Global Citizenship
4 th Quarter 2018
•
The Digital Identity Issue
Virtual Lifetimes Immortality in the Digital World
The Growth of Citizenship and Decline of Duties 01 9 7 7 2 5 1 794008
The GDPR and the Right to Be Forgotten
ISSN 2571-7944 Published Quarterly
Making a Case for Children’s Independent Travel
Henley & Partners’ annual Global Residence and Citizenship Conference has become the world’s largest and most significant conference on investment migration. In celebration of the conference’s 12th successful year, we again expect well over 400 attendees, a multitude of business leaders, top-tier international service providers, and senior government officials who will share first-hand information on the latest developments in residence and citizenship planning. Register now using the promotion code ‘RQ4’ to secure your attendance by visiting henleyglobal.com/dubai2018
Antigua · Australia · Austria · Canada · Croatia · Cyprus · Dubai · Grenada · Hong Kong · Jersey · Latvia · Malaysia · Malta · Moldova · Montenegro
12th Global Residence and Citizenship Conference 4 – 6 November 2018 ∙ Dubai
Define your Future Philippines · Portugal · Singapore · South Africa · South Korea · St. Kitts and Nevis · St. Lucia · Switzerland · Thailand · United Kingdom · Vietnam
Contents Upfront 5
From the Editor
7
Contributors
8
News and Updates
12 Events
Columns 16
Kochenov The Growth of Citizenship and Decline of Duties
17
Brexit Future Mobility Arrangements
18
How to Optimize Your Estate Planning
19 Diogenes The Myth of Sisyphus
32
20 On Trend Luxury and Entertainment Spending Today
Opinions 24 The Rise of Instrumental Citizenship 26 The GDPR and the Right to Be Forgotten 28 Increasing Visa Liberalization Among African Nations 30 Halal Travel
Cover Story 32 Virtual Lifetimes: Immortality in the Digital World
34 2 | Global Citizenship Review
Country Review 34 Moldova: Powering Progress
Features 40 Interview Chiril Gaburici 42 Relocation in the Digital Age 44 Making a Case for Children’s Independent Travel
26
46 Moldova Reinvents Itself 48 The Promise of Blockchain and Safe Identity for Refugees 50 From Air to Ground: How Airlines Design for Business Class Luxury 52 A Time to Secede: Separatist Movements and the Search for Independence 55 A Guide to Investment Migration for Governments and Global Citizens
44
Global Life 58 Global Citizen Anja Ringgren Lovén 62 Property Trilogy • Limassol 64 Marco Polo Library Hotel • New York
52
66 Culinaria Le Chat-Botté • Geneva 67 Medicus Dr. Bernard Gersh 68 Books 72 Reflections Mahatma Gandhi
62
68 4 Quarter 2018 | 3 th
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UPFRONT
From the Editor
For Posterity
IMAGE: Henley & Partners
W
ith the fourth quarter well underway, we enter a period of introspection, recalling the triumphs and challenges of the year that is soon drawing to a close, and charting with resolve our course for the year that beckons. This reflective process tends to bring up questions of legacy and posterity, for which the concept of digital immortality — the focus of this issue — has profound implications. As we explore in the pages that follow, cutting-edge digital developments are today paving the way for a world in which the end of a person’s life is no longer the final page of their story. The sea change we are witnessing in the relationship between humanity and technology is being closely monitored and contained by parallel developments in legislation. Hendrik Seidel leads us in a discussion of how the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation in particular is fighting to protect our personal privacy in the face of our growing digital footprint. We spend time with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, who speaks to us about her new book, What the Eyes Don’t See. In it, the public health specialist skillfully tells the tale of the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, the effects of which on the health of local children Dr. Hanna-Attisha and her team documented in a groundbreaking and highly publicized study. Dr. Hanna-Attisha’s story gently reminds us of the value of effective, community-driven governance and of the contribution that every global citizen can make in shaping a more just world. Also in these pages is a review of this year’s Investment Migration Forum, in which I had the privilege of participating. The forum is an annual industry highlight, and this year’s gathering once again reiterated the importance of self-regulation among all industry stakeholders. As we continue to report unprecedented growth on both the demand and the supply side, proactively strengthening our own industry standards will be the key to our ongoing success. In this final edition of Global Citizenship Review for 2018, we are proud to shine a light on the Republic of Moldova, following the launch of its seminal citizenshipby-investment offering. The Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment program is a welcome addition to the investment migration landscape, and we eagerly await the far-reaching benefits that the program will generate for the country and its people. We wish the Government of Moldova great success with this endeavor. And to you, dear reader, I send my warmest season’s greetings, along with my trust that the year ahead — met with our enduring optimism and collective resilience — will be our best yet.
Dr. Christian H. Kaelin Editor in Chief
4th Quarter 2018 | 5
UPFRONT
Global Citizenship
Editor in Chief Dr. Christian H. Kaelin
Jim Rogers Singapore
Subscribe Visit globecit.com, or email subscriptions@gc-review.com
Managing Editor Janine Droux
Correspondents Jennifer Lai China and North Asia
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Senior Editor Monwabisi Mhlophe
Dominic Volek Southeast Asia
Publishing Designer Wade Hunkin
Dua Yassin Middle East
Editorial Board Ghada Alatrash Canada Laura Austin US Dr. Tony Gao China Nadine Goldfoot UK Prof. Dr. Christian Joppke Switzerland Dr. Parag Khanna Singapore
Polina Kuleshova Russia/CIS Mark Pihlens UK/Europe Andrew Taylor Africa Domenic Presutti North America
Feedback Comments and suggestions, praise, and criticism are welcome. Please write to editor@gc-review.com Publication information Global Citizenship Review (ISSN 25717944) is published quarterly by Ideos Publications Ltd., Zurich, Switzerland © 2018 Ideos Publications Ltd. This periodical and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright and applicable terms and conditions of the publisher.
Andrea St. Bernard Latin America/Caribbean Global Citizenship
4 th Quarter 2018
•
The Digital Identity Issue
Virtual Lifetimes Immortality in the Digital World
Prof. Dr. Dimitry Kochenov Netherlands Dr. Robert W. Kuipers Switzerland Marnin J. Michaels Switzerland Kamal Rahman UK
6 | Global Citizenship Review
The Growth of Citizenship and Decline of Duties 01 9 7 7 2 5 1 794008
The GDPR and the Right to Be Forgotten
ISSN 2571-7944 Published Quarterly
Making a Case for Children’s Independent Travel
UPFRONT
Contributors Prof. Dr. Dimitry Kochenov
Fazal Bahardeen
is Chair in EU Constitutional Law at
is Founder and CEO at CrescentRating
University of Groningen and Chairman
16
of the Investment Migration Council
30
Nadine Goldfoot
Anatol Cebotaru
is Partner at Fragomen Worldwide UK
is Managing Director of Europe at Gosselin Mobility
17
42 James Quarmby
Dr. Jessica Westman
is Partner and Head of Private Wealth
is Researcher at CTF, Service Research
at Stephenson Harwood LLP
Center, Karlstad University
44
18
24
Prof. Dr. Christian Joppke
Paola De Leo
is Executive Director of the Institute of
is Executive Director of Andan
Sociology and Professor of General
Foundation
Sociology at the University of Bern
48
Hendrik Seidel
Monique Morrow
is an Associate in the Germany office
is President and Co-founder of
of Baker McKenzie
The Humanized Internet
48
26 Ryan Cummings is Director of Signal Risk
28
Global Citizen
Interview Chiril Gaburici
Anja Ringgren Lovén
Minister of Economy and
Founder, DINNødhjælp
Infrastructure, Republic of Moldova
40
58
4th Quarter 2018 | 7
UPFRONT
News and Updates Growing Interest in Thai Residence Program The Thailand Elite residence program is enjoying continued growing interest, with March 2018 records indicating the highest ever number of approvals to date (over 150). Indeed, the year leading up to April 2018 saw a record 1,400 applications approved. According to residence and citizenship planning firm Henley & Partners, which is the global concessionaire for the Thailand Elite program: “The program went from attracting an average of 300 applications per year to securing over 900 on-boarded residents for the April to December 2017 period alone.” Launched in 2017, the Thailand Elite residence program is exemplary in its tailored offering to VIPs and discerning investors. It is the only one of its kind to offer members the most premium of VIP services and facilitations, such as an expedited passport control process, complimentary limousine transfers, personalized support services for contacting Thai government and business agencies, privileges at luxury hotels, spas, golf courses, and international hospitals throughout Thailand, and a multilingual 24-hour member contact center. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and a member of the Board of Directors of Thailand Privilege Card Company Ltd., describes the Thailand Elite program as “a core pillar of Thailand’s vision for sustainable and responsible tourism”.
At a glittering event held earlier this year, celebrated Italian chef Massimo Bottura’s Osteria Francescana was named the top restaurant in the world on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Located in the small city of Modena, Osteria Francescana is well known for dishes such as Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano — a delicately orchestrated meander through the region’s best cheeses — and a classic, but extra crispy, lasagna. Commonly referred to as “the Oscars of the food world”, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants describes the prize-winning restaurant as “combining nods to tradition with fierce modernity, philosophical conceptions with old-fashioned flavor, and warmth with daring”, which is likely acknowledgment of the Osteria Francescana team’s unique infusion of creative art elements into culinary concepts. Bottura’s eatery was ranked the second best restaurant in 2017 after dropping from first place in 2016. The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is a hotly contested ranking produced annually by William Reed Business Media, which is behind Restaurant magazine.
8 | Global Citizenship Review
IMAGE: Shutterstock
Italian Restaurant Tops World’s 50 Best Eateries
“On Madiba’s 100th birthday, we now stand at a crossroads. A moment in time at which two very different visions of humanity’s future compete for the hearts and the minds of citizens around the world. Two different stories, two different narratives about who we are and who we should be” Barack Obama delivering the Nelson Mandela lecture in South Africa in honor of the former statesman’s centenary birth celebration
Republic of Moldova Launches Citizenship-by-Investment Program The Republic of Moldova has made its debut on the investment migration landscape with the launch of its Moldova Citizenship-by-Investment (MCBI) program. Considered to be competitively priced for a European country with visafree access to the Schengen Area and an association agreement with the EU, the MCBI is well positioned to attract individuals and families seeking visa-free access to over 120 destinations. Current contribution amounts are EUR 135,000 for a single applicant, EUR 150,000 for a couple, EUR 180,000 for a family of up to four members, and EUR 190,000 for a family of five or more excluding government, passport, and other fees.
British Actor John Cleese Announces Move to the Caribbean In July this year, English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film producer John Cleese made public his decision to leave the UK and set up home in the Caribbean in protest of the “awful” debate surrounding Brexit. Announcing his move to St. Kitts and Nevis, Cleese said: “I’m leaving in November. I actually am leaving…I am so disappointed with so much about this country at the moment and I just think so much of this country is disappointing.” Among other frustrations, Cleese expressed frustration at mainstream media reporting about Brexit developments. The actor, of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame, spent some time in Nevis earlier this year, describing it as “one of the nicest islands I’ve ever been on”. IMAGES: Marco Longari/AFP/Getty Images; Shutterstock
IMAGE: Shutterstock
UPFRONT
Grenada Citizenship-by-Investment Program Update Despite consistent interest in recent years, the Grenada Citizenship-by-Investment Program is experiencing a decline in interest, with recent data revealing a drop in applications and revenue. This seems related to other Caribbean programs, such as those in St. Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda, reducing their investment requirement amounts, meaning the Grenada option, at EUR 350,000, sits at the higher end of the spectrum. Compared to the first half of 2017, the first half of 2018 saw a 15% drop in the total number of applications submitted. In addition, revenue generated from the real estate option is down by almost 30%. Combined with a 7% decrease in revenue generated from the National Transformation Fund, the second option through which applicants can obtain Grenadian citizenship, this Caribbean program has seen an overall loss of nearly 40%, almost USD 30 million in real terms.
4th Quarter 2018 | 9
UPFRONT
US Remains First Choice for Chinese HNWIs Considering Emigrating
Chinese Immigrants Index Scores
The Hurun Research Institute has released its Immigration and the Chinese HNWIs 2018 report, which reveals that, for the fourth consecutive year, the US is the first choice for Chinese high net worth individuals (HNWIs) considering a new home country. Among the main reasons cited for this is the quality of the country’s education system and “ease of adaptability”. Another favorite destination among HNW Chinese individuals is the UK, which gained in score to take second position. According to Rupert Hoogewerf, Chairman and Chief Researcher of Hurun Report: “Brexit has had little impact on Chinese entrepreneurs. At present, British property represents good value, with uncertainty over Brexit and the weakness of the pound making it relatively cheap.” The remainder of the top five comprises Ireland, Canada (which dropped by two positions), and Australia. Making their maiden appearances on the list, Greece is ranked sixth and Cyprus tenth. Citizenship-by-investment gold standard Malta is considered the ninth most popular destination to move to. Compiled in association with Chinese immigration brand Visas Consulting Group, the Immigration and the Chinese HNWIs 2018 report “explores the key questions regarding global asset allocation, immigration, and overseas property purchasing”. This year, the report focused on emerging immigration trends as noted among 224 Chinese HNWIs who have an average wealth of USD 4.5 million and who have recently emigrated or are in the process thereof. Of the respondents, 90% indicated that, despite having relocated or being soon to relocate, they “intend to live in China after retirement”.
