "We believe improving the safety and protecting the health of workers isn't just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do," said Arshad Matin, President, CEO and Board Member at Avetta. "Safe, well-supported workers are the foundation of operational excellence, innovation and long-term growth. By joining the ISF, we're reinforcing our commitment to advancing workplace safety as both a moral imperative and a strategic advantage for companies." Avetta is the first technology company to join the ISF and unites with its partners the American Society of Safety Professionals and the National Safety Council as members of the coalition. Select other members include the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, the National Electrical Contractors Association and the National Environmental Health Association. Awarding top customers for outstanding performance Each year, Avetta awards customers across a series of performance categories based on a set of objective criteria. For 2025, the judges were Avetta's safety, sustainability and compliance experts along with a panel of third-party industry leaders: Adele Abrams, Senior Counsel at Littler; Dylan Short, Managing Director at The Redlands Group; and Dustin Hickey, Senior Vice President, HSEQ at Industrial Specialty Services. "Our customers are at the heart of everything we do," said Abid Yousuf, Chief Customer Officer at Avetta. "These awards are our way of celebrating the incredible progress they're making to improve supply chain safety, sustainability and security across their networks. Their commitment inspires us to keep innovating and partnering more closely to help them achieve even greater impact." This year's winners and other finalists are: Health and Safety Leader Companies that have built outstanding health and safety programs and leveraged Avetta solutions to drive measurable safety improvements. Winners: Caterpillar, Heat Shock 2 and RT Technical Solutions. Other finalists: Bee-Clean Building Maintenance, BGIS, Brock Canada, Ervin Cable Construction, Martin Industrial Contracting Services, Schneider Electric and Verizon. Operational Excellence Leader Companies using Avetta solutions to enhance business efficiency—time savings, streamlined workflows and successful automations. Winners: ABM, Ainsworth, Innomotics and RF MacDonald Co. Other finalists: AmSpec, Black Hills Energy, Cushman & Wakefield, JoyRide Logistics and Verizon. Sustainability Trailblazer Companies that are advancing sustainability within their operations and supply chains. Winners: Kleinfelder and Progressive Logistics. Other finalists: BGIS, Buckeye Partners, Bunzl, Harvard Maintenance, LBC and Quanta. Premier Partner Companies exhibiting strong collaboration and partnership with Avetta across multiple initiatives. Winners: Black Hills Energy, KCCTech and Northline Utilities. Other finalists: BGIS, Dubak Electrical Maintenance Corp. and Verizon Safety Transformation Innovator Companies that have enhanced their safety processes, either by implementing new systems or by significantly improving existing ones. Winner: D.C. Taylor Other finalists: Alterman, Inter Technologies Corporation and Constellis Holdings. Changemaker Individuals who are using Avetta solutions to drive meaningful change within their organizations. Winners: James Armstrong, AmSpec; Dami Jaiyeoba, Cushman & Wakefield; and Aubrey Robinson, Cargill. Other finalists: Will Amos, Parking Mates; Donald Burton, DK Burton Doors; Katie Dolan, Ainsworth; Lisa Saner, ABM; and Phil Varney, Amazon. "I'm honored to be named a Changemaker," said Dami Jaiyeoba, Vice President and Head of Procurement Technology and Operations at Cushman & Wakefield. "I'm passionate about leveraging technology and collaborating with clients to identify and reduce supply chain risks. I'm excited to continue pushing boundaries in creating safer, more resilient supply chains that protect people and operations alike." Looking ahead to upcoming international Avetta Summit Series events The 2025 Avetta Summit Series will continue with customer events in London on September 25 and Sydney October 21-22. Like the North America summit, these international conferences will provide engaging discussions, invaluable learning experiences and meaningful networking opportunities. Avetta will also announce the 2025 customer of year award winners for EMEA and APAC, respectively. Sign up for updates on these summits here. About Avetta The Avetta SaaS platform helps clients manage supply chain risk and their suppliers to become more qualified for jobs. For the hiring clients in our network, we offer the world's largest supply chain risk management network to manage supplier safety, sustainability, worker competency and performance. We perform contractor prequalification and worker competency management across major industries, all over the globe, including construction, energy, facilities, high tech, manufacturing, mining and telecom. View source version on Contacts Media Contact Aaron
Business Wire
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Avetta Rounds Out First 2025 Summit Series Event by Joining Intersociety Forum, Awarding Top North American Customers and Revealing Details on International Summits
