Important Days World Bee Day 2024 ▪ World Bee Day is observed on May 20 every year. ▪ The day marks the birth anniversary of Anton Janša. ▪ He is considered to be one of the fathers of modern beekeeping. ▪ Theme 2024 : “Bee Engaged with Youth” Awards and Honour 2024 Whitley Gold Award ▪ Purnima Devi Barman recently received the 2024 Whitley Gold Award for conserving Greater Adjutant Stork (Leptoptilos dubius). ▪ The award is also known as ‘Green Oscar’. Note ▪ She already received the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) ‘Champions of the Earth’ in 2022. ▪ She formed the “hargila army”, which is a group of rural women in Assam to protect the Greater Adjutant. About Greater Adjutant ▪ IUCN Status – Endangered ▪ Protected under Schedule IV of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.