AuthorMartin Hladík

The Czech start-up company Plastoil Europe has developed recycling technology that can turn most ordinary plastic waste into oil. The company’s first fully functional mobile unit – over eight years in the making – was recently unveiled and will be brought to market this year.

Optimus, as the company calls its mobile technology for converting plastic waste into oil, works through the chemical process of “thermal depolymerisation”.

In essence, intense heat decomposes plastic polymers, which are reformed and distilled back into a synthetic liquid form – reversing the original process used to produce such goods from petroleum products.

Petr Kalianko, CEO of Plastoil Europe, demonstrated and explained the basics of the process for Czech Television at the recent unveiling of the Optimus mobile unit:

“In the evaporating vessels, the liquefied plastic evaporates and condenses. It flows out and cools to a temperature of about 100 degrees Celsius, and is then suitable for further use.”

Optimus can process, for example, PVC and PET bottles, used yoghurt containers, polystyrene food packaging and plastic shopping bags – the kind of everyday packaging environmentally minded consumers out in ubiquitous yellow recycling bins.

The resulting oil may be used in industry directly – for example, in the petrochemical, refinery, power, and transport industries –made into an ecological fuel, or recycled plastic.

See the rest of the article here.

Photo: Czech Television

International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses developments in the Middle East, Balkans and also around the world. Dr. Antonia Colibasanu is Geopolitical Futures’ Chief Operating Officer. In her comprehensive analysis entitled “European Reconstruction: A Project Born of Uncertainty” she is analysing the Franco-German proposal for the European Union’s economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis and the impact it will have on the future of EU.

The Franco-German proposal for a recovery fund sends a message of political realism. France and Germany on May 18 proposed a plan for the European Union’s economic recovery after the coronavirus crisis. The proposal calls for the creation of a common fund filled with money the European Commission would borrow from capital markets and channel to member states to fund their recoveries.

It marks the first time Germany has given in to the idea of borrowing money together with other EU member states. It comes after the German Constitutional Court rejected the potential issuance of “coronabonds,” joint debt for which all EU countries would have been equally liable. The current proposal calls for joint debt, but it would be guaranteed by the EU budget and not by all EU countries individually.

On May 23, the so-called Frugal Four – Austria, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden – sent a joint letter to all EU capitals laying out their position on the Franco-German proposal. While the media touts it as a counterproposal, the frugals’ scheme is similar to what Paris and Berlin presented. They want a common fund from which aid money would go to economic sectors particularly affected by the crisis. Unlike the Franco-German plan, the money would be repayable – distributed as cheap, but not free, loans as opposed to transfers. The Frugal Four do not want to see debt mutualized, but far from killing the Franco-German proposal, their plan marks the beginning of the negotiations on the details. With their paper, the frugals, the most conservative and cautious group of countries in the EU, want to show their electorates that they are proceeding with care, while pointing to the risks of EU fragmentation, single market dysfunction and extraordinary economic hardship ahead.

There are three elements in the Franco-German proposal that need to be considered, as they point to the way the two countries envision the EU’s future. First, it is worth nothing that the phrase “European sovereignty” is repeated several times. Second, the project is linked to the Multiannual Financial Framework, the long-term budget of the union, meant to finance its strategic development. Finally, no matter what the member states decide on the details, it is the European Commission that is supposed to announce them, which highlights an interesting, synchronous choreography between Paris, Berlin and Brussels. Some issues are probably already agreed, while others will be discussed behind closed doors, but Brussels needs to appear to be in charge of the process, even if in reality France and Germany will orchestrate things. Negotiations between the member states will likely concern those elements referring to the political (and possibly legal) framework for the proposed economic recovery fund.

European Sovereignty

Though we don’t know how the money will be distributed or whether it will come in the form of grants or loans, we do know that it will be funded by European Commission borrowing and that it will be part of the EU’s seven-year budget, and thus earmarked for investment. Starting from the assumption that Europe will face an economic recession after the crisis, the Franco-German short-term plan aims at measures relating to “resilience, convergence and preservation of European competitiveness” so that recession doesn’t turn into depression. In other words, from a political point of view, the text of the agreement wishes to convey that France and Germany are willing to do anything to keep the EU together, whatever the economic consequences of the crisis.

Since it is part of the Multiannual Financial Framework, the recovery fund links the member states through the EU’s critical infrastructure, which takes on a new meaning in the wake of the pandemic. Specifically, the areas of European sovereignty, as they appear in the text, are public health, digitalization and new renewable energy technologies – all critical infrastructures that have traditionally belonged to the member states.

Through their plan, Berlin and Paris are looking to establish a common European economic and industrial base, which means putting more power in the hands of Brussels. The areas chosen suggest that the European Union wishes to be more independent from the outside world, focusing on building itself internally. The shock to global supply chains has shown Europe’s vulnerability to pharmaceutical imports from China. European dependence on Russian energy imports has long been problematic, and while developing green energy is costly and complicated, France and Germany regard this crisis as an opportunity to take on that challenge. And the crisis has shown Europeans how important a flexible and secure digital infrastructure is for allowing work to continue under social distancing.

It is unclear how these three important sectors can be built up into a cohesive infrastructure that covers the entire European Union. The Franco-German plan offers no details on how existing industrial bases will be connected with new facilities, nor does it seem to consider differences among member states. But the text suggests that the funding will only be given if it is linked to the idea of common, sovereign European investments that are controlled by the European Commission.

The proposal also says that the countries most affected by the coronavirus crisis will be given priority. It adds, however, that there will be conditions linked to “sound economic reforms” and an “ambitious agenda” for their implementation. It therefore appears that Germany and France want a system whereby grants or loans are linked to economic performance, at a structural level, even though all economic sectors are seen primarily and intrinsically as European rather than national.

This focus on European interconnectedness and sovereignty points to a new step in European construction. In order to achieve these common objectives at a structural level, the EU needs more common, or at least coordinated, fiscal policy – coordinated monetary policies are not enough on their own. And in order for this to be possible, the EU must truly coordinate at the political level.

There was little to unite the member states politically. But during exceptional times, things can change. Germany is willing to let the European Commission borrow money, collectively with the other member states. It is willing to take this risk and have Italy and Spain spend most of the funds during the next three to five years. It needs the EU common market to survive, and it needs the eurozone to hold together. And, along with France, it is willing to formally take the lead.

The Long-Term Budget

The recovery fund proposal is being discussed at the same time as talks on the EU’s long-term budget and strategy. Initial data released by the German government on May 25 confirms that Germany entered technical recession in the first quarter of 2020 due to the coronavirus crisis. In the eurozone, annual inflation keeps decreasing, which points to the risk of unemployment surging once the crisis is over. There is not enough data to know how badly the economy will be hit – all we know is that it will be hit hard.

Two months ago, the Europeans were preoccupied with discussions about funding the Green Deal for the next seven years. Now, Europe will certainly face new socio-economic problems, caused by unemployment and systemic failures, which will likely increase political instability. This is why politicians feel that they need to act urgently, to at least show that they did something.

Germany can’t afford to look like it isn’t supporting the eurozone anymore – even if the German electorate won’t endorse the same policies it did during the 2008 financial crisis, especially in light of its own socio-economic problems. France needed to rebuild its economy even before the coronavirus pandemic; it now needs to do it much more quickly.

By integrating the Franco-German proposal into the Multiannual Financial Framework, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have made the funding conditional, considering the member states’ contributions to the union’s budget and resetting strategic priorities at the EU level. The funding doesn’t address specific problems of specific countries; it covers EU problems only. So, it’s unclear whether the EU will grant exceptions to the financial contribution rule – which will tell us how the loans contracted by the European Commission will be repaid by member states, and how it will be given to states, i.e., by grant or loan.

The areas that will receive funding are not so different from those laid out by the commission in its proposed budget before the crisis. In addition to digitalization and green energy, which were under discussion before the pandemic, the proposal suggests funds will be allocated for health care systems and for the pharmaceutical industry. Southern and Eastern European states aren’t major pharmaceutical producers, of course. Germany and France are. The new budget will benefit the western states more than ever before.

In addition to these east-west disparities, Brussels will have to manage the north-south divide. While the northern European member states are most reluctant to accept plans involving high spending for the common good and are trying to limit grant funding, the southern European states have already announced their support for the Franco-German initiative and wish to further discuss the details, even if these member states ultimately don’t have many assets in the pharma or the green energy sectors. Here, reviving economies mostly concerns sectors such as tourism.

More notable is the muted response from member states outside the eurozone. Poland has expressed its reservations toward the plan, while the others wait to hear more about the implementation rules. It is likely that negotiations will involve only eurozone members for now. In other words, while greater fiscal unity is under discussion in the EU, the question of how non-eurozone countries will be funded and integrated remains unanswered. This only reinforces the differences between east and west in the EU.

Beyond Domestic Politics

The Franco-German proposal is now under discussion at the EU level, and we will hear more about how and what will be negotiated in the coming days. Until then, we can at least say its very existence illustrates important geopolitical realities, not the least of which is that, because of their shared reliance on the single market, Germany and France agreed to launch this political catalyst. It shows that they, along with the Frugal Four, are aware of the EU’s fragility in these unprecedented times.

The proposal sends a message of political realism. As the United States and China contend with major structural problems – and with each other – neither France, nor Germany, nor the Frugal Four can cope with the coming recession or depression on their own. In the past, they could more or less compensate for EU market troubles by turning toward the U.S. and Chinese markets. This is no longer available, hence making the EU markets and integrity all the more important. Moreover, they depend on the economic ties between them, which are simply too deep to be undone from one day or even one year to another.

The EU also sees the need to present a stronger, more united front for emerging risks in its immediate neighborhood. Russia’s economic problems could make Moscow more aggressive abroad, Turkey is becoming a new Ottoman Empire and Brexit is still a big unknown. The EU is right to be afraid. The battles in the eurozone are hard enough to win without including more outside powers. Faltering domestic economies would make things only worse for Germany and France. They figure they had better not lose what they currently have.

This is to say nothing of how the pandemic has aggravated existing notions of nationalism. People are going to become increasingly restless as social isolation and distancing policies remain in place, especially as the economic problems from those policies become more apparent. The need to forestall crises will force political leaders to maintain the status quo as best they can, focusing on existing relationships and trumpeting the importance of the European project. They understand their careers and indeed the potential of the EU are at stake. Traditional politics took a beating after the 2008 crisis. Another one could well be the death blow.

This is why the stakes of political negotiations, too, are much higher now that it’s clear that the economic recovery will require more than a purely economic solution. But the economic aspect is still critical. And according to the documents laid out by France and Germany, and reinforced by the Frugal Four, access to funding rests on meeting preconditions. We’ll know soon enough if this is a step forward for shared sovereignty for all or for a select few. The EU core is clearly worried about the bloc’s future. Ironically, the plan can go both ways: It may bring more cohesion for the short term and, under certain conditions, it may get the EU to the next level of integration, making it a political actor. Or, it may lead to deeper fragmentation.

About the author:
Dr. Antonia Colibasanu is Geopolitical Futures’ Chief Operating Officer. She is responsible for overseeing all departments and marketing operations for the company. Dr. Colibasanu joined Geopolitical Futures as a senior analyst in 2016 and frequently speaks on international economics and security topics in Europe. She is also lecturer on international relations at the Romanian National University of Political Studies and Public Administration and associate professor for the Romanian National Defense University Carol I Regional Department of Defense Resources Management Studies. Prior to Geopolitical Futures, Dr. Colibasanu spent more than 10 years with Stratfor in various positions, including as partner for Europe and vice president for international marketing. Prior to joining Stratfor in 2006, Dr. Colibasanu held a variety of roles with the World Trade Center Association in Bucharest. Dr. Colibasanu holds a Doctorate in International Business and Economics from Bucharest’s Academy of Economic Studies, where her thesis focused on country risk analysis and investment decision-making processes within transnational companies. She also holds a Master’s degree in International Project Management. She is an alumna of the International Institute on Politics and Economics at Georgetown University.

Copyright 2020 Geopolitical Futures, LLC. Republished with permission.

Ljubljana/Bucharest, 26 June 2020

Footnotes: [1] IFIMES – The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN since 2018.

By Raymond Johnston

Milada Horáková took a stand against communism, and paid with her life after a show trial

Prague is planning to mark the 70th anniversary of the execution of Milada Horáková with banners, broadcasts and an outdoor exhibition.

Horáková, a lawyer and politician who opposed the single-party communist system, was convicted of conspiracy and treason in a show trial. She was executed on June 27, 1950, at 5:35 am at Prague’s Pankrác Prison. Her body was then cremated. The location of her ashes in unknown.

Her trial and execution caused an international outcry, with scientist Albert Einstein taking up the cause and sending a protest telegram to communist leader Klement Gottwald. Winston Churchill and Eleanor Roosevelt also voiced opposition.

The verdict was annulled in 1968, and she was rehabilitated after the Velvet Revolution.

The street Milady Horákové in Prague’s Letná district was named in her honor in 1990. It had been called Obránců míru, meaning defenders of the peace. She was posthumously awarded the Order of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (1st Class) in 1991.

A memorial with a bronze likeness of her head is now at Vyšehrad Cemetery. It is also dedicated to other victims of totalitarianism.

An audio collage of recordings from the trial will be transmitted by sirens and messages in the metro on June 26, the day before the anniversary, as part of the civic initiative called Milada 70: Murdered by Communists (Milada 70: Zavražděna komunisty). The messages will be heard at 10:35 am, 12:35 pm, and 14:35 pm.

Read the rest of the article here.

COVID-19 (C-19) event is posing serious challenges for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020. But Vietnam, as current ASEAN chair, is trying to make the best of the situation and demonstrate leadership. As 2020 marks a mid-term review of the implementation of the ASEAN Community Building Blueprints 2015–25, Vietnam chose ‘Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’ as the theme for its chairmanship.

The theme is supported by five priorities identified by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in his keynote speech on 6 January. The priorities include contributing to regional peace, security and stability by strengthening ASEAN’s solidarity and unity; intensifying regional connectivity through the use of digital and novel technologies; promoting ASEAN identities and shared values; strengthening global partnerships for peace and sustainable development; and improving ASEAN’s responsiveness and operational effectiveness.

Despite the goal of intensifying regional connectivity, the C-19 event is disturbing global and regional supply chains. Vietnam had planned to organize more than 300 different conferences and activities during its term to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its ASEAN membership and to promote regional interactions. But the pandemic is causing numerous events to be postponed or even cancelled.

Many countries are in total or partial lockdown to flatten the transmission curve. Still, social distancing is increasing the use of telecommunication technologies used for teleworking and online teaching and learning. This trend, in line with the priority of promoting digital technologies, is enabling Vietnam to carry out its chair responsibilities by holding virtual meetings with ASEAN members and external partners.

Although division among ASEAN on how to respond to China in the South China Sea has undermined unity in recent years, Vietnam as chair of ASEAN is unifying member states in the fight against C-19. Since the beginning of the outbreak, Vietnam has worked closely with ASEAN members to help cope with the complex developments of the disease. On 14 February, Vietnam issued the Chairman’s Statement on ASEAN Collective Response to the Outbreak of C-19, which stressed the importance of ASEAN solidarity and promoted cooperation on multiple levels.

On 31 March, Hanoi held the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies teleconference for member states to share information about their situations and the implementation of control measures.

At the ministerial level, Vietnam chaired two sessions of the ASEAN Coordinating Council on 20 March and 9 April, comprised of ASEAN foreign ministers, to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration between the group and its partners.

In the spirit of a ‘Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’, Vietnam organized the Special ASEAN Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 on 14 April to urge member states to remain united and to act decisively in response to the pandemic. The leaders agreed to create a C-19 ASEAN Response Fund and regional reserves of medical supplies.

Non-Aligned Movement for the betterment of Multilateralism

Vietnam is also using the ASEAN chair to advance the organization’s cooperation with countries around the world. It was primarily within the universal organization of the United Nations (OUN).

As ambassador Hasmi Agam and prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic recently noted in their policy paper on the UN: “…what presents itself as an imperative is universal participation through intergovernmental mechanisms. That very approach has been clearly demonstrated by UN member states, as shown by the active roles played by Indonesia (in the SC, along with another ASEAN and NAM member, VietNam; and on behalf of the general membership of the UN General Assembly), Azerbaijan (on behalf of NAM) and France (on behalf of the P5 and the EU) reaching out to Tunisia – a member of the Arab League (LAS), AU, OIC and NAM. Same line has been also endorsed by the UN Members States on 18 May 2020 in relation to the independent inquiry request over the WHO conduct. … this is well recognised by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres himself, who recently stated that “With two thirds of UN Member States, the Non-Aligned Movement has a critical role to play in forging global solidarity”. (see: https://www.ifimes.org/en/9819)

But the list of Vietnam’s regional and bilateral activities is extensive too: At the ASEAN–China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on cooperation in responding to C-19 in Laos on 20 February, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed ASEAN of the situation in Wuhan and other parts of China. The bloc confirmed its support for China in combating the disease.

On 20 March, Vietnam chaired the ASEAN–EU ministerial teleconference on cooperation in fighting the pandemic. The two sides agreed to heighten information sharing, experience exchange, and policy consultation in diagnosis, treatment and vaccine production.

As chair of ASEAN, Vietnam was invited to the G-20 emergency online summit on C-19 on 26 March. Besides sharing Vietnam’s C-19 control experience, Prime Minister Phuc stressed the importance of solidarity, cooperation and collaboration at global and regional levels. He added that fighting the pandemic should accompany facilitating trade and investment cooperation.

Vietnam also chaired the Special ASEAN+3 Summit on C-19 on 14 April. ASEAN members and their dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea acknowledged the significance of ASEAN+3 cooperation and its existing mechanisms in addressing public health challenges.

Although the US–ASEAN Summit — initially scheduled for mid-March — was postponed, Vietnam held the ASEAN–United States High-Level Interagency Video Conference on Cooperation to Counter C-19, a senior officials-level meeting, on 1 April. The two sides reiterated the value of the ASEAN–US Strategic Partnership in facing the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.

The success of this meeting led to the Special ASEAN–US Ministerial Videoconference on C-19 on 23 April with the participation of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh thanked the United States for its US$19 million for financial support to regional countries in combating the disease. Foreign Minister Pham also proposed further ASEAN–US public health cooperation by sharing information, experience and best practices.

Despite a rough start, Vietnam is demonstrating its leadership through quick responses and proactiveness in coordinating member states and external partners. Still, the accusations between the United States and China over the disease’s origin and their handling of the pandemic are putting Southeast Asia in complicated situation. As both powers are important partners of ASEAN, growing strategic competition between the two will again put ASEAN unity to the test in the post-C-19 era.

About the author:

Bich T Tran is a PhD candidate at the University of Antwerp and a Researcher at the Global Affairs Research Center, Ryukoku University.

Earlier version of this text appeared with the East Asia Forum.

Ljubljana, 24 June 2020

Footnotes:

IFIMES – The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN since 2018.

We spoke with medical, aviation, and travel experts to answer the question of whether or not it’s safe to fly right now. The answer is complicated and comes with caveats.

After months of stay-at-home orders and closed borders, cities around the world have begun the process of reopening, travel restrictions have started to soften, and leisure travelers are itching to hit the road again. Some travelers are dipping their toes back in with road trips, day trips, and camping trips, while others have their eye on the sky. Airlines are still struggling and only running just a fraction of their usual flights, but passenger numbers are slowly rising, particularly in the U.S. As more travelers start taking advantage of the loosened restrictions and reopenings, dare we say things are looking up for air travel?

Even still, is it actually safe to take a flight right now? According to the medical, mathematical, aviation, and travel experts we spoke with, the answer is complicated and comes with numerous caveats. While it may be safe to fly, that doesn’t mean it’s without risk. In a nutshell, it all boils down to weighing the many variables and deciding how comfortable you feel getting back on a plane. Here’s what the experts have to say.

How clean is the plane?

Brian Kelly, CEO and founder of The Points Guy, recently took his first flight since quarantine and said there wasn’t even a single smudge mark on his in-flight TV screen. “Normally planes get turned around [for a new flight] every hour, and most flights get a very cursory cleaning,” he said. “You can feel the slime on the plane. This was different — it felt and looked spick and span.”

While specific cleaning procedures and the frequency with which they’re carried out vary by airline, most major airlines are disinfecting planes between flights, giving extra attention to high-touch surfaces and bathrooms. Many airplanes also use HEPA filters, which completely refresh the cabin air throughout the flight and work to filter out over 99 percent of airborne viruses, bacteria, and other contagions. Additionally, airlines like United, JetBlue, Hawaiian, Delta, and Southwest have implemented the use of electrostatic antimicrobial sprays to thoroughly disinfect every nook and cranny of the cabin, either overnight or between certain flights. Many airlines are also offering disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer to passengers, though all of the experts we spoke with suggested bringing your own just to be safe.

Is it safer to fly domestically or internationally?

Travelers should consider the same factors — safety protocols, seat spacing, aircraft cleanliness, and flight time — for both types of flights. The main differentiating points to look at when deciding whether to fly domestic or international don’t actually have to do with the flights themselves, but focus rather on outside variables, such as where you’re going, infection levels at your destination, what precautions they have in place, if you’ll have access to adequate healthcare, and any travel restrictions or quarantine rules.

Dr. Winfried Just, a researcher in mathematical epidemiology and professor at Ohio University, and Dr. Georgine Nanos, a board-certified physician specializing in epidemiology, both agreed that the prolonged exposure of a long-haul flight could be riskier, but only because it leaves the door open that much longer for potential exposures. Longer flights mean more people using the bathrooms, more instances of masks being removed (even if just temporarily for eating and drinking), more exposure to anyone nearby who might be shedding the virus, and so on. Since flight times for both domestic and international flights can be anywhere between one hour and double-digits, it’s safer to choose destinations with shorter overall flight times. That being said, when it comes to flying during a pandemic, safety is measured on a sliding scale. Dr. Just cautions that “safe is never 100 percent safe,” since it is impossible to completely eliminate risk.

See the rest of this article here.

Even though most people are unaware of it, there’s a major difference between an average driver and a great one. Unfortunately, only the latter drive around our streets without causing accidents and breaking the law, which is why these people are the ones we need to praise more than ever. Another thing we need to do is try to upgrade our own driving skills and take them to a higher level. Becoming a better driver takes a lot of effort, energy, and patience, but it’s something any single one of us can do if we dedicate some time to it. So, if you too want to turn into a better driver, here’s what you need to do.

Talk to someone with experience

This is the oldest trick in the book, but it’s still a very effective one. Talking to someone who has more experience, skills, and knowledge can help your life in so many ways, including your driving expertise. It doesn’t matter if it’s your parents, your older sibling, your partner, your friends, or even your children – as long as this person is a better driver than you, they can help you.

Experience is crucial when it comes to driving, which is something the studies have shown as well, so listening to an experienced driver can help you become more relaxed when you’re driving, but you can also learn a few new tricks as well.

Learn how to park

This is an issue that’s been bothering drivers for ages, and it’s still one of the biggest reasons why lots of them don’t like driving at all. Whether it’s parallel, forward, or reverse parking – this is something you absolutely have to know, regardless of your age, your driving experience, and the size of your car.

Parking with precision isn’t always the easiest thing in the world, especially if you’re in a rush or stuck with a tiny parking spot, which is why practicing this is vital. Keep in mind that it only takes a couple of days to perfect each of these parking techniques, which will take your overall driving capability to a higher level, providing you with a chance to use these tricks in the decades to come.

Maintain your car regularly

In the end, this is probably the best way to show the world what an amazing driver you really are. Only by maintaining your car properly and often enough will you be able to keep driving it in the future as well, but you’ll also minimize the chances of causing accidents and crashes, thus saving your life and the lives of other drivers.

Luckily, there are lots of ways of making sure your car is in perfect shape. From checking your oil regularly to using only those reliable 4wd tyres that will make your ride safer and smoother at the same time – maintaining your car takes some time and energy, but it’s an investment you simply have to make.

Don’t drink before you drive and don’t use your phone

In this day and age, you’d think that all drivers already know how dangerous it is to use your mobile phone while driving – whether it’s for texting, checking your e-mails, or having a conversation – as well as drinking before you drive. As a matter of fact, these two things could be the most dangerous decisions you could make as a driver, and are thus something you definitely shouldn’t do, no matter what.

However, if you’re forced to use your phone while you’re in the car, you need to find an alternative. Lots of people, from business executives to social media addicts, opt for a simple solution – they simply pull over, do whatever they have to do on their phone, and then continue their journey. You could also explore the benefits of Bluetooth and wireless technology, and talk to whoever you want for as long as you want without putting your life in danger.

Don’t speed

Finally, this is the simplest and most basic driving tip in the world, but it’s also something that will turn you into an amazing driver. Instead of speeding and trying to arrive at your destination as soon as possible, you should take it easy and follow the rules. Not only will you become a better driver, but you’ll also save your life as well.

Moreover, the experts have shown that speeding is actually only efficient on long drives, at least according to math, logic, and theory. When talking about short distances and driving around busy city streets, speeding will get you nowhere – literally!

As you can see, becoming a better driver isn’t as hard as people think. It’s all about finding smart and practical ideas and solutions that go a long way and help you focus on your driving more than before – so start with these five ideas and continue updating your skills behind the wheel every day of your life!

By Peter Minkoff

Peter is a lifestyle and travel writer at Men-Ual magazine, living between Ústí nad Labem and Antwerp. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

The Czech Republic has for a second consecutive year ranked 33rd in Swiss research group IMD’s World Competitiveness Ranking. The country again ranked highest among the Visegrad Four countries, ahead of Poland (39th), Hungary (47th) and Slovakia (57th), which dropped four places.

The annual rankings measure “global economies and their ability to generate prosperity”, according to IMD’s website. The 2020 results, which ranked the performance of the economies of 63 countries in the world, are a combination of hard data gathered in 2019 and survey responses from earlier this year.

The IMD does not release detailed information on the individual countries analyzed and ranked but notes economy’s that “competitiveness cannot be reduced only to GDP and productivity because enterprises also have to cope with political, social and cultural dimensions”.

For the second year in a row, Singapore tops of the World Competitiveness ranking. Second place went to Denmark, followed by Switzerland. The United States dropped from 3rd to 10th place. China finished in 20th spot, down six places.

Read the rest of the article here.

Source: radio.cz
Picture source: IMD

75 years of Europe’s Collective Security and Human Rights System

Legacy of antifascism for the common pan-European future

The 1st, one-day, conference:
Diplomatic Academy Vienna,01 July 2020

10.00 – 18.30
CET   (GMT+2)

Speakers:
Leading European thinkers and practitioners; High officials of the key Global and European institutions

Save the date Now
(registration: vienna@ifimes.org)

Link for the livestreaming will be indicated soon

Associated Academic Partners

Media Partners

By Anastasiia Pachina

Arts, Science … Excellence

We are used to perceiving science and arts as two separate areas of our society that exist more or less independently. Science is exact. It necessitates rules and regulations, deals with laws, explains and interprets phenomena. Objectivity plays one of the most important roles in science. Arts, in turn, creates something abstract, something that is based on feelings and emotions. It reflects reality through the prism of images and symbols. Objectivity in arts is not so important. It seems that these two areas rarely, if ever, intersect and therefore should be considered separately.

However, if we take a look at the procedures for creating the final product rather than the end product itself, we will find out that science and arts have some processes in common: observation, visualisation, experimental testing, presentation etc. Science and arts can also become complementary elements that together represent a more complete picture of the world. Therefore, we might consider these two areas in conjunction in the framework of culture as a whole.

Unifying Potentials for the Future – Culture for Peace (UPF – Culture for Peace/the Initiative) is an initiative, which was founded by scientist and artist Sofija Bajrektarevic. It brings together several areas including science and arts. Its goal is to create a platform where talented people as well as organisations and institutions from various fields of culture have the opportunity to express their ideas and contribute to the sustainable development of our society. The interaction of science and arts is the core and basis of the initiative.

