The world on Sunday welcomed 2023 and bid farewell to a turbulent 12 months marked by war, stinging price rises, looming recession, and Lionel Messi’s world cup glory.
While the last year was full of highs and lows, there are a lot of events, ceremonies and significant dates poised to make news in the upcoming year.
News18 looks at some of the crucial moments that could define 2023.
Coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort
King Charles, 73, will be formally crowned at London’s Westminster Abbey in May 2023, following a long tradition dating back more than 900 years. A public holiday will be held to mark the coronation of King Charles III in May, eight months after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.
The coronation traditionally takes place some months after a new sovereign has ascended to the throne, following a period of national and royal mourning as well as intense preparation. Buckingham Palace has said the coronation will reflect the monarchy’s historic traditions and its modern role.
Charles immediately became king when Queen Elizabeth died on September 8. He also took over as head of state of 14 Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Pakistan General Elections
Imran Khan, who was ousted after a no-confidence motion in 2022, will look forward to his return to power in the general elections in April this year.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led government has declared that the next general elections will be held after this government completes its tenure in August 2023.
Khan, who continue to remain popular in the country, alleged that his ouster was part of a US-led conspiracy against him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China, and Afghanistan.
The former cricketer-turned-politician, who came to power in 2018, is the only Pakistani Prime Minister to be ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament.
Turkish General Elections
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s and his two-decade dominance of Turkish politics will face its toughest test in Turkey’s 2023 general elections.
Erdoğan served as Turkey’s prime minister from 2003 to 2014 and ran for president in 2014. However, in 2017, he engineered the country’s shift to a presidential system and was re-elected to the suddenly far more powerful presidency in 2018.
In recent years, Erdoğan has lost his political magic even as he has made it harder for opponents to challenge his rule. In addition to eroding Turkey’s democracy, he has mismanaged the economy with the rising inflation, unemployment, and devaluation of Turkish lira.
India’s G20 Presidency
In December 2022, India officially took over the G20 Presidency in a historic moment. The 43 Heads of Delegations- the largest ever in G20-will be participating in the final New Delhi Summit in September 2023.
Under the banner “One earth, one family, one future,” Energy and food security will be at the top of the agenda. For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2022.
India will host over 200 meetings in over 50 cities across 32 different workstreams, and would have the opportunity to offer G20 delegates and guests a glimpse of India’s rich cultural heritage and provide them with a unique Indian experience.
COP28 Summit in UAE
After a disappointing COP27, The United Arab Emirates will host the COP28 from the 30th of November to the 12th of December. Abu Dhabi wants to play an important role in the fight against global warming.
The UAE, which is seeking a gradual move from fossil fuels, said that the next year’s UN climate talks in the country must work towards a just and equitable energy transition. Over 80,000 delegates, including over 140 heads of state and government leaders, would participate in the summit.
NATO Meet
Three years ago, French President Emmanuel Macron called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) “brain-dead.” However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revitalized the organization.
NATO will hold a summit of its 30 member countries in Vilnius in Lithuania, a mere 138 miles from the Russian border. It will be one of the largest summits ever hosted by the Baltic nation and will cost around 30 million euros.
The meeting will be an opportunity for the alliance to strengthen the deterrence and defense and continue their support for Ukraine.
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