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Avetta ®, the leading provider of supply chain risk management (SCRM) software, today concluded its North America Avetta Summit Series event in Nashville, Tennessee by announcing the company's participation in the Intersociety Forum (ISF). The ISF is a coalition of leading organizations dedicated to improving worker safety and health while promoting safety practices as a strategic advantage. Avetta also revealed its 2025 North America customer award winners—13 companies and three individuals making a significant positive impact through innovation, safety leadership and sustainability. Lastly, the company unveiled the dates for upcoming Avetta Summit Series events in London and Sydney this fall. Joining the ISF in protecting workers and driving successful businesses At the event, Avetta pledged its support for the ISF's occupational health, safety and environmental core principles, which are designed to better protect workers and serve as a foundation of economic competitiveness. Those principles are: Business-driven practice: Standards and worker well-being. Beyond compliance: Embracing risk and safety management systems. Leading indicators: Revolutionizing record keeping for predictive insights. 'We believe improving the safety and protecting the health of workers isn't just the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do,' said Arshad Matin, President, CEO and Board Member at Avetta. 'Safe, well-supported workers are the foundation of operational excellence, innovation and long-term growth. By joining the ISF, we're reinforcing our commitment to advancing workplace safety as both a moral imperative and a strategic advantage for companies.' Avetta is the first technology company to join the ISF and unites with its partners the American Society of Safety Professionals and the National Safety Council as members of the coalition. Select other members include the Agricultural Safety and Health Council of America, the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Board of Certified Safety Professionals, the National Electrical Contractors Association and the National Environmental Health Association. Awarding top customers for outstanding performance Each year, Avetta awards customers across a series of performance categories based on a set of objective criteria. For 2025, the judges were Avetta's safety, sustainability and compliance experts along with a panel of third-party industry leaders: Adele Abrams, Senior Counsel at Littler; Dylan Short, Managing Director at The Redlands Group; and Dustin Hickey, Senior Vice President, HSEQ at Industrial Specialty Services. 'Our customers are at the heart of everything we do,' said Abid Yousuf, Chief Customer Officer at Avetta. 'These awards are our way of celebrating the incredible progress they're making to improve supply chain safety, sustainability and security across their networks. Their commitment inspires us to keep innovating and partnering more closely to help them achieve even greater impact.' This year's winners and other finalists are: Health and Safety Leader Companies that have built outstanding health and safety programs and leveraged Avetta solutions to drive measurable safety improvements. Winners: Caterpillar, Heat Shock 2 and RT Technical Solutions. Other finalists: Bee-Clean Building Maintenance, BGIS, Brock Canada, Ervin Cable Construction, Martin Industrial Contracting Services, Schneider Electric and Verizon. Operational Excellence Leader Companies using Avetta solutions to enhance business efficiency—time savings, streamlined workflows and successful automations. Winners: ABM, Ainsworth, Innomotics and RF MacDonald Co. Other finalists: AmSpec, Black Hills Energy, Cushman & Wakefield, JoyRide Logistics and Verizon. Sustainability Trailblazer Companies that are advancing sustainability within their operations and supply chains. Winners: Kleinfelder and Progressive Logistics. Other finalists: BGIS, Buckeye Partners, Bunzl, Harvard Maintenance, LBC and Quanta. Premier Partner Companies exhibiting strong collaboration and partnership with Avetta across multiple initiatives. Winners: Black Hills Energy, KCCTech and Northline Utilities. Other finalists: BGIS, Dubak Electrical Maintenance Corp. and Verizon Safety Transformation Innovator Companies that have enhanced their safety processes, either by implementing new systems or by significantly improving existing ones. Winner: D.C. Taylor Other finalists: Alterman, Inter Technologies Corporation and Constellis Holdings. Changemaker Individuals who are using Avetta solutions to drive meaningful change within their organizations. Winners: James Armstrong, AmSpec; Dami Jaiyeoba, Cushman & Wakefield; and Aubrey Robinson, Cargill. Other finalists: Will Amos, Parking Mates; Donald Burton, DK Burton Doors; Katie Dolan, Ainsworth; Lisa Saner, ABM; and Phil Varney, Amazon. 'I'm honored to be named a Changemaker,' said Dami Jaiyeoba, Vice President and Head of Procurement Technology and Operations at Cushman & Wakefield. 'I'm passionate about leveraging technology and collaborating with clients to identify and reduce supply chain risks. I'm excited to continue pushing boundaries in creating safer, more resilient supply chains that protect people and operations alike.' Looking ahead to upcoming international Avetta Summit Series events The 2025 Avetta Summit Series will continue with customer events in London on September 25 and Sydney October 21-22. Like the North America summit, these international conferences will provide engaging discussions, invaluable learning experiences and meaningful networking opportunities. Avetta will also announce the 2025 customer of year award winners for EMEA and APAC, respectively. Sign up for updates on these summits here. About Avetta The Avetta SaaS platform helps clients manage supply chain risk and their suppliers to become more qualified for jobs. For the hiring clients in our network, we offer the world's largest supply chain risk management network to manage supplier safety, sustainability, worker competency and performance. We perform contractor prequalification and worker competency management across major industries, all over the globe, including construction, energy, facilities, high tech, manufacturing, mining and telecom.