The main tools of the Initiative are the implementation of projects in the field of culture, support and presentation of cultural events, artists, scientists and active cultural figures. The Initiative detects, promotes and enlarges the network of creative ideas, talents and skills aimed at maintaining a sustainable future. Cultural maintenance of this network implies the continued establishment and development of a peaceful society and contribution to its organisation.

Projects: to Wire, Inspire and Admire

Currently there are several projects under the Initiative. These are: “’Culture’ for Sustainable Future: Art/Artists in Fore- and Background”, “Narratives of Hope: Applied Science in the Culture” and “Music as a Culture”. The first two projected are being actively implemented, while the third is under development and its start is planned for a fall 2020.

As a long-term project “’Culture’ for Sustainable Future: Art/Artists in Fore- and Background” presents a message of visual arts (sculpture, painting, photography, design). In the framework of this project, artists from around the world have the opportunity to express themselves and their attitude on the topic of “Sustainable Future – quo vadis: Process, metamorphosis, directions of movement (motion) of matter and spirit as essential building elements of being (existence)”. First, the works of artists are shown on the start page of the site of the UPF – Culture for Peace initiative and thus they become a visual representation of the site. Works change every two months during the year. Then the pieces of arts will be presented at annual exhibitions and presentation. This project format creates an interaction between a wide audience and artists from different parts of the world. At the same time, it provides a platform to maintain a balanced society and sustainable future developments. Several artists with their selected works have been already presented under this project.

“My works deal with processes that change matter; I recreate and/or document those changes” , – says the Croatian sculptor Alem Korkut about his art. Prof. Korkut’s work was presented in the framework of the project “’Culture’ for Sustainable Future: Art/Artists in Fore- and Background” as the first visual message, and became an inspiration for the project theme. In the relief, which he featured for the Initiative, the viewer can observe the processes of merging, healing and separation, and can move to the point of confluence or separation depending on the viewing angle.

Korkut’s philosophy is focused on the idea that nothing is fixed but is in flow, in the process of constant flux. The sculptor mainly creates aluminum reliefs that express his philosophy. Alem Korkut has exhibited at about two hundred exhibitions including solo and group exhibitions in Europe and beyond. He is the winner of many awards and the author of several public sculptures. In addition to his artisan works, Korkut is in the position of Associate Professor at ALU in Zagreb, where he has been teaching since 2007.

Sustainable future – Quo vadis
Alem Korkut

A significant figure within the project is also Juan Trinidad, a conceptual sculptor of the 1980s generation from a central portions of American continent – Caribbean (Dominican Republic). A special feature of the sculpture, which he presented, is the reflection of the Dominican tradition and Afro-Antillean identity that is characterized by totem carvings of oak and centenary mahogany. Since early 1990s, Juan Trinidad has participated in numerous exhibitions in Central, Southern and Northern America, in Europe and beyond. It also includes UNESCO Paris. Trinidad’s works adorn spaces on four continents and are part of private collections as well as many prestigious cultural institutions. Henry Loyrette, the Former President – Director of the Louvre in Paris, commented on his work as follows: “Juan’s works wonderfully contributes in re-approaching our cultures, seemingly distant, but so close”, while Juan Trinidad himself says: “Without forgetting the past, I make sculptures today, thinking about the future.”

Without forgetting the past, I make sculptures today, thinking about the future.
Juan Trinidad

The painting of the young artist, designer and social activist Anastasia Lemberg-Lvova has also become part of the “’Culture’ for Sustainable Future: Art/Artists in Fore- and Background” project. In addition to her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Anastasia has received trainings in Belgium, the Netherlands. Her works are in private collections in Belgium, Estonia, France and Russia. Lember-Lvova’s artistic searches and studies focus on personal introspection and through aesthetics reveal the possibilities of social interaction. With the help of her works, Anastasia questions the constructed perception of the value and potential of individuals. Inspired by the project and created for it, the painting of Lemberg-Lvova expresses the idea that natural human qualities such as anger, fear, and doubt can be fenced with socially approved characteristics. Anastasia believes that “to explore our potentials as individuals and to unite in the wish for a prosperous future, we need to dispense with the need to hide behind false displays and make sure that we feel valued, worthy and capable from within oneself”. Besides fine arts, Lemberg-Lvova is engaged in social activities. She participated in several sessions of the European Youth Parliament, where she also created projects aimed at the sustainable development of society.

To explore our potentials as individuals and to unite in the wish for a prosperous future, we need to dispense with the need to hide behind false displays and make sure that we feel valued, worthy and capable from within oneself.
Anastasia Lemberg-Lvova

Among the artists who presented their work under the “’Culture’ for Sustainable Future: Art/Artists in Fore- and Background” project is Naj Phonghanyudh . She studied art and art history in Bangkok, Kent and Paris. Her professional activity involves art and design. Naj Phonghanyudh is a professor, a full-time lecturer at the prestigious University of the Arts in Bangkok. Besides numerous solo and group exhibitions, she also takes part in presentations, social projects and initiatives. Being engaged in art and design, she is also working as a curator for the non-profit organisation, United Thailand that creates and supports art activities for young people from various areas in Thailand.

The selected work the Artist endorsed by the following words: “…like the techniques which made the protruding object stands out against the flat surface of the print I am different because of who I am and I accept me more as I am. Some who appreciates traditional beauty may feel intruded by this imperfection, whereas some may find that it encourages them to speak out against the flatness and norms”.

Some who appreciates traditional beauty may feel intruded by this ‘imperfection’, whereas some may find that it encourages them to speak out against the flatness and norms.
Naj Phonghanyudh

Since the project “’Culture’ for Sustainable Future: Art/Artists in Fore- and Background” is a long-term undertaking, it is planned to engage more artists of different sorts and types.

Another project “Narratives of Hope: Applied Science in the culture” complements art in the UPF – Culture for Peace Initiative and presents an opportunity for experts from various fields of science and culture to discuss topics that are united under the general keynote: Sustainable Future. Energetically engaged young generation is an essential element of the project. This creates new, active synergies that are capable of raising questions, finding answers and discussing the challenges of modern society. The first thematic evening of the project took place in Vienna last fall. The topic was “Narratives of Hope: The urban phenomenon – future of a perennial story”. “Narratives of Hope: Applied Science in the culture” is also a long-term project that deserves special attention and a separate article in the future.

Near and Further

The world has recently witnessed an unprecedented calamity. Disturbing news about the virus and its spread shocked the planet and brought it to a halt for months. Disruption and deprivation along with the imposed social distancing are of yet unanticipated severity and duration of secondary effects.

Narratives of hope, re-humanization of humans through arts and applied science (science with a human face) are the key.

The UPF – Culture for Peace Initiative is here to bring us all back to the future.

About the author:

Anastasiia Pachina, Sociologist – Charles University, Prague. She is a Program manager – Unifying Potentials for the Future – Culture for Peace (UPF – Culture for Peace) and a marketing researcher in IPSOS CZ.

“Americans performed three very different policies on the People’s Republic: From a total negation (and the Mao-time mutual annihilation assurances), to Nixon’s sudden cohabitation. Finally, a Copernican-turn: the US spotted no real ideological differences between them and the post-Deng China. This signalled a ‘new opening’: West imagined China’s coastal areas as its own industrial suburbia. Soon after, both countries easily agreed on interdependence (in this marriage of convenience): Americans pleased their corporate (machine and tech) sector and unrestrained its greed, while Chinese in return offered a cheap labour, no environmental considerations and submissiveness in imitation.

However, for both countries this was far more than economy, it was a policy – Washington read it as interdependence for transformative containment and Beijing sow it as interdependence for a (global) penetration. In the meantime, Chinese acquired more sophisticated technology, and the American Big tech sophisticated itself in digital authoritarianism – ‘technological monoculture’ met the political one.

But now with a tidal wave of Covid-19, the honeymoon is over.” – recently diagnosed prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic on these very pages.

Following lines are a gross-detail insights into a mesmerising dynamic engulfing lately Far East and eastern Pacific.

Currently, China escalated its economic coercion against Australia by imposing two tariffs on the import of Australian barley. The first is a 73.6 % tariff on the agricultural product and the second, an additional 6.9 % arguing that the Australian government subsidies its farmers to grow this lucrative crop. Seen in tandem with the beef import ban on four Australian abattoirs, Beijing is pressuring Canberra hard to drop its calls for an independent COVID-19 (C-19) investigation and enforcing painful economic pain on Australia for what Beijing perceives as intolerable behaviour to a country that has “benefitted so profoundly” from trade with China.

These actions raise serious questions for Japan and its friends. How does Japan respond to such a clear demonstration of punitive economic coercion against one of Tokyo’s closest friends in the region? What about other interested parties? Do Canadian, American, and other agricultural exporters take advantage of Australia’s thorny relationship with Beijing as Brazil did in the midst of the US-China trade war by exporting soya beans and other agricultural products?

Looking at the short term, especially in the wake economic damaged caused by the C-19 pandemic taking, the logic of expediency to quickly deliver economic goods to the struggling agricultural industry is sensible.

In that scenario, those countries with amicable relations with China would fill the vacuum being created by economic coercion against Australia. The candidates include Brazil, Russia, amongst others.

In the mid to long term, this sends the wrong message to states that engage in economic coercion. The message being sent here is that countries that are vulnerable to punitive economic measures have little choice to relent to Chinese or others states demands as other states will not collectively stand up to blatant economic coercion.

One by one, what can be done?

Japan and other liberal democratic states cannot make up for the sheer volume of agricultural and other exports that the Chinese market consumes. Even if they could open their markets as a temporary alternative, there would still be a huge gap. Nevertheless, an agreement to buy goods from a targeted state may relieve some of the economic pressure being applied by coercive states.

Duanjie Chen of Canada’s MacDonald Laurier Institute correctly points out that Beijing practices economic coercion in a sophisticated and well-worn manner, by discreet to evade World Trade Organisation (WTO) disputes, precise calculation for maximum impact, and they are tailored to split western allies.

To lessen the effectiveness of these practices, Japan and other like-minded states need to mindful of these patterns and build multilateral mechanisms to create more resilience against punitive economic tactics.

In the first area, discreet to evade WTO disputes, Japan and other middle powers need to work collectively to close the WTO loop holes such that they cannot be exploit to deliver painful economic messages to states that are deemed to cross Beijing’s red lines.

To accomplish this task, WTO reform is crucial and that means collectively lobbying the US to work with allies to reform the WTO such that it functions better and can protect member states from economic predation.

If consensus cannot be achieved to reform the WTO, then like-minded states should consider a scrap and build approach that starts with like-minded countries but aims to achieve the same objectives.

The 2nd area Chen identified was the precise calculation for maximum impact. Japan felt this in 2010 with the rare-earth embargo, an embargo that hurt its high-tech firms and automobile industry. Australia is feeling this now with its beef and barley industries beings targeted. Canada felt similar measures against its canola, soya and pork industries in the wake of Ms Meng Wanzhou arrest. The tactics even included the hostage diplomacy of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor who are still detained to this day.

Mitigating this hard-line approach requires a multilevel approach and multilateral cooperation. At the first level, like-minded states need to brainstorm and commit to collective and equal reciprocation of the economic coercion. For instance, collective stopping the export of a key or key ingredient, components or otherwise to China until the respective coercion stops.

Here agricultural products come to mind. The growing middle class in China also has a growing appetite for the high quality and safe agricultural from countries like Japan, Australia, Canada, the US, and the EU. These like-minded states should find ways to collectively limit their agricultural exports when one or more of its members are subject to economic coercion. China is vulnerable in other areas as well.

Reputational costs are also critical levers that should be collectively applied as well. Chen mentions withdrawing membership from the Asian Infrastructure and Investment bank (AIIB) as a possible measure. I would add MoUs signed with the BRI, and 3rd country infra-structure projects as well. These are crucial institutions that China has invested both treasure and political resources in to bolster its international credentials as a provider of global public goods.

Of Ban and Japan

Japan would play a key role here in that Beijing has assiduously courted Japan to join the BRI and 3rd country infrastructure as a way to build credibility for the BRI infrastructure projects. Without partners, China’s signature initiatives cannot be internationalized, and China will not recognized as a globally admired and responsible stakeholder.

Another key initiative to be collectively adopted by Japan and other countries in their trade negotiations with Beijing is a clause that expressly forbids economic coercion on Japan and or its allies. This kind of clause could be included in other trade agreements and negotiations that Beijing deems critical to its socio-economic development.

Thinking creatively, Japan and like-minded countries such as Canada, Australia, South Korea and others should think about ways to introduce their own “poison pill” into trade agreements. The US did this with he USMCA FTA between Canada, Mexico and the US by the inclusion of a clause in which the US had veto over Canada and Mexico’s other free trade partners, in particular if either entered a free trade deal with a with a “non-market country”, i.e. China.

In this hypothetic “poison pill” or let’s call it “Musketeer Clause”, trade agreements would include a clause that required partners to collectively respond to economic coercion of one of its members by applying diplomatic, economic and other pressure on the offending actor. This could be a collective boycott, collective lobbying in international organizations, collective reciprocal tariff increase, etc. In short, an embodiment of the The Musketeers motto of One for all, all for one.

The third area that needs be addressed is the tactics deployed to tailored to split western allies. The above hypothetic clause would go far in doing that by creating as grouping of like-minded states that are interested in protecting their national and collective interests.

This will not be enough. With China being the largest trading partner of Japan, South Korea, Australia and many ASEAN states, an economic re-balancing must take place in which states collectively socially distance themselves from China. Here, the key that they are less dependent on bilateral relations for economic prosperity and more dependent on a balanced, multilateral trade relations with a collection of like-minded, rules-based countries and China.

Complete decoupling from China is not realistic considering the level of integration of our economies. It is also not in the economic or security interests of the states in questions nor the global community. What is in the interests of Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada and other middle powers and smaller powers is finding ways to buttress a rules-based international order and to push back against a track record of punitive economic policies.

Resistance is not futile. Victims of economic coercion need to channel their own Winston Churchill and epitomize the his views on never giving up in the face of force.

“This is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”

Stephen R. Nagy (@nagystephen1) is a senior associate professor at International Christian University and a visiting fellow with the Japan Institute for International Affairs.

COVID-19 (C-19) event is posing serious challenges for the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020. But Vietnam, as current ASEAN chair, is trying to make the best of the situation and demonstrate leadership. As 2020 marks a mid-term review of the implementation of the ASEAN Community Building Blueprints 2015–25, Vietnam chose ‘Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’ as the theme for its chairmanship.

The theme is supported by five priorities identified by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in his keynote speech on 6 January. The priorities include contributing to regional peace, security and stability by strengthening ASEAN’s solidarity and unity; intensifying regional connectivity through the use of digital and novel technologies; promoting ASEAN identities and shared values; strengthening global partnerships for peace and sustainable development; and improving ASEAN’s responsiveness and operational effectiveness.

Despite the goal of intensifying regional connectivity, the C-19 event is disturbing global and regional supply chains. Vietnam had planned to organize more than 300 different conferences and activities during its term to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its ASEAN membership and to promote regional interactions. But the pandemic is causing numerous events to be postponed or even cancelled.

Many countries are in total or partial lockdown to flatten the transmission curve. Still, social distancing is increasing the use of telecommunication technologies used for teleworking and online teaching and learning. This trend, in line with the priority of promoting digital technologies, is enabling Vietnam to carry out its chair responsibilities by holding virtual meetings with ASEAN members and external partners.

Although division among ASEAN on how to respond to China in the South China Sea has undermined unity in recent years, Vietnam as chair of ASEAN is unifying member states in the fight against C-19. Since the beginning of the outbreak, Vietnam has worked closely with ASEAN members to help cope with the complex developments of the disease. On 14 February, Vietnam issued the Chairman’s Statement on ASEAN Collective Response to the Outbreak of C-19, which stressed the importance of ASEAN solidarity and promoted cooperation on multiple levels.

On 31 March, Hanoi held the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies teleconference for member states to share information about their situations and the implementation of control measures.

At the ministerial level, Vietnam chaired two sessions of the ASEAN Coordinating Council on 20 March and 9 April, comprised of ASEAN foreign ministers, to discuss ways to strengthen collaboration between the group and its partners.

In the spirit of a ‘Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN’, Vietnam organized the Special ASEAN Summit on Coronavirus Disease 2019 on 14 April to urge member states to remain united and to act decisively in response to the pandemic. The leaders agreed to create a C-19 ASEAN Response Fund and regional reserves of medical supplies.

Non-Aligned Movement for the betterment of Multilateralism

Vietnam is also using the ASEAN chair to advance the organization’s cooperation with countries around the world. It was primarily within the universal organization of the United Nations (OUN).

As ambassador Hasmi Agam and prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic recently noted in their policy paper on the UN: “…what presents itself as an imperative is universal participation through intergovernmental mechanisms. That very approach has been clearly demonstrated by UN member states, as shown by the active roles played by Indonesia (in the SC, along with another ASEAN and NAM member, VietNam; and on behalf of the general membership of the UN General Assembly), Azerbaijan (on behalf of NAM) and France (on behalf of the P5 and the EU) reaching out to Tunisia – a member of the Arab League (LAS), AU, OIC and NAM. Same line has been also endorsed by the UN Members States on 18 May 2020 in relation to the independent inquiry request over the WHO conduct. … this is well recognised by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres himself, who recently stated that “With two thirds of UN Member States, the Non-Aligned Movement has a critical role to play in forging global solidarity”. (https://www.ifimes.org/en/9819)

But the list of Vietnam’s regional and bilateral activities is extensive too: At the ASEAN–China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on cooperation in responding to C-19 in Laos on 20 February, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi informed ASEAN of the situation in Wuhan and other parts of China. The bloc confirmed its support for China in combating the disease.

On 20 March, Vietnam chaired the ASEAN–EU ministerial teleconference on cooperation in fighting the pandemic. The two sides agreed to heighten information sharing, experience exchange, and policy consultation in diagnosis, treatment and vaccine production.

As chair of ASEAN, Vietnam was invited to the G-20 emergency online summit on C-19 on 26 March. Besides sharing Vietnam’s C-19 control experience, Prime Minster Phuc stressed the importance of solidarity, cooperation and collaboration at global and regional levels. He added that fighting the pandemic should accompany facilitating trade and investment cooperation.

Vietnam also chaired the Special ASEAN+3 Summit on C-19 on 14 April. ASEAN members and their dialogue partners China, Japan and South Korea acknowledged the significance of ASEAN+3 cooperation and its existing mechanisms in addressing public health challenges.

Although the US–ASEAN Summit — initially scheduled for mid-March — was postponed, Vietnam held the ASEAN–United States High-Level Interagency Video Conference on Cooperation to Counter C-19, a senior officials-level meeting, on 1 April. The two sides reiterated the value of the ASEAN–US Strategic Partnership in facing the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic.

The success of this meeting led to the Special ASEAN–US Ministerial Videoconference on C-19 on 23 April with the participation of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh thanked the United States for its US$19 million for financial support to regional countries in combating the disease. Foreign Minister Pham also proposed further ASEAN–US public health cooperation by sharing information, experience and best practices.

Despite a rough start, Vietnam is demonstrating its leadership through quick responses and proactiveness in coordinating member states and external partners. Still, the accusations between the United States and China over the disease’s origin and their handling of the pandemic are putting Southeast Asia in complicated situation. As both powers are important partners of ASEAN, growing strategic competition between the two will again put ASEAN unity to the test in the post-C-19 era.

About author:

Bich T Tran is a PhD candidate at the University of Antwerp and a Researcher at the Global Affairs Research Center, Ryukoku University.

Earlier version of this text appeared with the East Asia Forum.

Here’s expert advice for staying cool and healthy this summer while guarding against coronavirus.

In most areas of the country, summer brings hot, humid weather, which can make wearing a face mask nearly unbearable. If you’re out in the sun with a mask on, you might feel sweat drenching the fabric or find it difficult for cool air to reach your lungs. No matter how cumbersome it feels, however, wearing a face-covering remains a vital step in preventing the spread of COVID-19 (and in some areas and stores, it’s required). “As states reopen, masks are more important now than ever,” says Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergy and immunology specialist based in New York. “The main concern is that people may not wear them if they’re too uncomfortable.”

Besides discomfort, wearing a mask in the scorching summer heat can contribute to a variety of health concerns, including breathing difficulties, skin irritation, or even heat exhaustion. To stay safe this summer, follow these tips on wearing a face mask safely and comfortably as temperatures rise.

1. Choose a Cool, Breathable Material

No matter what style of face mask you choose, it’s essential that you’re able to breathe properly while it’s on. If your face covering is too thick or tight-fitting, it can restrict your breathing and become even more uncomfortable when it’s hot or humid. Masks with filters can be especially difficult to breathe through if the filter material doesn’t allow proper airflow.

Instead of going without, Parikh suggests opting for a looser, more lightweight mask when outdoors. “Even loose-fitting masks will reduce transmission by 70% if everyone is wearing one,” she says. Light-colored cotton fabric, for example, is generally more breathable than synthetic fabrics and will absorb less heat from the sun. Just be sure the fabric completely covers your mouth and nose, and continue to maintain a safe distance with others as much as possible.

2. Prevent Skin Irritation

Wearing a mask pressed against your face for long periods of time can cause skin irritations such as acne or rashes. Parikh suggests choosing a mask made of cotton, which is typically less irritating for the skin than other fabrics and can be worn more loosely around the face. “Sometimes it’s not just the material, but the pressure it’s putting on your skin that causes irritation,” she says. A mask that’s secured with ties instead of elastic loops, for example, can allow you to loosen the fit if needed.

You should also wash your face mask frequently to get rid of bacteria that could contribute to acne and other skin irritations. Plan to launder the mask in warm water after each wear.

3. Bring Multiple Masks

If you know you’re going to be in a public place for an extended period of time, consider bringing extra masks so you can swap with a clean one as needed. Sweat and moisture from your breath can dampen the fabric of the mask, making it less effective at filtering out airborne particles. Change the mask if you notice the fabric feels damp or wet, but remember to do so away from other people and wash your hands before and after replacing.

See the rest of this article here.

Did you know that?

New plan to restart European economy

The European Commission unveiled its plan to restore economic growth in the EU, based on a new instrument called Next Generation EU. The budget for the newly proposed instrument should be € 750 billion, with the budget for the future Multiannual Financial Framework 2021–2027 set to increase to € 1.85 trillion. The new instrument will be based on 3 pillars, namely supporting Member States in investment and reforms, kick-starting the economy through incentives for private investment, and lessons learned from the crisis. The Commission reiterates that economic recovery should focus on ecological and digital transformation in particular.

New EU program focuses on health

As part of its economic recovery plan, the European Commission presented a new EU4Health program, which will be part of the future Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and will focus on improving the resilience of health systems in Member States, developing innovation in the health sector, cross-border cooperation and addressing shortcomings, which have shown themselves in the current coronavirus crisis. The Commission has proposed a budget of € 9.4 billion for this program.

New strategies on biodiversity and sustainable food system

The European Commission presented two strategies that are part of the Green Deal for Europe – a biodiversity strategy to 2030 and a strategy that aims to improve the sustainability of the food system in the EU called “Farm to Fork”. The biodiversity strategy aims to stop the loss of biodiversity and to integrate this issue into strategies to promote economic growth. The “Farm to Fork” strategy aims, among other things, to reduce the environmental footprint of the EU food system and strengthen its resilience, reduce the use of pesticides or fertilizers and improve the labelling of healthy foods.

New specific recommendations for the Czech Republic

As part of the European Semester process, the European Commission issued specific recommendations for Member States, assessing their situation and recommending areas to focus on in the short and medium term. In the short term, the Commission is primarily committed to mitigating the effects of the coronavirus crisis, and in the medium term to ensuring sustainable growth and supporting digital and environmental transformation. Apart from that, in its recommendations to the Czech Republic, the Commission mentions the need to support employment through active labour market policies, skills acquisition with a focus on digital, and support SMEs. In addition, the Commission recommends encouraging investment in digital and energy infrastructure and improving public-private R&D cooperation.

Fit for Future platform to focus on administrative burdens

The European Commission launched a new platform called Fit for Future, which will bring together high-level experts to focus on simplifying existing legislation and reducing administrative burdens for citizens and businesses. The platform will bring together local, regional and national experts and other experts, and will consist of two groups – governmental and other stakeholders. According to the Commission, legislation needs to be simplified and the administrative burden reduced, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Let ́s talk numbers!

European industry down by more than 10% in March

The European Statistical Office Eurostat released data showing that industrial production fell by 11.3% in the euro area and 10.4% in the EU in March, compared with the previous month. The largest declines in industrial production were recorded in Italy (-28.4%), Slovakia (-20.3%) and France (-16.4%), while the increase in production was recorded in Ireland (+15.5%), Greece, Finland (both countries +1.9%), and Lithuania (+0.7%). In the Czech Republic, production decreased by 8.7% in the given period. Year-on-year, compared with March 2019, industrial production fell by 12.9% in the euro area and 11.8% in the EU as a whole.

Czechia recorded highest inflation rate in April in the EU27

The annual inflation rate reached 0.3% in the euro area in April 2020 and 0.7% in the EU27. Compared to the previous month, this is a decrease of 0.4% in the euro area and 0.5% in the EU as a whole. The lowest inflation rates were recorded in Slovenia (-1.3%), Cyprus (-1.2%), Estonia and Greece (both countries -0.9%), the highest in the Czech Republic (3.3%), Poland (2.9%) and Hungary (2.5%). Compared with April 2019, inflation fell by 1.4% in the euro area and 1.2% in the EU as a whole.

First quarter GDP down by more than 3%

According to the flash estimate of the European Statistical Office Eurostat, in the first quarter of 2020 the GDP decreased by 3.8% in the euro area and by 3.3% in the EU27 compared to the previous quarter. Year-on-year, compared with the first quarter of 2019, GDP fell by 3.2% in the euro area and 2.6% in the EU as a whole. The number of persons employed was also estimated to have declined in the first quarter of 2020, by 0.2% in the euro area and the EU27.

Emissions of sectors covered by EU ETS down by 8.7% in 2019

The European Commission has published data on the greenhouse gas emissions of all entities covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), which show that last year these entities produced 8.7% less emissions than in 2018. Emissions in industry decreased by 2% year-on-year. A more significant decrease in emissions was observed in the electricity generation sector, where the transition from coal to renewable energy sources managed to reduce emissions by 15%. In the aviation sector, on the other hand, emissions increased slightly, by 1%. According to the Commission, the EU ETS will be an increasingly important tool for meeting the objectives of the European Green Deal in the future.

Electricity prices up by 1.3% last year

According to Eurostat, in the second half of 2019, compared to the second half of 2018, electricity prices for households in the EU increased by 1.3%. 100 kWh of electricity was sold for an average of 21.6 euros. However, the differences between Member States were significant. While in Bulgaria 100 kWh was sold for 10 euros, in Denmark, Belgium and Germany it was for 30 euros. Gas prices increased by 1.7% over the same period, with 100 kWh sold for an average of 7.2 euros. Gas prices ranged from 4 euros in Romania, Hungary and Latvia to 12 euros in Sweden.

In the world!

EU intensified trade defence in 2019

The European Commission issued a report on the effectiveness of trade defence instruments in 2019, which shows that the measures in place have led to an 80% reduction in unfair imports. The Commission launched 16 investigations in 2019 (compared with 10 in 2018) and introduced 12 new anti-dumping measures (6 in 2018). In addition, it carried out a further 18 investigations related to the expiry of the anti-dumping measures. A total of 140 trade defence measures were in place at the end of last year. According to the report, around 23,000 jobs in the EU that were threatened by unfair imports were protected last year.

