You've my total commitment to reject anti-Muslim bigotry, hate: UN chief to OIC members
United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced his "total commitment" to rejecting anti-Muslim bigotry, hate and all forms of intolerance, urging all to draw from Ramzan the lessons of compassion, mutual respect and solidarity.
Guterres, in his remarks on Friday to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states on "COVID-19 Solidarity: Promoting Co-Existence and Shared Responsibility", called for solidarity in speaking out against the rise in ethno-nationalism, stigma and hate speech targeting vulnerable communities and exacerbating suffering.
"Now more than ever, solidarity and unity must be our leading principles... We also need solidarity in speaking out against the rise in ethno-nationalism, stigma and hate speech targeting vulnerable communities and exacerbating suffering.
"You have my total commitment to actively challenge inaccurate and harmful messages, promote non-violence and reject anti-Muslim bigotry, hate and all forms of intolerance," he said.
With millions around the world observing Eid in the shadow of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, Guterres said that the pandemic has demonstrated the world's inter-connections, inter-dependence and also "our fragility. Our world is like one body. As long as one part is affected by this virus, we all are affected".
The UN chief said that as "millions of Muslims around the world celebrate, let us draw from the many Ramzan lessons of mercy and compassion, of dignity and rights, of mutual respect and understanding, of unity and solidarity".
As the world faces a humanitarian and economic crisis due to the pandemic, Guterres underlined the need for solidarity for a large-scale, coordinated and comprehensive health response, guided by the World Health Organization (WHO), with a focus on developing countries, pooling efforts for those at greatest risk, and strengthening health systems as well as humanitarian response.
"Solidarity in tackling the devastating social and economic dimensions of the crisis keeping households afloat and businesses solvent. And prioritising the most affected: women, older people, children, low-wage earners and other vulnerable groups.
"Solidarity for peace. And I thank so many of you for supporting my appeal for a global ceasefire to focus on the fight against the virus," he said.
The UN chief also expressed his gratitude to governments and people throughout the Muslim world who live by their faith, supporting those fleeing conflict in the best Islamic tradition of "hospitality and generosity a remarkable lesson in this world where so many doors have been closed to those in need of protection, even before COVID-19".
The OIC, an international organisation comprising 57 member states, states that it is "the collective voice of the Muslim world" and works to "safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony".
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AI chatbot 'MahaChatur' to offer skills, jobs, entrepreneurship support on 1 platform: Fadnavis
Mumbai (PTI): An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot developed by a Maharashtra government department will provide skill training, employment avenues, entrepreneurship support and guidance to youth on a single platform, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday.
He called the AI chatbot, 'MahaChatur', a "transformative initiative" and noted it will make the transition from education to employment easier for young people while helping industries access skilled manpower quickly.
The chatbot, developed by the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, is the first such initiative by any state government in the country, the CM said.
Fadnavis was speaking at the launch of the chatbot and the signing of multiple MoUs here.
Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, senior officials, diplomats and representatives from industry and academic institutions were present at the event, an official release said.
Highlighting India's demographic advantage, Fadnavis said nearly 65 per cent of the population is below 35 years of age, and equipping this workforce with relevant skills is critical to economic growth.
He said the MahaChatur chatbot, a digital assistant built to converse with users, will act as a bridge between job-seeking youth and industry requirements.
The AI-based platform will function as a one-stop solution, offering information on skill training, job opportunities, entrepreneurship guidance, application processes, assessments and market linkages. It will be easily accessible through WhatsApp, enabling wider outreach, he stated.
The chief minister emphasised the initiative will be particularly useful for employment-oriented youth seeking guidance.
He said efforts such as setting up centres of excellence, modernisation of ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes), increased participation of women in skill programmes and global partnerships will help strengthen the skill ecosystem.
Speaking on the occasion, Lodha said the state government aims to bring together the unorganised skill sector on a single platform to strengthen Maharashtra's growth.
He noted that while AI may disrupt some jobs, it will also create new employment opportunities, and the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department is working to connect youth from the state to global job markets.
The department has also launched the chatbot to streamline apprenticeship processes under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the Maharashtra Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (MAPS). The platform enables registration in about 15 minutes, significantly reducing the earlier time of two to three days, Lodha maintained.
Developed in partnership with the Right Walk Foundation, 'MahaChatur' operates on government servers using open-source AI and ensures data security. It will provide end-to-end information -- from training to placement -- for both rural and urban youth, officials said.
In the CM's presence, MoUs were signed with several organisations, including IPE Global Ltd, National Skill Training Institute, Mumbai, Shrimad Rajchandra Educational Trust, Shri Shri Rural Development Programme Trust and UN Women for collaboration in areas such as women's skill training, data security, prison skill development and youth employment initiatives, the release said.
Representatives of several industry partners, including Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd and others, were felicitated for their contribution to skill development.
Six ITI students selected for apprenticeships in Germany were also honoured and presented offer letters at the event.
Panel discussions on "Industry Leadership Dialogue" and "AI for Public Service Delivery" were held, focusing on emerging opportunities in skill development and AI-driven services.
The initiative is expected to significantly improve transparency, grievance redressal and access to employment-linked services, the release said.