9
2018 2017
8
Malta
Cyprus
Spain
Portugal
Greece
Canada
Australia
UK
Ireland
6
US
7
(Source: Investment Migration Insider, July 2018)
Montenegro Launches Citizenship-by-Investment Program As of October this year, the Montenegro citizenship-by-investment program will be in full operation — albeit for a limited duration of three years and for a maximum of 2,000 applicants from non-EU countries — as part of an effort by the Government of Montenegro to boost foreign direct investment and economic development. There are currently two routes through which potential applicants can invest: either EUR 250,000 “in one of the development projects previously approved by the Government in underdeveloped regions of Montenegro” or EUR 450,000 “in one of the development projects previously approved by the Government in the developed regions of Montenegro”. In addition, applicants will be charged application fees of maximum EUR 100,000.
Francesco Molinari’s success at this year’s British Open has launched him into golfing history, making him the first Italian to win a major championship. The 35-year-old London-based star outperformed strong competitors including the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and Xander Schauffele, the US champion for 2017. Molinari has had an impressive year, having won the BMW PGA Championship and coming in at second place at the Italian Open.
10 | Global Citizenship Review
IMAGE: Shutterstock
British Open Triumph Makes Francesco Molinari the First Italian to Win a Major Championship
IMAGE: Shutterstock
UPFRONT
Events
Widely regarded as the yachting capital of the world, Ford Lauderdale will play host to the 59th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show from 31 October to 4 November this year. Attracting over 110,000 boating enthusiasts from around the globe, this much-anticipated annual display showcases not only a variety of both vintage and cutting-edge boats and yachts but also an array of marine products and accessories. Covering a remarkable 3 million ft2 of exhibition space and 10 km of floating dock, this show will exhibit 1,500 boats over seven locations, making it the largest boat show in the world and sure to fuel the appetite of those passionate about the nautical lifestyle.
The 18th iteration of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival is set to feature a sundry of incredible literary talent from Canada, China, Japan, Pakistan, Singapore, the UK, the US, and Mexico. Founded in 2001, the Hong Kong International Literary Festival Limited — a non-profit, charitable literary arts organization — has crafted a festival that not only features established and emerging writers but also includes an enticing program of debates, readings, lectures, workshops, discussions, and literary lunches and dinners. Speakers in this year’s offering include the author of the highly successful novel Pachinko Min Jin Lee, Hiromi Kawakami, social commentator Lijia Zhang, and Ian Rankin (the best selling author of the Inspector Rebus and Detective Malcolm Fox novels).
12 | Global Citizenship Review
This November, residence and citizenship planning leader Henley & Partners will once again host its Global Residence and Citizenship Conference, this time in Dubai. The firm’s annual event has become the world’s largest and most significant conference on investment migration, recording commendable growth each year. Following the success of the 11th edition of the conference in Hong Kong last year, this year’s gathering — themed ‘Defining the Future of Citizenship’ — is expected to be even larger and more influential. In celebration of the conference’s 12th successful year, over 400 attendees — including a multitude of industry leaders, top-tier international service providers, and senior government officials — will share first-hand information on the latest developments in the rapidly growing industry of residence and citizenship planning.
IMAGES: Shutterstock; Elsie Sze
31 October–4 November Fort Lauderdale International Yacht Show US
2–11 November Hong Kong International Literary Festival Hong Kong
4–6 November 12th Global Residence and Citizenship Conference UAE
6–9 December Art Basel Miami Beach US
IMAGES: Art Basel; Shutterstock
IMAGES: Shutterstock; Elsie Sze
UPFRONT
With over 250 of the foremost galleries from Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America contributing to this year’s Art Basel Miami Beach, guests at this delightful — and incredibly inspiring — fair will enjoy the work of over 4,000 artists on display. The exclusive selection of artworks will feature not only established and highly acclaimed artists but also promising emerging names, making the Miami installation of Art Basel the ideal platform for collectors and art enthusiasts to observe new trends in the art world and stay abreast of the industry’s progression. The first two days are invitation-only vernissages.
9 January–31 December La Perle UAE In the heart of Dubai’s Al Habtoor city, Belgian theatre director Franco Dragone’s masterpiece La Perle plays twice a night in a state-of-the-art, custom-built theatre created for this marvel of a show. Viewers will be thrilled by the breathtaking perform ances of 65 world-leading performers gathered from 23 nations to showcase gravity-defying acrobatics, contortion acts, and other astonishing routines that will intrigue various senses simultaneously. As Dubai’s first resident show, La Perle captures the heart and spirit of the emirate city and will run for at least the next decade, thrilling and inspiring children and adults alike and contributing to the growing cultural and artistic dominance of this influential metropole.
25–27 January Snow Polo World Cup Switzerland In 1985, Snow Polo had its world premiere on the frozen lake of St. Moritz — a favorite Alpine holiday destination and two-time host city of the Winter Olympic Games. The world’s only high-goal tournament on snow takes place in the final week of January every year in the magnificent Swiss landscape. Bustling with social events under the snow-capped mountains of the Engadin valley, guests enjoy plenty of opportunities to mingle and network not only on the incredible lake but also in the first-class hotels of St. Moritz, all while teams battle it out in high-octane matches for the coveted Cartier trophy. Considered the social and sporting highlight of the polo season, the exceptional atmosphere of this famed event effortlessly draws polo enthusiasts from around the globe.
4th Quarter 2018 | 13
UPFRONT
30 September–4 October Oyster Regatta Palma Spain
Event Review
Investment Migration Forum 2018 10–14 October Frankfurt Book Fair Germany
16–25 November EFG London Jazz Festival UK
O
ver the course of 4 to 6 June, the Investment Migration Council (IMC) hosted its renowned Investment Migration Forum (IMF) — the world’s leading independent forum on investment migration. The annual three-day event, which was held at the Grand Hotel Kempinski in Geneva, Switzerland, again attracted over 300 academics, government officials (including the Prime Ministers of St. Lucia and St. Kitts and Nevis), media, and industry stakeholders from over 40 countries and provided exclusive insight into a
14 | Global Citizenship Review
variety of investment migration-related topics. This year the main focus was regulation and compliance in the investment migration industry, with informative panel discussions, forum sessions, and government roundtables providing ample opportunities to grapple with these important themes. The event attracted highly influential and vastly knowledgeable individuals such as Austin Fragomen (Chairman, Fragomen Worldwide, New York; Chairman of the Council for Global Immigration of the Society for Human Resource Management);
IMAGES: Oyster Yachts; Frieze London; Good e-Reader; Shutterstock; Investment Migration Council
3–7 October Frieze London UK
Opposite page: The annual Investment Migration Forum hosts a number of sessions at which attendees engage in discussions concerning the latest industry developments with influential stakeholders Above: CEO of the Investment Migration Council Bruno L’ecuyer
IMAGE: Investment Migration Council
IMAGES: Oyster Yachts; Frieze London; Good e-Reader; Shutterstock; Investment Migration Council
UPFRONT
Kristin Surak (Associate Professor of Politics, SOAS University of London); Laura Austin (Head of Investor Immigration Due Diligence, BDO); and James Swenson (Global Head of Proposition, Customer Screening, and Enhanced Due Diligence, Thomson Reuters). Key topics at the forum included ‘The Immigration Landscape Post Brexit’; ‘How Technology is Revolutionizing the Due Diligence Landscape’; ‘The Growing Market for Citizenship and Residence’; ‘Global Mobility, Tax Regime, and Planning Techniques’; ‘The Positive Impact of Programs’; ‘Current Migration Trends in China’; and ‘Residence and the Common Reporting Standard/Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act’. Reflecting on the program, Prof. Dr. Dimitry Kochenov, who is Chairman of the IMC, highlighted that the academic rigor of the content is what distinguishes the IMC’s gathering from other similar events, an indication of the council’s “resounding commitment to the intellectual enrichment of the industry”. Kochenov has confirmed that “two fundamental research papers have already been accepted for publication as a result of the academic meeting preceding the forum”.
One of the keynote speakers at the event, Editor in Chief of Global Citizenship Review and Group Chairman of Henley & Partners Dr. Christian Kaelin shared some insightful observations concerning the longevity of the investment migration industry, stating that “the concept of global citizenship has become the new cultural norm and investment migration is here to stay”. On the issue of regulation, Dr. Kaelin opined: “The level of self-regulation that has already taken place is significant for an emerging industry such as ours and is to be applauded, but I think we are set to see regulation becoming one of the major focuses going forward.” Indeed, the benefits of a more stringent industry extend to both service providers and potential applicants. “Regulation builds trust and confidence with major partners, especially with financial institutions, and it will serve to make all our operations much smoother and more secure over the long term,” Kaelin concluded. The next edition of the forum will be held from 3 to 5 June 2019. To register, visit investmentmigrationforum. org/registration/
4th Quarter 2018 | 15
COLUMNS
Kochenov
The Growth of Citizenship and Decline of Duties Prof. Dr. Dimitry Kochenov, Chair in EU Constitutional Law, University of Groningen, Netherlands; Chairman, Investment Migration Council, Switzerland In the majority of liberal democratic jurisdictions there is no conscription, no more citizenship-based taxation, and no more harassment of dual nationals, to give just a few examples. As long as the duties and the civic virtues promoted by any state are necessarily designed to quash the recognition of minority groups in society (and sometimes even majority groups, as was the case with women all around the world and Black people in South Africa), any arguments for their goodness and necessity fail to tell the whole truth, stopping at the retelling of the ideological mantras of the unity of demos and political community, as polished as they are comfortable, and ignoring the functions of such duties in the actual societies on the ground. It is a most-welcome development that citizenship is no longer centered on duties, thus becoming less totalitarian, more inclusive, and forward-looking. Truly, 19th century scholars would find it most surprising and counterintuitive that full citizenship, including a package of rights associated therewith, is attainable without conscription and sacrifice, let alone extended to the legally ‘unfit’ who cannot be conscripted at all — for instance, women and/or minorities. With the waning away of the need to rationalize discrimination and de facto inequalities within the de jure status of equals, which seems to be the key function with which the duties of citizenship have traditionally been endowed, the modern state certainly lost some of its stakes in the grand citizenship narrative of egalité, liberté, and fraternité for the very select few on the pre-set terms of goodness that have to be shared by all at gunpoint. The full paper on ‘The Citizenship of Personal Circumstances in Europe’, EUI Department of Law Research Paper No. 2017/07, is available at cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/46005/ LAW_2017_07.pdf?sequence=
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IMAGE: Supplied
T
he gradual extension of the scope of those enjoying the rights of citizenship among the actual bearers of the status is a well-known story of women, indigenous peoples, and other minorities. The gradual extension of those enjoying the status of citizenship in full is the story of the ‘coloreds’ “unfit for citizenship”, of migrants, and of colonial subjects. Once it became unacceptable not to extend the rights of citizenship to settled minority categories, not allowing them to pass on citizenship became obviously problematized, just like the right of other minorities to enjoy access to the status as such. As the gap between the scope of nominal citizens and the scope of citizens with citizenship rights was drastically diminishing (women were granted the right to vote and pass on their citizenship status to their descendants, for instance), coupled with the extension of the status of citizenship to formerly excluded minority groups (think of the extension of full Australian citizenship to Aboriginals, for instance), the ideological distinction between citizens and non-citizens in a society expectedly came to be problematized and contested, bringing about the increasing extension of rights, coupled with a grant of a (theoretical) possibility of acquiring citizenship status to any settled resident of any modern liberal democratic state. Crucially, and inseparably from the story of status and rights, the same evolution affected citizenship duties too. Traditionally the main vehicle of transposition of purely legal truths into the reality of day-to-day lives through coercion, mass schooling, and conscription, duties of citizenship are undergoing an astonishingly speedy recess in the majority of liberal democratic jurisdictions around the globe, as forging a good citizen — that is, punishing those who deviate from the legal truth enforced by teachers, the army, and the police (and, crucially, the complacency of the well-meaning, law-abiding masses) — is no longer a defensible task of the state.
