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GS Paper 2:
Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
Context:
Vodafone announced that it is auctioning the world’s first SMS as a non-fungible token (NFT). Now, the company has announced that a bidder has paid 107,000 euros for the replica of the first communication protocol of a short message, perpetuated as a NFT.
- Vodafone will donate them to UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, to support the 82.4 million people who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict and persecution.
The world’s first SMS:
It was sent almost three decades ago on December 3, 1992 through the Vodafone network. The SMS was received by Vodafone employee Richard Jarvis. “Merry Christmas,” the 15 character message read.
What is an NFT?
An NFT is a one-of-a-kind digital collectible. This means it is unique and can’t be replaced. These virtual tokens can be songs, movies, artworks, photographs, social media posts, GIFs and anything else that can be stored digitally.
About the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):
- It is a UN Refugee Agency and a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting the rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
- It was created in 1950 to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes.
- It is headquartered at Geneva, Switzerland.
Insta Curious:
What is Non-refoulement? It is the principle under international law that a person fleeing from persecution from his own country should not be forced to return.
InstaLinks:
Prelims Link:
- About UNHCR.
- What is Non-refoulement?
- UN Refugee Conventions.
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948.
- The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights of 1966.
Sources: the Hindu.
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