WTO Appellate Body successor begins to operate

The “Multi-party interim appeal arbitration arrangement” (MPIA) has become operational at the end of April, replacing the currently paralysed Appellate Body within the World Trade Organization (WTO). It will be available to any WTO member that decides to join and apart from the EU Member States, 15 other countries decided to do so until now. 10 arbitrators to judge disputes under this new system need to be selected now, which should take about 3 months. As soon as the WTO Appellate Body resumes to be functional, this temporary system will cease to operate.

EU-Mexico trade deal negotiations concluded

At the end of April, the European Commission agreed with Mexico on a new bilateral trade agreement, as it resolved the issue of access to public procurement markets with the Mexican side, which was the last key point to be negotiated. Under the new agreement, virtually no tariffs will be imposed on goods. In addition, the agreement contains chapters on sustainable development, such as the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement commitments, investor protection measures or measures to simplify customs procedures. After the process of legal scrubbing, the text of the deal will be translated into all official EU languages and submitted to the Council and the European Parliament for final approval and signature.

EU supports global food supply chains

EU Member States and 21 other members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) signed a joint statement in support of maintaining open and predictable world trade in food and agricultural products. States have committed themselves to supporting the functioning of supply chains in order to prevent the negative effects of current measures against the spread of coronavirus on food security. In addition, the signatories call for the development of targeted, temporary and transparent measures to support global supply chains that comply with WTO rules.

EU-Vietnam trade deal finalized

At the end of March, the Council adopted a decision on the conclusion of an EU-Vietnam free trade agreement, the last step on the part of the EU in order for the agreement to enter into force. However, the ratification process still needs to be completed by the Vietnamese party, and the agreement is expected to enter into force in summer 2020. The EU has also negotiated an investment protection agreement with Vietnam, signed in June 2019. In order for it to enter into force, ratification by all EU Member States is required.

Brought by CEBRE – Czech Business
Representation to the EU

Flower photo created by prostooleh – www.freepik.com

Author: Charles du Parc

In both 1989 and 2019 the population of the Czech Republic stood at around ten and a half million, 10,362,000 and 10,694,000 respectively. Although this only represents growth of just over 3% in 30 years, the profile of this population has changed markedly. The Czech Statistical Office (CSO) have published a detailed breakdown of the trends in the population since the end of communist rule and this reveals what has changed. Photo credit: Brno Daily.

Czech Rep., Jun 3 (BD) – The first obvious difference is that the country is older. In 1989 21.7% of the population was under 14; by last year this had dropped to 16%. Correspondingly, the proportion over 65 had grown from 12.5% to 19.9%. Accordingly, the average age for men has risen from 34.4 to 41.1, and for women from 37.8 to 43.9. This is partly due to people living longer: life expectancy is now 76.1 for men and 81.9 compared to 68.1 and 75.5 respectively in 1989. The numbers of long-term foreign residents increased significantly from 35,561 to 595,881 in 1989. In South Moravia, there were just under 1.2 million people in 2019. Initially there had been an outflow of population until 2005, after then there was modest natural growth with a net gain over the whole period of just over 70,000. The average age in the region is 42.4 (40.8 in 2008) against 42.3 (40.5 in 2008) for the whole country. The life expectancy here has risen from 72.59 to 76.33 (5th longest) for men and from 79.32 to 82.72 (2nd longest) for women.

Interested in the rest of this article? See it here.

New Zealand has one of the world’s best records on Covid-19, with fewer than 1,300 detected cases and two dozen deaths to date. Among the Czechs currently living there is Jakub Freiwald, who visits New Zealand annually and had arrived not long before the coronavirus pandemic began hitting many places beyond China. On the line from the Pacific island state, I asked Freiwald whether he had considered returning to his native country early in the coronavirus crisis.

“I could have done that, but it was extremely difficult, quite expensive and I don’t like to make such hurried decisions.

“Also one of the reasons why I decided to stay here was that I was pretty sure I was in one of the safest places in the world to live through this corona crisis.”

New Zealand is famously one of the safest places in the world to be right now. Is that mainly down to geography? Or is it also because of the measures that the New Zealand government have brought in?

“In the beginning, before I came, I was thinking that it would be safe mainly because of the geographical reasons, like you mentioned.

“But the longer I’m staying here, I’m pretty sure that it’s not only because of that – it’s also because of the government, the prime minister and in general all the people living here.

“Because the mentality is absolutely different here than what we have in the Czech Republic.

“People follow the rules and they don’t have a problem with following them – because the rules have some kind of system.

“Everything is announced in advance, it makes sense, you have time to prepare.

“Jacinda [Ardern, prime minister] has these speeches, or she used to have them, every day and it’s, let’s say, fun to watch her. She’s very empathetic, very sympathetic.

“So I personally didn’t have a problem to follow the rules and from what I experienced here nobody else did either.”

I understand you’re there with other Czechs. How do you and your friends view the situation back home, and how the Czechs have dealt with the coronavirus crisis?

“From what I saw in the Czech Republic, all the announcements of our government, of the prime minister, were so chaotic.

“Most people I think didn’t have a clue, because in the morning they said one thing and in the afternoon they said something else.

“It was nice to watch how people were helping each other, making these masks and all the other things.

“We proved once again that we are a skillful nation and that we can help each other, even without the support of these rich guys and Chinese guys and whatever else.”

See the rest of the article here.

As museums around the world begin to reopen some are still figuring out their futures.

One thing is for certain: Life after coronavirus will look very different.

Since lockdown measures have forced many businesses, restaurants, and other public places to close, it stands to reason that some of the places we frequented before the pandemic may not reopen when the time comes.

The same goes for museums, unfortunately.

Recent reports from UNESCO and the International Council of Museums (ICOM) say that one in eight museums worldwide may not open again after the extended quarantine and shelter-in-place orders around the world, Art Net News reported.

According to the UNESCO report, 90 percent of the world’s museums (around 85,000 in total) were forced to close. Some museums have been engaging the public via social media or virtual tours, but this doesn’t always translate into much needed funds in order to stay afloat.

According to ICOM, out of the 1,600 international museums that were surveyed, 13 percent reported that they had plans to close permanently, and another 19.2 percent said the future of their museums were uncertain. As for the museums that reported they would open their doors again, 83 percent said that they would reopen with reduced programming.

See the rest of the article here.

As coronavirus has tremendously impacted the aviation industry, it’s likely that when the pandemic subsides there will be a significant difference as to how planes ensure a new standard of safety.

When it comes to a solution to being in a crowded space in a post-coronavirus world, Italian aircraft interior manufacturing company Aviointeriors released their designs that meet requirements for social distancing. The designs were slated to be unveiled at this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, however it was canceled due to the pandemic. Instead, the company proceeded to show their ideas online.

The first is a new seating concept called “Janus,” after the two-faced Roman god. The Janus seating plan is a two-faced seat, where the middle seat is turned around to face the rear of the aircraft. A transparent shield that wraps around the middle seat would “ensure the maximum isolation between passengers seated next to each other,” according to Avionteriors. With the wraparound shield and seating arrangement, each passenger would have their own private guarded space, with people in aisle seats even protected from those walking up and down the aircraft.

The other seat design Aviointeriors has proposed is called “Glassafe,” a transparent cocoon that attaches to the top of existing airplane seats. The attachable bubble works by “creating an isolated volume around the passenger in order to avoid or minimize contacts and interactions via air between passenger and passenger,” they said.

Read the rest here.

(The UN Security Council should urgently address Covid-19 – addendum)

Further to the points of view undersigned authors expressed nearly two months ago (see: https://www.czechleaders.com/culture/the-international-security-dimension-of-covid-19-and-the-pivotal-role-of-the-un-security-council), it is to a deep regret that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) still misses to adopt the much-needed Council Resolution to address the COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic event. This is largely due to the tensions between two of its five permanent members (P5) — the US and China, with Washington wanting to apportion blame or responsibility to China relating to the pandemic, and Beijing rejecting any discussion or reference to it. Additionally, the two keep opposite views on the role and conduct of the UN Specialised Agency for health matters, Geneva-based World Health organisation (WHO).

This kind of approach is totally misplaced, short-sighted, and uncalled for. It clearly lacks the maturity and wisdom that the international community expects from the principal or Permanent Members of the UN Security Council. Tellingly, petty bilateral differences (and silence of other members) had created an unnecessary wedge between the parties, instead of subduing their differences in the larger scope and broader interests of the international community in the wake of the devastating global event.

Ought to (no-)vote

Interestingly, the very history of voting in the SC indicates that the ratio between adopted and vetoed resolutions is roughly 10 to 1 (2518 adopted SC resolutions, since 1945 until April 2020 vs. 293 vetoed ones for the same period). This shows that other parties, notably the non-permanent members of the UNSC, have usually played a vigilant, persistent, even pivotal role, in ensuring that the Council acts responsibly and timely on matters flagrant to the Charter and of concern to the international community at large.

Arguably, the P-5 states – along with their Big Power concerns, and their frequent mutual deterrence – have often been self-entrenching instead of reaching a consensus in the Council. Conversely, the non-permanent members, with their consensus-building approach, have generally been in a better position to contribute towards ensuring the much-desired and all-embracing stewardship of the Council. This has been the traditional role of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for decades (since Bandung of 1955 and Belgrade of 1961), with laudable support of neutral countries of the North (so-called N+N group).

Attempts by the Group of 20 (G-20) and the European Union (EU) to bridge the gaps on the C-19 issue have failed to bring the desired result thus far. Given this impasse, it seems better and more efficacious for the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)/G-77, along with other key regional groupings of huge membership and wide outreach, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the African Union (AU) – to add to the EU, G-20 and others – by taking a more prominent role in forging the much-needed consensus at the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies (directly or via the UN EcoSoc).

It is amply clear from the C-19 event that the right to health is an issue for all. The search for a vaccine to control the pandemic is not a matter of private business, but individual rights, as embedded in the UN Charter, and as obligatory to each of the UN Specialized Agencies. Binarization of debate onto a pro-and-con vaccine is also a dangerous reductionism and waste of planetary energy critically needed for a holistic and novel approach. Consequently, there is no one-directional medical research in response to any pandemic, and no single-blended (or manufactured) and mandated medication for all. (Dogma is based on belief; science necessitates constant multidimensional exploration.)

Proportionality of our (current and future) responses is another key issue. Hence, what presents itself as an imperative is universal participation through intergovernmental mechanisms. That very approach has been clearly demonstrated by UN member states, as shown by the active roles played by Indonesia (in the SC, along with another ASEAN, and NAM member, VietNam; and on behalf of the general membership of the UN General Assembly), Azerbaijan (on behalf of NAM) and France (on behalf of the P5 and the EU) reaching out to Tunisia – a member of the Arab League (LAS), AU, OIC and NAM. Same line has been also endorsed by the UN Members States on 18 May 2020 in relation to the independent inquiry of the WHO conduct.

After all, this is well recognised by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres himself, who recently stated that “With two thirds of UN Member States, the Non-Aligned Movement has a critical role to play in forging global solidarity”.

Storm, yet no Reform

It is rather disappointing that despite widely held expectations, the (French-Tunisian sponsored) draft SC Resolution did not address the C-19 issue per se and on ways of addressing its rapid spread. Instead, it focused on the need to effect a global ceasefire in existing conflicts in specific member states, as called for by Secretary-General Guterres, much to his credit, so as to facilitate distribution of much-needed food and medicines to the people in these conflict-torn countries.

This inaction by the UNSC contrasts sharply with what this leading world body did in 1984, when it addressed the EBOLA pandemic in Africa and unanimously adopted a far-reaching Security Council Resolution (UNSC 2439 (2018) — containing 18 preambular paragraphs and 17 operative ones, on specific instructions to, or demands, on a number of African states in conflict, to take effective steps to control or impede the spread of the EBOLA virus.

Nevertheless, even with the limitations of that French-Tunisian draft Resolution, it would have resulted, if adopted, in a humanitarian pause for at least 90 consecutive days crucial for the delivery of aid to the hardest-hit communities, and giving time to the international community to focus on combatting the C-19. But this was not to be, due to the bad dynamics in the UNSC, and the consequent results will be continued conflicts and unimpeded spread of the secondary effects of virus in those countries in conflict, much to the disappointment and chagrin of the international community.

Clearly, the problem lies not in the unwillingness of the international community to do the needful to stop, mitigate, shorten, localise or avoid, the spread of the pandemic and its secondary effects, but the failure of the UN SC, the most influential and authoritative organ of the world body, to live up to international expectations and to deal decisively with this global calamity that has repercussions to international peace and security, as it did during the EBOLA pandemic.

The lack of unity within the UNSC in addressing the current challenge raises that never-ending question of the urgent reform of the Council with its inherently undemocratic decision-making process. It is largely due to the outdated power of the Veto that stultifies and blocks consensus that is vitally important to the UN as it grapples with the many grave problems confronting the increasingly globalised and inter-connected international community.

The failure of the UNSC to reach a consensus is due to the inherent weakness of its decision-making mechanism, as well as paucity of unity among its non-permanent members. It is also to the lack of stronger involvement – on the very work of the UNSC – by the larger UN membership, as represented by the NAM/G-77, but also by other principal organs of the United Nations – primarily in the UNGA and ECOSOC. Thus, the UNSC in times of critical conjunctures – as this event and its yet not fully anticipated secondary effects are – appears as still stuck in a kind of a time warp, oblivious of the changes that have taken place, and are unfolding all over the world.

It goes without saying that exceedingly sluggish, lackadaisical and endless consultative/negotiation process on the Council reform and restructuring that has been going on for over two decades, needs to be urgently expedited. It is sine qua non if we are any serious with the times, demands and expectations of the Member States’ present and future populations, and with consolidation of international and cross-generational solidarity.

Clearly, complex world demands smooth fast and multifaceted coordination and collaboration among the various agencies of the UN system, under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General. It must be dynamic, innovative and holistic, so as to enable our Universal Organisation and all other intergovernmental FORAs – that architecture our world – to anticipate and speedily deal with the challenges that will surely emerge periodically in the future.

A restored trust necessitates a proactive and timely response but also calls for an enlarged, not reduced, participatory base.

Kuala Lumpur/Vienna
24 May 2020

About authors;

Amb. Hasmy Agam,

Formerly Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations, and President of the UN Security Council (July 1999 and August 2000); Head of the Diplomatic Academy; Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) – retired.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic

Chairperson and professor in intl law and global political studies, Austria; authored 7 books and numerous articles on, mainly, geopolitics energy and technology; Per-Rep to the UN Vienna and UN Geneva.

For the second year in a row, breweries in the Czech Republic have produced a record amount of beer

For the second year in a row, breweries in the Czech Republic have produced a record amount of beer, according to data gathered by the Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses.

Overall, Czech beer production increased by 1.6% in 2019, to a total of 21.6 million hectoliters. It’s a new high for the Czech Republic since the inception of the country in 1993.

Czech beer consumption also reached new heights according the Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses, at a total of 142 liters of beer per capita in 2019, a slight increase over the 141 liters reported last year.

While beer consumption in the Czech Republic is often cited as the highest in the world, it was beer exports that were primarily responsible for the increase in production last year.

Exports of Czech beer saw a 4.5% rise during 2019, while exports of non-alcoholic beer rose by a whopping 22%. Neighboring Slovakia, Germany, and Poland were the top destinations for Czech beer, while Russia, South Korea, and the United States were the top recipients outside of the European Union.

“Exports to most of our traditional export markets continued to grow last year,” Martina Ferencová, the Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses’s executive director, told local media.

“We saw a more significant decline only in the United Kingdom, Austria and South Korea.” Czech beer exports to the United Kingdom were down 16% year-on-year in 2019.

However, production is forecast to greatly fall this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and government restrictions on businesses. After being closed since mid-May, pubs and restaurants in the Czech Republic have reopened outdoor areas as of May 11, and will fully reopen from May 25.

“We are glad that Czech beer tastes not only at home but also abroad,” Association chairman František Šámal said.

“But we do not look to the future with too much optimism. Restaurants closed for more than two months, with additional weeks and months of gradual return to normal, zero tourism – all this will negatively affect results for this year.”

Source: Expats.cz

„The European Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the Member States in a society in which pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail. “

Similar to provisions of the German Constitution, Article 1 of the Lisbon Treaty defines common values on the basis of which the European Union perceives itself as united. However, in the face of the current and further deepening of economic misbalances since 2008, the migration trends intertwined with crises in its areas and now the coronavirus pandemic, this quote seems, more than ever before, like a document from ancient times. The European Union is at a crossroads and all its members, particularly Germany, now have to decide: should we finally act in line with the defined values or burry together with them the dream of a united continent that is more than just a sum of a number of national states?

Finally, what happened to the respect of human dignity if we have not managed to resolve the issue of camps on the Lesbos and other Greek islands in which dozens of thousands of people strive to survive in uncertainty, mud and deprivation? If even at the time of Easter, as the biggest Christian holiday we wittingly allow refugees to drown in the Mediterranean Sea? What happened to the freedom if as the first response to the spread of the corona virus we erect borders within Europe without any proof of effectiveness of such a measure? What happened to the democracy and the rule of law if we oppose systemic abolition of the defined principles in Hungary and Poland only through notes of protest and announcement of more strict scrutiny?

And finally, were is the true solidarity in which we care for each other in the current crisis? This is a specific question that we, the Germans, must ask – just like our Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier had stated in his Easter address: “Thirty years after the reunification of Germany, seventy five years after the end of the war, we Germans are not only called on but are actually obligated to show European solidarity!”

Of course, donating ventilators and taking over intensive care patients are nice gestures, but just a drop in the ocean, bearing in mind the enormous sufferings currently experienced by Spain and Italy, as well as France, triggered by the Covid-19 virus. The recent agreement brokered among the Eurozone finance ministers may seem enormous on paper. However, just like the Dutch Finance Minister Wopke Hoekstra noted, its text is “deliberately vague” so that all sides could leave the negotiations with their “face saved.” It gives South Europe countries access to additional loans during the crisis – which only shifts the problem to the future while simultaneously deepens the economic unbalance in Europe. Specifically, it remains unclear how will the countries, primarily Italy, bring back their economy on the right track and at the same time reduce the enormous national debt, when without a common or overarching solution the only option for them is to impose even more severe austerity measures than those from the previous two decades, to declare national bankruptcy or, in the case of Italy, to withdraw from the Eurozone and possibly the European Union, which would have disastrous consequences for the entire continent. No, solidarity is something else.

We have to make a decision. Are we going to accept accelerated degeneration of the European Union into something that is nothing more and nothing less but a large economic area? A market on which nation states individually pursue their economic interests, without any form of common values or idealistic goals at the civilization level? Or will we use this crisis to make a clear cut from the internal decay seen over the recent year and open a new chapter- just like the European Union’s founders did back in 1950s and 1960s with the establishment of European communities and later, in the 1980s, Helmut Kohl, François Mitterrand, Jacques Delors and others with the Maastricht Agreement and introduction of Euro.

Global crisis: Europe at risk of losing its social-political values

Just like back then, such a step would require political leadership and vision, as well as readiness to undertake difficult work on persuading others to take risks and make compromises. In 2018, we signed the German coalition agreement, “A new beginning for Europe”, on paper, and the French President Emmanuel Macron has been offering an extended hand for quite some time already. It is now, faced with this crisis, that we have an opportunity to create a new Europe.

We have an opportunity to create solidary Europe of economic, social and environmental responsibility and with equal opportunities on the entire territory of the European Union, in order to ensure a safe future for the next generations. A Europe based on a century long fight for democratic values and freedoms that can be protected only thorough representative democracy, which the autocratic regimes such as those of Viktor Orbán and Jarosław Kaczyński want to destroy through abuse of democratic freedoms. We were able to see in the case of West Balkans that the delusions related to the alleged national self-determination are just a mechanism to protect criminal organizations while the respective nations are plunging into poverty, while their youth leaves and heads in the direction of those who do not speak about national determination because they are aware that only through rational reasoning and pursuit of partnerships they can secure their future. However, this requires functional institutions with democratic foundations. Only a Europe that is strong and united, both internally and on the foreign policy level, can resolve global issues on the same eye-level with America, Russia and China, as countries in which the ruling regimes are willing to negotiate agreements from a position of strength.

That is why it is necessary to embark on the path towards United States of Europe, following the model of the United States of America. This step must be initiated by France and Germany, which should set an example for other European Union countries by yielding part of their sovereignty for a sovereign and therefore more secure Europe. What are we waiting for?

Ljubljana/Berlin, 14 May 2020

Footnotes:

[1] IFIMES – International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) from Ljubljana, Slovenia,has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)/UN, New York, since 2018.
[2] Josip Juratovic is a social democrat and member of the German Bundestag serving his fourth mandate. He is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Chair of the Parliamentary Group for West Balkans and Vice President of the parliamentary group Germany-North Adriatic (Croatia and Slovenia).

Josip Juratovic (SPD),
Member of the German Bundestag

Over the last few months, the University of New York in Prague has made great efforts in managing the transition from campus to virtual instruction. Considering the circumstances, and the serious nature of events, we did our best to help our students conclude their semester and maintain their UNYP experience, no matter where they are in the world. Most of our regular services were also offered online, including our counseling center and tutoring labs, as well as events organized by UNYP Careers and Student Affairs offices, the School of Psychology Wellness Webinars and the TED Circles meetings hosted by TEDxUNYP. The University of New York in Prague always goes the extra mile for its students to facilitate their learning, well-being, and academic success. This unprecedented situation gave us the ability to identify many strengths that UNYP already has, and various tools that we could use in the future to enhance our curriculum. We believe that one of the most exciting innovations could be the implementation of Virtual Reality technology.

This month, TORCH VR representatives gave a presentation to the General Manager and Rector of UNYP, as well as the Deans of the Schools of Business, Communication and Media, International Relations, and Psychology. The presentation was followed by a productive discussion about the advantages of using Virtual Reality in education and training. The exact way in which VR will be used in UNYP’s curriculum will be subject to further determination. However, the University of New York in Prague is committed to providing the most cutting-edge curriculum for its students, and this dialog on the implementation of Virtual Reality marks a new chapter in our university’s history.

By using the TORCH Virtual Reality space, UNYP students and faculty will be able to take advantage of cutting-edge VR products while engaging in the academic curriculum. As one of the first institutions in the Czech Republic to consider offering courses in augmented and Virtual Reality, the University of New York in Prague is pioneering the VR movement by teaming up with creative tech companies like TORCH VR. UNYP’s goal is to provide its community with innovative VR technology to enhance traditional education practices. TORCH VR is an incredible space that will give anyone taking the courses an immersive, hands-on experience. We are very excited to delve into the future of education and to explore this potential new venture.

Why use Virtual Reality in education?

Educators incorporate visual aids in their presentations for multiple reasons: to spark interest in students, to help visual learners memorize the material, and to give actual examples with charts, illustrations, photo, and video materials. VR could have similar potential: not only serving as a possible solution to travel restrictions (such as those that we are currently experiencing) but also enabling the students to better comprehend the educational material. Educators could use Virtual Reality for field trips to locations that are otherwise unreachable, and to facilitate distance education in a way that is very different from traditional online learning and Zoom conferences. VR could lead students to exciting discoveries by offering an immersive first-hand experience designed to raise engagement and increase the retention of knowledge. The interactive virtual learning environment could give students the skills they need to cultivate sustainable careers in today’s demanding marketplace.

Source: UNYP

Why should I go to galleries, when everything is on the Internet? Do I have to study to become an artist? And how do I recognize a work of art? These are just some of most frequent questions asked by teenagers in galleries. A new book, called Proč umění? or Why Art?, attempts to answer these questions, using various works of art from galleries in the Central European region. It also aims to get teenagers interested in art and attract them to galleries to see some of these artworks in the flesh.

I discussed the title, which has been nominated for this year’s Most Beautiful Books Award, with one of its editors, Martina Freitagová.

“Before we can talk about the book, we have to go back to the educational platform that published it, which is called Máš umělecké střevo?, which could be translated into English as Do You Have a Knack for Art?.

“It is a platform that was established in the Czech Republic and has expanded to other countries in the Central European region. We started working with the Slovak National Gallery, with the Ludwig Museum in Budapest and also with the State Art Collection in Dresden, Germany.

“This is where we got together with our partners and realised that art education in our countries faces the same challenges and that the questions that people keep asking in galleries are very similar.

“So we proposed the idea of putting the most frequent ones together and attempting to provide an answer. Not a definite answer, but more of a direction of how to think about contemporary art.”

Who are the people behind the initiative?

“Rather than individual artists, the initiative joins together various art institutions. We work with the National Gallery in Prague, with the Dox Centre for Contemporary Art and with the Moravian Gallery in Brno. Those are our three main partners. But we also collaborate with other institutions, such as the Rudolfinum gallery, so there is actually quite a wide network of partners in the Czech Republic.

“And abroad, it is the three institutions that I have already mentioned, the Slovak National Gallery, the Ludwig Museum in Budapest and the State Art Collection in Dresden. Working with those institutions gave us the benefit of reaching a wider audience and presenting art in a more accessible and more eligible way.”

Each of the 32 chapters in the book starts with a question about art that a teenager might ask and these questions are then answered by various artists who use particular works of art to illustrate their point. How did you come up with these questions?

“The questions come from the actual experience of working with school groups and the general public and repeatedly hearing these questions. We asked each of our partners to bring the ten most frequently asked questions and then we had an international meeting where we discussed and picked the most typical ones. One of the criteria was to use a question to illustrate a particular art work, art movement, technique or processes that are used in art.”

Do all of the works of art mentioned in your book come from one of the galleries joined in the initiative Do You Have a Knack for Art? Was this your intention?

“Exactly. It should serve, in a way, as a presentation of these great galleries that we have in our immediate proximity. We wanted to point out that you don’t have to travel overseas, to New York or to London, to actually see great artworks. That it is actually around the corner that you can see Picasso, Rembrandt and other great works of art. That’s why we also included a map to show that it really takes you about two hours by train to get to all of these institutions and to all this world-class art.

“The choice was also based on discussions about which art works are to be illustrated. Again each of our partners was asked to state their preferred choices, which we then discussed.”

See the rest here.

The temporary shift to home office due to restrictions related to the coronavirus outbreak has significantly reduced employees’ productivity. A study carried out by the consultancy company Moore Czech Republic suggests that employees’ productivity dropped by around one tenth during the first month of working from home. After two months, productivity fell by 30 percent.

The analysis also suggests that working from home increases the danger of cyber-attacks. Due to security risks, many employees cannot handle sensitive data or carry out confidential conference calls from their homes.

“The analysis carried out among our clients has shown that productivity of their employees dropped by around one tenth in March. Despite expectations that the employees would gradually adopt a standard work routine while on home office, effectivity dropped even further in April, by around one third compared to normal circumstances”, analyst Petr Kymlička of Moore Czech Republic told the Czech News Agency.

One of the reasons behind the drop of productivity is that home office is not suitable for all employees. A significant part of state administration officials are unable to carry out their jobs from home, because they are not able to access the data from home.

The study also highlights heightened safety risks related to working from home.

“Some of the programmes commonly used by employees can become an easy target of cyber attacks. There are special programmes with strong cyber protection, but their implementation is quite demanding,” Mr. Kymlička told the Czech News Agency.

“The study concludes that home office involving the majority of employees can only be effective in the short term, while in the long term it proves to be unsustainable. Moreover, adjusting the company to new work methods can take up to several years,” says Mr. Kymlička.

According to recent data released by Eurostat, around 4.6 Czechs worked from home before the coronavirus crisis, which is beneath the EU average and far lower than in neighbouring Austria, where the figure stands at 9.9 percent.