Brexit
Future Mobility Arrangements Nadine Goldfoot, Partner, Fragomen Worldwide, UK
T
here have been significant developments since the last update in terms of both clarity on the position for UK nationals in the EU and EU nationals in the UK and general progress of negotiations on a Withdrawal Agreement to govern the terms of the UK’s departure from the EU.
The Settlement Scheme
IMAGES: Supplied; Shutterstock
IMAGE: Supplied
COLUMNS
The European Commission and the UK agreed in March that free-movement rights would continue during the Brexit transition period. On 21 June 2018, Secretary of State Sajid Javid MP announced a policy to grant settled and pre-settled status to EU migrants in the UK prior to the end of the transition — that is, EU nationals and their family members living in the UK before midnight on 31 December 2020. Under the scheme, individuals must register their status. Those with five years of continuous residence will be able to apply for settled status. Those who have not been in the UK for five years by that date will be able to apply for a bridging pre-settled status, until they meet the five years required for settlement. Family members in the UK will be able to apply under the scheme, and close family members living overseas will still be able to join an EU citizen resident in the UK after the transition period, where the relationship existed on 31 December 2020 and continues to exist when the person wishes to come to the UK. The online application process is set to be short, simple, and user-friendly, with a nominal cost (a maximum of GBP 65 per person). In most cases, applicants will be asked to confirm their identity and continuous residence in the UK and criminal conviction checking will be undertaken. The Home Office has said that they are expecting to grant the vast majority of applications, with refusals most likely to be in cases of serious and/or persistent criminality.
The Mobility Framework Looking now beyond the transition period, on 6 July 2018 the UK government issued a statement outlining its vision for a
future relationship with the EU, suggesting that the new relationship would include a mobility framework so that UK and EU citizens can continue to travel to one another’s territories and apply for study and work permits (similar to what the UK may offer other close trading partners in the future). This was followed on 12 July 2018 by a white paper setting out an overview of the UK’s vision for these future mobility arrangements. The paper states that the UK would seek reciprocal agreements that would allow UK nationals to visit the EU without a visa for short-term business reasons and equivalent arrangements for EU citizens coming to the UK. Similar to the current business visitor provisions, this would only permit paid work in limited and clearly defined circumstances. There will also be discussions on how to facilitate the temporary mobility of investors, among others (posted workers, scientists and researchers, and self-employed professionals). Similar to the proposals for short-term business visitors, the UK will also seek to allow EU national tourists to the UK to enter without a visa and vice versa through reciprocal provisions. The paper confirms that a detailed immigration system post Brexit will be formalized in a future white paper and immigration bill that will be consistent with the UK government’s intention to end free movement in the UK.
Progress of Negotiations and Impact on Settlement Scheme While the settlement scheme is a positive development and good news for those impacted, the extensive reporting of a potential no-deal Brexit has caused worry among UK and EU nationals living therein. The Secretary of State has sought to reassure EU nationals that they will not be asked to leave the UK even if no withdrawal agreement can be reached by 29 March 2019.
COLUMNS
How to
Optimize Your Estate Planning James Quarmby, Partner and Head of Private Wealth, Stephenson Harwood LLP, UK
18 | Global Citizenship Review
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state planning is a complex and, at times, contra process can be a real problem: it is slow, expensive, and dictory concept. Many high-net-worth clients spend subject to public scrutiny. three-quarters of their lives building up their wealth As a consequence, private client lawyers use various and then, finally comfortable with their financial position methods to both simplify the succession process and reduce and place in the world, spend the remaining quarter trying the tax burden for their clients on death. to give it away. One tried and tested method is to use a trust to hold the However, for this type of client, giving up control over assets in question, often with the client acting as trustee their hard-earned wealth is not easy. On the one hand, they during his or her lifetime. In this way, the desire to control want to remove valuable assets from their taxable estate, is duly satisfied. On death, the beneficiaries will be able to but on the other hand, they want to retain control. The benefit from the assets in the trust and probate is generally reasons for this are complex: sometimes it’s difficult to cede not required. Set up correctly, such trusts can substantially control after a lifetime of being in reduce — or even eliminate — death control; other times it is because the duties. However, not all countries intended beneficiary is not considered In this globalized world, recognize trusts, meaning this is only trustworthy enough to deal with the really an option for Commonwealth it is not uncommon for a wealth in an appropriate way. This countries and the US. For civil law is nearly always an issue when the countries, which is basically the rest client’s estate to straddle beneficiaries are children or young of the world, alternative strategies numerous jurisdictions adults; nevertheless, it can be an issue have to be employed. For instance, for older beneficiaries too. Often, clients can use companies or civil law the perceived threat comes not from foundations — a kind of company/ the beneficiary but their spouse, with the concern here trust hybrid — to avoid probate and assist succession. being that money intended for the bloodline could be Of course, one really straightforward method of dissipated upon divorce. reducing your estate and avoiding probate is to simply You then need to add to this mix the effect of succession give your assets away to your children or grandchildren law upon any estate planning exercise. In this globalized during your lifetime. However, some countries, such as world, it is not uncommon for a client’s estate to straddle Germany and Spain, impose taxes on lifetime gifts, so numerous jurisdictions. Consider, for example, a US citizen one would need to check this before making any gifts. living in the UK with his Norwegian wife and their two Other countries, like the UK, do not impose gift taxes but children born in the UK. The client and his wife have will impose capital gains tax if the asset you are giving properties in the UK, US, and Norway and they have bank away is pregnant with capital gain. This is because under accounts in all three countries plus Switzerland. Each of UK law a gift is treated as if it were a sale of the asset at these countries will apply their own succession laws in market value. the event that the client dies, and it could be the case that Estate planning can be a confusing maze, but it is one probate will need to be applied for in all four countries worth navigating through, as the reward for the people you upon death. In some countries, such as the US, the probate leave behind after your death can be substantial.
Diogenes
The Myth of Sisyphus
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ndless and toilsome work is often called a Sisyphean task. According to Greek mythology, particularly intelligent and inventive people who, due to their extraordinary capabilities, managed to acquire knowledge and privileges previously enjoyed only by the gods were punished by the Olympian immortals, who jealously strived to keep their secret knowledge for themselves. They had to suffer because they were rich in spirit. According to Christian gospel, those poor in spirit are blessed. The gods were afraid that the human imagination would make people stop worshiping them as soon as those poor in spirit could somehow attain the knowledge of the gods and thus become independent of their influence. Of the exceptionally capable heroes mentioned in the ancient world, three of them — Prometheus, Tantalus, and Sisyphus — deserve special consideration. Not only did Prometheus teach the desperate and ignorant how to prepare ointments to heal wounds and how to build firm houses, but he also stole fire from the gods and gave it to his wretched fellow men. For his unique contribution to the development of human self-confidence, Prometheus was severely punished by the now-weakened gods. That Tantalus was the son of the highest god himself did not protect him from a similar fate. Being the son of Zeus, Tantalus enjoyed the hospitality of the Olympians and was often invited to dine with them. However, he betrayed their hospitality and stole ambrosia and nectar, their divine food and beverage, which were believed to grant immortality. Tantalus offered the stolen goods to his friends merely to impress them, divulging what was exclusively reserved for the divine to mortals. Upon discovery of his treacherous deeds, Tantalus’ mighty father destroyed him, banishing him to Hades forever where he would suffer extreme hunger and thirst. Despite their fates, both Prometheus and Tantalus brought about some fundamental changes in the development of humankind. Prometheus helped people enjoy a more
comfortable life, while Tantalus ignited in them a yearning for immortality. The Promethean genius has become so deeply implanted in our human nature that we cannot imagine a life without numerous facilities that not only enable us to, but also make us, live the convenient lives we enjoy today. That same Promethean genius has granted us the knowledge that, sometime in the future, our sun — the source of life — will cease to produce enough energy and thus cause the end of all creatures that creep and fly. This knowledge has instigated in some of humankind the feeling that it is of little sense to give birth to children, and thus ensure the continuation of life, because the end of humankind is known. Few people believe that this idea is likely the main reason why the developed world, with its advanced scientific institutions and knowledge, is dying out. What we have received from Tantalus is the desire to live forever and, naturally, enjoy the comfort created by the Promethean genius. In that yearned-for state of eternal health and youth, no children — no new generation — would be necessary. However, for the armies of very capable people who spend their lives in laboratories all around the world trying to develop a magical supplement that can grant us eternal youth, it is traumatizing to realize that such a drug simply cannot be made. Despite their best efforts, all they manage to achieve is prolonged old age, the least desirable part of the life cycle often characterized by great physical difficulty and emotional distress. What the two great mythological heroes endowed us with can be summarized in a few words: Prometheus has implanted into our consciousness the belief that the human genius can make us godlike, and Tantalus has sparked in us the desire to enjoy everything as the gods did. Sisyphus, who was particularly cunning, reminds us that, each time the stone rolls down, the old generation is gone. The new generation can start the futile business again. Sisyphus was particularly cunning indeed.
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On Trend
Luxury and Entertainment Spending Today
One of the highest sales for jewelry in history was recorded in 2017 when jeweler Chow Tai Fook purchased the 59.6 carat ‘Pink Star’ diamond for USD 71 million.
Both domestic and internationally based Chinese consumers continue to dominate the luxury spending space, accounting for 70% of increased spending in this sphere. – True-Luxury Global Consumer Insight 2018 report by The Boston Consulting Group and Altagamma.
According to Luxury Daily State of Luxury 2018, the leading market for luxury goods and services marketers is North America, followed by Western Europe, the UK (including Ireland and Scotland), the Middle East, and China and Hong Kong.
The personal luxury goods market grew by about 5% in 2017 to reach EUR 262 billion globally, as reported in global man agement consultancy Bain & Com pany’s 16th edition of the Bain Luxury Study.
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ccording to Bain & Company’s report titled The New Luxury Consumer: Why Responding to the Millennial Mindset Will Be Key, in 2017, the luxury market grew by 5% to an estimated USD 1.4 trillion globally. Today, sales of luxury cars continue to dominate the market, increasing by 6% to reach USD 572 billion in total. While the sale of prime real estate continues to be the core focus of high net worth individuals (HNWIs), the purchase of goods such as art and wine is a fast-growing luxury. Furthermore, luxury experiences remain very attractive to consumers, as illustrated by sales of luxury cruises, which are up by an impressive 14%.
Not Putting on the Brakes Despite being outperformed by other goods annually, luxury car purchases have remained a core activity for HNWIs over the last decade. As reported by Top Classic Car Auctions, in 2018 this was highlighted by two exceptional classic car purchases, with a 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato selling for USD 13.3 million at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed, becoming the biggest purchase for a British-made car at a public auction. Another record was set when a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB Speciale sold for USD 8 million at the Gooding
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Scottsdale 2018 sale. It was also the highest price paid for any car at the classic car auction series. Similarly, new commercial vehicles are not putting on the brakes, despite growing public and regulatory pressure seeking to curb carbon emissions. Globally successful luxury-car brand Mercedes-Benz posted its highest sales ever in the first quarter of 2018, with deliveries of the GLC crossover increasing by 33% and the revised flagship S-Class posting a 29% gain. The performance of the German car brand is closely followed by BMW, Lexus, and Jaguar Land Rover, which have all achieved positive sales records over the last year. In the last decade, cars, wine, and coins were the fastest growing assets, at 334%, 192%, and 126% respectively, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index Q4 2017. These trends, however, are changing with more attractive assets filling HNWIs’ cellars and decorating walls in recent years.
