- This prestigious recognition was awarded to Varanasi at the 22nd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State which was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- The nomination of Varanasi will enhance tourism and cultural and humanitarian exchanges between India and the SCO member Countries.
- At the SCO Summit 2021, held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, the regulations for the nomination of the SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital were adopted.
- SCO is an intergovernmental organization of Eurasian nations that was founded in 2001 to establish peace and stability in the region through mutual cooperation.
- SCO has its headquarters in Beijing, China.
- China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan were the founding members of the SCO.
- India and Pakistan joined the SCO in 2017 with Iran being the latest addition in 2021.
Question:
Q.1 Which city was nominated as the first-ever SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital during the period 2022-2023?a. Samarkand
b. Lahore
c. Varanasi
d. Ramsar