According to economist Lukáš Kovanda, member of the government’s economic council NERV, the number of people who work from home on a regular basis or from time to time is likely to increase in the future as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Source: https://www.radio.cz/en/section/business/study-working-from-home-has-reduced-employees-productivity-by-30-percent

OIC and its Rapid Reaction Capacitation in times of new asymmetric challenges

All throughout its history, our world witnessed either abrupt, radical changes or gradual shifts and adjustments of the World Oder. Such recalibrations usually followed major crises, be it devastating wars or geopolitical transformations such as the end of Cold War.

Past the agricultural and industrial revolutions, numerous advances in knowledge, science and technology, as well as groundbreaking inventions opened up new avenues for progress and prosperity of mankind. Subsequent scientific and technological revolution of our age, coupled with the relaxation of ideological confrontation and longing for cooperation and integration, led to the emergence of a politically and economically globalized World.

However, our current World Order of fully interconnected planet has revealed some weaknesses and vulnerabilities, particularly in time of crises.

In the Era of Globalization, the worldwide interconnected financial and economic system can cause a financial crisis spill-over effect very rapidly – as we witnessed it decade ago. Similarly, a health crisis in one country can, owing to the same business interconnection and swift human mobility, spread at light speed to other countries and continents, engulfing the whole World.

Currently, COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic is wreaking havoc across the Globe, causing most countries to be primarily focused on solving the crisis and limiting its damage.

L’avenir est comme le reste: Global opportunity – global exposure

Though some breakthroughs have been achieved such as finding the genetic sequence of the virus and developing diagnostic tests, no confirmed vaccines or efficient treatments have been found yet. Moreover, much more clues remain to be gathered and understood, including the virus transmission and mutation dynamics, its potential re-emergence in waves, where did it come from and whether environmental or seasonal factors impact its spread and severity.

In search for rapid and efficient solutions, countries (particularly developed ones) have been working restlessly but individually almost to no avail. This could be explained by an impulse of an ‘old spirit’; of geopolitical competition in the past – times when the narrow national interest was the main and only driver of any international conduct.

The same lack of coordination among individual countries in dealing with this unprecedented crisis that encompasses almost every dimension including health, economic and financial aspects of life, has also been noticed at the level of political international organizations.

In fact, while the international economic and financial institutions seem to be well globalized and functioning efficiently, the political structure of the World looks like the one still based on the Nation-States competition and rivalry. The existing political international FORAs, made up of these States, seem to be too bureaucratic to react swiftly and efficiently in times of imminent crises.

The post-C-19 World Order will most likely remain the same, Westphalian and globalized Order. However, in light of the aforementioned shortfalls and given the future daunting challenges, this World Order needs to be updated and enriched.

International violence has overtime dropped significantly. Full-scale conventional wars do not exist anymore whereas small-scale ones have come to an all-time low.

It is true that there are still nuclear weapons in the World enough to wipe out the entire Humankind multiple times over. However, the Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) doctrine coupled with Wisdom, have been and will most likely remain as a powerful deterrent to any nuclear war attempts.

Not so long ago, our World was on a brink of nuclear self-annihilation, but found enough wisdom to avoid it.

The same wisdom can be used in the face of the current and future threats of annihilation by terrifying viruses similar to or more dangerous than C-19, which is heralding a new age of threats to Humankind’s existence, disruptions and partial or total lockdowns never seen or tested before.

To meet such challenges, the World should be more united and cooperative, set aside geostrategic competition, give way to humane-oriented and servant leadership, avoid narrow national interest-oriented approach, put more focus on science and new technologies – of course all under democratic control. This includes decisive investments in innovative technologies, particularly frontier technologies.

To meet those, specific global and regional instruments, and mechanisms to endorse and facilitate exchange for better joint political action and all-out scientific cooperation in time of crises, should be also created.

OIC and the need for its RRC mechanism

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) – the second largest intergovernmental multilateral mechanism to the one of OUN, places high value on Science and Technology in its daily works, and keenly promotes cooperation among its member States in this area. It was almost 40 years ago that the OIC set up its Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH of 1981).

This functional entity of the OIC has been headquartered in Islamabad, with the President of Pakistan as its Chair. It has as objective to strengthen cooperation among OIC member states and enhance their capabilities in emerging technologies.

COMSTECH collaborates with numerous Specialised international bodies (of technical mandates), including World Health Organization (WHO), International Foundation for Science in Stockholm and the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), to name but few.

In 2006, a new Institution was created within COMSTECH Secretariat in Islamabad, namely the Science, Technology and Innovation Centre (STI). This Center serves as a Think-tank to provide all-advisory services to OIC member states on science-technology-innovation, to conduct its own indigenous researches and ensure capacity building in this area for OIC members.

In 2017, a further step was taken towards fostering cooperation in Science and Technology among OIC States and making headway in this area, as the first Summit on Science and Technology was held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

In view of looming C-19 crisis and its devastating aftermath, OIC – currently pursuing a comprehensive reform Agenda – would benefit from considering even bolder new steps, such as setting up an Instrument for policy coordination in times of crisis. Certainly, every crisis is a hardship, but it also brings opportunity and novel openings. Hence, it might be a Rapid Reaction Capacitation (RRC) in the event of new type/s of asymmetric challenges.

Such RRC will be embodied in a platform for the exchange of expertise among leading scientists in Islamic countries – notably, a Center for Epidemics Prevention and Management (EPM). Part of that RRC-capacitated EPM Center would be also a division for vaccines research and production, supported by one for the applied AI (Artificial Intelligence). Since the capacity of early warning and rapid reaction would be essential, this Center and its divisions ought to be preferably situated physically closer to the OIC HQ.

By doing so, OIC would strengthen ties of cooperation in various fields, including scientific research within and among its Member States, but also with the variety of international and regional organizations and the Specialized Agencies. Thus, the EPM Center would serve as a liaison between the OIC world and similar regional or national Epidemic Prevention and Vaccination centres. As the grand wiz of early European integrations, Jean Monnet, used to say: “Crises are the great unifier!”

Geographic, demographic and geo-economic centrality of the OIC world makes it focally important for any planetary issue. OIC also represents an important voting block within the United Nations system (Bretton Woods institutions and the G-20, too). Therefore, the faster and better crisis responsive OIC clearly translates into the safer and brighter, sustainable world for our common future.

Jeddah/Vienna, 08 MAY 2020

Authors:

Amb. Ali Goutali, Tunisian top diplomat, serving numerous key posts on four continents, former Head of the national diplomatic institute. Author of several publications including a book on decision making in foreign policy. Current Director at the OIC General Secretariat in Jeddah, KSA.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, professor and chair for international law and global pol. studies, Vienna, Austria. Author of 7 books on geopolitics, energy and technology.

Rattana Lao

Bangkok – The global pandamic of COVID 19 has hit the world in a way nobody has foreseen, let alone prepared to respond. It shakes the core of humanity – no matter how far we have progressed scientifically, we are a speck of dust in the universe trying to understand nature and be a part of it rather than “own it”.

The lock down disrupts everyone’s lives and also destroys many lives. Six weeks on, at least 30 million of American are registered unemployed. That happens in the world richest country and this is just the figure we know. What about the ones we don’t? what about the rest of us?

Enough has been said in every news outlet of how bad everyone is hit, hard. While most of the world are trying to survive this crisis, many great minds across the globe have put their thought and intellect together of how best we can respond to this pandemic in a way that ensure our survival. Scientists, researchers, business leaders and politicians have given their fare share of two cents on the topic.

The most worrisome unintended consequence of this crisis is the prospect of students’ learning, their trajectory and their growth. When the traditional school is closed and no teachers can deliver in front of the class, education as we know it faces the kind of challenges that never happened since the first mass education was created a couple centuries ago.

To respond to such calamity, the world has jumped on the global bandwagon of online learning as the perfect panacea to address this. One can argue that this crisis creates the window of opportunity that reinforces the importance of online learning and the potent role technology plays in modern day education.

Rightly so.

Children with smart phones, tablets and laptops can access the world of unlimited knowledge through myriad of websites and applications making available for free and for fee, while they remain at home.

Students of the twenty-first century are required to not just be literate, but digital literate. This crisis proves that without the access to technology and ability to use it, children will be left behind in their learning.

But millions are being left behind as we speak. When we look at the reality of rampant poverty and inequality across the globe, it is evident that access to smart phone and technological gadget is not equal. One can not take for granted that everyone “has gotten one”.

We wish.

This crisis creates the wake up call for governments across the globe to take the issue of digital divide seriously. The question is in Ministries of Education everywhere is how to ensure that every student at least as an equal access to tool that will ensure they have a chance at learning.

Providing a smart phone, a tablet, a computer was what tech optimist thought in the end of 2000s when One Laptop Per Child was launched. With “access” – everything will be fine.

We hope.

But access is only the beginning of learning, not the end of it.

Students with access to technology now do not maximize its use for learning – rather – they are mostly spent for conspicuous consumption and entertainment. Of course digital literacy is a byproduct of intensive training, conducive environment and close proximity of mentorship from parents and teachers.

It takes time to master the use of technology. It takes patience.

The global pandemic reminded us of the post-modernist thought on learning. How can we be “students” in the age of uncertainty? When knowledge is not absolute, when everyone makes sense of their own meaning and when new idea is disrupting the status quo on a minute by minute basis.

The book by Professor Ronald Barnett: A Will to Learn provides a solace and straightforward answer to learning. In light of this crisis, the most important thing, perhaps, is not just a click in the smart phone. The most important thing for students of all ages is the vision to “focus” and “the will to learn”.

Learning can happen in every place, at all time. In the locked down, learning can happen when parents and children have a conversation and engage with each other. Learning can happen from the books inside the house – assuming they are. Learning can happen from existing resources around us – from listening to stories of the neighbours in the refugee camps.

The small screen of the smart phone can link us up to the world, but perhaps the lock down is giving us the much needed solitude to learn from within. It is a good time to revise what we have studied, theories we have heard and idea we have learned previously.

Making the dots.

Learning is not about regurgitating what has been said. That is just the entry point. Learning is a constant engagement with idea, repeatedly. Again and again. Through such engagement, can one rise above what was told, said and written to actually – think for themselves.

An independent mind.

Lock down or not, the clock is ticking and only those who notice and adapt to change – can survive.

This is not about being Darwinism.

This is just a matter of fact.

The sooner the students know that they can start learning – with or without the crisis – only then can we wither this change in the age of uncertainty in style.

Rattana Lao holds a PhD in Comparative and International Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She writes and works on education and development. She is based in Bangkok and can be reached at amp.lao@gmail.com

Merely months ago, the notion of luxury travel encompassed all the standard prerequisites: exclusivity, limited access to the few, remoteness, opulence, pristine nature, and of course, top-notch luxe experiences. Now that we’re well into this global pandemic, the simple idea of travel is one of luxury. Most of the world’s borders are still closed, and even travel inside the borders of a single country is limited, if not completely forbidden. For some, it seems, luxury travel entails a picnic in a local park for the time being: priceless and impossible.

But for the versed luxury traveler exploring the most lavish of all destinations, stunning nature nooks, and extraordinary metropolises remains a dream worth preserving for the hopefully near future. Still, we need to anticipate certain changes, and we need to adapt to the rising necessity to reduce the spread of the virus. What does that mean for luxury travel?

Flying private in full bloom

The main issue countries and airlines have today revolves around the standard number of passengers and airport crowds that are the ideal breeding ground for viruses the likes of SARS-CoV-2. The solution? Private jets that only take a handful of passengers, which instantly limits exposure and the possibility to spread the disease at all.

As an example, a US-based private jet company has experienced a 400% increase in queries and roughly 25% more bookings during the pandemic. However, flying private doesn’t mean avoiding travel bans entirely, so it’s still necessary to stay in the loop when it comes to available destinations even for private flights as the pandemic begins to ease its grip. In the future, it seems that a growing number of people will want to fly privately solely to avoid getting sick, which is an incentive that will last for a long time after the pandemic is over.

Mandatory health screenings

Once the world’s borders are open again, nothing will go back to the old normal. The new normal will include a set of health screenings to ensure that each potential passenger, no matter the means of transport, is disease-free at the time of crossing any given border. So, when the time comes to book your next luxury vacation, you should remember to check what kind of proof you’ll need in order to present your clean bill of health.

Discovering local luxury

Although traveling internationally will always be appealing, some luxurious travelers will turn to exploring their local wealth of exclusive resorts and glamorous nature experiences for added safety and convenience. If you live in Australia, for example, you’ll certainly never run out of extraordinary locations to visit. For even greater ease, many locals will use Australia’s luxury travel guide for reference when selecting their next ideal spot for a vacation.

These guides are designed to appeal to a globetrotter as much as they will inspire a resident, so in the months after the pandemic, we can expect to see a rise in local luxury travel opportunities, creating exclusive deals for residents to appeal to their luxury needs.

Relieving anxiety with spa treatments

It’s safe to say that everyone has experienced a fair dose of stress during the pandemic, even without experiencing the virus personally or within the family – we’re all bombarded with grim numbers on every possible outlet, and we’re constantly reminded of the lurking dangers of the virus.

In response to this stressful situation, many wellness centers have created a win-win solution both to remedy their own loss of revenue (or preferably recover completely), and to the stressed customer. You can now book stress-relieving, immunity-boosting spa treatments designed to help you deal with the COVID-19 chaos in your own, luxurious way. Perhaps the popularity of such treatments will continue to grow even in the post-pandemic times, simply because people will gain a deeper awareness of their wellbeing and health.

Yachting over cruising for social distancing

Although the appeal of cruises will never dwindle, the current prognosis isn’t too optimistic about sending out swarms of travelers stuck on an isolated deck, in crowded dining halls, and with shared amenities of all sorts. However, luxurious yachting offers a solid alternative, as many wealthy individuals have turned to their water-dwelling abodes to “ride out” the pandemic, or at the very least, its peak.

This is, in fact, a brilliant way to practice social distancing while at the same time enjoying the bountiful scenery any yacht can lend you to: from coastal gems in your own countries, to visiting nearby marinas where it’s allowed to stop by without actually setting foot on dry land. Social distancing on yachts will have a much greater potential over the next several months, as a safe alternative for cruising in the foreseeable future.

In the next several months, we’ll see how the world recuperates and we’ll be able to determine a more realistic timetable for satisfying our travel cravings. In the meantime, preparing for the changes in how we travel will help you enjoy your adventures with peace of mind and choose trustworthy options that will protect your health and the wellbeing of those around you.

By Peter Minkoff

Peter is a lifestyle and travel writer at Men-Ual magazine, living between Ústí nad Labem and Antwerp. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Financial advisors have to take into account that their role needs to be sustainable in the long term. A great role in this process is played by the ability to listen and study the habits and needs of new generations. A focus on the younger portion of the population will enhance the continuity of their professional activity.

This argument stands behind the idea of investigating on how millennials are behaving and acting in response to the COVID-19 emergency that we are living in today.

People born between the years 1980 and 2000 are, and will probably be, the most affected by this situation. A lot of research is highlighting the threat that the economic shutdown is imposing on millennials’ financial status. More than 50% of Generation Y is experiencing consequences on their income and that’s not all; there is also a psychological perspective to be taken into account.

In fact, Millenials tend to engage more frequently in social relationships compared to both older and younger generations. Two aspects that result in a heavier burden, due to both the more unstable economic situation and the social distancing put in place by Governments to protect the whole population.

Nevertheless, the weight of the situation is giving birth to a positive effect as it allows millennials to be in the spotlight. This is a time of firsts for the Generation Y as it faces contingencies never lived before, but its role in social distancing is fundamental; it is the key to avoiding connections between younger and older people.

Millennials also play a key role in driving digitalization, much needed at the moment, and in spreading their knowledge of the topic to relatives and older generations. Those defined as Gen Y2 (1990-2000) are highly hyperconnected and, according to different papers discussing the internal diversification in the Millennial’s generation, they access social media twenty times more compared with the whole population average. This can be a base for the spread of technology use across all ages. They, for sure, feel the responsibility and must be given credit for this.

Moreover, a recent study by Visual Capitalist, a company focused on business trends, highlighted how Millennials are the generation more inclined to trust all the different sources of information, both official news and less reliable pieces of information. At the same time, it is the generation that has so far increased its interest in updates on coronavirus and business & finance articles the most during the lockdown. It’s a clear sign of curiosity and concern in what surrounds them. This is not the only theme Millennials increased their curiosity in.

This connects to another area where lessons can be learned from Millennials and from their sensibility to a subject: Sustainable and Responsible Investments (SRI). Many large asset management companies have carried out surveys in recent years, with evidence of a large and above average interest in Generation Y when it comes to SRI investments. According to Morgan Stanley research, one of the reasons that enhances Millennials’ interest in SRI is due to the valid belief that socially responsible behaviour by companies can positively influence risk and return of an investment in them. In addition, a good portion of Millennials want their advisor to financially educate them and keep them updated, a point they tend to stress with force, in comparison to other generations.

On the other side, these surveys shed light on Millennials’ lack of confidence in their financial decision-making ability. Only 30% trust in their own ability to move smoothly in both the financial markets and their own financial planning.

For this reason, the role and activities of financial advisors are fundamental. In an era and during a crisis where Millennials may lack a reference point, financial planners have to be those stepping in to support them, as it will bring a benefit to both. They deserve to have a stronger voice and role in the development of the world of tomorrow, a world that will mostly feature their future.

Vania Franceschelli
Deputy Chairwoman

Source: FECIF

There are few things more soothing than sitting on the beach, right on the ocean’s edge and watching the waves crash over and over again. The only thing sweeter is spotting a pod of dolphins, a whale, seal, or even a friendly otter swim by.

Sadly, we must refrain from sitting on beaches right now, however, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy those same ocean views right from your computer screen.

Beach cameras up and down both the East and West Coast are bringing a little bit of beach magic right into people’s homes. That includes a few in California, Florida, and North Carolina that are allowing people to spot a few glorious marine animals in real-time.

Those in quarantine can check out the view from Clearwater, Florida thanks to its community beach camera. In fact, they can see four different views right on the St. Pete Clearwater website. Look out onto the pier and see if you can spot a few sea creatures go by right now.

Want even more ocean views? See what the opposite coast is up to with Explore, which has live views of the Santa Monica Pier. Viewers of this camera are also highly likely to see marine mammals swimming and playing together.

There’s another enjoyable live stream happening just up the coast in Malibu. There, viewers could even spot a seal or two basking on the rocky shore.

And, just off the California coast, those at home can watch the view from Santa Cruz Island for as long as they wish or as long as it takes to see a sea critter.

Want to get even closer to the ocean life? Check out the Barracuda Cam, located some 34 miles off the coast of Cape Fear, North Carolina. As Explore explains, “On this camera, you’ll see a variety of reef and open water-dwelling [fish], a strange combination for someone who is used to seeing the coral reefs of Florida and the Caribbean! This unique ecosystem is maintained by the shallow shoals that allow for coral and algae growth, as well as the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Being dozens of miles offshore and farther north than common reefs makes this region a fascinating location for ocean viewing.”

Stream as long as you’d like, or play it on your smart TV for a soothing afternoon. Nobody is judging your viewing habits. Especially not the fish.

See the rest here.

Building up on the recent analysis of the IFIMES (International Institute of the Special Consultative status with the UN Eco-Soc) and its call for a formidable multilateral action; “The International Security Dimension of Covid-19 and the Pivotal role of the UN SC”, the founder and CEO of the London-based think-tank furthers that argument, while explaining why the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council should indeed take a lead. Hereby, we bring her policy proposal in its full length.

China held the Presidency of the United Nations Security Council in March this year: COVID-19 was deemed not to be a security issue. By the end of March, confirmed deaths with the virus had grown past 40,000 globally and the U.N.’s Secretary General, António Guterres, stated that the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 were a multiplier of instability, unrest and conflict [1] in an attempt to engage the Security Council. The Presidency of the Security Council passed to the Dominican Republic this month and the Caribbean country has the opportunity to spur the Security Council into action.

The United Nations champions multilateralism but is often criticised for “doing everything and doing nothing” and has been denounced for the lack of a rapid and appropriate response to global challenges. “We have discussed COVID-19 every day since 13th March,” reassures one U.N. diplomat, but so far, the response has been ideological communiqués rather than pragmatic propositions or resolutions to collectively combat the effects of the pandemic.

On 23rd March, despite his “limited freedom” the United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, strategically called for a global cease-fire and an aid package for the most vulnerable, which was praised as the most serious proposal that has emerged since the pandemic. Additionally, the 193-member General Assembly this month passed a non-binding resolution that called for “intensified international cooperation to contain, mitigate and defeat” the Coronavirus.

The Security Council has been suffering from a lack of action. In March, under China’s Presidency, the outbreak was not deemed to be a security issue and no action was taken. In recent weeks there has been mounting media pressure and calls from member states to force the Security Council to address the effects of the pandemic within its mandate. “We had to give in, but under any other circumstances it would be unimaginable for [a health issue] to be discussed under the Security Council’s mandate”, stated a current member of the Security Council. Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, formerly Malaysia’s representative on the Security Council and Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic disagree and describe clearly the ‘International security dimension of COVID-19’ [2], arguing that the potential impacts on international peace and security mean that the issue, “indisputably falls under [the Security Council]’s mandate”. It should also be noted that the Security Council did debate the impact of AIDS on peace and security in Africa in 2000.

Despite the “archaic views of a few members on how the Security Council should work”, this month, the Council, under the Presidency of the Dominican Republic, implemented the working methods prepared by the previous presidency to start Video Teleconferences (VTCs). “The pandemic forced us to develop working methods that have allowed us to carry the agenda despite the difficulties of not being able to physically meet,” said a non-permanent member of the Security Council triumphantly. While it is helpful that the members can now talk to each other after several weeks, many businesses and institutions implemented similarly ground-breaking technological innovations overnight!

After much resistance, particularly from China and South Africa, the Security Council had its first closed-door virtual meeting on 9th April to discuss the COVID-19 crisis. While this is good progress, there are significant barriers to any action, “It would be very detrimental for the UN SC to make its discussions on the pandemic public as that would demonstrate that its structure does not allow it to go beyond the vetoes of the permanent members (P5),” said a Latin American diplomat. In particular, the increasing tensions between the US and China have truncated any meaningful outcome, “They are in the middle of an ideological and strategic war,” continued the diplomat.

And yet, as the crisis deepens, negotiations on a possible resolution appear to be moving forward. Just as one draft resolution negotiated between the P5 stalled, another resolution between the non-permanent members was put forward, and currently all members are negotiating both resolutions as a single document. The finger-pointing and wording disputes between the US and China persist and, while France is working to smooth this relationship, new disagreements have emerged around the possibility to include in the resolution, the relaxation of unilateral sanctions against countries that have been heavily hit by the pandemic and need aid, such as Iran. Considering the scale and gravity of the pandemic, the fact that the P5 and the Security Council in general are getting bogged down on lexical semantics, is unacceptable.

All eyes are on the Security Council this month and they cannot remain silent on what is happening. Coordinating a response to this situation will require great leadership and Latin America, through the Dominican Republic’s Presidency of the Security Council has an opportunity to be front and centre. “The President has to ease tensions and blunt the edges of conflict among some of the members, especially the permanent members, and to generate close cooperation and unity in dealing with this global health trauma,” said a distinguished diplomat that has served twice on the Security Council. And yet, “the possibility of non-permanent members influencing these bureaucratic practices, stagnant, anchored in a history that we already know, are minimal,” emphasised a non-permanent member state of the Security Council.

The Presidency’s role is primarily to guide and align the Council, and within its limitations, the Dominican Republic can play an effective leadership role in handling an international crisis of monumental proportions. “What would be required for such a leadership role are qualities of clear-sightedness, level-headedness and outstanding diplomatic skills, among others,” said a senior Asian diplomat.

As part of this month’s agenda, the Dominican Republic launched an open, high-level VTC entitled, ‘Protection of civilians from conflict-induced hunger’. While the event had been planned for months and the agenda already set, the Presidency successfully shaped the conversation to not only cover food insecurity and conflict-related starvation but also to include discussion on the related security impacts of COVID-19, for example, through disruption of food supply chains.

The response from the virtual attendees was remarkable, with all the briefers and interventions from different countries including consideration of the threats multiplied by the pandemic. For example, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Qu Dongyu highlighted COVID-19 as one of the ‘shocks’ together with conflicts, extreme weather, desert locusts and economic shocks that are likely to “push more people into acute food insecurity”. The Presidential Statement of this event will hopefully produce a unanimous message on hunger and conflict, a much-needed sign of unity to identify common problems and seek common solutions.

This outcome could be an encouraging step for the Dominican Republic to assume greater leadership around the impacts of COVID-19 and its effects on international peace and security for the remainder of the month. The Latin American nation should seek to conclude its Presidency by helping the Security Council to focus on the gravity and wide-reaching nature of the situation and work together on a resolution that directly addresses the threats of the pandemic and offers pragmatism in the management and the recovery, even if differences between the P5 persist. “The global pandemic presents both a challenge and an opportunity for a small Caribbean member state of the world body to demonstrate a much-needed leadership role to mobilize the international community to effectively combat COVID-19 and spare the world from further untold tragedy,” said an optimistic veteran of diplomacy.

The Caribbean nation will finish its Presidency at the end of April and while there are only a few days left, its diplomatic skills will be put to the test in the coming days at other important events including one on 27-29 April for the “Intergovernmental Negotiations on the Security Council Reform” (IGN) where five points of convergence and disagreement will be debated: 1) categories of membership to the Council (i.e. permanent, non-permanent, or a third option), 2) the question of the veto, 3) regional representation, 4) size of an enlarged Council and working methods, and 5) the relationship between the Council and the General Assembly.

Each bloc of states (the S5 Group, the G4, the African Group, the L.69 Group, the Arab Group, Uniting for Consensus, the Caribbean Community, etc) have different positions, agendas and vision; “it’s a Tower of Babel’, assured a UN diplomat, “without forward-looking conditions, we will not advance the debate”. During this debate, the Dominican Republic could proactively try to reorganise the fronts between all the different positions of the UN regional groups and mark certain lines in the negotiation process.

The Dominican Republic could provide the same guidance to its own regional group within the United Nations, the Latin American and Caribbean States Group (GRULAC), which is considered “non-functional” due to its internal ideological struggles. “We must rebuild, remove the regional groups from their ideological struggle and make it a place where a conversation and eventually a consensus can be generated”, reflected a diplomat of a GRULAC member state. The Caribbean nation, through its prominent role in the Presidency, “has the platform to propose an initiative that would put a specific work agenda in place as a mechanism for consultation and agreement rather than as a mechanism of ideological confrontation,” explained the same diplomat. Another Latin American diplomat agrees that there is an opportunity for the Dominican Republic to show leadership, “the Dominican Republic ambassador could be a valuable interlocutor if considered as a sensible person and not seen as a threat to other activities within the Security Council”.

The pandemic and its effects have laid bare the importance of decisive, visionary leadership and concerted action in such a critical point of human history and also provides an opportunity to the international community and its leaders to galvanise the process of change where multilateralism, compassion and social consensus are no longer a policy of choice.

[1] UN News (2020) https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/04/1061502 (Accessed on 20 April 2020). [2] IFIMES (2020) https://www.ifimes.org/en/9791 /the-international-security-dimension-of-covid-19- and-the-pivotal-role-of-the-un-security-council/ (Accessed on 22 April 2020).

About the author:

Elizabeth Deheza is a founder and CEO of the London-based, independent strategic intelligence entity DEHEZA, focused on Latin America and Caribbean.

We spoke with some of our friends and partners to find out how they’ve been personally affected by the coronavirus pandemic

For the past six weeks, many businesses in Prague and the Czech Republic have been shut down as efforts to reduce the spread of coronavirus in the country have resulted in the closure of most shops, services, and restaurants.