Art for Art’s Sake In late 2017, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism spent USD 450 million at an auction in New York on Leonardo da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi painting. Recorded as the most expensive auction art piece ever, the purchase demonstrates
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the massive interest in art in recent years. According to Knight Frank’s survey, top reasons for buying luxury investments include the “joy of ownership”, which dwarfs “capital appreciation”, “safe haven for capital”, “investment portfolio diversification”, and “status among peers”. Along with art, wine and watches were the fastest growing goods in the last quarter of 2017, with respective increases of 21%, 11%, and 7% over 12 months. In fact, real estate consultancy Knight Frank’s index recorded a 7% increase in total luxury spending last year, similar to figures from Bain & Company. Japanese entrepreneur and billionaire Yusaku Maezawa turned heads when he bought Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Untitled for a staggering USD 110.4 million, with the artist unseating Andy Warhol as the most expensive American artist at auction. The grand interest in art seems to have continued well into 2018, with Modigliani’s Nu couché (sur le côté gauche), a piece from his series of nude paintings, selling for USD 157.2 million at international auction house Sotheby’s in May. Picasso’s Young Girl with a Flower Basket went for a cool USD 115 million at Christie’s that same month. Another milestone in the art world was reached with the USD 140.8 million purchase of Qi Baishi’s Twelve Landscape Screens, making it the most expensive purchase in Chinese history. This momentous purchase took place against the backdrop of Chinese luxury spending that increased by a staggering 32% in 2017. European sales grew by 6%, those in Japan by 4%, and those in North and South America by only 2%. In 2017,
Above: Mercedes-Benz is enjoying impressive performance of GLC sales globally, with Q1 sales of the crossover model recorded as the highest ever to date
Knight Frank found that luxury residential market prices increased by 2.1% in 2017, compared with 1.4% in 2016. The Chinese city of Guangzhou leads the rankings, with prime prices up by over 27%. South African coastal city Cape Town came in second at 19.9% followed by Aspen at 19% and Amsterdam at 15%. Guangzhou’s prices continue to increase due to its relative affordability, with prices averaging 70,000 yuan/m 2 , compared with 120,000 yuan in Shanghai. Cape Town’s luxury residential market outperformed the city’s wider mainstream market by some margin. The area near Table Mountain, the luxury including the Atlantic Seaboard and market grew by 5% Wine Not? City Bowl, attracted strong inward Besides equity investments, commer migration from other parts of South to an estimated cial real estate remained a favored Africa, adding to already significant USD 1.4 trillion globally asset class for global investors during foreign buying activity. 2017, with transaction volumes robust Aside from real estate, however, at USD 840 billion and above-average another top attraction for luxury returns recorded across many sectors and markets, as spending is wine, both as an investment and for consumption. reported by Knight Frank. The firm notes that the appetite If a decade ago you had allocated USD 100,000 to Cult for property continues to increase globally. In 2017, it Wines, a UK-based wine portfolio manager, your asset emerged that Hong Kong investor Samuel Tak Lee, whose would have returned an average of 13% annually. This portfolio includes the 14-acre Langham Estate in central was noted by a Bloomberg report in July 2018, titled London, had increased his share of Shaftesbury, a real Investing in Fine Wine Is More Lucrative Than Ever, estate business listed on the London Stock Exchange. The lauding the “drinkable asset” as a finer investment than rise of Pontegadea Real Estate, a multibillion-dollar ever before. In 2018, Sotheby’s sold USD 64 million in portfolio assembled by Inditex founder Amancio Ortega, wine, with about 80% going to private collectors who shows that this can be done with speed and at scale. intend to imbibe their purchase someday and 20%
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to investors. Most notably, a 12-bottle case of Henri Jayer 1990 Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux sold for USD 156,825 in late 2017. Interestingly, according to the Credit Suisse Global Investment Returns Yearbook 2018, over the past 118 years an investment in wine generated an average annual return of 3.7%, with only stocks and cars performing better, although the latter, of course, were not around for a large part of the past century.
Beyond Goods and Borders While commercial real estate in cities remains a hot topic for ultra-wealthy spenders, much of the prime real estate is afloat at sea. Figures from Bloomberg in 2017 indicate that private condos in cruise ships go for USD 4,285/ft2 to USD 6,200/ft2. This is more expensive than the average price per square foot of luxury homes in Hong Kong, London, and New York, according to figures from the Christie’s 2017 report on luxury residential real estate. The largest private residential ship on the planet, The World, is home to only 165 residences and boasts a USD 10.5 million three-bedroom unit whose trappings include a Macassar Ebony wet bar. As of September 2017, its annual ownership costs were nearly USD 900,000. The cruise ship travels between Antarctica, Africa, and Brazil, among many other routes, and is part of a growing trend of luxury cruises with sales increasing by an impressive 14% in 2017, according to Bain & Company’s report. Over and above goods purchases, HNWI spending naturally gravitates toward travel, lifestyle, and experiences.
The Boston Consulting Group’s report, titled Shock of the New Chic: Dealing with New Complexity in the Business of Luxury, estimated that consumers spend more than USD 1.8 trillion worldwide annually on items they defined as luxuries such as clothes and jewelry. At the same time, nearly USD 1 trillion was spent on luxury experiences, which ranged from dining at five-star restaurants to exotic vacation travel. It should come as no surprise, then, that luxury hotel brands such as Ritz-Carlton are entering the cruise industry with exclusivity and innovation. As part of the newly minted The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, the five-star hotel brand will launch three small, ultra-luxury ships with laid-back itineraries and spacious, open-concept design schemes that flip the traditional cruise experience on its head. The cruise experiences give guests a variety of leisure options, from snorkeling and mountain biking to private museum tours and helicopter trips. Knight Frank revealed that while private jets remain relatively flat, the superyacht market is also recording growth, driven by the US, with HNWIs owning a total of 407 (Russians 168 and Greeks 107). Naturally, HNWIs are increasingly taking advantage of the most exclusive experiences they can get their hands on. US-based company Orion Span even aims to open its space hotel, aptly named the Aurora Station, in late 2021. Reservation deposits for one of four suites are currently pegged at USD 80,000, and the cost of a 12-day itinerary begins at USD 9.5 million, opening an entirely novel arena for luxury and entertainment options.
Above: Voyages aboard The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will begin in 2020, with options ranging between seven and ten nights. An array of “personalized services and elevated dining and luxury amenities” will be available to guests. Reservations opened in June
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IMAGES: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
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IMAGES: The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
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Gran Hotel Son Net — where luxury meets history Open all year for guests to enjoy an authentic escape and experience. The 31-bedroom hotel is also available for exclusive hire and offers privacy and elegance. Castillo Son Net s/n, 07194 Mallorca, Spain www.sonnet.es | sales@sonnet.es
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OPINIONS
The Rise of Instrumental Citizenship Prof. Dr. Christian Joppke, Executive Director of the Institute of Sociology and Professor of General Sociology at the University of Bern, Switzerland
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itizenship-by-investment is part of a larger trend This is a mere fraction of the miniscule 3% in the world toward ‘instrumental citizenship’, in which who, technically, are on the move. citizenship loses its nationalist, state-sanctifying Importantly, for the sedentary majority, citizenship is aura and becomes a mundane tool of strategic individuals never an issue — they live their lives without ever showing around the world, incidentally rich and poor, that enables a passport, except if they have the means to vacation in them to pursue their interests. A second example of this exotic places. The great Austrian lawyer Hans Kelsen once trend is ‘external citizenship’, in which people who no observed that citizenship is “of greater importance in the longer live in the state of their ancestry retain or actively relations between the States than within a State”. This is as acquire the citizenship of their parents or grandparents true now as it was in the 1940s, had not the fact of migration as a form of insurance in case things go wrong in their blurred the lines of the foreign–domestic binary. In its forcountry of residence. Many contemporary Israelis are in mative inter-state context, citizenship is merely a mechanism this category, as are scores of nominal Italians in Argentina, of attributing people to states, and it lacks the layer of “metaand others. A third example is EU citizenship, which is a physical thinking” that it tends to adopt in domestic settings post-national citizenship without duties and loyalties that (to speak of another great constitutional lawyer, Alexander has ‘instrumentalism’ written Bickel). Realism is, not by accion its forehead in terms of free dent, the classic paradigm of inCitizenship-by-investment movement rights. ternational relations. By definiPolitical theorists and philostion, instrumental citizenship is is part of a larger trend toward ophers, who are accustomed to what citizenship is in this domain, seeing citizenship through the both for states, which have always ‘instrumental citizenship’ Greek lenses of virtue and parused this mechanism to further ticipation, have dreaded this their interests, and — and this is trend but they conveniently overlook the evidence that the novelty — increasingly for individuals. there has always been a competing tradition of Roman Indeed, that citizenship appears to us in this denuded rights-providing citizenship with much thinner connotaform is historically new. Certainly, each of the types of tions of identity. instrumental citizenship grow out of a specific context, Why is instrumental citizenship becoming so prominent not to be confused with the others. Yet there are significant now? At one level, it reflects the parting of ways of citizenship communalities. Citizenship-by-investment is the state’s status and citizenship identity that inevitably follows from mimicking of the market, which has otherwise greatly the fact of international migration. As almost 97% of the diminished the state’s authority by privatizing everything world’s population continue to live and die in their countries — the selling and buying of citizenship is surely of birth, instrumental citizenship concerns only a tiny neoliberalism’s biggest imprint on the citizenship construct. minority — those wealthy enough to buy a citizenship of By contrast, the instrumentalism connected with external their choice (if they are born with one that impairs mobility), citizenship is the ironic flipside of the state’s (trans)nationalist the (remote) descendants of emigrants, and the few mobile assertiveness in Eastern Europe and elsewhere where the European movers, to mention only the three typical cases. privileged access to citizenship for putative co-nationals
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OPINIONS
abroad has become a national priority. As for citizenshipby-investment, external citizenship is enabled by contemporary globalization, yet in a different key and direction. EU citizenship, furthermore, grows out of a historically unique project of regional integration on a continent ravaged by war twice during its short 20th century, while still partaking in a general trend toward the lightening of citizenship in liberal societies. Accordingly, the increasing internationalization that goes by the name of globalization is a significant communality of all three citizenship developments. The most important communality yet is the centrality of the individual and the slighting of the concerns of the community. Citizenship has always combined an individual with a collective element, but the novelty is the decided shifting of the balance toward the individual. It may be too strong to depict citizenship as evolving from “contingent” to “sovereign”, as the French historian Patrick Weil thinks it is, particularly if one considers an opposite trend toward citizenship stripping in the context of toughened-up anti-terrorism laws. The latter is a sober reminder that citizenship itself is not a right or “right to have rights”, as the German-Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt famously argued during the 20th century’s darkest hour, and it is not the property of the individual — every passport bears the imprint that it is the property of the passport-issuing state, and thus not of the individual who carries it. Citizenship is, however, still part of a general trend toward legal individualism in liberal societies. Well into the 1960s, a major function of law had been the protection of corporate entities such as family, nation, even God, the latter in the form of blasphemy laws. That this is no longer the case can be seen when looking at the laws regulating
sex. American sociologist David Franck, who studied their development in no less than 194 countries, detected a general process of individualization, whereby persons become “disembedded from families, nations, and other corporate bodies, and…re-rendered…as autonomous, empowered actors”. The same individualizing process has long been observed in other branches of the law, such as family law, and, of course, there is the dying species of blasphemy law. In most countries, treason as a crime that only citizens could commit has disappeared and been replaced by sedition laws that are indifferent to citizen status. This reflects a weakening of the exclusive, loyaltycommanding nexus between citizen and nation-state. A century ago, Emile Durkheim declared the “human person” the subject of a new “religion in which man is at once the worshipper and the god”. In the meantime, the reach of individualism has greatly expanded, though in the direction of undermining the transcendence of state and community that Durkheim had not foreseen and would not have condoned. This is the wave (or should we call it a tsunami?) on which instrumental citizenship is riding. States, to repeat, have always been strategists in matters of citizenship. And nationalism is often not the opposite but the very content of these strategies, as in the contemporary forms of state (trans)nationalism that enable external citizenship, but also in the utilization of symbolically upgraded citizenship for containing immigrant diversity, which is happening in almost every European country today. The novelty is to see individuals, and not only states, as citizenship strategists too. This should be welcomed as a further step in the demystification of states and empowerment of individuals.
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OPINIONS
The GDPR and the Right to Be Forgotten
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s of 25 May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) directly applies to all EU member states, aiming to (1) provide a unified high standard of data protection for individuals in the EU and (2) embrace businesses by replacing the patchwork carpet of 28 national data protection laws with a single catalog of rules. Not least because of the dramatically increased fines of up to the higher of EUR 20 million or 4% of worldwide annual turnover, data protection has finally made its way directly to board level. The GDPR combines existing principles (such as data minimization and purpose limitation) and new ideas (such as the concept of privacy by design and privacy by default, setting data protection considerations also at the development phase of new technologies and requiring the most data-protection-friendly pre-settings). Further, the GDPR has significant transparency requirements, bringing with it the challenge of comprehensively informing data subjects about data processing while at the same time trying to avoid information fatigue. Although an EU legislative act, the GDPR is seen by some as globally applicable. In fact, it may already apply if the EU market is targeted, that is, by offering goods or services to individuals in the EU (not necessarily EU nationals) or monitoring their behavior in the EU, even if a company does not even have an establishment (which could be an office but has to be assessed in each individual case) in the EU. As a side note, to date there is no official guidance on how to interpret this extraterritorial applicability of the GDPR clearly, leaving legal uncertainties to non-EU businesses with any kind of relation to the EU. A large part of the GDPR focuses on the rights of data subjects, most of which already existed in pre-GDPR times. In the GDPR, these rights are largely being reshaped and strengthened, whereas one specific right might be of particular interest, especially for individuals with a certain
exposure to the public: The right to be forgotten (Article 17 GDPR), which is an extended right to have data deleted in certain scenarios. The right to be forgotten is supposed to support an autonomous development of individuals’ lives without being stigmatized by a specific action performed in the past that is still digitally available online to the public. Before the internet even existed, people who made mistakes — from embarrassing pictures to other wrongdoings — that ended up in the news eventually benefitted from natural human oblivion, as (mis)conducts usually slipped out of the public consciousness. Nowadays, even little misdemeanors may continue to appear on the results pages of search engines forever and may fundamentally hinder the personality development of the affected persons due to public stigma.