Indian Express
14-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why TMC's appointment of a Sufi shrine cleric is a significant move as Bengal politics simmers
As the political rhetoric in West Bengal intensifies in the run-up to the Assembly elections next year with the BJP looking to push a polarising narrative, the Trinamool Congress's (TMC) response has been to shore up its position among the minority community, and this is reflected in its recent decision to appoint Pirzada Kasem Siddiqui of the powerful Sufi shrine of Furfura Sharif a state general secretary. Siddiqui's appointment comes at a time when the BJP has been trying to politically gain from painting the Mamata Banerjee-led party as 'anti-Hindu' over the situation in Bangladesh, Murshidabad communal violence, the Sharmistha Panoli case, and this week's violence on the outskirts of Kolkata between two communities. Though the TMC has no reason to be apprehensive about its Muslim vote shifting — the party has been the minority community's choice since the 2009 Lok Sabha elections — given the BJP's strategy in the run-up to the elections, the party wants to ensure it has a lock on the community's support and does not want to provide a smaller outfit such as Indian Secular Front (ISF) a way in to muddy the waters. Floated by Furfura Sharif's top cleric Abbas Siddiqui before the Assembly polls in 2021, the ISF contested that election alongside the Congress and the Left and ended up being the only party in the alliance to win a seat. It won in Bhangar, with Abbas Siddiqui's younger brother Naushad getting elected from the constituency in what was earlier a TMC stronghold in South 24 Parganas district. Though it does not pose a big threat to the TMC's Muslim vote, the ISF nonetheless held its ground and never really went away. In the 2023 panchayat elections, it picked up around 400 gram panchayat seats, mostly in the TMC bastion of South Bengal. The ISF's support base comprises poor agricultural workers and Bengali-speaking, working-class Muslims who are the followers of Furufura Sharif. The ISF's brand of social justice politics, which is also aimed at other vulnerable groups such as Dalits and tribals, is what has helped the party gain traction among voters from these communities. If left unchecked, the TMC believes this has the potential to pose a challenge to its hold over minority votes. In contrast, the TMC till now has relied mostly on political symbolism and fear in the community about the BJP coming to power to keep its hold on the Muslim vote. It is in this context that Siddiqui's entry into the TMC is politically important. His link to the Furufura Sharif — he is the cousin of Abbas and Naushad — provides him with a heft that the ruling party can utilise to reach out to Muslim voters and negate the ISF's influence ahead of the Assembly election battle, when it will need the entire minority vote behind it. 'Kasem Siddiqui has good organisational skills. That is why he was appointed general secretary,' said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh. For the TMC, widespread support of women (because of its welfare initiatives) and minority community voters, and the success in portraying the BJP as a party of outsiders have been the ingredients of a winning combination till now. At the same time, it has helped the TMC that the Hindu vote has not consolidated behind the BJP in equal measure despite the latter's best attempts. Trinamool and ISF While the ties between the TMC and Furfura Sharif took a hit after the formation of the ISF, and worsened further when Naushad was arrested ahead of the 2023 panchayat elections — he and his supporters clashed with the police after refusing to lift a blockade in Kolkata while protesting against violence in Bhangar — the ruling party of late has tried to mend fences and even reached out to the Bhangar MLA. In March, Mamata Banerjee made her first visit to the Sufi shrine in Hooghly district in nearly a decade and announced a polytechnic college in the area and a bus stand for pilgrims. During the visit, Kasem was seen by her side, sparking speculation about his entry into the party for the first time. The following day, on March 18, Naushad dropped in to meet the CM at the state secretariat to discuss, as he claimed, matters related to his constituency. Denying that there were any plans to join hands with the TMC, Naushad asked how he could join the ruling party in the state when he spent 42 days in jail for a 'movement against this government' and more than 10 ISF workers had died in the last four years. However, at the time, those in the know said the two sides were considering reaching an 'understanding' and a senior TMC leader said the idea behind the meeting was to 'ensure 100% Muslim consolidation in the 2026 elections'. In April, the TMC and the ISF MLA were back to targeting each other publicly, with Naushad alleging that Abhishek Banerjee had abstained from voting on the Waqf Amendment Bill and the ruling party's second-in-command calling for legal action against Naushad for making 'false remarks'. In the end, the crux of the matter is that Kasem Siddiqui was one of the TMC's vocal critics when his cousin was arrested, and now he holds a post in that very party. Whether this is part of some understanding between TMC and the ISF or represents the ruling party's success in regaining a toehold among the Furfura Sharif clerics remains a million-dollar question. Naushad on Friday welcomed his cousin's political entry but warned him that he had chosen the wrong side. 'I have no problem with my 'bhaijan' joining politics. We have realised that a political platform is required to work for people, but he has the wrong party. That party is corrupt and does not work for people,' the Bhangar MLA told The Indian Express.