Even businesses that weren’t directly targeted by the Czech Republic’s anti-coronavirus measures have felt their effect.

As the tide turns and most establishments re-open over the course of the next month, we spoke with some of our friends and partners to find out how they’ve been personally affected by the coronavirus pandemic – and how they plan to get back to business moving forward:

“We hope we can get back to normal, we hope we can reopen and then we presume probably work overtime for the first week or two,” Mark Weston of POP Hair Salon told us.

“It’s actually quite funny. I think for the first month or so people didn’t quite realize how long hair salons might be closed for, and now there’s sort of like this official date that was announced on television and everything and it’s still a month to go and so during the last few days how many people I don’t know have called, texted, wrote messages on Facebook, and sent emails that they all want to be the first person to get their hair cut as soon as we are reopening again.”

“We’re planning for several eventualities. We don’t know what will happen but we’re trying to be as prepared as we can,” says A Maze in Tchaiovna owner Andy Fell.

“The best case scenario we’ll open and it’s all okay, so we would continue with our theater and comedy program and everything be lovely.”

“Then in a slightly less best case scenario we’d be able to continue to a certain degree but we might be limited in the number of people we have in the theater and that might be both from a legal point of view and also, quite frankly, whether people are wanting to go into spaces with more than 40, 50 people.”

A common thread among those we interviewed was uncertainty about what the future might bring – how long certain regulations may last in the Czech Republic, and what changes the pandemic would result in even after the restrictions are lifted.

“While everyone or most people are re-booking for the fall dates or 2021 I would say it’s in the back of people’s minds that in fact even the fall days might not happen,” says Viktor Palák of Fource Entertainment, who is responsible for bringing major international music acts to the Czech Republic.

“But we are working as if they are about to happen, and we hope they will.”

Interviewees featured in this video:

• Julius Stefan – Projection Specialist, The National Theatre – Nová scéna
• Mark Weston – Hairstylist, POP Hair Salon
• Kevin Dobson – Director, Force Production
• Andy Fell – Owner, A Maze in Tchaiovna
• Leah Takata – Site Director, CIS Abroad
• Sara Booth – Self-employed English teacher
• Viktor Palák – Marketing and PR, Fource Entertainment
• Omri Goz – Event Organizer, Burza #4

Source: Expats.cz

Americans performed three very different policies on the People’s Republic: From a total negation (and the Mao-time mutual annihilation assurances), to Nixon’s sudden cohabitation. Finally, a Copernican-turn: the US spotted no real ideological differences between them and the post-Deng China. This signalled a ‘new opening’: West imagined China’s coastal areas as its own industrial suburbia. Soon after, both countries easily agreed on interdependence (in this marriage of convenience): Americans pleased their corporate (machine and tech) sector and unrestrained its greed, while Chinese in return offered a cheap labour, no environmental considerations and submissiveness in imitation.

However, for both countries this was far more than economy, it was a policy – Washington read it as interdependence for transformative containment and Beijing sow it as interdependence for a (global) penetration. In the meantime, Chinese acquired more sophisticated technology, and the American Big tech sophisticated itself in digital authoritarianism – ‘technological monoculture’ met the political one.

But now with a tidal wave of Covid-19, the honeymoon is over.

(These days, many argue that our C-19 response is a planetary fiasco, whose size is yet to surface with its mounting disproportionate and enduring secondary effects. All this illustrates – the argument goes – nothing else but the non-transparent concentration of power and our overall democracy recession; lasting consequences of cutbacks, environmental holocaust, privatisation of key intergovernmental and vital national institutions, ill-fated globalisation on (overly allopathic-cantered) healthcare and luck of pubic data commons.

There are also growing speculations if the lockdown is invasion or protection – whether the aim is herd-immunity of herd loyalty; if is there any back-to-normal exit from the crisis or this disaster ‘turned into planetary terror, through global coup d’état’ will be exploited to further something already pre-designed (with a fear, not as a side-effect, but rather as a manufactured tool to gain control). E.g. Le Monde Diplomatique – while examining the possible merge between tech oligopoly and political monopoly – claims: “Political decisions have been central in shaping this tragedy — from the destruction of animal habitats, to the asymmetric funding of medical research, to the management of the crisis itself. They will also determine the world into which we emerge after the worst is over.” The XXI century frontline is the right to health and labour, privacy and human rights. (LMD, IV20))

Still to be precise, the so-called virus pandemic brought nothing truly new to the already overheated Sino-American relations: It only amplified and accelerated what was present for quite some time – a rift between alienated power centers, each on its side of Pacific, and the rest. Is this time to return to a nation-state, a great moment for all dictators-in-waiting to finally built a cult of personality? Hence, will our democracy be electro-magnetised and vaccinated for a greater good (or greedier ‘god’)?

This text examines a prehistory of that rift; and suggests possible outcomes past the current crisis.

Does our history only appear overheated, while it is essentially calmly predetermined? Is it directional or conceivable, dialectic and eclectic or cyclical, and therefore cynical? Surely, our history warns (no matter if the Past is seen as a destination or resource). Does it also provide for a hope? Hence, what is in front of us: destiny or future?

Theory loves to teach us that extensive debates on what kind of economic system is most conductive to human wellbeing is what consumed most of our civilizational vertical. However, our history has a different say: It seems that the manipulation of the global political economy – far more than the introduction of ideologies – is the dominant and arguably more durable way that human elites usually conspired to build or break civilizations, as planned projects. Somewhere down the process, it deceived us, becoming the self-entrapment. How?

One of the biggest (nearly schizophrenic) dilemmas of liberalism, ever since David Hume and Adam Smith, was an insight into reality: Whether the world is essentially Hobbesian or Kantian. As postulated, the main task of any liberal state is to enable and maintain wealth of its nation, which of course rests upon wealthy individuals inhabiting the particular state. That imperative brought about another dilemma: if wealthy individual, the state will rob you, but in absence of it, the pauperized masses will mob you.

The invisible hand of Smith’s followers have found the satisfactory answer – sovereign debt. That ‘invention’ meant: relatively strong central government of the state. Instead of popular control through the democratic checks-&-balance mechanism, such a state should be rather heavily indebted. Debt – firstly to local merchants, than to foreigners – is a far more powerful deterrent, as it resides outside the popular check domain.

With such a mixed blessing, no empire can easily demonetize its legitimacy, and abandon its hierarchical but invisible and unconstitutional controls. This is how a debtor empire was born. A blessing or totalitarian curse? Let us briefly examine it.

The Soviet Union – much as (the pre-Deng’s) China itself – was far more of a classic continental military empire (overtly brutal; rigid, authoritative, anti-individual, apparent, secretive), while the US was more a financial-trading empire (covertly coercive; hierarchical, yet asocial, exploitive, pervasive, polarizing). On opposite sides of the globe and cognition, to each other they remained enigmatic, mysterious and incalculable: Bear of permafrost vs. Fish of the warm seas. Sparta vs. Athens. Rome vs. Phoenicia… However, common for the both (as much as for China today) was a super-appetite for omnipresence. Along with the price to pay for it.

Consequently, the Soviets went bankrupt by mid 1980s – they cracked under its own weight, imperially overstretched. So did the Americans – the ‘white man burden’ fractured them already by the Vietnam war, with the Nixon shock only officializing it. However, the US imperium managed to survive and to outlive the Soviets. How?

The United States, with its financial capital (or an outfoxing illusion of it), evolved into a debtor empire through the Wall Street guaranties. Titanium-made Sputnik vs. gold mine of printed-paper… Nothing epitomizes this better than the words of the longest serving US Federal Reserve’s boss, Alan Greenspan, who famously quoted J.B. Connally to then French President Jacques Chirac: “True, the dollar is our currency, but your problem”. Hegemony vs. hegemoney.

House of Cards

Conventional economic theory teaches us that money is a universal equivalent to all goods. Historically, currencies were a space and time-related, to say locality-dependent. However, like no currency ever before, the US dollar became – past the WWII – the universal equivalent to all other moneys of the world. According to history of currencies, the core component of the non-precious metals’ money is a so-called promissory note – intangible belief that, by any given point in future, a particular shiny paper (self-styled as money) will be smoothly exchanged for real goods.

Thus, roughly speaking, money is nothing else but a civilizational construct about imagined/projected tomorrow – that the next day (which nobody has ever seen in the history of humankind, but everybody operates with) definitely comes (i), and that this tomorrow will certainly be a better day then our yesterday or even our today (ii).

This and similar types of collective constructs (horizontal and vertical) over our social contracts hold society together as much as its economy keeps it alive and evolving. Hence, it is money that powers economy, but our blind faith in constructed (imagined) tomorrows and its alleged certainty is what empowers money.

Clearly, the universal equivalent of all equivalents – the US dollar – follows the same pattern: Bold and widely accepted promise. For the US, it almost instantly substantiates extraterritorial economic projection: American can print (any sum of) money without fear of inflation. (Quantitative easing is always exported, value is kept home.)

But, what does the US dollar promise when there is no gold cover attached to it ever since the time of Nixon shock of 1971?

Pentagon promises that the oceanic sea-lanes will remain opened (read: controlled by the US Navy), pathways unhindered, and that the most traded world’s commodity – oil, will be delivered. So, it is not a crude or its delivery what is a cover to the US dollar – it is a promise that oil of tomorrow will be deliverable. That is a real might of the US dollar, which in return finances Pentagon’s massive expenditures and shoulders its supremacy.

Admired and feared, Pentagon further fans our planetary belief in tomorrow’s deliverability – if we only keep our faith in dollar (and hydrocarbons’ energized economy), and so on and on in perpetuated circle of mutual reinforcements.

(Supplementing the Monroe Doctrine, President Howard Taft introduced the so-called ‘dollar diplomacy’ – in early XX c. – that “substitutes dollars for bullets”. This is one of the first official acknowledgements of the Wall Street – Pentagon symbiotic link.)

These two pillars of the US might from the East coast (the US Treasury/Wall Street and Pentagon) together with the two pillars of the West coast – both financed and amplified by the US dollar, and spread through the open sea-routs (Silicone Valley and Hollywood), are an essence of the US posture.

This very nature of power explains why the Americans have missed to take the mankind into completely other direction; towards the non-confrontational, decarbonized, de-monetized/de-financialized and de-psychologized, the self-realizing and green humankind. In short, to turn history into a moral success story. They had such a chance when, past the Gorbachev’s unconditional surrender of the Soviet bloc, and the Deng’s Copernicus-shift of China, the US – unconstrained as a lonely superpower – solely dictated terms of reference; our common destiny and direction/s to our future/s.

Winner is rarely a game-changer

Sadly enough, that was not the first missed opportunity for the US to soften and delay its forthcoming, imminent multidimensional imperial retreat. The very epilogue of the WWII meant a full security guaranty for the US: Geo-economically – 54% of anything manufactured in the world was carrying the Made in USA label, and geostrategically – the US had uninterruptedly enjoyed nearly a decade of the ‘nuclear monopoly’. Up to this very day, the US scores the biggest number of N-tests conducted, the largest stockpile of nuclear weaponry, and it represents the only power ever deploying this ‘ultimate weapon’ on other nation. To complete the irony, Americans enjoy geographic advantage like no other empire before. Save the US, as Ikenberry notes: “…every major power in the world lives in a crowded geopolitical neighborhood where shifts in power routinely provoke counterbalancing”. Look the map, at Russia or China and their packed surroundings. The US is blessed with its insular position, by neighboring oceans. All that should harbor tranquility, peace and prosperity, foresightedness.

Why the lonely might, an empire by invitation did not evolve into empire of relaxation, a generator of harmony? Why does it hold (extra-judicially) captive more political prisoners on Cuban soil than the badmouthed Cuban regime has ever had? Why does it remain obsessed with armament for at home and abroad? Why existential anxieties for at home and security challenges for abroad? Eg. 78% of all weaponry at disposal in the wider MENA theater is manufactured in the US, while domestically Americans – only for their civilian purpose – have 1,2 small arms pieces per capita.)

Why the fall of Berlin Wall 30 years ago marked a beginning of decades of stagnant or failing incomes in the US (and elsewhere in the OECD world) coupled with alarming inequalities. What are we talking about here; the inadequate intensity of our tireless confrontational push or about the false course of our civilizational direction?

Indeed, no successful and enduring empire does merely rely on coercion, be it abroad or at home. The grand design of every empire in past rested on a skillful calibration between obedience and initiative – at home, and between bandwagoning and engagement – abroad. In XXI century, one wins when one convinces not when one coerces. Hence, if unable to escape its inner logics and deeply-rooted appeal of confrontational nostalgia, the prevailing archrival is only a winner, rarely a game-changer.

A Country or a Cause, Both or None?

To sum up; After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Americans accelerated expansion while waiting for (real or imagined) adversaries to further decline, ‘liberalize’ and bandwagon behind the US. One of the instruments was to aggressively push for a greater economic integration between regional and distant states, which – as we see now, passed the ‘End-of-History’ euphoria of 1990s – brought about (irreversible) socio-political disintegration within each of these states.

Expansion is the path to security dictatum, of the post-Cold War socio-political and economic mantra, only exacerbated the problems afflicting the Pax Americana. That is how the capability of the US to maintain its order started to erode faster than the capacity of its opponents to challenge it. A classical imperial self-entrapment!!

The repeated failure to notice and recalibrate its imperial retreat brought the painful hangovers to Washington, the most noticeably, by the last presidential elections. Inability to manage the rising costs of sustaining the imperial order only increased the domestic popular revolt and political pressure to abandon its ‘mission’ altogether. Perfectly hitting the target to miss everything else …

Hence, Americans are not fixing the world anymore. They are only managing its decline. Look at their footprint in former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Georgia, Libya, Syria, Ukraine or Yemen – to mention but a few.

When the Soviets lost their own indigenous ideological matrix and maverick confrontational stance, and when the US dominated West missed to triumph although winning the Cold War, how to expect from the imitator to score the lasting moral or even a temporary economic victory?

Dislike the relationship with the Soviets Union which was on one clear confrontational acceptance line from a start until its very last day, Americans performed three very different policies on the People’s Republic: From a total negation (and the Mao-time mutual annihilation assurances), to Nixon’s sudden cohabitation. Finally, a Copernican-turn: the US spotted no real ideological differences between them and the post-Deng China. This signalled a ‘new opening’ – China’s coastal areas to become West’s industrial suburbia. Soon after, both countries easily agreed on interdependence: Americans pleased their corporate (machine and tech) sector and unrestrained its greed, while Chinese in return offered a cheap labour, no environmental considerations and submissiveness in imitation. However, for both it was far more than economy, it was a policy – Washington read it as interdependence for transformative containment and Beijing sow it as interdependence for (global) penetration. In the meantime, Chinese acquired more sophisticated technology, and the American Big tech sophisticated itself in digital authoritarianism.

But, the honeymoon seems over now.

Lasting collision course already leads to the subsequent calls for a decupling of the two world’s largest economies. Besides marking the end of global capitalism which exploded since the fall of Berlin Wall, this may finally trigger a global realignment. The rest of the world would end up – willingly or not – in the rival (trade) blocks. It would not be a return to 1950s and 1960s, but to the pre-WWI constellations. Epilog is plain to see: Neither more confrontation and more carbons nor more weaponized trade and traded weapons will save our day. It failed in our past, it will fail again any given day.

Entrapment in Imitation

Interestingly, China opposed the I World, left the II in rift, and ever since Bandung of 1955 it neither won over nor (truly) joined the III Way. Today, many see it as a main contestant. But, where is a lasting success?

There is a near consensus among the economists that China owes its economic success to three fundamental factors. Firstly, it is that the People’s Republic embraced an imitative economic policy (much like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan or ROK did before) through Deng-proclaimed opening. Second goes to a modest domestic consumption, and German-like thick home savings. Finally, as the third factor that the economists attribute to Chinese miracle, is a low production costs of Sino nation – mostly on expenses of its aging demography, and on expenses of its own labor force and country’s environment. None of it has an international appeal, nor it holds promise to an attainable future. Therefore, no wonder that the Imitative power fights – for at home and abroad – a defensive ideological battle. Such a reactive status quo has no intellectual appeal to attract and inspire beyond its borders.

So, if for China the XIX was a “century of humiliation”, XX “century of emancipation”, should it be that the XXI gets labeled as a “century of imitation”?

(The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is what the most attribute as an instrument of the Chinese planetary posture. Chinese leaders promised massive infrastructure projects all around by burning trillions of dollars. Still, numbers are more moderate. As the recent The II BRI Summit has shown, so far, Chinese companies had invested USD 90 billion worldwide. Seems, neither People’s Republic is as rich as many (wish to) think nor it will be able to finance its promised projects without seeking for a global private capital. Such a capital –if ever – will not flow without conditionalities. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS or ‘New Development’ – Bank have some $150 billion at hand, and the Silk Road Infrastructure Fund (SRIF) has up to $40 billion. Chinese state and semi-private companies can access – according to the OECD estimates – just another $600 billion (much of it tight) from the home, state-controlled financial sector. That means that China runs short on the BRI deliveries worldwide. Ergo, either bad news to the (BRI) world or the conditionalities’ constrained China.)

How to behave in the world in which economy is made to service trade (as it is defined by the Sino-American high priests of globalization), while trade increasingly consti-tutes a significant part of the big power’s national security strategy? And, how to define (and measure) the existential threat: by inferiority of ideological narrative – like during the Cold War; or by a size of a lagging gap in total manufacturing output – like in the Cold War aftermath. Or something third? Perhaps a return to an inclusive growth.

For sure, there is no intellectual appeal in a growth without well-being, education that does not translate into fair opportunity, lives without dignity, liberalization without personal freedom. Greening international relations along with a greening of social fabrics and its economy – geopolitical and environmental understanding, de-acidification and relaxation is that missing, third, way for tomorrow.

This necessitates both at once: less confrontation over the art-of-day technology and their de-monopolized redistribution as well as the resolute work on the so-called Tesla-ian implosive/fusion-holistic systems. That would include the free-transfer non-Hertzian energy technologies (able to de-toxicate our troposphere from dangerous fields, waves and frequencies emittance – bringing it closer to Schumann resonance); carbon-sequestration; antigravity and self-navigational solutions; bioinformatics and nanorobotics.

In short, more of initiative than of obedience (including more public control over data hoovering). More effort to excellence (creation) than a struggle for preeminence (partition).

‘Do like your neighbor’ is a Biblical-sounding economic prophecy that the circles close to the IMF love to tirelessly repeat. Indeed, it is hard to imagine a formidable national economic prosperity, if the good neighborly relations are not built and maintained. Clearly, no global leader has ever in history emerged from a shaky and distrustful neighborhood, or by offering a little bit more of the same in lieu of an innovative technological advancement.

(Eg. many see Chinese 5G – besides the hazardous electrosmog of IoT that this technology emits on Earth’s biota – as an illiberal innovation, which may end up servicing authoritarianism, anywhere. And indeed, the AI deep learning inspired by biological neurons (neural science) including its three methods: supervised, unsupervised and reinforced learning can end up by being used for the diffusion of digital authoritarianism, predictive policing and manufactured social governance based on the bonus-malus behavioral social credits.)

Ergo, it all starts from within, from at home; socio-economically and environmentally. Without support from a home base (including that of Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Tibet), there is no game changer. China’s home is Asia. Its size and its centrality along with its impressive output is constraining it enough.

Conclusively, it is not only a new, non-imitative, turn of socioeconomics and technology what is needed. Without truly and sincerely embracing mechanisms such as the NaM, ASEAN and SAARC (eventually even the OSCE) and the main champions of multilateralism in Asia, those being India Indonesia and Japan first of all, China has no future of what is planetary awaited – the third force, a game-changer, lasting visionary and trusted global leader.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarević,
Vienna, 31 MAR 2020

Post Scriptum:

To varying degrees, but all throughout a premodern and modern history, nearly every world’s major foreign policy originator was dependent (and still depends) on what happens in, and to, Russia. So, neither a structure, nor content or overall direction of world affairs for the past 300 years has been done without Russia. It is not only a size, but also a centrality of Russia that matters. That is important as much (if not even more), as it is an omnipresence of the US or a hyperproduction of the PR China. Ergo, that is an uninterrupted flow of manufactured goods to the whole world, it is a balancing of the oversized and centrally positioned one, and it is the ability to controllably corrode the way in and insert itself of the peripheral one. The oscillatory interplay of these three is what characterizes our days.

Therefore, reducing the world affairs to the constellation of only two super-players – China and the US is inadequate – to say least. It is usually done while superficially measuring Russia’s overall standing by merely checking its current GDP, and comparing its volume and PPP, and finding it e.g. equal to one of Italy. Through such ‘quick-fix’, Russia is automatically downgraded to a second-rank power status. This practice is as dangerous as it is highly misleading. Still, that ill-conceived argument is one of the most favored narratives which authors in the West are tirelessly peddling. What many analysts miss to understand, is in fact plain to see; throughout the entire history of Russia: For such a big country the only way to survive – irrespectively from its relative weaknesses by many ‘economic’ parameters – is to always make an extra effort and remain great power.

To this end, let us quickly contrast the above narrative with some key facts: Russia holds the key positions in the UN and its Agencies as one of its founding members (including the Security Council veto right as one of the P5); it has a highly skilled and mobilized population; its society has deeply rooted sense of a special historic mission (that notion is there for already several centuries – among its intellectuals and enhanced elites, probably well before the US has even appeared as a political entity in the first place). Additionally and tellingly, Moscow possesses the world’s largest gold reserves (on surface and underground; in mines and its treasury bars); for decades, it masters its own GPS system and the most credible outer space delivery systems (including the only remaining working connection with the ISS), and has an elaborate turn-key-ready alternative internet, too.

Finally, as the US Council of Foreign Relations’ Thomas Graham fairly admits: “with the exception of China, no country affects more issues of strategic and economic importance to the US than Russia. And no other country, it must be said, is capable of destroying the US in 30 minutes.” (FAM, 98-6-19, pg.134)

Author is chairperson and professor in international law and global political studies, Vienna, Austria. He has authored six books (for American and European publishers) and numerous articles on, mainly, geopolitics energy and technology.

Professor is editor of the NY-based GHIR (Geopolitics, History and Intl. Relations) journal, and editorial board member of several similar specialized magazines on three continents.

His 7th book, ‘From WWI to www. – Europe and the World 1918-2018’ has been realised last winter.

The Czech real estate market – in certain segments – can provide good returns for investors, says UBS Global Wealth Management in its latest analysis.

• Despite current turbulence, the real estate market in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), including the Czech Republic, enjoys good prospects
• Office space and industrial real estate with a special focus on logistics are among the most appealing segments; retail and residential markets are more challenging for investors
• The Czech Republic (specifically Prague) has one of the most attractive return rates for office space across Europe

Zurich/Prague, 27 April 2020 – Real estate markets in CEE countries have been popular for the past decade. Foreign investors directed 13 billion EUR to the region in 2019 (an increase from 9 billion EUR in 2015). The Czech Republic has proven to be an attractive destination for them, since it attracted the second largest share of investment in the region (25%). It follows Poland (with 45%) and ranks ahead of Hungary (at approx. 15%). The capitals of these countries, which include Prague, were among the top 15% most liquid markets globally in terms of cross-border real estate investments. Plus, it is also worth noting that the rapid growth in transaction volumes in the CEE region stands well above the overall global trend with room for further growth, because CEE property markets still constitute only a small portion of global investment volumes. Findings in the UBS GWM report indicate that international property investors will remain interested in this region.

“In these volatile times, diversification is more important than ever. With Central and Eastern European real estate expected to slightly outperform continental European property investments, we are seeing an attractive investment opportunity in these markets in the context of a well-balanced portfolio,” said Caroline Kuhnert, Head Global Wealth Management for Central and Eastern Europe, Greece and Israel.

The region is attractive for investors due to several factors. First of all, returns here are significantly higher than in Western Europe. According to MSCI data, average returns for the whole region in 2019 were over 10%. For comparison, this indicator was below 6% for more Western European markets on average.

Exchange rates are also beneficial for real estate investments in Central and Eastern Europe. Given the possibility of using an investor’s own currency to finance the investments at historically low rates, the increasing stability of the local exchange rates against the euro have also contributed to the attractiveness of the region. And despite the recent decline of the Czech crown and the Polish złoty due to the global epidemic, UBS GWM expects them to appreciate in the coming quarters. This should herald a return to a more stable currency situation.

Finally, the improving political and economic stability of the countries in the region should be noted. It is noteworthy especially in the context of their economic growth, which is higher than in Western Europe. Average growth in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland was, according to UBS, almost 4% in 2019. And although UBS expects a recession in 2020 (2.5% on average for these three countries), they also expect a rebound in 2020 to a growth level of 3%. This should result in a rising demand in 2021 which, in turn, would increase demand for space in specific segments of the real estate market.

Due to these factors, UBS considers investment in office and industrial real estate (with a special focus on logistics) in Central and Eastern Europe attractive. For example, the prime yields for newly bought office spaces in Prague were 4.25% on average. In Western Europe this factor is approx. 3%. The UBS GWM report also notes that vacancy rates have been consistently falling in CEE markets. Prague currently has the lowest share of vacant offices is all three capital cities mentioned in the report. That number fell from 16% in 2015 to below 5% in 2019.

When looking at the industrial segment, the report found that industrial prime yields have converged strongly in the region, but remain higher than in Western Europe. Investors can earn about 5.5% in Prague; whereas, the yield rate stands at 4% in Germany according to JLL figures from 2019.

In the residential sector, Prague had the most expensive property prices in the region, with a cost per square meter running at 3,000 EUR on average. Moreover, yields on residential real estate are lower than in Polish or Hungarian capital cities, at less than 4%. On the Czech market, price growth has outpaced wage growth, and the affordability of modern urban housing has decreased. Due to the current lockdown, the report anticipates that the residential market will slow down this year. Afterwards, UBS analysts expect positive price growth to return, but it will grow at a slower pace than before. Growth in residential real estate prices will likely shift to cheaper suburban locations. The retail segment, from a UBS perspective, has a less beneficial risk profile and with poorer prospects.

Despite uncertainties caused by the fight against COVID-19, Central and Eastern Europe, from a UBS perspective, is an attractive market for investors interested in real estate. UBS expects that this attractiveness will not be impacted in the long-term, even in case of a recession in 2020.

Media contact:
Brady Clough, Southpaw Productions s.r.o.,
e-mail: clough@southpawpro.cz,
mobile: +420 777 723 599

Ondřej Hampl, ACCEDO Czech Republic Communications s.r.o.,
e-mail: ondrej.hampl@accedogroup.com,
mobile: +420 775 132 199

Need new recipes for quarantine?

As Pixar taught us, anyone can cook… and now the animation studio is giving you something to cook.

The Pixar YouTube channel features a series called “Cooking With Pixar,” a collection of recipes inspired by the studio’s films. At the moment, the series only has three videos, but they should provide some inspiration if you’re in need of something new to cook — which, it’s fair to say, most of us probably are at this point.

The short videos also include some fun animation, with Pixar characters popping in to help demonstrate the recipes. The most recent entry is a birthday cake recipe inspired by Pixar’s latest film, “Onward,” with elf brothers Ian and Barley providing some magical assistance.

The other recipes currently available are pizza from Toy Story‘s Pizza Planet restaurant and bao, the dumplings featured in Pixar’s Oscar-winning short of the same name.

There is one caveat: The videos don’t include ingredient portions or measurements, for some reason, so it may be best to use the video demonstrations in tandem with a similar recipe from elsewhere on the internet. (There are plenty of those out there.)

Pixar’s second film slated for release this year, “Soul,” was recently pushed to a November release due to the coronavirus pandemic. “Onward,” however, is currently streaming on Disney+ for your viewing pleasure.