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Hendrik Seidel, Associate, Baker McKenzie, Germany
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The Rise of the Right to Be Forgotten
A list of exceptions to both prior steps marks the third In 2014, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), the highest step, as almost no right is granted unconditionally. Hence, court in the EU, legally solidified the right to be forgotten the data subject is forced to accept that its data will remain when it decided that European citizens may in some cases out there if there are more protection-worthy opposing have the right to request a delinking of certain hyperlinks interests, for example freedom of expression and in search results provided by search engines. In the case at information, legal obligations, or public health. However, hand, a Spanish data subject had experienced financial the opposing interests must always be weighed in each difficulties in the past, stories about which had found their individual scenario. way into an online newspaper. He requested Google to stop A vivid example of such weighing has recently been given linking to these articles in its search results. The ECJ held by the European Court of Human Rights, when it decided that search engines have an obligation to remove links to between the right to personality and the public interest in personal data that are inadequate, irrelevant, no longer being reasonably informed about major events, such as capital relevant, or excessive. Since this landmark ruling, Google crimes. Although the Court, not being an EU institution, has, so far, delisted 44% of 2.6 million URL removal requests, does not rule under EU law (including the GDPR), it held according to its newest transparency report. Almost 90% of that the applicants, even after their release from prison many those removal requests originate from private individuals, years after being sentenced for the murder of a famous whereas 1.4% of the requests come from public figures (such German actor, have no right to have relevant media coverage as prominent people). deleted from various online However, even if Google archives. The fact that the deletes the link from its search applicants, while being in prison, The concept of the right to results, the original information approached the media themselves be forgotten is also emerging continues to exist and could be to reach a reopening of the trial further accessed (for example and therefore deliberately caused in other regions of the world, through the original URL, or by even more media coverage did other search engines or social push the right to be forgotten such as Asia, with courts in media sharing). even further away in the eyes of Japan quite actively defining its the judges.
Exercising the Right to Be Forgotten
shape and relevant guidelines being released in South Korea
With the tailwind of the ECJ ruling, EU lawmakers poured an even stronger version of this “right to erasure” (as its official term) into the GDPR in the shape of a three-step right (Article 17 (1)–(3) GDPR). As a first step, data subjects may request the deletion of their personal data from the data controller (for example the operator of the relevant website), choosing from a list of reasons for erasure. This list generally covers cases where data processing changed from being initially lawful to unlawful, such as when the processing purpose has ceased to exist or the data subject has revoked its consent. The actual right to be forgotten is introduced in the second step. If the data controller has made public the data concerned, it has to inform other data controllers processing this data about the relevant request to be forgotten. What appears to be a strong sword for data subjects rather proves to be a toothless tiger as the data controller shall only take “reasonable steps” to approach other data controllers in that regard.
The Right to Be Forgotten as an International Human Right
The concept of the right to be forgotten is also emerging in other regions of the world, such as Asia, with courts in Japan quite actively defining its shape and relevant guidelines being released in South Korea. In the US, legislative initiatives face some resistance as, for historical reasons, freedom of expression is of particular importance (according to the First Amendment) and potential censorship by implementing such a right is feared. However, with this concept gaining more acceptance throughout the world, one day the right to be forgotten may be seen as an international human right, as already discussed by some today. Under the GDPR, the internet may indeed be written in pencil, and not ink, in some cases. However, a thin line between conflicting interests must always be drawn in each case. Nonetheless, the right to be forgotten under the GDPR fulfils an important function in a digitized world and may help avail individuals of greater and faster justice.
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OPINIONS
Increasing Visa Liberalization Among African Nations
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ggregately, sub-Saharan Africa remains a relatively poor performer on the Henley Passport Index, with the 2018 year-to-date ranking indicating an overall decline in the strength of the African passport. In fact, the African continent accounts for the majority of the countries whose rank has decreased over the past decade, whereas trends in all other geopolitical regions’ measures have been positive or remained relatively stable. Driving the relative depreciation of Africa’s passport power are increasing levels of political instability, economic destitution, and a proliferation of terrorist activity and organised crime, which are inhibiting freedom of movement for passport holders from several African states. Nonetheless, while the current trend may indeed be negative, there is room for optimism amid a wave of democratization sweeping through the continent, optimistically prompting the return of former pariah states within the global socio-economic and political paradigm. Moreover, in line with the mandate of the African Union, several member states are also actively opening their borders to one another in a bid to ease the movement of goods, people, and investment across a continent that is striving to become increasingly selfsufficient and self-promoting. Among the African countries that are experiencing a reduction in the travel freedom associated with their passports is South Africa. Since reaching its highest rank of 35th globally in both the 2008 and 2009 Henley Passport Index listings, South Africa has dropped 15 places, now occupying 50 th place overall. Driving the downward spiral are concerns over the unlawful replication of South African passport documents, with replication often abetted by corrupt officials within the Department of Home Affairs. These concerns saw visa regulations being enforced by several countries, including
the UK and Colombia. The decline of South Africa’s passport power has come at a particularly challenging economic period for the country, where recent political uncertainty, large-scale corruption, and ambiguous policy have culminated in sluggish economic growth and concerns over possible devestment. However, the implementation of widespread reforms by the Department of Home Affairs since 2014 — focused on improving security features both in the application process and within the passport document itself — is expected to enhance confidence in the South African passport and may relax visa restrictions for its holders going forward. Other factors that could strengthen the South African passport over the short to medium term include President Cyril Ramaphosa’s intention to ease visa restrictions for African passport holders so as to induce greater intra-African trade, in addition to his deployment of an economic envoy with the mandate of securing USD 100 billion in foreign direct investment. Both of these developments are expected to bring about an uptick in the signing of bilateral visa-waiver agreements between South Africa and its trade partners as a means of facilitating ease of trade and commerce. The tale of South Africa’s declining but potentially rebounding passport power is similar to that of another economic superpower on the continent. While Nigeria vies with South Africa for the position of Africa’s largest economy, its passport currently provides visa-free access to half the number of countries that South Africans can access. This is largely due to the country’s ongoing battle with corruption and terrorism, rendering the Nigerian passport a high-risk commodity. However, with Nigeria making strides in countering extremism within its borders, in addition to President Muhammadu Buhari’s position of maintaining an anti-corruption mandate should he secure a second term, the West African country
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IMAGE: Institute for Global Change
Ryan Cummings, Director, Signal Risk, South Africa
IMAGE: Institute for Global Change
OPINIONS
could conclude 2019 on a more positive footing, which spaces in states on the continent that have otherwise could instigate slight increases in the relative power of assumed isolationist positions. This has recently been its passport in the short term. exemplified in both Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, which For several years, the South African passport has introduced a universal e-visa system in July and May remained the third strongest on the continent in terms of respectively. In both countries, easing visa application its levels of access, with first and second place held by the processes for international visitors forms part of wider Seychelles and Mauritius respectively. Both islands attempts at reforming governmental dispositions that, continue to outperform their continental counterparts from both a political and economic standpoint, have due to their maintenance of prized visa-waiver agreements long been cited as being nationalist and protectionist. with Schengen countries as well as their own relatively By rendering their respective countries more accessible, open visa policies, which have generally been reciprocated the administrations of Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson by countries seeking to access these sought-after holiday Mnangagwa and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed destinations. are likely aiming to strengthen relations with the The Seychelles, which renders itself a completely international community, stimulate trade and foreign visa-free destination, secured further deregulated visa direct investment, and assimilate the erstwhile pariah access for its passport-holders through visa waivers from states over which they currently preside into the the governments of Thailand and Angola in the first globalized political economy. This is particularly the quarter of 2018. Similarly, case in Ethiopia where the Mauritius, which is visa-free country’s easing of entry for all but 16 countries, secured requirements has coincided While visa-free access a visa-waiver agreement with w ith the A hmed ad m in outside of the continent is New Zealand in April this year. istration’s decision to privatize Although countries in the a number of key state-owned still limited, African states rest of Africa continue to lag enterprises and to position behind in the accessibility of Ethiopia as a more attractive are increasingly simplifying their passports, there is reason country for foreign direct visa regulations for their for optimism. While visa-free investment. access outside of the continent Should this model prove continental counterparts is still limited, African states successful in both Ethiopia and are increasingly simplifying visa Zimbabwe, whose directives regulations for their continental counterparts. could be reciprocated by international states seeking to A case in point is Angola, which recently removed assist the countries in their democratic reformist projects, visa requirements for nine African countries: Algeria, it may serve as a salient blueprint for other African states Cabo Verde, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, seeking to transition from repressive and isolationist to São Tomé and Príncipe, Swaziland, and Zambia. liberalized and democratic. Those potentially fitting Similarly, the undertaking of the Central African this mould include Cameroon and Togo, which will both Economic and Monetary Community to grant visa be holding elections and where the strongman and longwaivers to passport-holders of its member states serving regimes are facing intensive calls for greater (Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congopolitical reforms. Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon) could also Finally, countries such as Botswana, Tanzania, and be replicated by other regional political blocs seeking Zambia may also attempt to punt their tourist potential to promote the African Union’s vision of increasing as their governments seek actively to lessen their reliance inter-African trade and travel, as outlined in its Agenda on the often-volatile extractive sectors for foreign 2063 mandate. earnings. In doing so, these states may ease entry Furthermore, increasing internal and external requirements and specifically appeal to visitors from the pressures for democratic reform on the African continent wider continent to grow their tourism sector while are likely to be reflected in an easing of entry requirements simultaneously forging stronger economic and political as a means of liberalizing both the political and economic ties with fellow African states.
4th Quarter 2018 | 29
OPINIONS
Halal Travel
Fazal Bahardeen, Founder and CEO, CrescentRating, Singapore
Muslim Millennial Travelers The GMTI identifies the younger Muslim population as one of the key drivers of future growth in the Muslim travel market. The report estimates that, in 2017, more than 36% of Muslim travelers were millennials, with another 33% classifying as Gen Z. It is projected that the expenditure of Muslim millennial travelers (MMT) will surpass USD 100 billion by 2025. As a key travel market sub-segment, MMTs present a different set of value propositions in their travel consumption and expenditure patterns, and it is critical to gain deeper insights into their travel motivations and decision-making processes. Based on the findings of the Mastercard-HalalTrip Muslim Millennial Travel Report 2017, MMT trends can be categorized into the three As (3As) — authentic, affordable, and accessible. These 3As encapsulate key travel patterns across the MMTs’ trip experience right from trip planning to the actual experience and later sharing it with others. As digital and social environments play key roles in the everyday lives of MMTs, destinations and service providers must evolve their offerings to ensure their brands are aligned with the 3As in order to best equip their services to this emerging segment.
Top Outbound Markets Travelers from Gulf Cooperation Council countries are the largest group of holiday-goers, contributing 37% of the total expenditure by the Muslim market. Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore contribute about 10% of the total spend, while Iran and Turkey in total represent 16% of global Muslim tourism expenditure. NonOrganization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries account for 25% of the Muslim traveler expenditure, most notably the UK, Germany, France, and Singapore.
Faith-based Needs of Muslim Travelers Six faith-based needs have been identified by CrescentRating as the main priorities for Muslim travelers. For ease of implementation, these have been categorized as ‘Need to have’, ‘Good to have’, and ‘Nice to have’. While the majority of Muslim travelers adhere to some of these needs, the level of importance varies among Muslims. Understanding and catering to these faith-based needs will not only increase numbers of Muslim tourists to destinations but will also enable opportunities for new business ventures, particularly among small to medium enterprises. • Need to Have In the ‘Need to Have’ category are Halal food services and prayer facilities (such as prayer rooms equipped with foot washing facilities). Having an acceptable level of these services in places like hotels, attractions, theme parks, and shopping malls is integral to having a sustained growth of Muslim travelers. Halal food is by far the most important service that a Halalconscious traveler is looking for when traveling, and access to food outlets with proper Halal assurance that is easily identifiable will make Muslim visitors’ stay worry-free when it comes to food. • Good to Have The availability of water in wash rooms and the
30 | Global Citizenship Review
IMAGE: Halal Expo
T
he growth of the global Muslim population, especially the increasingly affluent younger Muslim market, signals the overwhelmingly positive potential for Muslim-friendly travel-related products and services. According to the 2018 edition of the MastercardCrescentRating Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), this unique consumer segment is on course to spend USD 220 billion by 2020, and it is expected to grow a further USD 80 billion to reach USD 300 billion by 2026. In 2017, there were an estimated 131 million Muslim visitor arrivals globally, up from 121 million in 2016, and this is forecast to grow to 156 million visitors by 2020, representing 10% of the global travel segment.
ability of a destination to cater to the Muslim traveler during the month of fasting (Ramadhan) are next on the priority of needs and are categorized as ‘Good to Have’. Use of water in toilets is Muslim etiquette, and not having a proper setup to do that is discomforting for travelers. Fortunately, providing such facilities has become less cumbersome now with the widespread availability of hand showers and bidets, or even Japanese-style toilets. Although Muslims are less likely to travel during the month of Ramadhan, there is still a good number looking to spend this time away from home, especially if this period coincides with school holidays. Destinations seeking to target this period need to be able to cater for the special needs related to the month of fasting. • Nice to Have Finally, in the ‘Nice to Have’ category are those services or facilities with no non-halal services and/ or activities and recreational services that provide privacy for males and females. There is a growing sub-segment of Muslim travelers who are looking for destinations, resorts, and the like offering these types of services. Some resorts in Turkey are already targeting holidaymakers and are reaping significant benefits. Catering to the above set of needs, all the way from arriving at the airport to settling in at the accommodation site and visiting attractions, will make the destination an attractive choice for the Muslim tourist.
Leading Destinations
IMAGE: Shutterstock
IMAGE: Halal Expo
OPINIONS
Malaysia continues to top the GMTI as the leading destination for Muslim travelers. The country has managed to maintain its leadership as one of the best destinations for Muslim travelers in terms of the various criteria that the GMTI analyses based on its ACES (access, communication, environment, and services) model. The services category includes criteria such as availability of Halal food and prayer facilities at the destination. Indonesia has also been rising in the ranking the last few years. Naturally, OIC destinations have a distinct advantage on the index due to the readily available Muslim-friendly facilities and services. However, non-OIC destinations have managed to scale the ranking by improving their services to better attract the Muslim travel market. Among
non-Organization of Islamic Conference destinations, Singapore has been topping the index. The past few years have also seen significant improvement of Japan and Taiwan as Muslim-friendly destinations. Driven by increased pressure to diversify their visitor arrivals, North Asian destinations have been actively courting this consumer segment. With several international sports events scheduled to take place in Japan and Korea in the next few years, culminating with the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, the region will see added urgency in finding ways to welcome this population of travelers. There is also increasing interest from the African continent to attract the Muslim travel market, led by destinations such as South Africa.
The Muslim Traveler As a Global Citizen With Islam’s strong emphasis on taking care of the environment, charity, and community, Muslim travelers will be supportive of destinations that are able to package their services around the universal themes of sustainability. Further, MMTs are becoming conscious of the need to balance their desire to experience unique travel destinations that are off the beaten track with their faith-inspired values to protect the environment and communities. Destinations could leverage this ready activism to build and promote products and services that not only attract MMTs but also empower them to become evangelists in promoting sustainable tourism. The Muslim travel market continues to grow and evolve rapidly in a changing economic environment. With this market being one of the world’s highest spending tourist markets, destinations, businesses, and travel-related entities would do well to develop strategies to engage and attract this economically powerful segment proactively.
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COVER STORY
T
wo epoch-defining moments lie before us, and both concern the exponential development of digital technology. The first is what techno-futurists call the ‘singularity’, which, in layperson’s terms, refers to a time when artificial intelligence (AI) will be able to self-replicate, self-design, and self-improve independently in a progressive manner. The second moment is that of ‘digital immortality’, when the entirety of our consciousness will have the potential to be downloaded from our “wet, mushy, physical brains that die and decay” (in the words of the academic, writer, and producer Dr. Peter Lawrence Kuhn) and stored indefinitely on silicon chips or in the ‘cloud’. To be rationally considering these once purely hypothetical scenarios feels as though humankind is banging ever louder
on the doors of rooms containing hitherto forbidden fruits. In the case of the singularity, we risk playing God by creating new artificial life forms. In the case of digital immortality, we are threatening to interfere with the very elements of biological existence by flouting death’s natural authority. Inevitably, it does not matter how well we try to prepare for these moments. Truly, the vast majority of us are going to be completely blindsided by the unintended consequences of our rapid technological developments when they do come to pass. Probably the most reasonable preparation we can make, then, is to keep abreast of current advances in the world of intelligent technology and try to think ahead to how the changes will shape our future lives — not just socially but legally, politically, and philosophically, too.
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IMAGE: Shutterstock
Virtual Lifetimes: Immortality in the Digital World
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COVER STORY
Where one positions oneself in the discussion about digital immortality depends very much on how one thinks about consciousness. On this question there are two dominant camps: those for whom consciousness is the product of quantifiable processes (the materialist view) and those who believe that consciousness represents more than a mere sum of its parts (the qualia view). If one is persuaded by the former, then digital immortality is a question of when and not if. This is because it is inevitable that scientists will reach a stage of technical capability at which they are able to replicate the brain’s hardware synthetically in order to preserve its software (our thoughts, memories, and sense of self). However, if you find yourself more aligned with the qualia viewpoint, then it does not matter how brilliantly scientists can replicate the human brain and inhabit it with electrical thoughts and memories, because the best we’ll ever get is a kind of “perfect zombie”, to steal a phrase from the neuroscientist and psychiatrist Giulio Tononi. In other words, we might well reach a stage where our thoughts and the contents of our minds can transmigrate to a non-biological platform, but whether those thoughts will actually represent ‘us’ remains doubtful. Aside from the consciousness question, there are clearly other important philosophical and ethical debates to be had about digital immortality, including who has the right to an individual’s digital self after they die, whether one’s digitally immortal self can be edited, and/or the length of time for which one is stored. And yet, no matter how interesting the philosophical and ethical debates about digital immortality might be, we can be sure that the development of new technologies will continue unencumbered by the existential examinations taking place on the bleachers. From the point of view of pure innovation and technological advancement, questions and debates concerning the philosophical or ethical are more or less irrelevant. If any persuasion is needed on this last point, one only really has to have a glance at how many tech companies are already looking to get their foot in the door when it comes to extending human life indefinitely. When one considers that almost all of us alive today will already leave behind an enormous digital corpse when we die, it is unsurprising that companies are already searching for ways to monetize this. For watchers of the exceedingly popular Netflix series Black Mirror, the privatization of our digital afterlife for packaging as a program that can help resurrect loved ones is a familiar theme. For the rest, it is worth knowing the story of Roman Mazurenko, the Ukrainian entrepreneur
whose best friend compiled a digital version of him using his WhatsApp chat history and social media posts after he was unexpectedly killed in a car accident. Eugenia Kuyda, the Co-founder of the company Luka and Creator of Replika, the software that brought her best friend Mazurenko ‘back to life’, is not the only one pawing at the veil that separates life from death. Other projects currently out there are the Blue Brain Project, which is a project run by the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne that is attempting to build a replica of a fully functioning human brain; Eterni.me, which is a private venture that describes its purpose as being to preserve “for eternity the memories, ideas, creations, and stories of billions of people…like a library that has people instead of books, or an interactive history of the current and future generations”; and Kernal, another startup in Silicon Valley working at the intersection of digital and biological consciousness. Kernal aims to provide a service in the medical sphere, when patients suffering from diseased brains or degenerative cognitive diseases would normally need to go for brain surgery. In case you wondered where Elon Musk was in all of this, rest assured, he is here too thanks to his cognitive technological company Neuralink, which is working on a ‘neural lace’ that can be injected to form a kind of mesh that sits on the human brain and connects it to a computer. In a sense, Neuralink is looking beyond simple digital immortality to a point where the human brain can be augmented with digital capabilities. However, the end result would directly involve a biological and technological interface and this would inevitably invite some form of indefinite digital preservation. If all of this still seems completely improbable, then perhaps consider the fact that it is already currently possible in the realm of biomechanics for doctors to be able to read the electrical brain signals of quadriplegic or fully locked-in patients in order to decode them and translate them into movement or language. In the face of these questions, a discussion about global citizenship seems like small fry. Concerns surrounding nationality and travel freedoms somehow feel quite beneath our robot overlords of the future or digitally preserved silicon selves. Nevertheless, it is worth thinking about how the world will be classified and what the impact on citizenship and the freedom of movement will be in a post-singularity/ digital immortality-affected world. One thing is clear, though: now that there are real and legitimate discussions happening about human immortality, we can be certain that the future is upon us.
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COUNTRY REVIEW
Above: The Republic of Moldova’s recently launched citizenship-by-investment program is expected to boost the country’s economy
Moldova
T
he Republic of Moldova is a testament to the hidden potential of Europe, and this charming and historically modest landlocked country is breaking new ground not only in the region but also the world of investment migration. In July 2018, the Government of Moldova, together with Henley & Partners and the Moldovan Investment Company, launched the Moldova Citizenship-byInvestment (MCBI) program, commencing the journey of making this quaint country a European, and indeed global, beacon of optimism and success.
Currently, the Moldovan passport holds visa-free access to 121 destinations around the world. This list includes the countries of Europe’s Schengen Area, Turkey and Russia, making it the first program of its kind in this regard. To qualify for Moldovan citizenship through the MCBI program, single applicants are required to make a minimum non-refundable contribution of EUR 100,000 to the country’s Public Investment Fund. As a commitment to ensuring that only the most suitable candidates are selected, Moldova has developed a four-tier due diligence system, making it one of the
34 | Global Citizenship Review
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Powering Progress
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COUNTRY REVIEW
most thorough in the world, to uphold the standards of this program. Upon successful selection, document collection, and screening, citizens’ passports can be granted in a period of approximately three months. Thereafter, the applicant’s future generations can enjoy citizenship in this picturesque European country that boasts idyllic rolling hills, vineyards, and a pleasing continental climate. Home to some of the world’s most innovative tech specialists, this traditional Eastern European country has been part of spearheading various global technological developments. In 2009, Moldova became the first nation to launch high-definition voice services for mobile devices, and the country is currently ranked third in the world in terms of internet speed. The country is also well on its way to becoming the first nation in the world to initiate an anti-human-trafficking campaign using blockchain technology. A model of multi-culturalism, Moldova has been home to several groups of people since the Roman
empire’s retreat in 271 CE, providing refuge to such diverse groups as the Goth, Hun, Avar, and Slav people. At present, three quarters of the nation’s population identify as ethnic Moldovans, with ethnic Ukrainians and Russians following as the next largest groups in the land after Russians immigrated to Moldova’s cities following World War II. As such, while the official language is Romanian, termed ‘Moldovan’ by locals, Russian is widely spoken. Following the nation’s declaration of independence from the Soviet Union on 27 August 1991, Moldova entered into a market economy and went through an economic recession. The consequent financial losses devastated the nation and lasted for 10 years but in a commendable feat of growth Moldova managed to boost its GDP by 43% in just five years at the turn of the new century. Since then, the republic has experienced intermittent growth but remains committed to improving its global stature and quality of nationality. It has made notable efforts in achieving this aim. In 1992, Moldova became a member state of the UN. It is also affiliated with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the World Trade Organization, and the country has now set its sights on acquiring EU membership. In 2005, it became the first member of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to orient itself with the EU and open an EU representation. In 2014, Moldova signed an Association Agreement with the EU. In addition, its geographic and cultural positioning still afford it significant strategic advantage to both Eastern European (CIS) and Western European markets. Moldova’s well-established wine industry is a worldclass attraction and focal export market. Thanks to the country’s rich soil, the rest of the agriculture and food-processing industries account for more than a quarter of the country’s GDP. Winemaking practices in the country date back almost 5,000 years, and the Mileştii Mici winery on the outskirts of the capital city Chişinău holds the Guinness World Record for housing the world’s largest wine cellars. Moldova’s trade, information, teleservices, and transportation industries follow at an impressive 25% of GDP. The newly launched MCBI program is committed to supporting and improving the country’s many wellestablished industries, bolstering its already high potential for growth and driving progress in the republic and the region.
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COUNTRY REVIEW
Moldova Moldova is a quaint European country that is most famed for its unspoiled countryside, distinct wine-making culture, excellent food, and hospitality.