Everyone’s summer plans have come to a sudden, grinding halt as the entire world is now going through a health crisis due to the pandemic. That, however, is no reason to completely forego your future plans and to discover the finest spots to explore when travel bans are lifted at last, which we all hope will be soon enough. In the meantime, taking virtual hikes is by far the best way to get to know what Mother Nature has to offer around the world, while you continue planning for future trips.

Wondering where you should go next to tick off another destination from your bucket list? Croatia in particular has been a top tourist destination for Czech travelers for a number of years now. Here’s what you need to know to understand this unbridled attraction and to start planning your own trip to the Adriatic coast as soon as possible.

The ease of interaction

The Slavic people aren’t just hospitable and friendly – they will also greet you in a language very similar to Czech. You’ll find that even the oldest inhabitants will easily communicate with all Czech visitors with a little bit of help, and as for the younger hosts, you’ll notice that their English is top-notch, much like their manners.

All generations of Czechs eagerly go back to Croatia precisely for that very reason: they feel comfortable knowing that they can always communicate their needs, and that they’ll always find out something extraordinary from the locals due to easy communication.

Exploring the coast by sea

For those of you who have an unquenchable thirst for exploration and a preference for a little bit of luxury, yachting across the Mediterranean coast of Croatia is certainly a pleasure not to be skipped. After all, why settle for a single beach and one marina when you can hop from one beautiful nook to another during your cruise?

For a complete experience, you can find crewed yacht charters available for rent to spend your summer holiday visiting a range of coastal stops in Croatia. That could be the perfect way to practice social distancing with a select few friends and family during your trip and to still experience the finest Croatia has to offer.

The friendly locals

The love Czechs feel for their Croatian neighbors is certainly requited, as the people of this coastal country appreciate the bonds the two countries have developed over the years. Even in light of recent events, the Czech travel association has suggested a “corona corridor” for their tourists to reach the Croatian shores and help salvage the local tourism. At the same time, Croatian officials are looking into options to open certain campsites, marinas, and make travel possible soon.

Even beyond the current situation, Croatian people are extremely friendly and eager to provide a sublime experience to their Czech guests, which is often the key reason so many come back for years on end to their favorite Croatian beaches.

Camping sites are pristine

Czechs are known for their love of the outdoors, and Croatia is a blend to keep you occupied for years. The local camping grounds are versatile, perfect for some outdoor fun, and can be both low-cost and high-end depending on your preferences.

You’ll find that each campsite in Croatia is beautifully-equipped, the beaches nearby are clean and the water hypnotically translucent – just what you need to recuperate and spend some quality time adventuring in nature and on the go, with the freedom to move and see other natural wonders this country has to offer.

Unparalleled landscapes at an unparalleled price

From the moment you dip your toes into the sea and treat yourself to an all-natural foot massage with their shore-scattered pebbles and rocks, you’ll see the soaring mountains and lush greenery spreading across the county into the inland. Simply put: very quickly, you can switch from mountain hikes to beach lounging, and from nature reserve walks to restaurant tables, all at a very reasonable price.

Head over to see the famous Plitvice Lakes, save a day for hiking across Biokovo all the way to the peak of Sveti Jure, and by all means, take your time to see the capital of Zagreb in all of its stunning glory.

From low-cost accommodation to luxurious and exclusive yachting deals, Croatia is a melting pot of colorful experiences, rich historic legacy, and sublime Mediterranean eateries. It’s no wonder so many Czech tourists hurry to this extraordinary coastal country, since its closeness is as convenient as its shores and mountains are beautiful. Take your next vacation there, and you’ll make memories worth a lifetime of travel!

By Peter Minkoff

Peter is a lifestyle and travel writer at Men-Ual magazine, living between Ústí nad Labem and Antwerp. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Traffic at Prague airport has been steadily declining since a state of emergency was introduced on March 12 and since the Czech Republic’s borders were closed, Czech Radio reported this week.

During the last week of March alone, traffic fell by 88% year-on-year to only 312 flights. To the contrary, the traffic of cargo planes has significantly increased, especially in connection with the transport of medical equipment.

Most regular air routes have been suspended due to the restrictive measures related to the coronavirus epidemic, resulting in a significant drop in activity at Prague airport. Its two terminals are currently operating on a reduced basis and only two regular connections are still provided, to Minsk in Belarus and to Sofia in Bulgaria.

While usual traffic has been reduced to the bare minimum, there has been a significant increase in the number of cargo flights, with March seeing an increase of 26.5 percent.

Václav Havel Airport in Prague has become a central destination for the delivery of medical equipment: in the past month alone, 44 special aircraft have landed in the Czech capital, carrying around 1,200 tonnes of medical equipment.

The international airport was also the destination for 33 outbound and inbound repatriation flights: 3,600 people returned to the Czech Republic during this period while 900 foreign nationals left the country.

For several years, Prague Airport has been experiencing a steady increase in traffic as well as record passenger figures. The airport recorded 17 million passengers in 2019, the highest number ever recorded in a year and a year-on-year increase of six percent. The average number of passengers per day over the last year was around 49,000.

Source

As we collectively face the uncertainty ahead due to COVID-19, it is clear to me that art plays such an important role in our lives. The recent events have forced us to spend more time in our homes, apartments and studios, wondering in many cases, how we are going to spend the rest of days under quarantine, until we can hopefully go about our normal lives again. Speaking to many art lovers and collectors, everyone seems to be appreciating their art hanging in their homes and they are enjoying having the time to admire the pieces they have or dream about pieces they would like to have one day.

My life with art started a long time ago. I remember buying my first piece of art in my mid-twenties and 35 years later, I am happy every day to admire my collection. It started piece by piece: once a year I treated myself to something that caught my attention and followed my intuition that it was the right piece for me. I am particularly thankful for a gallery owner in Montreal, who let me pay by installments, it was an expensive piece at the time. I did not buy because it was an established artist or because I was told the piece would gain in value over time, but simply because I had a connection with it and appreciated it.

I urge you all at home to take the time, to admire the pieces that you have at home or imagine a piece you would like in a room with space available. For me, a home can be a refuge, a cocoon, a peaceful haven where one can feel safe and at peace. I have always been lucky to be surrounded by lovely art, wherever I have lived. Having art at home should be something to lift your spirits, your soul and your morale.

So many people are intimidated by contemporary art and often express their lack of knowledge or understanding about it. I always share the same advice; if you are attracted to a piece of art and you like how it makes you feel, don’t ask any other questions and get it. There is too much complication about art interpretation. One should connect with a piece of art; its colour, its composition, its movement and the overall feel should speak to you. If it does, then it is worth it to study the artist a little more and understand their point of view or what they were thinking when they were painting or creating a piece.

When I opened PragArtworks Gallery last year, I followed my own advice and decided to represent local Czech art that I had a connection with. This was also reinforced by the relationships I had built with the artists I started to represent. I am proud of the #50 painters, sculptors and photographers I represent since they range from their notoriety and medium. I am happy to represent well known and established artists such as Pavel Roucka, Vaclav Blaha and Milan Chabera but also up and coming artists and young art school graduates.

As an art lover and supporter first, I cannot help but think of our local artists, who have been deeply affected by this ever so difficult situation. Many have shared sad stories of upcoming exhibitions delayed indefinitely, new gallery openings cancelled and complete loss of possible income this year, and that, only after five weeks into this impediment. I cannot help but wonder how to turn it around and give hope to an upcoming artist who will not have many guarantees for the rest of the year.

The positive out of this situation will likely offer an opportunity for creativity and innovation in the field of art. It will provide opportunities for many to reinvent themselves. I know the artists at PragArtworks are working hard at their studios and taking advantage of this time to create and innovate. Many of them have been busy during this period and are eager to share their new works.

At PragArtworks, our job is to connect you with the art and artists of our time and place, and although our gallery is closed for the foreseeable future, we will continue our mission online. PragArtworks is a showcase for a number of Czech Contemporary artists whose work I most admire and I firmly believe should reach a wider audience. My website was created in order to easily view art and promote local Czech art.

There has never been a better time to acquire a piece of art and surround yourself with something beautiful in your home. Whether a poster, a painted canvas, a glass piece, or a sculpture that is available at every price level. So my advice and main takeaway out of all this is to go online, do virtual museum tours, explore art galleries and dream a little about what you can put on that white wall of yours to raise your spirits!

If I see another Banana Bread recipe or The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie ever… I will delete my Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp accounts.

During this time at home, people have rediscovered their pantry and noticed how much they have piled up over the years. How many cans of beans, noodle packets, tuna and sardines in olive oil can you accumulate, is very surprising.

Certain shops have run out of flour and yeast… a great indication of what people have been doing these recent weeks. Not new to cooking, I have started a food blog several months ago as I wanted to make a collection of my favorite recipes from years of cooking and entertaining at home.

I come from a family of 12 where sitting at the table, no matter what, became a fun experience, just by the sheer number of people sitting around the table. Where I come from, sharing a meal with friends and family is a joyous experience and a wonderful opportunity to connect and have a great time. What else is there but to share great food, good wine, accompanied by a wonderful conversation; an occasion to uplift your spirits, connect souls, all in the art of sharing.

For me, cooking allows one to travel and experience different cultures. Only through spices, can you travel the world and experience different cuisine, with the same basic ingredients. In this regard, I am happy to see Prague is ever changing and we can now find new spice stores and ethnic food groceries in several areas of town.

Here are a few recipes with ingredients you probably have at home in your pantry. By simply adding a few vegetables to pantry ingredients, you can transform a plain and boring meal, into something interesting you can share with family and friends.

Hailing from Egypt, KOSHERI, a wonderful dish with simple ingredients; Vermicelli, Basmati Rice and green lentils. Adding a little bit of Cumin and Cinnamon, transport you to another part of the world. Nutritious, economical, you can feed a large family with this recipe.

White Beans definition; a simple and modest pulse kept in a pantry, waiting for inspiration. Accompanied by a glass of Chablis, this humble ingredient can be turned into a sophisticated and elevated salad. This WHITE BEANS, ARUGULA AND BASIL SALAD, is absolutely wonderful and a popular dish in our home.

Another grain recipe, which is now available everywhere, this LENTIL SOUP WITH A TWIST OR RED LENTILS as shown below, will make you travel to India at a very low cost. Unlike most lentil soups, which tend to be bland and tasteless, this one has a kick and a lot of flavour. Very economical, double the recipe and freeze the rest for another day.

Dessert prepared in 10 minutes… with ingredients you have at home. This Invisible Apple Cake recipe comes from France and is a staple in many homes. We often make it when we entertain at the last minute.

Oats and coconut in your pantry… the best afternoon activity you can organize with your children. This old recipe “Oatmeal and Coconut crispy cookies “ uses ingredients you have at home and makes for a wonderful dessert accompaniment and perfect with an afternoon cup of tea…. Life is better…

Ok, ok, ok… you need a real banana bread recipe. Here is my SPICE IT UP BANANA CAKE recipe. You will never make any other recipes after that one. Complex in flavours, let the cake rest for a day, so the flavour develops further… a treat.

All of these recipes are easy to make and prepared with ingredients you have at home. I encourage you to try them, they have been tested and tasted, on many occasions.

All of the recipes are available on my blog: Rise & Spice To access my blog click on the link below: www.risespice.home.blog You can find all recipes via Instagram account RISESPICE

Rene Beauchamp is an ex-hotelier with 40+ years of experience in the hospitality industry. He is a Consultant, Executive Coach and Workshop Facilitator on Leadership.

You can’t smell them, but you can certainly see this colorful spectacle at home.

If you can’t go see the spring flowers, the spring flowers can now come to you — virtually.

Coronavirus has affected millions (if not billions) around the world. Globally, cities have been issuing stay-at-home orders and closing down public places in order to combat the spread of the disease.

Unfortunately, this also included the Keukenhof Flower Exhibit, which is nearly in full bloom during this time of year in the town of Lisse, Netherlands.

But the exhibit isn’t letting all that natural beauty go to waste. Since the gardeners and other employees are still hard at work tending to the flowers, even without any visitors, the Keukenhof Flower Exhibit decided to bring its beautiful, springtime experience online for the whole world to enjoy, according to Lonely Planet.

Keukenhof is the world’s largest bulb-flower garden, with over 800 varieties of tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, and daffodils, and over seven million individual bulbs that bloom every year, Lonely Planet reported. People who visit the Netherlands tend to flock to this area between March and May because the blooming is truly one of the most beautiful and colorful sights you can see on a trip.

This year, the Keukenhof has launched a video series entitled “Keukenhof Virtually Open,” according to Lonely Planet. The videos include gardeners taking you on a guided tour of their favorite places in the park, showing you the beautifully blooming flowers, and providing interesting facts about each type of flower as well.

“In the months leading up to spring, a lot of hard work has gone into providing visitors with a beautiful experience. The park is already blooming beautifully and will become even more beautiful in the coming weeks,” it says in a statement on the official Keukenhof website. “Keukenhof likes to show this to people under the slogan ‘If people cannot come to Keukenhof, we will bring Keukenhof to the people’.”

In order to see the flowers in bloom, visit the Keukenhof website or their YouTube channel for lots of colorful, floral content.

Source

Jan Valenta

Restaurants in the Czech Republic – which have been shut for a month – will be allowed to reopen in June. However, many are already struggling and in recent days one well-known Prague eatery said it had closed for good. How the city’s dining scene is likely to look after the coronavirus crisis is one of the things I discussed with Jan Valenta of the food tour company Taste of Prague.

“I think the first two weeks many restaurants just closed down. They saw it as a long vacation.

“I get that it’s difficult to plan ahead if you don’t have any particular timeline and you’re shooting at a moving target, really.

“But I think two or three weeks into the quarantine they realised, this is not a long vacation, this is an existential threat – and they just have to adjust to the reality of it.

“So they have. Just about a week or two weeks ago, I think, we saw a rise in restaurants listed on these delivery services and stuff like that.

“So yes, I think it’s only been changing recently.”

One well-known restaurant, Kuchyň, which is part of the Ambiente group, has already announced that it’s closing down for good. Do you expect we’ll see a lot of this kind of thing?

“Yesterday the government announced that restaurants wouldn’t open fully until mid-June, roughly.

“And I think we may see a few insolvencies in the meantime, yes.

“The problem is that many restaurants in Prague are fairly conservative and I think they have yet to come to grips with the fact that they have to change the concept completely, to actually adjust to the new reality.”

It could be said that many restaurants in this city are quite average and seem to exist because of tourists, who perhaps are unaware that there are better places to go. Is there any sense that Prague’s restaurants have had a kind of easy ride up to now?

“Oh absolutely, yes.

“If you look at many restaurants, they have come to rely on tourism and I think that while restaurants may reopen in June, who knows when the borders will actually reopen and the tourists will come back?

“So yes, I think that many restaurants will have to readjust their focus on the local audience.

“And I’m afraid the local audience may not be as forgiving as many tourists that have visited Prague.”

As you say, Prague is without tourists and is likely to be so for a very long time. This is hard to say of course, we’re looking into the future, but what kind of dining landscape can we expect in Prague when this is all over, do you think?

“I think delivery will become a bigger part of the dining landscape, as you say, than it was before.

“And I think we will see more, I would say, smart casual restaurants.

“Let’s be honest here, fine dining in Prague did rely on tourism quite a bit – the Michelin stars and other fine dining restaurants.

“So I think that we will see a refocus of these restaurants more on the local audience, meaning – how would I put it? – a bit more budget-conscious foods and more casual dining rather than fine dining.”

I’ve also got a practical question. How do you expect that the operators of restaurants will get around the compulsory face mask requirement?

“[laughs] I have no idea.

“The only thing I can think of is maybe some physical barriers between the tables.

“You can’t eat with a face mask on – that is just a simple fact.

“So we’ll see how they get around it.”

What does this whole terrible time mean for you business Taste of Prague?

“We have gone from a full calendar in spring to absolutely nothing.

“So right now we can’t operate the way we used to.

“When I say that many restaurants are focused on tourism and maybe relied on it too much, the same thing holds true for us.

“We have relied on tourism, so we have to refocus on the local audience, to come up with something to offer the audience that we may have been speaking to all this time – but locals.

“I must say that the whole tourism industry in Prague has to rethink the strategy.

“What I’ve found very interesting is that while restaurants were gaining sympathy from the local audience, in terms of, Oh, we have to save support local restaurants and local suppliers and whatnot, tourism has not received any such sympathy, at all.

“It shows how distant the whole tourism industry was from the locals – and maybe how bad the reputation of tourism in Prague in general was before the lockdown.”

Source

The COVID-19 situation is very worrying, indeed, alarming matter, not just as a global health and biosafety issue, but potentially as a global security challenge, too.

While the pandemic is being dealt with by the World Health Organisation (WHO), along with other relevant United Nation Specialised Agencies (UN SA), the situation is deteriorating rapidly and could easily get out of control. This of course, if it is not effectively contained. In such a (more and more likely) scenario, it would be engulfing the entire world, whose effects and impact would be akin to that of a Third world war, though initially of a different kind.

We are amazed as to why the Security Council has not stepped in. It should have done so as to address the Covid-19 and surrounding scenery in the way it clearly deserves to be dealt with, given its devastating impact on the entire international community on almost every dimension, including international peace and security, which indisputably falls under its mandate under the UN Charter.

As the Council has often dealt with issues which are sometimes not ostensibly related to international or regional security, and of much less importance or urgency than this dreadful pandemic, we are puzzled, indeed alarmed, as to why it has chosen not to come to grips with the pandemic as a matter of the utmost urgency.

If the members of the Council, for their own internal reasons, have not felt compelled to do so, shouldn’t the other members of the world body, individually or collectively as international or regional groupings, such as the European Union (EU), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) – G-77, African Union (AU), or ASEAN, take the much-desired initiative to call on the Security Council to imperatively address this global pandemic, even as the WHO and other concerned UN agencies, much to their credit, are dealing with the issue from their own (narrow) perspectives – and yet rather limited mandate and resources.

In this regard, especially the EU, would be well-positioned to exert the much-need pressure on the UNSC, given the devastation that the Virus has wreaked on a number of its members, notably Italy and Spain, among others.

Such an Urgent Meeting, indeed, Emergency Special Session of the UN Security Council at this point in time would be greatly applauded by the entire international community as it would accord the world body the leadership role that its members expect it to play at this most critical point in the post WWII human history.

Gens una sumus. Concordia patria firmat

In this dire situation, the big powers should put aside their ideological and policy differences, or power play, and focus instead on galvanizing concerted international actions of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the entire human race.

By decisively and urgently acting, the UN Secretary-General and the UN SC would be sending a bold and clear yet tranquilising signal to the entire humanity. More importantly, such a unison voice would be also welcomed and well understood as a referential (not to say a norm setting) note by other crucial agencies, such as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), World Tourism Organisation (WTO), as well as by the Red Cross (IFRC), Bretton Woods institutions, Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Federation of Trade Unions, including other specialised or non-UN FORAs, most notably developmental entities such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Asia Development Bank (ADB), Africa Development Bank (AfDB), etc.

In the following period – while witnessing indeed a true historical conjuncture, we need a global observance and protection of human rights and of jobs, for the benefit of economy and overall security. Therefore, the measures imposed these days cannot be disproportionate, unrelated, indefinite, unbalanced and only on societal expenses or democracy recession. Recovery – which from now on are calling for a formidable biosafety, too – will be impossible without social consensus. Clearly, it will be unsustainable if on expenses of labour or done through erosion of basic human rights – embedded in the UN Charter and accepted as essential to the very success of SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).

Indeed, countries are not just economies, but most of all societies.

(The truth is plain to see: Planet has stopped, although the Capital remains intact. We came to a global halt because the Labour has been sent home. Hence, the recovery comes with labour. Historically, labour has never betrayed, while capital has failed us many times. By the same token, human rights never betrayed the state and its social cohesion, but the states – and much glorified markets – far too many times in history have failed humans. Therefore, there is no true exit from the crisis without strengthening the labour and human rights.)

For a grave planetary problem, our rapidly articulated global accord is badly needed. Therefore, multilateralism – as the most effective planetary tool at our disposal – is not our policy choice. It is the only way for human race to (socio-economically and politically) survive.

Covid-19 is a challenge that comes from the world of biology. Yet, biology and international relations share one basic rule: Comply or die. To remind us; it is not the big that eat the small, rather it is a fast which eats the slow.

It is hight time to switch off the autopilot. Leadership and vision now!!

Vienna/Kuala Lumpur
04 APR 2020

Authors:

Tan Sri Hasmy Agam,
Malaysia’s Ambassador to UN NY (incl. term in UN SC), Head of the Diplomatic Academy, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) – retired.

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic
chairperson and professor in intl law and global political studies, Austria; authored 7 books and numerous articles on, mainly, geopolitics energy and technology.

10 April 2020

Rabat -05 april 2020- HM King Mohammed VI has granted his pardon to 5,654 detainees and gave orders to take all the necessary measures to strengthen the protection of detainees in prisons, particularly against the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the ministry of justice announced on Sunday.

“As part of the attention paid by the Sovereign to detainees in penitentiary and rehabilitation establishments, the Commander of the Faithful has granted his pardon for 5.654 detainees”, the ministry underlined Sunday in a statement.

The prisoners who were granted the royal pardon were selected on the basis of human and strictly objective criteria, which take into account their age, their health condition, the length of detention, as well as good conduct, good behavior and discipline they have shown throughout their incarceration, the source said.

Given the exceptional circumstances associated with the health emergency order, this process will be carried out in successive stages.

In accordance with the high royal instructions, the beneficiaries of the Royal pardon will be under surveillance, carry out medical tests, as well as the necessary quarantine, at their home, to safeguard their security.

HM the King also gave orders to take all necessary measures to strengthen the protection of detainees, particularly against the spread of the coronavirus epidemic, the ministry pointed out.

Here are tons of fun things to do at home for the entire family.

It’s safe to say things are understandably weird right now. As the world reacts to the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the planet are staying home, quarantining, and practicing social distancing as an effort to slow — and hopefully stop — the spread of coronavirus. Though staying home is totally necessary right now, it means many of us have found ourselves with a lot of time on our hands. If you’re struggling to figure out how to keep yourself occupied beyond your usual at-home hobbies of Netflix and chill, you’re not alone.

For us, we’ve taken this time to really lean into the leisure side of Travel + Leisure, and help our readers around the world realize that we’re all actually a lot closer than it feels right now. If you’re like us, the idea of not being able to get outside to explore is difficult, but we’ve found that virtual travel is not only fun and exciting, it’s helping us see and understand places we’ve only dreamed about going. From the comfort of your couch you can explore the depths of Carlsbad Caverns and other national parks before “jetting off” to a virtual tour of the Louvre in Paris. Afterwards join an online cooking demonstration from a world-famous chef before sitting down to a breathtaking performance from New York City’s Metropolitan Opera. The world’s the limit — really.

So whether you’re at home trying to find educational stimulation for your kids, in a tiny apartment with your best friend from college dreaming about restaurants, or alone with your dog or plant calling everyone you know on FaceTime, we’ve gathered up a massive list of fun things to do at home during this time. From livestreams of animals to games to play virtually, these activities will keep you entertained, informed, and hopefully put a smile on your face. And we all could use a smile right now.

Take a virtual trip at home

With travel basically at a standstill, it’s time to embrace a new way to see the world — virtual travel and virtual tours. Thanks to the World Wide Web we can go pretty much as far as desired — all without a passport. Below we’ve rounded up the very best ways to experience the world outside our homes from the comfort of our couches, all broken down by different activity types to make it easier to get going.

Go sightseeing around the world with these virtual destinations

• This Site Is a One-Stop Destination for World Tours, Classes, and Travel Experiences You Can Have from Home
• Discover the Mystery of Easter Island and the Beauty of Chile With This Interactive App
• Chicago Is One of the Coolest Cities in the Country — and You Can Take a Virtual Trip There Right Now
• How to Take a Virtual Trip to Montreal
• These Virtual Tours of Europe’s Famous Castles Will Make You Feel Like a Royal, Even in Your Pajamas
• Watch These Relaxing 360-videos for a Moment of Waterside Zen
• Relax for a Few Minutes With a Virtual Visit to Saint Lucia
• Hotels Around the World Are Livestreaming Their Views to Make You Feel Like You’re on Vacation
• Explore Bucket-list Attractions Like Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal Without Leaving Home
• Grab a Guinness and Take These Virtual Tours of Ireland and the Guinness Storehouse
• Take a Virtual Trip to Some of the Most-visited Stops on NYC’s Fifth Avenue
• Take a Virtual Trip to Puerto Rico to Salsa Dance, Mix Cocktails, and Master Your Cooking Skills
• How to Visit Japan While You’re Stuck at Home

Explore museums, art, theater, and culture at home

• Stuck at Home? These 12 Famous Museums Offer Virtual Tours You Can Take on Your Couch
• Discover Some of Banksy’s Best Street Art Without Stepping Outside
• The Sydney Opera House Is Bringing Music, Education, and More to Your Living Room
• The Grammy Museum Is Now Offering Online Music and Video Production Classes
• This App Will Turn Your Phone Into an Interactive Museum You Can Play With for Hours
• The Neon Museum’s Virtual Tour Will Light Up Your Living Room Like It’s the Las Vegas Strip
• A Botanical Garden in Seattle Is Livestreaming Plants to Help You Relax
• Museums Around the World Are Sharing Their Most Zen Art on Social Media to Help People Relax
• The Metropolitan Opera Is Offering Free Virtual Shows
• BroadwayHD Is Letting You Watch Your Favorite Musicals For Free — for a Limited Time
• The Globe Theater Is Closed, but You Can Stream Shakespeare’s Plays

Read more here.

The annual Forbes ranking lists the same eight Czech billionaires as last year, but the order has shifted

Forbes magazines’ annual ranking of the world’s richest people included eight Czechs, with Petr Kellner retaining the top position. The list of Czechs is the same as in 2018, though the order has shifted and six either saw no change or a drop in their wealth, while just two saw an increase.

Globally, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is the richest person for a third year in a row, worth $113 billion. Microsoft founder Bill Gates remained at number 2, with $98 billion. Fashion brand impresario Bernard Arnault come in next with $76 billion, pushing investor Warren Buffet out of the top three.

PPF Group founder Petr Kellner, in first place in the Czech Republic, was tied with media tycoon Rupert Murdoch for 68th place worldwide at S14.9 billion. According to Forbes, Kellner’s fortune dropped $0.6 billion since the same time last year. He began his career in the 1990s selling office supplies, and then started an investment fund which he used to buy a controlling stake in the biggest Czech insurance company during privatization. PFF Group is the main shareholder in consumer finance company Home Credit, which operates in 10 countries. He also has holdings in telecom firm O2 Czech Republic, PPF Bank and commercial real estate holdings.

Real estate tycoon Radovan Vítek was second in the Czech Republic and 451st globally. His $4 billion fortune fell by $0.5 billion. He owns approximately 90% of CPI Property Group. Vítek began the business with money from his parents and benefited from privatization in Slovakia. He moved to the Czech Republic in 1997 and converted a former cooperative headquarters into a luxury hotel. His CPI Property Group has holdings in Germany, France, Croatia, Hungary, and Poland.

Daniel Křetínský, in third place in the Czech Republic and 565th worldwide, is the youngest on the local ranking, born in 1975. he was in fifth place last year. His $3.4 billion in assets dropped $0.5 billion from last year.

He began by investing power plants and has since bought stakes in French newspaper Le Monde and German retail giant Metro AG. Energetický a průmyslový holding (EPH) is his main holding, though. He also owns Sparta Praha football club. He is married to Petr Kellner’s daughter, Anna Kellnerová.

Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) is in fourth place in the Czech ranking and 616th globally. Last year at this time, he was tied second locally, sharing the spot with Vítek, but by an October 2019 ranking by the Czech edition of Forbes had already dropped down in the list.

Read more here.