Country Information
L Language
Currency
Economy
Population
Romanian
Moldovan Leu
Agriculture- and Industrial-based
3.5 million (World Bank, 2016)
A small country between Romania and Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova is home to roughly 3.5 million people. It is a charming European nation with rich historical and cultural heritage. A vassal of the Ottoman Empire from 1538, a territory of the Russian Empire from 1812, a Soviet republic between 1940 and 1991, and part of greater Romania between the two world wars, Moldova became an independent state in 1991 and a member of the UN in 1992.
Balti
Chișinău Tiraspol
Moldova
Cahul
Wine-making Heritage Moldova is one of Europe’s main wine exporters, with winemaking practices in the country dating back more than 5,000 years. The Mileştii Mici winery houses the largest wine collection in the world and is mentioned in the Guinness World Records book. In September 2018, Chişinău hosted the annual UN World Tourism Organization conference.
36 | Global Citizenship Review
Charming Getaway Moldova’s off-the-beaten-track charm is perfectly balanced by its lively capital, and has made the picturesque nation an alternative weekend getaway for tourists traveling from London and other European cities. CNN Travel has earmarked Moldova as one of the top 10 wine regions often overlooked by, but highly recommended to, travelers.
COUNTRY REVIEW
12%
Moldova does not impose estate or gift tax
20% Value added tax
Corporate tax rate
12% Personal income tax rate
Henley Passport Index
107
2018 Henley Passport Index
73
83
Quality of Nationality Index
Human Development Index 2017 Human Development Index
71
Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index 3rd Edition
ND-GAIN Country Index
Good Country Index
98
Exports USD 2.4 billion Romania, Russia, Italy, Germany Ukraine, UK, Poland
Travel Freedom Ranking
Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index 3rd Edition
2016 Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index
Individuals who are residents and domiciled in Moldova pay income tax on their worldwide income. Individuals who are residents but not domiciled in Moldova pay tax on (a) income acquired in Moldova and (b) income (excluding capital gains) remitted to Moldova and acquired outside the country (that is, on a remittance basis). Moldova does not impose estate or gift tax but does levy a capital gains tax on various assets (mainly immovable property and shares).
Economy and Markets
Country Rankings
44
Tax Benefits
2017 Good Country Index
Technological Advancements Moldova has spearheaded some noteworthy advancements in the sphere of technology. Boasting extremely fast internet access speed, it was the first nation globally to launch high-definition voice services for mobile devices and will also become the first country to initiate an antihuman-trafficking campaign using blockchain technology.
Imports USD 4.8 billion Romania, Ukraine, Russia, China Germany, Italy, Turkey (Source: International Monetary Fund, National Bureau of Statistics, 2018)
Travel Freedom The Moldovan passport provides holders access to over 120 destinations globally, including Russia, Turkey, and Europe’s Schengen Area. It is currently ranked an impressive 44th on the Henley Passport Index and is able to broaden the horizons of its holders by allowing them access to a host of the world’s top business and lifestyle destinations.
4th Quarter 2018 | 37
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Interview
Chiril Gaburici Global Citizenship Review (GCR): Minister,
GCR: What inspired the Moldovan government to launch
congratulations on the launch of the Moldova Citizenshipby-Investment (MCBI) program. Perhaps you can begin by outlining what value the MCBI program promises to bring to your country and its people? Minister: Thank you. Citizenship-by-investment (CBI) programs are generally attractive to host nations because they allow the national treasury to raise significant and much-needed funds in a short amount of time. In addition to boosting fiscal health and economic growth, this enhanced liquidity enables countries to be more globally competitive and sustainable, which, especially for smaller sovereign states, provides them with geopolitical autonomy. Ultimately, this means less dependence on foreign lending institutions and a greater ability to drive national resources to where they are needed most: civic initiatives, social services, and so on. These are some of the factors that drew the Moldovan government to the concept of CBI, as part of our quest to create greater value for our people. With the MCBI program, Moldova will gain a new source of debt-free revenue that can be directly translated into projects and services that will improve the lives of ordinary Moldovan people. Infrastructure and education are among the sectors earmarked as recipients of the incoming funds. Quite apart from the economic gains associated with CBI, successful applicants also bring intangible benefits to receiving countries, such as scarce skills and rich global networks. In addition to adding diversity, they uplift host nations through their demands for improved and novel services, which can create new employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. This is part of the vision we have for the Moldova program: that it will create a larger, stronger, and richer community of Moldovan citizens. The special value of the CBI model is that those granted citizenship through investment and those who are already citizens are both equal beneficiaries of the exchange.
the program this year? Minister: As I’ve touched on already, the main reason for the launch of the MCBI program was that it represents the next step in Moldova’s national long-term foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy and a way to access additional sources of revenue. Our decision to launch now rather than, say, five years ago was also determined by wanting to launch the right kind of program with the right strategic partners, whom we have gratefully now found. We hope that by introducing a CBI program in Moldova, the country will experience considerable macroeconomic benefits through the flow of capital to the public sector. The overall goal is to attract EUR 1.3 billion through the program over the next five years.
40 | Global Citizenship Review
IMAGE: Supplied
His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova Chiril Gaburici talks to Global Citizenship Review about the Republic of Moldova’s recently launched citizenship-by-investment program
IMAGE: Supplied
FEATURES
GCR: How important was the question of quality when it came to deciding how the MCBI program would be set up? Minister: It goes without saying that establishing a quality program for Moldova was critically important for all stakeholders, not simply in terms of the success and sustainability of the MCBI program but also in terms of the reputation of the Moldovan nation. Therefore, it was essential that the tender to design and implement the program was awarded to the most experienced and globally credible partners we could identify. In choosing to partner with the consortium encompassing the Dubai-based Moldovan Investment Company (MIC) and the Europe-based Henley & Partners, we have taken every measure to ensure that the MCBI program can stand alongside the most attractive and prestigious CBI options in the world. The consortium will bear the economic risks associated with the program and will be responsible for its technical design, implementation, and international promotion, as well as for the necessary advisory work and training. In addition, the MIC is developing a best-in-class FDI strategy, while Henley & Partners will provide optimal due diligence and know-your-client procedures.
GCR: With internal transparency and accountability key to the success of the program, how will the government manage due diligence proceedings for potential investors? Minister: The success or failure of the MCBI program no doubt depends on how well it screens its applicants — this type of program is only as reputable as its last client. Accordingly, we have put significant energy and resources into ensuring that our program will be extremely well-regulated. Having enlisted the help of Henley & Partners, industry leaders in this regard, the Moldovan government has already sent a very strong statement that we are taking our due diligence proceedings seriously. As an example of the level of security we are committed to, all applicants will be required to provide a significant amount of information about themselves, their real and financial assets, and any companies they may own. If a client has lived in different parts of the world, they will undergo multiple police clearance and other checks from each jurisdiction in which they have lived. Moreover, applicants will be subject to a four-stage verification of their economic and financial reputation, including checks by Interpol, the Moldovan Intelligence and Security Service, the Interior Ministry, the National Anticorruption
Centre, and international diligence companies, which will go through applicants’ case history and validate the information contained in their application forms.
GCR: We understand that investments into the MCBI program will be held in the Public Investment Fund. Could you please explain to us the purpose of this fund? Minister: This is correct — all contributions from the MCBI program will go into the country’s Public Investment Fund. This fund is a public enterprise that has been in existence for more than two years. Everything about it is transparent, ensuring that investors have total peace of mind that their money is being used carefully and responsibly. Norway’s highly successful sovereign wealth fund, which translates oil revenues into public benefits, will be one of the models for this vehicle — albeit at a lower level of monetary value. As already mentioned, we intend for incoming funds to be channeled into critical sectors such as education, infrastructure development, and social services, and we will remain accountable to the people of Moldova in ensuring that the funds are used as envisioned.
GCR: How is the MCBI program favorably positioned against other similar offerings currently dominating the CBI market? Minister: First of all, Moldova occupies a unique position between Europe and Russia and offers applicants an attractive geopolitical and business environment that is safe, secure, and good value for money. Second, citizens of Moldova benefit from visafree access to 121 destinations around the world, including Russia, Turkey, and the Schengen Area. The government is committed to enhancing the level of visa-free access enjoyed by its citizens — and we have already signed a number of new visa-waiver agreements with key destinations this year — which means the power of the Moldovan passport is only going to grow. Third, the program aims to be especially economically viable for families. In fact, it will be the most costefficient citizenship-by-investment option worldwide for family citizenship. Finally, Moldova has entered into an association agreement with the EU and is aiming to become a candidate country for EU membership in the future. In short, the program offers myriad travel, business, and investment opportunities for investors, especially those with families, within a highly competitive pricing structure.
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FEATURES
Relocation in the Digital Age
P
eople move. Children come of age and leave parental homes to pursue independent lives. In turn, parents often find their housing needs reduced and, as a result, may move. Corporations globally are on a constant quest to recruit the best talent from all over the world. Employees, attracted by career opportunities or compelled by economic circumstances, change companies and countries. Companies send (and/or recall) employees on overseas assignments, as dictated by business needs. Without forgetting, there is an army of diplomats and officials working for national governments and international organizations who are constantly on the move. And, of course, there is a niche segment of ultra high net worth individuals establishing secondary residences in destinations offering safety and stability to their families and assets.
There is an entire industry catering for the needs of people seeking to move, with removal companies packing and shipping your goods from A to B and relocation companies assisting with navigating visa and immigration legislation, finding housing and schooling, and settlement in the new location. Alternatively, one can engage the services of an all-encompassing mobility or relocation management company that would bundle all of the above services in addition to facilitating home sale (particularly in the US), expense management, and tax advice for expatriates. For firms contracting these services, compensation and benefits, and various other HR functions, could be included in the package. Corporations are increasingly using Big Data to profile employees and ascertain the likelihood of a successful assignment in a new country. A multitude of factors come
42 | Global Citizenship Review
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Anatol Cebotaru, Managing Director, Europe, Gosselin Mobility, Belgium
IMAGE: Shutterstock
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into play: family situation and spouse occupation, schooling Unlike hailing a cab or having a parcel delivered, relocating preferences for children, dietary and climate restrictions, is a very emotionally engaging experience: we leave behind local branch dynamics and client portfolio profile in the host friends, relatives, aging parents, and the important comfort country, and so on. The list of criteria will inevitably be of a familiar environment. Moving to a new country and expanded and refined as more data is collected and analyzed. encountering a different culture can place immense strain The complexity of managing a relocation has grown on family relations and cause stress in children. recently in response to the requirements of the corporate Failed relocations are expensive for both individuals and world. A seal of quality for a removal or relocation company employers and could be life- and career-changing for those is membership of FIDI (Fédération Internationale des involved. Even so, a successful relocation to a foreign land Déménageurs Internationaux, or could be professionally and the Federation of International personally enriching and may raise Unlike hailing a cab or Movers) — an organization that the individual or family’s selfsets professional guidelines, trains awareness. Indeed, this is where having a parcel delivered, staff, and certifies quality and relocation companies maintain a compliance. While important, relocating is a very emotionally considerable edge — by offering FIDI membership is no longer human interaction, compassion, engaging experience: sufficient to guarantee success in and tailored solutions, as well as this industry. Customers demand support and hand-holding to ease we leave behind friends, technology and supply-chain integration in the new environment. relatives, aging parents, and solutions, and regulators focus on Relocation to another country data protection. A relocation is a complex undertaking and is the important comfort of provider with reputable service can best left to certified professionals be disqualified from a major tender who will handle the task with due a familiar environment if its technology platform is deemed consideration and expertise. Technot user-friendly or compliant. nology and consumer patterns of At the same time, there is demand from consumers, new generations are transforming this industry, like especially millennials, to develop a one-click Uber-like everything else in modern lives. People who still require solution for their relocation needs. This represents a push an individual approach to and special consideration for to simplify, commoditize, and standardize removal and relocating their families and their valuable household relocation offerings. items to another country are best served by established Another factor that is redefining the relocation industry, relocation companies who have retained their personal among others, is the Sharing Economy, widely embraced touch while embracing technology. by millennial consumers. Technological advances have made sharing easier and cheaper than owning, representing a deeper mindset shift. Think about car sharing, laundry cafés, and the rental of fully equipped apartments for parties and celebrations. As a result, people own less and relocate with fewer household goods. The above considerations place significant pressure on small and medium-sized, usually family-owned, companies that cannot afford investment in technology. In contrast, larger firms are in a fierce technological race that sees IT budgets soar and often leads to mergers and acquisitions to consolidate resources. There is also an ever-present anxiety among removal and relocation companies that a non-industry player will master the ‘one-click solution’ space and will do to the relocation industry what Uber did to taxis and Amazon to retail.