At stressful times like these, planning your dream vacation is one of the best ways to let go of anxiety and put yourself in a good mood. Regardless of whether you’re suffering from a bad case of out-of-control wanderlust or just want some advice on where to spend your next vacation, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s our suggestion: Oceania.

A big region that includes Australia, New Zealand, Polynesia, Fiji, and several other countries, Oceania promises exotic fun, luxury, and adventure all in one. It really offers a full package for almost any type of traveler, and it’s bound to be one of the most memorable experiences in your life.

Still not sure why Oceania is so great? We’re about to show you why this destination needs to be on your bucket list.

You can get in touch with nature

While Oceania means you can visit big cities such as Sydney and enjoy urban areas, it also means you can let go of the fast-pace of city living and relax in nature. From the Garden of the Sleeping Giant in Fiji, to the thermal spring pools in New Zealand, there are plenty of wildlife parks or simply stretches of clean, untouched nature that you can enjoy. Here are some suggestions if you’re looking for fresh air, stunning scenery, and peace:

• Go Aurora Australis gazing in Dunedin
• Visit one of the seven natural wonders – Uluru (Ayer’s Rock)
• Visit the fascinating glowworm caves in Waitomo
• Sail along the Cook’s Bay in Tahiti
• See the heart-shaped island of Tavarua in Fiji

If seeing breathtaking, untouched nature is your primary goal, then destination New Zealand is a particularly good choice. From modern cities such as Auckland and Wellington, to smaller slices of heaven such as the freshwater lakes of Taupo, you’ll be able to see long stretches of green almost anywhere.

You can see several movie set locations

If you’re a fan of Mad Max 2, then the Australian Outback is the place for you. The desert town of Silverton in New South Wales remains one of the most fascinating places to visit. The location features long stretches of lonely, sandy landscape, and you can visit the town’s Mad Max museum to see fun, post-apocalyptic movie props, photographs, and parts of the set.

If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, then you’ll want to explore New Zealand. There are over twenty locations that were used during filming, and you can visit special places such as Hobbiton, which can be found in Waikato. You can sign up for an organized tour of the set.

You can hike to your heart’s content

Australia is a great place for hikers. There are plenty of trails that you can explore to your heart’s content, though we especially recommend the Fraser Island Great Walk in Queensland, the Arkaba Walk in South Australia, and the Australian Alps Walking Track in Victoria. Most of these hikes do require a certain amount of physical fitness, so make sure you go in prepared.

If you want to explore the French Polynesia, then check out the Fautaua Valley trail in Tahiti, or the Valley of the Kings in Bora Bora. These hikes offer a more exotic scenery, and they’re each a very unique way to explore the islands.

You can also hike the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea, but be ready – this is one of the more difficult hiking trails out there.

You can enjoy hundreds of beautiful beaches

If you’re looking for a tropical paradise, you’re in luck – Oceania has several. For those who just want to tan their bodies on gorgeous beaches while they sip on cocktails, then Lalomanu Beach in Samoa should be your first pick. You can also check out the Tetiaroa Atoll in French Polynesia, Tumon Beach in Guam, or the Ofu Island in Tonga.

If you’re looking to explore one of Australia’s numerous beaches, then go for classics such as the urban Bondi beach, or the more private Whitehaven Beach in Queensland.

You could basically spend your entire vacation doing nothing but visiting different beaches and you’d still never run out of cool places to see.

You can immerse yourself in history and culture

The Sydney Opera House is an obvious choice, but it’s definitely something you have to see at least once in your lifetime. The Melbourne Cricket Ground is a great choice for cricket fans, and the Australian War Memorial is perfect for history buffs. If you’re a fan of the steampunk esthetics, visit the Steampunk HQ in Oamaru, New Zealand, and if you want to see something a little fashionable and a little strange, visit the World of Wearable Art & Classic Cars Museum in Nelson.

This could be the trip of your lifetime. We recommend that you take two weeks at the very least to visit as many locations in Oceania as possible and truly explore this exciting corner of the world.

By Peter Minkoff

Peter is a lifestyle and travel writer at Men-Ual magazine, living between Ústí nad Labem and Antwerp. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Experience the best museums from London to Seoul in the comfort of your own home.

Going into a self-quarantine can have many complex issues and complications beyond having enough food and supplies for two weeks. In terms of entertainment, it also probably means you’re in for a lot of boredom, a lot of Netflix, and a lot of browsing the internet.

But there is a way to get a little culture and education while you’re confined to your home. According to Fast Company, Google Arts & Culture teamed up with over 2500 museums and galleries around the world to bring anyone and everyone virtual tours and online exhibits of some of the most famous museums around the world..

Now, you get “go to the museum” and never have to leave your couch.

Google Arts & Culture’s collection includes the British Museum in London, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Guggenheim in New York City, and literally hundreds of more places where you can gain knowledge about art, history, and science. This collection is especially good for students who are looking for ways to stay on top of their studies while schools are closed.

Take a look at just some of Google’s top museums that are offering online tours and exhibits. Museums around the world are also sharing their most zen art on social media to help people cope with staying home. And if that’s not enough culture for you, New York’s Metropolitan Opera will be offering free digital shows every night at 7:30 p.m. Now you can even go “outside” with incredible virtual tours of some of America’s best national parks.

British Museum, London

This iconic museum located in the heart of London allows virtual visitors to tour the Great Court and discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies. You can also find hundreds of artifacts on the museum’s virtual tour.

Guggenheim Museum, New York

Google’s Street View feature lets visitors tour the Guggenheim’s famous spiral staircase without ever leaving home. From there, you can discover incredible works of art from the Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, Modern and Contemporary eras.

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

This famous American art museum features two online exhibits through Google. The first is an exhibit of American fashion from 1740 to 1895, including many renderings of clothes from the colonial and Revolutionary eras. The second is a collection of works from Dutch Baroque painter Johannes Vermeer.

Musée d’Orsay, Paris

You can virtually walk through this popular gallery that houses dozens of famous works from French artists who worked and lived between 1848 and 1914. Get a peek at artworks from Monet, Cézanne, and Gauguin, among others.

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul

One of Korea’s popular museums can be accessed from anywhere around the world. Google’s virtual tour takes you through six floors of Contemporary art from Korea and all over the globe.

Pergamon Museum, Berlin

As one of Germany’s largest museums, Pergamon has a lot to offer – even if you can’t physically be there. This historical museum is home to plenty of ancient artifacts including the Ishtar Gate of Babylon and, of course, the Pergamon Altar.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Explore the masterworks from the Dutch Golden Age, including works from Vermeer and Rembrandt. Google offers a Street View tour of this iconic museum, so you can feel as if you’re actually wandering its halls.

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Anyone who is a fan of this tragic, ingenious painter can see his works up close (or, almost up close) by virtually visiting this museum – the largest collection of artworks by Vincent van Gogh, including over 200 paintings, 500 drawings, and over 750 personal letters.

See the rest here.

The travel ban instituted due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic has had an effect on the prices of rent within Prague, with some owners of Airbnb properties offering their flats for long-term rent instead. A wider impact on property prices is also possible, some experts say. In order to stimulate the housing market, the finance minister has proposed the cancellation of the real estate transfer tax.

As the famous Prague focused YouTuber Janek Rubeš from Honest Guide recently wrote on his blog, the coronavirus epidemic has not just left the Czech capital’s streets empty – it has had the same effect on many Airbnb apartments. Prices have gone down to 15-year lows with the ongoing travel ban in place.

This was confirmed to Czech Radio by the president of the Association of Real Estate Companies Jaroslav Novotný.

“Airbnb is dead right now, because no one is traveling. There is no short-term renting going on, only in exceptional cases. This has also shown itself on the market where we can see owners of Airbnb flats putting them up for long-term rent.”

The decrease in rents is likely to continue for months, he said, before related elements of the market, especially tourism associated-businesses are back in full swing.

However, the coronavirus could also have an impact on house and flat prices themselves, Mr Novotný said.

“It could happen. Of course, we do not know how long the coronavirus crisis will go on, but if it does continue for months, then I am certain that we will see a movement in prices within a quarter year or five months.”

Real estate experts are unwilling to speculate on the exact level of impact that the COVID-19 epidemic is likely to have. The general consensus seems to be that the longer the crisis lasts, the bigger the ultimate effect on prices.

On the other hand, some say that there will only be a slowing effect, with continued growth almost certain in the end. Landlords focused on Airbnb will likely return to that form of short-term letting as soon as the crisis dissipates.

To stimulate the housing market, Finance Minister Alena Schillerová is proposing the cancellation of the real estate transfer tax. Currently, buyers are required to pay a tax amounting to 4 percent of the total purchase cost to the state within three months of buying the property.

Ms Schillerová described the details of her proposal last week.

“This tax always had an impact of around CZK 13-14 billion annually. What better time to institute this change than now? We also have to ask when we are going to put this change through, because if we announce a date the market will just shut down with everyone waiting for the tax to finish. Therefore we would also institute it retroactively.

“I’ll be honest. The idea is that those who have already paid the tax would get a cut on mortgage payments. Those who will no longer have to pay the real estate transfer tax will not get these rebates.”

The government is set to discuss the steps on Wednesday and the finance minister says that, if approved, she would like the legislation to go into effect as soon as possible. What she did stress is that the cancellation of the real estate transfer tax would be a long-term arrangement, going beyond the coronavirus crisis.

Source: Radio Prague International

1922 – 2020

A legend of Czech athletics, loved by the nation for her achievements as well as character, joined sports heaven this March at the blessed age of 97. Dana Zátopková was a great Czech javelin thrower and wife of the famous runner Emil Zátopek, who himself was a four-time Olympic champion. Due to the restrictions caused by the current pandemic, the public was excluded from the funeral ceremony, one more reason to pay our humble tribute to this outstanding personality by remembering her in our magazine.

Dana Zátopková won the gold medal for javelin at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games and the silver medal eight years later at the Rome Olympics. She was the European champion in 1954 and 1958. She also set a world record in 1958 when she was 35, making her the oldest woman to break one in an outdoor athletics event. She first met her future husband Emil at a stadium in the Central Bohemian town of Příbram and they quickly fell in love marrying a few months later in October 1948.

Czechoslovakia won seven medals at the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952. Four of them were won by Dana and Emil Zátopek. Dana’s Olympic victory came minutes after she took the medal her husband had just received for luck. By the time they returned home, they were a world-renowned sports couple. It is quite interesting that they were born the same day, month and year.

After 16 years of competing at the top level, Dana Zátopková retired in 1962, focusing instead on training upcoming athletes at home, while also being a member of the International Association of Athletics Federa- tions, the governing body for athletic sports. When the district of Troja in Prague, where she lived, was badly hit by the floods, she was fully engaged in organizing relief for the community.

As the president of the Czech Olympic Committee, Jiří Kejval put it, “Mrs. Dana not only was a great athlete but primarily a great person. She was a role model for several generations of Olympians. We all feel very sad that she is not with us anymore”.

Hall with new products

In Nuremberg, the BIOFACH organic food trade fair and the VIVANESS Natural Cosmetics Fair were held from February 12th to 15th. The largest European organic food fair celebrated its 31st anniversary with a record number of participants: 3,792 exhibitors from 110 countries showcased their products to trade visitors in a display area of almost 60,000 m2 – featuring two brand new halls designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

After Germany, with 1000 exhibitors, the main exhibiting countries were Italy (550), Spain (240), and France (222). The fair presented a wide range of organic products ranging from fresh to frozen food, bakery and confectionery products, beverages, and raw food. More than 47,000 professional buyers from 136 countries were won over by the new developments, trends, and innovations from all around the world.

History of Biofach

The exhibition was founded by Hagen Sunder, Hubert Rottner, and Jürgen Ries; it all began with 197 exhibitors in the Ludwigshafen Stadthal- le in 1990. Some 2,500 visitors attended the “1st European Trade Fair for Organic Food and Natural Products” at that time. Over the years, BIOFACH has now developed into the World ́s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food. The natural cosmetics segment was separated from the exhibition in 2007 and since then has been organized parallel to BIOFACH as VIVANESS, International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal.

Sonnentor stand, Austria

Opening ceremony with top-level attendance – record visitor numbers for Congress

The combined trade fair was opened jointly by Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, and Dr. Jane Goodall, primate researcher, environmental activist and UN Messenger of Peace. The participants were deeply moved by the keynote given by Dr. Goodall and gave her a standing ovation. This was the first year that the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congress gathered almost 10,000 delegates and discussion participants in 149 individual sessions, confirming its role as the most important international platform for sharing knowledge and information in the sector.

The main congress theme, “Organic delivers!”, attracted an above-average total of 75 participants to each of the ten sessions. Bio contributes at many levels – protecting our water, improving soil fertility and increasing biodiversity. Bio protects the climate and provides basic conditions for life. For example, organic farming reduces nitrogen supply by 28 percent, the abundance of earthworm populations is 78 percent higher and biomass is 94 percent higher. Organic breeding is beneficial for biodiversity: organically certified meadow sets provide a home for up to 5,000 animalsandplants.

Winner of Mundus Vini, Fattoria La Vialla , Italy

Topic “Water – the basis of life in danger?”

became another theme of this year. In lectures and many other forms, a number of associations, institutions and companies presented their water projects and products as a resource for life. The key trends of this year ́s BIOFACH fair were “Packaging”, “Vegan 2.0”, “Open Pollinated Varieties” and “Region 2.0”. What motivates the bio world in 2020: less packaging, more regional products, and more biodiversity. Customers would prefer to have their favorite products ecologically packaged, or rather, unpackaged instead of waiting for a new product. For food packaging, beeswax fabrics came up repeatedly. Products of regional origin have their own history that creates emotional connections for consumers. An example is rice from Austria, which supports local agriculture and provides consumers with products that would otherwise have to travel thousands of kilometers.

Best New Product Award

As part of the News & Trends block, visitors voted for the best new product in seven categories. Three categories were dominated by Austrian companies. Featured products included the Organic Rebell hot cheese from Käserebellen GmBH, an organic sheep organic milk ice cream from the Seegut EISL farm or the Essential Spicy Oils by Sonnentor.

Over at Vivaness, acclaimed products included SPEICK Naturkosmetik soaps and shampoos, or hemp seed oil and other products by two-time winner PRIMAVERA LIFE.

Czech stand

Assortments, OLIVE OIL, WINE and VEGAN had dedicated their own worlds of experience. In addition to product presentations, there were tastings and a specialized accompanying program. The MUNDUS VINI International Wine Award bestowed their silver, gold and Grand Gold medals. The distinction of best international producer of organic wine was awarded to Fattoria La Vialla from Tuscany. Meanwhile, the olive oil rankings were dominated by oils from Spain and Italy.

Vegan – This range is one of the most dynamic and ever-growing segments of the fair. 1787 exhibitors presented their vegan offer and 1461 vegetarian offers.

Raw is also popular – raw or live food (food that has not been treated at more than 45 ° C) were presented by 1414 exhibitors.

Czech Republic

This year, for the thirteenth time, 32 Czech companies exhibited at Biofach. Twenty companies applied for the attention of the international audience at the national stand, covered by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic.

Organic farming in the Czech republic represents about a 13% share of total agricultural land; in particular, it is comprised by orchards and vineyards. Organic food production in the country amounts to approximately CZK 3,5 million, of which about half is sold on the Czech market and the rest exported abroad. The average Czech consumes about CZK 314 worth of organic food per year, (compared to the EU average of 67 euros), representing 1,2% of the total food market.

Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture

Information about organic food

PRO-BIO LIGA, consumer branch of PRO-BIO Association of Organic Farmers PRO-BIO Šumperk with nationwide scope is focused on promotion and education of organic food and organic farming system among the consumer public. For more information, visit www.lovime.bio.

Jaromír Hampl

Photos: NürnbergMesse

Spending your free time in the open is so much better than being stuck at home all day long. Not only will this give you an opportunity to boost your health – both mental and physical health – but it will also encourage you to start appreciating the nature around you more than ever. Since spring is right around the corner, this might be the perfect time to start exploring nature and being in the open. If this is something you’d like to do as well, here are five of the best spring activities you might want to look into.

Camping

No matter where you live and how old you are, camping is always a great idea! This activity has always been popular all around the world, but it has been reaching new heights in the past couple of years, though. The reason for this is quite simple – more and more people want to try out camping as a way to show their support for the nature around them and to do whatever they can to salvage it.

Planning a camping trip sounds like the hardest job in the world, but it’s actually quite easy. All you need is a find a group of people who will come with you, pick a spot, reserve your campsite, and pack your gear. You shouldn’t forget all your essentials – from your tent to your food, and everything in between – because you don’t want to be driving to the nearest town just to buy them.

Safari

If you’re into nature and being in the open, but aren’t happy with your traditional concept of camping, going on a safari is definitely an idea you should explore. Of course, this activity requires much more planning and thinking ahead than your average camping trip, but it’s surely worth the trouble. Going on a safari can help you learn more about distant places and animals you’ve never seen in your life, but there’s one more benefit and it has something to do with preserving nature.

Since safari is usually organized in a restricted area where you’re accompanied by wildlife experts, you’ll probably be going to a place that’s under some sort of protection. Whether its UNESCO, PETA or some other organization, these areas are all about preserving the animals and helping them lead a better life. So, going on a safari will help you to learn a thing or two about animals and encourage you to do something good for your immediate area after coming back home.

Golfing

If you’re competitive and interested in different sports, golfing is the right thing for you. This sport isn’t practiced by too many people, which is why it’s so special and unspoiled by the masses. Golfing is also great for your physical health, especially your cardiovascular system and your lungs, so try to do it as often as you can!

However, playing golf requires some preparation too. You can’t just be wearing your everyday clothes and your work shoes – you need to get the right equipment and the right outfit. You should also find a suitable golf bag for your clubs, so don’t be afraid to read more about them and keep the right one always close by. That way, you’ll be able to enjoy golfing more than ever before, and that’s something we all need from time to time.

Rock climbing

If you’re adventurous and aren’t afraid of anything, this is the right spring activity for you. Rock climbing is one of the best ways to test your courage and your ability to deal with situations that are stressful and life-threatening, but, at the same, also exciting and daring. Not everyone is a fan of this activity, but if you’re among them, finding the best spot for rock climbing should be your top priority this spring.

Still, even though rock climbing is an amazing hobby, it’s also quite a dangerous one. That’s why you should never do it alone, but ask someone with more experience for help instead. You could also try doing this in a more controlled area first – just find an indoor climbing facility near you – and learn as much as you can in advance.

Kayaking

This is another exciting and enjoyable activity that will do your body lots of good – it improves your flexibility, agility, and your muscle strength – and help you discover new parts of the world. Kayaking is a great excuse to travel around the globe and try out waters that are popular among kayaking fans. From rivers and lakes to seas and oceans – you can kayak basically anywhere you want, as long as you know how to do it.

Learning how to kayak might take some time and patience, but it’s definitely worth your while. Talk to an expert and sign up for a class, but don’t forget some protective gear and equipment – things like your own floatation device and a proper paddle could end up saving your life, so be sure to have them with you at all times. After you learn the basics, you can start kayaking on your own and enjoy this activity all spring long.

These are just some of the activities you can enjoy this spring, so all you have to do is find a hobby that suits you the most and encourage a few friends to join you. Being surrounded by other people who are just enthusiastic about these things as you are is always better, so find your crew and make the most of your spring!

By Peter Minkoff

Peter is a lifestyle and travel writer at Men-Ual magazine, living between Ústí nad Labem and Antwerp. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

Anyone can be a leader, and most people will take up this role at different stages of their lives. You don’t have to be the President of a country, or CEO of a big organization/business for this role to be foisted on you. Leadership happens in almost all aspects of our lives ranging from the family unit, the classroom at school to the CEO of a fortune five-hundred company.

Being a leader can be tough, especially when you have followers from different walks of life, but there are always ways to improve yourself and be the best leader your followers can imagine. In this article, we will be discussing eight ways to be an excellent leader who can inspire, motivate, empower, and uplift followers.

8 Ways To Be A Great Leader People Can Follow

❖ Develop Empathy

This is arguably one of the most important traits a great leader must develop. Having the ability to listen deeply to your followers and respond with empathy is a skill that has a tremendous advantage and outshines all other skills. MRG ranked empathy as the most desirable trait great leaders possessed.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and see things from their perspective. It’s no surprise why empathic leaders are considered great. Another study by MRG for senior executives ranked empathy third when it comes to predicting the effectiveness of such executives.

❖ Admit When You Are Wrong Quickly

No human being is perfect, as we all make mistakes from time to time. As a leader, you have to understand this fact and be able to own up to your mistakes, not allowing your ego to get in the way. Owing up to your error does not only make you more human and relatable to your followers, but it also encourages your followers to own up to mistakes when made and increases your respect.

Another pleasant effect of owning up to mistakes is the ability to increase accountability among team members. This goes a long way in fostering stronger bonds and collaboration.

❖ Create An Environment For Collaboration

A collaborative environment is one where followers or members of a group can easily interact and cooperate through independent tasks in order to achieve a particular goal. There are a lot of benefits that such an environment gives a group or a business which includes:

• Increased productivity
• Enhanced creativity
• Knowledge sharing
• Productive meetings
• Speed in reaching a goal
• And so on.

A great leader can create such an environment where individual talent shines without the need for unnecessary competitors and where people are not afraid to ask for help.

❖ Be Lavish With Praise

Praise is a potent tool that leaders must use to inspire and encourage their followers because people generally tend to work harder when appreciated. A study carried out by the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics stated that praise not just positively affects the person receiving it; it affects other co-workers/followers as well.

To get the best effect from this tip, whenever a follower or employee does something great, do not just give generic compliments like “well done,” “you did a great job,” and so on. You must point out precisely what was done that deserves praise and also try to do it in front of others as well.

❖ Give Room For Error And Do Not Micro-Manage

Like earlier stated, everyone makes mistakes. The hallmark of a great leader is giving room for error. Especially for new employees or followers who just started with your group or company. There is a saying that “Good employees make mistakes, and great leaders allow them to.” Mistakes have shown over the ages to be a pathway to awesome inventions and ideas.

Understandably, it can be costly for a group or company when a terrible mistake is made. Still, instead of flying off the handle and making a bad situation worse, as a leader, you have to be empathic and find ways to solve the problem.

❖ Always Keep Your Word

As a leader, keeping your word to yourself, followers or employees goes a long way in building trust and fostering respect. Going back on your word often can have devastating consequences as this can cause your followers not just to lose respect for you, but get uncomfortable and dissatisfied with your leadership. Your followers will also start emulating you and go back on their word.

❖ Invest In The Development Of Your Followers

A good leader wants his/her followers to be the best version of themselves. There is a saying by Neale Walsch that “a true leader is not the one with the most followers, but the one who can create the most leaders”.

Investing in the development of followers gives a lot of benefits, such as increased satisfaction, better engagement, and so on. For employees, this translates to a higher retention rate of employees, increased rate of returns, and lovely company culture.

❖ Develop Your Skill

Competency is such an essential trait for leaders who want to inspire, motivate, and see their followers continuously perform at their optimal capability. This translates to the leader having at least a basic knowledge of the operations of the different aspects of the business.

This trait not only allows such a leader to hire competent workers, but it also helps him/her train the next generation of leaders.

Conclusion

To be a great leader that people can follow, you have to understand that human beings are not things but beings with emotions, prejudices, and experiences that have shaped who they have become. Great leaders understand this fact; they lead by example and lead people the way they would want to be led.

Frank Hamilton has been working as a translator at translation service TheWordPoint. He is a professional writing expert in such topics as blogging, digital marketing and self-education. He also loves traveling and speaks Spanish, French, German and English.

Traditionally it has been difficult for women to break into the male-dominated world of business. Much emphasis is put on their ability to conform and perform to male-based expectations of themselves that just getting their foot in the door, much less realizing their potential, has been considerably difficult.

With changes in social values, access to education, and people starting families later in life, these barriers have been broken down considerably. This being said, women are still expected, if not required, to exemplify several qualities if they wish to make their mark in business or entrepreneurship. Of all these qualities, one of the most important is leadership. Women who demonstrate the ability to be strong leaders are significantly more likely to enjoy a successful career in business than those that do not. Unfortunately, some women do not know where to begin cultivating such a trait. Here we will look at the best way women can do just that.

Having Confidence To Take Risks And Step Outside Of Comfort Zones: Women generally have a much more difficult time leaving their comfort zone and taking risks than men do. For example, men will often apply for a job even if they don’t meet all the listed requirements. They usually do this thinking that they may meet enough to get their foot in the door and obtain an interview where they hope to impress the hiring manager. Women are much less likely to take these types of risks, instead preferring to apply for jobs which they feel they are fully qualified for. This line of thinking has historical roots. For many years women had children much earlier than men did, they had less time to make good decisions that would lead them to a quality, safe, and comfortable life. Men did not share this haste. Because men often settled down and fathered children a little later in life they had the necessary time to take risks. If the first couple of risks didn’t pan out it was okay, they still had time. Women did not historically speaking, have this luxury.

“Where there has been a paradigm shift in modern society, much of our notion of how women should behave are based on times when women had a much shorter period to make a life for herself. One of the largest challenges women face in business is becoming comfortable with risk-taking and stepping outside of their comfort zone” writes Jeremy Stephens, a career writer at 1Day2write and Australia2write.

Proper Use Of Body Language: One of the most visible aspects of leadership is body language. One can see the difference between a confident and unconfident individual with little difficulty and most of the time without even verbally communicating. One of the most important factors is posture. Shoulders should be back and the head should be up, lowered or sunken shoulders together with a drooping head is unlikely to garner confidence from one’s co-workers. “One area where many women fail is eye contact. It can be hard for people who feel intimidated to maintain eye contact with those who are speaking to them. Leaders do not look away or avoid eye contact when they are communicating” writes Maria Pageant, a business writer at Britstudent and Nextcoursework.

Develop Stress Management Techniques: Stress is an issue for everyone, especially in the workplace. It is easy for individuals to find themselves reacting to problems instead of responding or resolving. While stress is an issue for both men and women it can be more difficult for women who have just begun to seek a leadership role in the workplace. One of the most in-demand qualities people look for in a leader is their ability to handle and navigate stressful or uncertain situations. Some may say this is the essence of a leader.

Being able to develop and implement stress management capabilities is paramount for those women looking to become strong leaders and examples for their coworkers to follow.

Use Positive Thinking: It may sound trite, but positive thinking is a cornerstone for any successful individual. This does not mean one has to view the world through rose-colored glasses, it simply means one has to reinforce positive, productive, thought patterns instead of negative, unproductive, ones.

Michael Dehoyos is an editor and content marketer at Phd Kingdom and Academic brits. He works closely with companies and organizations to develop personalized marketing strategies to reach more clients and grow brand recognition. He is also a writer and has contributed to several publications. Most of his work can be viewed at Origin Writings.

06-03-2020

HM King Mohammed VI launched on Monday at the R’cif Place in Fez, the program to enhance economic activities and improve the living environment in the Medina of Fez (2020-2024), a new generation program aimed at safeguarding and perpetuating traditional trades and promoting the living conditions of citizens.

This program, worth 670 million dirhams, testifies to HM the King’s constant willingness to preserve the architectural and historical character of the Medina of Fez and to promote the influence of this thousand-year-old city, inscribed in 1981 on the World Heritage List by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

It also illustrates the Sovereign’s high concern for the ancient medinas of the various cities of the Kingdom in order to strengthen their tourist and cultural attractiveness, promote their civilizational and human heritage, and preserve their vocation as a place to live, work, create wealth and develop the social economy.

This new program, which concerns 1,197 sites, provides for the restoration and rehabilitation of the historical heritage of the medina of Fez (4 sites/MAD 13.5 million), the requalification and upgrading of urban areas (9 sites/MAD 105.55 million), the strengthening of the tourist and economic attractiveness of this City-Museum (33 sites/MAD 87.5 million), the development of local social facilities (171 sites/ MAD 263.45 million) and the renovation of dangerously run-down housing (980 sites/ MAD 200 million).

Subsequently, HM the King chaired the signing ceremony of the partnership and financing agreement relating to the program to enhance economic activities and improve the living environment in the Medina of Fez (2020-2024). It was signed by minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit, minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Ahmed Toufiq, minister of National Education, Vocational Training, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Said Amzazi, and minister of National Planning, Urbanism, Housing and Urban Policy, Nouzha Bouchareb.

It was also inked by minister of Tourism, Handicrafts, Air Transport and Social Economy, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, government spokesperson, El Hassan Abyaba, the Wali of the Fez-Meknes Region, governor of the prefecture of Fez, Said Zniber, president of the Regional Council of Fez-Meknes, Mohand Laenser, and director general of the Agency for the Development and Rehabilitation of the Medina of Fez (ADER), Fouad Serrhini.

Later on, the Sovereign visited the restoration site of Foundouq Khrachfiyine, a project that is part of the complementary program to enhance the Medina of Fez (2018-2023), whose partnership and financing agreement was signed under the chairmanship of HM the King on 14 May 2018 in Rabat.

Worth MAD 6 million, the Foundouq Khrachfiyin restoration project should, at the end of the work, contribute to the safeguarding and preservation of the historical heritage, the promotion of craft trades in the foundouqs and the improvement of working conditions for craftsmen.

Endowed with a budget of MAD 583 million, the complementary program for the enhancement of the Medina of Fez involves the restoration of 11 historic monuments and emblematic sites, 10 places of worship (mosques and Koranic schools) and 40 places of well-being (Hammam, fountains and sanitary facilities), the rehabilitation of 39 places of crafts and traditional trade, the improvement of the urban landscape and the built environment (17 sites) and the rehabilitation of Dar Al Makina.

Regarding this program’s progress, 18 projects have already been completed, 17 are under way, 38 are being launched and 45 will be launched before the end of the current year. Within the framework of the reinforcement of the tourist attractiveness of the medina of Fez and the improvement of the living conditions of its inhabitants, a program of development of car parks, rehabilitation of public spaces and installation of an information system (2017-2022) is being carried out.

This program, which requires an investment of about MAD 400 million, aims to improve accessibility to the old medina mainly through the development of eight car parks (Bin Lamdoun, Bab Guissa, Bab Jdid, Bab Hamra, Ain Azliten, Oued Zhoun, Bab Boujloud, Sidi Bounafae), the paving of the streets, alleys, squares, and the installation of information kiosks for the service of the inhabitants, visitors and tourists.

Traveling the world can get pricey, which is why it’s great when you can find free accommodation.

Whether you’re looking to hike through America’s national parks or score a night at a luxury hotel, there are some ways you can do it all for free.

From owl-shaped cabins to art-centric hotels, here are 15 places around the globe that offer a free stay.

Shakespeare and Company – Paris, France

Shakespeare and Company is an historic bookshop in Paris that has been inviting writers to take up residence in its corridors since it opened back in 1951.

Through the shop’s Tumbleweeds program, writers can sleep in beds that sit hidden away between its bookshelves or in a book-lined apartment that’s located upstairs. In exchange, guests help for a few hours a day around the bookshop and write a one-page autobiography.

Ace Hotel – New York City

The Ace Hotel in New York has two ways creative minds can stay for free.

Through the hotel’s artists in residence program, artists are invited to stay at the hotel on Sunday nights in exchange for creating a piece of work for the hotel. The hotel partners with institutions like The Museum of Art and Design, Tomorrow Lab, Printed Matter, and Flux Factory to create an eclectic environment that you can contribute to.

The hotel also has a residency for writers called Dear Reader, which gives writers an overnight stay for crafting an open letter to guests to be put by bedsides in each room.

Les Refuges Periurbains – Bordeaux, France

If you’re looking to explore the stunning natural scenery of Bordeaux, there are a series of eight shelters located along the region’s outskirts where travelers can stay free of charge as part of the Les Refuges Périurbains project.

The shelters don’t have water, electricity, or heat, but they’re close to attractions like flowing rivers, ancient castles, and stargazing spots and come in designs that range from an adorable owl to a giant snail sitting on the water. Reservations can be made online, with the shelters open from March 1 through November 30 each year.

See the rest here.

A great hotel offers more than merely a place to rest your head and stow your stuff between sightseeing excursions. A truly standout property can offer new insight into a beloved place; bring fresh energy to a been-there, done-that neighborhood; even become a destination in its own right. That’s why we here at T+L spend months obsessively tracking new openings and major overhauls, consulting our trusted network of travel pros and jetsetting writers, and traversing the globe in search of the most memorable, game-changing hotels of the year for our annual It List.

This year, our guide to the essential openings (and reopenings) of the past year took us to 32 countries in pursuit of the unforgettable. Over the course of 2019, T+L writers and editors have trekked to a remote West Texas escape that feels like a supersize Donald Judd sculpture, hooked trout at a fly-fishing retreat in remote Patagonia, and soaked in the spring-fed baths of a Taiwan resort until their fingers went pruney — tough work, but we’re just that committed to the cause. This isn’t merely a list of the most high-end resorts, nor is it a who’s-who of major hotel chains, though you’ll find both splurgey stays and familiar brands in the mix. Instead, we’ve aimed to showcase the properties that are at the top of their game and adding something new to the conversation, whether they’re century-old stalwarts fresh off a major reno or intimate family-run boutiques that hit the sweet spot between hotel hospitality and vacation-rental hominess.

Ahead, you’ll find a stay for every style and mood. There’s a Loire Valley château, reborn as a chic grande dame for the modern era. A sleek beach retreat in Asbury Park challenges the notion that the Jersey Shore is merely a regional summer hang for the tri-state area, and in Queens, the converted TWA terminal has thrown down the gauntlet for airport hotels the world over. We’ve got end-of-the-world escapes in Bolivia and Namibia, chic city hotels in Cape Town and the UAE, and wellness resorts that will suit both hardcore health nuts and the merely spa-curious. Read on for all 72 properties on the 2020 It List — your next vacation spot awaits.

Edited by Lila Battis & John Wogan

AFRICA + THE MIDDLE EAST

Jao Camp (Wilderness Safaris) — Okavango Delta, Botswana

In 2019, Wilderness Safaris’ Jao Camp — in the 150,000-acre Jao Reserve, a private concession in northern Botswana’s wildlife-rich Okavango Delta — went through its first rebuild since it opened in 1999. The result is light and modern, with two villas and five large, open-plan suites done in shades of amethyst, tan, charcoal, and gray-blue. Heavy thatch has been switched out for low-maintenance, recycled-plastic strips that look like the real deal from afar, and swing chairs dangle from lofty rafters. A giraffe skeleton stands in the “knowledge center,” a gallery/museum hybrid. Between private game drives, mokoro (dugout canoe) excursions, helicopter flights, and sundowners in the bush, you can chill in your private plunge pool and watch impalas, elephants, and swooping woodland kingfishers. Doubles from $1,285 per person, all-inclusive. — Heather Richardson

The Oberoi Marrakech — Marrakesh, Morocco

Marrakesh offers an embarrassment of riches when it comes to upscale resorts, but few can now compete with the Oberoi, which is set on 28 acres of olive and orange groves with views of the Atlas Mountains. Its central building is modeled on one of the city’s most famous historic sites, the 16th-century Meder¬sa Ben Youssef, with ornate stucco and zellige tiles, cedar ceilings, and reflecting pools that seem to extend all the way to the horizon. I found enough to do on site that I almost forgot about the city beyond: each of the 84 guest rooms and villas has a private terrace and swimming pool, and there are fitness classes, hammam and spa treatments, falconry, wine tastings, and an ayurvedic wellness center that offers weeklong retreats. And — should you choose to stray off-campus — the enchanting medina is accessible via the house Mer¬cedes at a moment’s notice. Doubles from $760. — Paul Brady

Zannier Hotels Sonop — Karas, Namibia

See the rest here.

13-02-2020

HM King Mohammed VI, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, presided, on Thursday in the province of Chtouka Ait Baha, over the launch ceremony of the new development strategy for the agricultural sector dubbed “Green Generation 2020-2030” and the one relating to the development of the water and forest sector called “Forests of Morocco”.

At the start of this ceremony, an institutional film was screened highlighting the development dynamics witnessed by the agricultural sector during the last decade, thanks notably to the Green Morocco Plan (PMV), with testimonies from farmers who have benefited from this Plan. Subsequently, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Waters and Forests Aziz Akhannouch presented before the Sovereign the broad lines of the new strategies “Green Generation 2020-2030” and “Forests of Morocco”. Akhannouch said, on this occasion, that the new strategic vision of the agricultural sector was developed in accordance with the Royal High Guidelines laid down in the speech of the Sovereign on the occasion of the opening of the 1st session of the 3rd legislative year of the 10th legislature (October 12, 2018).

In this speech HM the King had called for a consolidation of the achievements made in the agricultural field and for the creation of new activities generating jobs and incomes, mainly in favor of young people in rural areas, with a view to encouraging the emergence of an agricultural middle class, to foster its framework so that it can, ultimately, exercise its dual calling of factor of balance and lever of socio-economic development, like the urban middle class and the key role assigned to it, recalled the Minister.

This strategy is based on capitalizing on the achievements made by the Green Morocco Plan, through the adoption of a new vision for the agricultural sector, the reinforcement of new governance and the provision of modern means to the sector, he added. Akhannouch underlined the achievements made under the Green Morocco Plan, launched by the Sovereign in 2008, and, in particular, the signing of 19 program contracts, the implementation of 12 regional agricultural plans, the creation of four new agencies, the entry into force of 4,500 legal texts, and more than 34 billion dirhams mobilized by international funding. At the macroeconomic level, the PMV has enabled the multiplication of agricultural GDP and agricultural exports, as well as the increase in the volume of investments, noted Akhannouch, explaining that at the social level, the PMV has helped create job openings and increase coverage rates of food needs.

In terms of sustainability, the Plan has helped save irrigation water, consolidate the resilience of agriculture and reduce rain-dependent agriculture, in addition to boosting integration dynamics for small and medium-sized agriculture, benefiting 2.7 million farmers, he said. Akhannouch said that the Moroccan agricultural sector aims to reach a new level in its development, noting that the new agricultural strategy is based on two main foundations, namely the enhancement of the human element, in accordance with the Royal Guidelines, and through the emergence of a new generation of agricultural middle class (350,000 to 400,000 households), and the emergence of a new generation of young entrepreneurs, through the mobilization and development of a million hectares of collective lands and the creation of 350,000 jobs for young people.

This middle class and these young farmers will also be able to use a new generation of more innovative agricultural organizations and benefit from new support measures allowing them to build their skills, the minister said. According to Akhannouch, the second foundation of this new strategy is related to the continuation of the development dynamic of the sector, by promoting human and social development. For this, the new vision provides for the consolidation of agricultural sectors, with a view to increasing exports (50 to 60 bln MAD) and the agricultural GDP (200 to 250 billion MAD) by 2030, improving the distribution processes of products through the modernization of 12 wholesale and traditional markets, said Akhannouch.

It also concerns strengthening the resilience and sustainability of agricultural development, as well as improving the quality and capacity of innovation, noted Akhannouch, adding that approvals will be granted to 120 modern slaughterhouses and health control will be reinforced. The implementation of this strategy will require an annual increase in the budget of the sector of almost 2.5% as of the year 2020, said the Minister. On the new strategy on the water and forest sector “Forests of Morocco”, Akhannouch stressed the importance of forests which stretch over a surface area estimated at 9 million ha, and their environmental, economic and social role. In this context, he affirmed that the Moroccan forest is in a dilapidated state, due notably to the deterioration of 17,000 ha of forest land every year, the low enhancement of cork oak forests, the over-harvesting in firewood and over-exploitation of grazing areas.

To strengthen the competitiveness of the sector and ensure its modernization, the new water and forest strategy was developed on the basis of an integrated, sustainable and wealth-generating management model. This new strategy aims to make forests a space for development, to ensure the sustainable management of forest resources, to adopt a participatory approach involving users, to strengthen the productive capacities of forests, and to preserve biodiversity, said the minister. He went on to say that this strategy aims, by 2030, to repopulate 133,000 ha of forests and to create 27,500 additional direct jobs, in addition to improving the incomes of the production chains and ecotourism to reach an annual market value of 5 billion MAD.

To do this, the new strategy will touch on four main pillars, namely the creation of a new model based on a participatory approach associating the populations with management, the development of forest areas according to their wealth, the promotion and modernization of forest professions through the creation of modern forest nurseries and the introduction of the digital tool in the management of the sector, and finally the institutional reform of the sector via the establishment of a pole of training and research, and the creation of a Water and Forest Agency and a Nature Conservation Agency. This strategy also provides for the development and enhancement of ten national parks, with a view to ensuring economic and social development with full respect for the natural, cultural and territorial heritage. These two new strategies will be implemented starting 2020, in particular at the territorial level according to the specificities and assets of each region, and this in coordination with all stakeholders, according to the principles of good governance in terms of monitoring and evaluating investors as well as efficiency and output indicators, underlined Akhannouch.

The Sovereign then launched the project to plant 100 ha of argan trees in the commune of Imi Mqouren (1.8 million MAD), a project which is part of the program to plant agricultural argan trees in the province of Chtouka Ait Baha over an area of 1,250 ha. This program, which concerns 7 communes and benefits 729 people, requires around 28 million dirhams. It is part of a global argan cultivation development program covering an area of 10,000 ha, in the regions of Souss-Massa, Marrakech-Safi and Guelmim-Oued Noun. This global program (2017-2022) mobilizes a budget of 490 million MAD, financed by the Green Climate Fund (390 Mln MAD) and the Moroccan Government (100 Mln MAD), and benefits the provinces of Essaouira (2,885 ha), Taroudante (1,337 ha), Sidi Ifni (627), Chtouka Ait Baha (1,250), Guelmim (623 ha), Tiznit (3,188 ha), as well as the prefecture of Agadir Ida Outtanane (90 ha). HM the King also launched the irrigation network construction works from the Agadir seawater desalination station, whose construction works are at a progress rate of 65%. The construction of this station is in line with the objectives of the national program for the supply of drinking water and irrigation 2020-2027, launched by the Sovereign last January and aimed at consolidating and diversifying the sources of drinking water supply, supporting demand for this invaluable resource, guaranteeing water security and combating the effects of climate change. Covering an area of 20 ha, this station, located 40 km south of Agadir on a coastal site north of the town of Douira, Commune of Inchaden, within the Souss Massa National Park, aims to meet the drinking water needs of Greater Agadir and the irrigation water needs of the Chtouka plain (15,000 ha).

With a total cost of 4.41 Bln MAD, including 2.35 Bln MAD for its irrigation component and 2.06 Bln MAD for its drinking water component, this project, the first of its kind in Africa, consists of the setting up of best processes, notably reverse osmosis technology, and existing equipment in the field of seawater desalination and water distribution. This project consists of the construction of marine works (two supply lines of 1.100 ml in length each equipped with intake towers, a discharge outlet of 660 ml long with diffuser), a desalination station and irrigation infrastructure (storage tank, 5 pumping stations, main adductor 22 km and distribution network 489 km). The desalination unit, to be operational by March 2021, will initially produce 275,000 m3/day at a rate of 150,000 m3/day of drinking water and a flow of 125,000 m3/day of irrigation water. Its facilities will ultimately offer a total capacity of 400,000 m3/day which should be shared equitably between agriculture and drinking water.

Throughout most of human evolution both progress and its horizontal transmission was an extremely slow, occasional and tedious process. Well into the classic period of Alexander the Macedonian and his glorious Library of Alexandria, the speed of our knowledge transfers – however moderate, analogue and conservative – still always outpaced our snail-like cycles of our developmental breakthroughs.

When our sporadic breakthroughs finally became faster than their infrequent transmissions, that marked a point of our departure. Simply put, our civilizations started to significantly differentiate from each other in their respective techno-agrarian, politico-military, ethno-religious or ideological, and economic setups. Soon, after, the Grand Discoveries (Europe’s shift to west) were the event transforming wars and famine from the low-impact and local one, into the bigger and cross-continental.

Faster cycles of technological breakthroughs, patents and discoveries rather than their own transfers, occurred primarily within the Old continent. That occurrence, with all its reorganizational effects, radically reconfigured societies. It ultimately marked a birth of several mighty European empires, their (liberal) schools (and consequent imperial weaponization of knowledge) – hence an overall, lasting triumph of Western civilization.

Act

For the past few centuries, we’ve lived fear but dreamt hope – all for the sake of modern times. From WWI to www. Is this modernity of internet age, with all the suddenly reviled breakthroughs and their instant transmission, now harboring us in a bay of fairness, harmony and overall reconciliation? Was and will our history ever be on holiday? Thus, has our world ever been more than an idea? Shall we stop short at the Kantian word – a moral definition of imagined future, or continue to the Hobbesian realities and look up for an objective, geopolitical definition of our common tomorrow?

The Agrarian age inevitably brought up the question of economic redistribution. Industrial age culminated on the question of political participation. Today, AI (Quantum physics, Nanorobotics and Bioinformatics) brings a new, yet underreported challenge: Human (physical and mental) powers might – far and wide, and rather soon – become obsolete. If or when so, the question of human irrelevance is next to be asked.

Why is AI like no technology ever before? Why re-visiting and re-thing spirituality matters …

If one believes that the above is yet another philosophical melodrama, an anemically played alarmism, mind this:

Mankind will soon have to redefine what it considers to be life itself.

Less than a month ago (January 2020), the successful trials have been completed. The border between organic and inorganic, intrinsic and artificial is downed forever. AI has it now all-in: quantum physics (along with quantum computing), nanotechnology, bioinformatics, and organic tissue tailoring. Synthesis of all that is usually referred to as xenobots (sorts of living robots) – biodegradable symbiotic nanorobots that exclusively rely on evolutionary (self-navigable) algorithms. The essential building element to biotronics is hence here, among us.

React

Although life remains to be lived forward (with no backward looking), human retrospection is the biggest reservoir of insights. Of what makes us human.

Thus, what does the history of technology in relation to human development tell us so far?

Elaborating on a well-known argument of ‘defensive modernization’ of Fukuyama, it is evident that throughout the entire human history a technological drive was aimed to satisfy the security and control objective. It was rarely (if at all) driven by a desire to gain knowledge outside of convention, in order to ease human existence, and to bolster human emancipation and liberation of societies at large. Therefore, unless operationalized by the system, both the intellectualism (human autonomy, mastery and purpose), and technological breakthroughs were traditionally felt and perceived as a threat. As a problem, not a solution.

Ok. But what has brought us (under) AI today?

It was our acceptance. Of course, manufactured.

All cyber-social networks and related search engines are far away from what they are portrayed to be: a decentralized but unified intelligence, attracted by gravity of quality rather than navigated by force of a specific locality. (These networks were not introduced to promote and emancipate other cultures and other narratives but to maintain and further strengthen supremacy of the dominant one.)

In no way do they correspond with a neuroplasticity of physics of our consciousness. They only offer temporary relaxation to our anxieties – in which the fear from free time is the largest. It is so, since a true free time coupled with silence is our gate to creativity and self-reflection. In fact, the cyber-tools of these data-sponges primarily serve the predictability, efficiency, calculability and control purpose, and only then they serve everything else – as to be e.g. user-friendly and en mass service attractive.

To observe the new corrosive dynamics of social phenomenology between manipulative fetishization (probability) and self-trivialization (possibility), the cyber-social platforms – these dustbins of human empathy in the muddy suburbs of consciousness – are particularly interesting.

This is how the human presence-eliminating technologies have been introduced to and accepted by us.

Packed

How did we reflect – in our past – on any new social dynamics created by the deployment of new technologies?

Aegean theater of Ancient Greece was a place of astonishing revelations and intellectual excellence – a remarkable density and proximity, not surpassed up to our age. All we know about science, philosophy, sports, arts, culture and entertainment, stars and earth has been postulated, explored and examined then and there. Simply, it was a time and place of triumph of human consciousness, pure reasoning and sparkling thought. However, neither Euclid, Anaximander, Heraclites, Hippocrates (both of Chios, and of Cos), Socrates, Archimedes, Ptolemy, Democritus, Plato, Pythagoras, Diogenes, Aristotle, Empedocles, Conon, Eratosthenes nor any of dozens of other brilliant ancient Greek minds did ever refer by a word, by a single sentence to something which was their everyday life, something they saw literally on every corner along their entire lives. It was an immoral, unjust, notoriously brutal and oppressive slavery system that powered the Antique state. (Slaves have not been even attributed as humans, but rather as the ‘phonic tools/tools able to speak’.) This myopia, this absence of critical reference on the obvious and omnipresent is a historic message – highly disturbing, self-telling and quite a warning for the present day.

So, finally,

Why is AI like no technology ever before?

Ask Google! I am busy messaging right now …

Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic,

author of 6 books on geopolitics, energy and technology

The Beginning

As a 16-year-old high school student in Taiwan, I’ve struggled to find opportunities to make an impact on international issues. Like many passionate students who are involved in Global Affairs and Model UN, I’ve always tried to take initiative and seek out opportunities that can promote youth action for a greater cause. With this drive, I decided to commit myself to the UNODC E4J’s “Educating for the Rule of Law” project when I saw the competition poster on the UNODC website.

When I was five, my grandfather’s Filipina caregiver, Aher, told me stories about her friends who were victims of human trafficking in Southeast Asia. As I grew older, with more access to resources and information from the internet, I began to dive into the details and history of the matter. After my grandfather passed, Aher also left the house and went to work for someone else, where, I found out, she faced maltreatment and abuse from the homeowner. Since the incident, I had the urge to work in the social justice and the law enforcement field. Now that I am a student, I can contribute to a wider audience through my art.

With a focus on Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institution), I decided to dedicate my song to human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants because of those very stories told by Aher. The entire process took me roughly four months in total. Every detail, from writing the lyrics, coming up with the melody and guitar chords with my peers, recording the song, adding instrumentals and beats, gathering video clips, editing video clips, and blending in the music to producing an awareness music video was worth the hard work. The result came as a shock. I couldn’t imagine out of the 1,200 submissions around the world, I was selected. I was in disbelief when I woke up that morning and saw the notification on my phone: Invitation to the UNODC E4J High-Level Conference. Over the next few weeks, I rehearsed over and over again with my guitar and background track to make sure that my performance would be flawless.

Using my prior knowledge in music composition, international affairs, and public performance, I was able to successfully engage with the audience, maintaining my posture, and effectively delivering a speech about my motivation behind the creation of “Heed The Plea, and Set Them Free.”As I wandered around the conference room, I took the initiative and spoke with numerous experts in different fields, gathering a stack of business cards, making long-lasting connections, and witnessing real-time professional operations inside the UN. I could feel a door had been opened.

The Experience

Mr. Yury Fedotov, Chief Director of the UNODC, tweeted a group picture of himself, me, and the other E4J winners with compliments and words of encouragement for all the effort that the youth have contributed towards promoting the culture of lawfulness. Meeting all the other winners of the contest was amazing as we shared our experiences and talked about our process of hard work. A teenager from the Philippines, who was the winner in the tertiary level, produced a short film about violence with an unforgettable use of emotion and film technique, connecting to the real-world issue of terrorism. The most phenomenal presentation of youth effort in fighting for the rule of law, however, came from a 14-year-old Nigerian girl who delivered a moving call-to-action to stand up for the rule of law, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

Although I told myself it was just like the many times performing for my band at school, I wasn’t able to manage my emotions standing on the stage in front of diplomats, organization CEOs, and educators. Stagefright was hitting me like I was in elementary school again. This live performance, however, was not like any music performance at the courtyard or auditorium. This was a pivotal turning point in my life, presenting myself as a representative of a youth movement on an international platform. This performance was proof for every youth who has ever doubted they could impact global issues, and, more importantly, proof for everyone to witness youths’ ability to make a difference in this world and to use art as a medium to influence people.

Beyond the performance

On day two, I had the honor of presenting my song, along with three other #Create4Justice artists, and discuss how various forms of artistic expression can be utilized to promote the rule of law. Along with three other panelists, I introduced my music as a medium to promote justice in an engaging way. I was deeply intrigued by how different manifestations of the arts can bring about awareness and change. Mr. Andrew Newman, a close friend and colleague, talked about the power of journalism and journalists’ efforts to show the world the “truth” behind world issues through the camera lens. An Italian architect and artist talked about how transforming old houses into colorful artworks helps with crime prevention and overall community wellness. The one artist that I talked with the most and still stay in touch with to work on song collaborations was Mr. Leonardo Parrága from Colombia. Our common robust interest in Reggaeton music created a new hashtag, #ReggaetonPorJusticia (R4J) with the purpose of reaching Spanish-speaking audiences, addressing issues relevant to justice and law in South America, and transforming the provocative image of reggaeton-type music. In addition, the head of the UNODC Doha Declaration Global Programme, Mr. Marco Teixeira, showed a strong interest in Reggaeton and expressed a willingness to help with my song creations. Even more encouragement came from Dr. Sofija Bajrektarevic, Director-General of the fascinating Vienna-based platform ‘Culture for Peace – Unifying potentials for the Future’. She suggested series of programs to be organised under her vision of bridging the generational gap through ‘Tomorrow’s People’ Board.

An Album Is Born

I am ambitious. I started with one song, and now I want to kickstart a whole album consisting of 17 songs that showcase different styles of music, are written in a plethora of foreign languages, and appropriately represent each and every one of the UN Global Goals. My original idea was to convey a unique story through the medium of music with a visual (video) accompaniment. However, it wasn’t as easy as I thought. It took me four months to finish producing my human trafficking song, “Heed The Plea and Set Them Free.” I couldn’t imagine the amount of time it would take for me to achieve this dream on my own. So I thought,why not feature different artists around the world, let them tell their own stories, and write their own lyrics in the languages closest to their hearts?

With the help of MUN Impact, I was able to launch my music project—The SDG Album, which involves youth from all over the world, creating songs about various global goal targets in the local language of their respective regions. Through all the hard work from MUN Impact, the outreach team, Mr. Andrew Newman, Ms. Lisa Martin, and the UNODC Education 4 Justice team, the album is now receiving submissions on a rolling basis. A winner, selected for demonstrating the most influential and effective idea through their song, will win a trip to MUN Impact Morocco in June!

During the High-level conference’s first break, UNODC conference press Ryan Haidarian decided to interview me about my motives behind my song and my vision after this once in a lifetime experience. I had the honor to have this video featuring me shared across UN social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

Major Takeaways

This event has helped me come to the realization that young people do have the power to make an impact on this world. The reality is, we, the youth, may not have as many resources, connections, or some would even say, maturity to handle the pressure. What we do have, however, is the most impact when it comes to advocacy because people will think, “If a 16-year-old can do it, I can do it too.” From a middle school student miserably figuring out how Model UN works and how to overcome a paralysing fear of public speaking to an advocate for the SDGs, trying to change the world with his voice and guitar, I have grown. After the conference, it feels strange to receive messages and tweets from UN officials and high-level diplomats complimenting my work and effort in promoting the rule of law. I can’t believe the profound changes a UN conference could bring to a teenager. From the media attention from Twitter and new insights about the United Nations to connections with people from educational institutions, UN agencies, and people with the same musical passion as me, leading to collaboration projects on song-productions on UN Global Goal topics, I can finally tell my friends from Model UN… I made it to the UN!

About the author:

Daniel Hsuan is a Taiwan-born performer and conceptualist. His pop-art performances are already turning him into a world star and possibly a future UN Goodwill Ambassador.

Written by: Daniel Hsuan