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Making a Case for Children’s Independent Travel Dr. Jessica Westman, Researcher, CTF, Service Research Center Karlstad University, Sweden
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magine if someone told you that your child’s wellbeing, the span of one generation, the percentage of children quality of life, physical health, and school performance independently traveling to school has dropped precipitously, could increase if their car travels were replaced by from about 50% in 1969 to just 13% in 2009. While independent travel, defined here as the freedom to cycle distance to school is the most commonly reported barrier or walk in public spaces without adult supervision. This to walking and bicycling, private cars still account for half is a rather daring statement but, in fact, research from of school trips between 0.5 km and 1 km, a distance easily different countries and across continents shows that this covered on foot or bike. But for various reasons many is actually the case. parents choose the car, despite the fact that the distance Children’s daily travels enable young ones to engage between home and school is both safe and short enough with society and fulfill their needs and wishes by moving for independent travel. from one place to another and allow them to enjoy the Changes in lifestyles have added to the complexity of freedom of independently traveling with friends, all of travel needs whereby the versatility of the private car is which promotes wellbeing and hard to beat and seems necessary quality of life. There are many to satisfy families’ complex travel The emotional benefits emotional benefits associated logistics. Additionally, across the with children’s independent travel world, we see urban areas growing and physical exercise related too, such as increased happiness, in size to accommodate rising excitement, and relaxation, populations, which unfortunately to independent travel whereas passive and motorized increases the need for fast and also seem to affect school travel leads to children feeling flexible motorized travel. With rushed and tired. The emotional regard to the school run, parents performance in a positive way benefits and physical exercise justify their car use by saying that related to independent travel also it is the most convenient way of seem to affect school performance in a positive way; for traveling and that they have concerns about traffic danger example, it is easier to concentrate after a leisurely walk and feel the roads are too unsafe for children to travel or bike ride. Additionally, when children move about in solo (ironically not reflecting upon the fact that they their neighborhood independently, not only do they get themselves are contributing to other children’s road physical exercise but they also broaden their social danger). It seems that in today’s frenetic society there is networks and sense of community and develop spatial little room for children to explore their environment skills, which enhances various aspects of wellbeing and independently; parents often claim that the mornings are overall quality of life. too stressful to allow their children to travel independently However, while we regularly learn more about the and that it is easier to “just take the car”. positive effects of independent travel on wellbeing and Nevertheless, there are some encouraging examples to quality of life, the reality is otherwise, as children’s share of cities whose citizens’ travel behavior has completely independent travel in on the decrease. In 1970, 86% of changed, with the city of Pontevedra in Spain being one. all schoolchildren in the UK traveled independently to Pontevedra has managed to reduce its car traffic by 97% school, whereas in 2010, the corresponding number was since 1999, when local residents voted for a mayor who 25%. In the US, numbers are no less discouraging. Within had vowed to transform the streets and give them back to
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the citizens. Today, the city is no longer a space for cars Without this knowledge and awareness, there may be a but an environmentally friendly city that has developed lack of motivation to introduce policies or secure into an international referent in regard to urban planning, infrastructure investment that bring about changes in quality of life, and sustainability. Its streets and squares, travel behavior. If a government wishes to support healthy which once were crowded with travel behavior and connected cars, are now dynamic, safe, and communities, it should encouwelcoming spaces for children’s rage independent travel. This If a government wishes independent travel. A city should can be achieved by, for instance, to support healthy travel be a place for exploration, developing safe and child-friendly discovery, and learning, which is roads, reducing vehicle speed, behavior and connected what now makes Pontevedra ideal and addressing psychological communities, it should for the development of different barriers. Increasing independent competences and skills that travel may also be achieved by encourage independent travel stretch far beyond the classroom. introducing initiatives such as The connection between car-free zones around schools, transportation and children’s wellbeing and quality of life is increasing parking fees, or subsidizing public transpor important for parents and policy-makers to consider as they tation fees. have the power and responsibility to influence children Most importantly, we all truly need to want to give up toward developing healthy travel habits. They also have the the car for other, more sustainable, travel modes. Is this responsibility to support the use of healthy travel modes and a goal that is too ambitious or too hard to reach in today’s to protect children from the negative effect of everyday travel. society? The city of Pontevedra proves otherwise.
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Moldova Reinvents Itself
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small country in Southeast Europe, and once part of the Soviet Union, Moldova is often in the news for concerning reasons such as political upheaval and corruption. For example, in 2014, over a billion US dollars disappeared from the banking system; considering that Moldova has a GDP of almost USD 8 billion, this event could have triggered major economic crisis. Nevertheless, after a slight decline of 0.4% in 2015, the economy has recovered, growing at an average rate of 4% per year, as driven mostly by private consumption. The future economic growth of Moldova is expected to remain stable, further supported by private consumption, higher exports to the EU, and additional foreign direct investment. Lacking significant natural resources and relying heavily on remittances from abroad, this small economy has indeed shown resilience. In a similar manner to that in which the country’s important wine industry — which was affected by an embargo enforced by Russia, Moldova’s main importer, in 2006 and again in 2014 — rebounded after a few years of challenges (later by increasing investment and shifting its export route to the EU), so did Moldova’s banking system, with support from international financial institutions and the EU.
Moldova’s banking sector remains largely underdeveloped and relatively small, accounting for 50% of GDP in 2018; savings are mostly generated from remittances. The share of non-performing loans is relatively small, accounting for just 16% of the total; however, credit activity, in particular by households and small and medium enterprises, also remains low. According to the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) Sergiu Cioclea, “reorienting banks toward their primary role, i.e. converting the large deposit base into healthy credits to the economy” has been one of the main goals of Moldova’s banking reform. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) report confirms that “the financial condition of banks [in Moldova] is stable: banks remain highly liquid, well capitalized, and profitable. Depositor confidence is steady and credit growth is less negative than in 2016”. Reform of the banking sector has been a large component of the IMF program, and significant progress has been made in securing shareholder transparency and probity, completing bank diagnostics, and cleaning up balance sheets. In consultation with the IMF, a new shareholder removal framework has been adopted to support the
Net taxable value
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
GDP real growth rate
4.8%
-0.4%
4.3%
4.5%
3.8%
3.8%
3.8%
3.8%
Nominal GDP (in billion USD)
8.0
6.5
6.8
8.1
9.7
10.5
10.8
11.4
Remittances (in million USD)
938
686
685
731
848
916
957
1.006
Unemployment rate
3.9%
4.9%
4.2%
4.1%
4.1%
4.1%
4.1%
4.0%
Consumer price index
5.1%
9.6%
6.4%
6.6%
3.6%
4.9%
5.0%
5.0%
Public sector debt
36%
44.8% 41.9% 37%
37.4% 38.5% 38.8% 38.6%
Foreign direct investment (in million USD)
158
155
89
197
316
266
287
305
Foreign direct investment (in % of GDP)
2%
2.4%
1.3%
2.4%
3.3%
2.5%
2.7%
2.7%
(Source: International Monetary Fund Country Report No. 17/398 (Moldova), December 2017)
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Percentage of Moldova’s Credit-to-GDP Ratio Compared to Peers (Q4 2016) Russia
70%
Croatia
60%
Georgia
56%
Bulgaria
55%
Macedonia
49%
Armenia
48%
Ukraine
40%
Azerbaijan
25%
Belgium
22%
Moldova
10% 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Above: Moldova maintains a healthy credit-to-GDP ratio when compared to countries such as Belgium, Macedonia, and Georgia (Source: International Monetary Fund Country Report No. 18/198 (Georgia), June 2018)
timely removal of unfit shareholders. Stakes of nontransparent or ‘problem’ shareholders in the three largest banks have either been sold to strategic investors or sale transactions are under way. In addition, investigations into the probity of shareholders in nonsystemic banks have been completed and all shareholders have been certified as fit and proper. Securities registration will be moved from the current 11 private registries to a new Central Securities Depository (CSD) — a framework designed to guarantee the safety of securities and ensure their transparency. The new CSD should become operational in autumn 2018. The NBM has completed an inspection of related party exposure in both systemic and non-systemic banks, with the formulation of further guidelines with regard to risk management by the NBM under way. Significant progress has been made in rehabilitating the financial sector, and further reforms are expected. These will include crisis preparedness and management as well as tighter regulation of the growing number of micro credit institutions serving households and small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition to banking reform, the Government of Moldova has initiated public administration reform with the goal of reorganizing public agencies and state-owned enterprises. As a result, the number of government ministries has been reduced from sixteen to nine, and there are plans to review functions and organizational structures, downsize staff, and increase the salaries of public servants.
At the end of July 2018, the government announced a new package of tax incentives aimed at modernizing Moldova’s economy, improving its business climate, increasing competitiveness, and reducing the shadow economy that, at the time of writing, was due to enter into force in Q4 2018. The new package will include: • reduction of personal income tax from 18% to a flat tax rate of 12% • reduction of social contributions from 23% to 18% • tax exemption on income below subsistence level • reduction of VAT from 20% to 10% for food service and taxi industries • fiscal amnesty and a 3% tax on declared assets (until December 2018, excluding civil servants) These new fiscal measures have been criticized by the IMF, the US Embassy in Moldova, and the Moldovan opposition, with various quarters estimating that these will result in a decrease in public revenue of over USD 150 million. Whether the new tax incentives are merely part of the government’s electoral campaign or are pragmatic attempts by a technocratic government to modernize Moldova’s economy will be decided in the parliamentary elections to be held in early 2019. Despite the government’s significantly reduced size, it does comprise former business executives with local and international expertise whose decisions can indeed be seen as efforts to increase the competitiveness and improve the business climate in this country’s small economy.
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The Promise of Blockchain and Safe Identity for Refugees
‘
I
dentity’ is a complex and not fully defined concept that, nonetheless, plays a central role in the debate within the social and political sciences today. It is often associated with the unique and permanent set of characteristics that defines an individual, determines the ‘sense of self’, and inspires pride. Identity is also what determines our belonging and acceptance in groups, communities, states, and other social constructs defined by rules of membership and expected behaviors. Name, age, gender, ethnicity, citizenship, and other social categories all contribute to the definition and uniqueness of the individual, who becomes socially
recognizable by virtue of proving those qualities. Armed with his or her unique identity, the individual can then access school, contract marriage, gain employment, own land, receive healthcare, and fully participate in the institutions of a national or international community. The increased instability of states and economies underlying the new waves of migration worldwide poses a historic threat to human dignity in many different ways. One very intricate facet of this phenomenon is the weakening, and at times even the loss, of personal identity arising from the fading bonds of citizenship that are frequently the result of the circumstances of migration.
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Paola De Leo, Executive Director, Andan Foundation, UK Monique Morrow, President and Co-founder, The Humanized Internet, Switzerland
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Among human groups on the move, refugees are particularly affected by this issue. Under the specific circumstances defined by the 1951 Refugee Convention, refugees acquire a new legal identity and a new set of rights by virtue of having crossed the borders of their own country; nonetheless, they often find it enormously challenging to prove any other fundamental aspect of their identity. The damage and loss of documentation validating their national identity, their personal data and information, their professional diplomas, and so on create insurmountable barriers to conducting a dignified existence, accessing services, and rebuilding their lives. For many, proof of their identity may still be stored in physical or digital archives within the institutions of their failing state. Alternatively, this proof may have forever vanished because those institutions have ceased to exist. The paradox of not owning the proof of your own existence is striking, and it is laden with consequences for refugees. Refugees’ personal identities are carefully re-established with the support of clever biometric systems set up by the UN Agency for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR registers millions of refugees on behalf of governments around the world, maintains those records in a proprietary database, and issues refugee ID cards. This is an invaluable service and a lifeline for refugees. The centralized databases present, however, another serious risk: the possibility of information being tampered with and hacked. Aadhaar, India’s massive biometric database and the largest national database of people in the world, has suffered serious breaches, and last year, allegations were made that access was for sale on the internet for as little as USD 8. A refugee is, in essence, someone who has been forced to flee his or her country because of war and ethnic, tribal, and/or religious violence or for fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, and/ or membership of a particular social group. How serious would it be, then, if refugees’ data, personal information, location, and movements were made freely available? A new wave of technological development might be opening up an unexpected perspective through which to improve this situation. Blockchain technology and strong encryption seem to be new tools for setting up a globally applicable system of digital proofs of identity, relevant for any kind of personal data (birth, health, citizenship, education, and so on). Blockchains are decentralized network systems that harness the internet’s infrastructure in order to distribute and log
transactions. Blockchains take the form of digital public ledgers that are free and accessible for all connected nodes; rather than belonging to a single institution, these ledgers belong to all the users connected to them. Users’ identities within a ledger are encrypted and, therefore, known only to the users themselves. These encrypted and verified identities are not stored on centralized corporate, governmental, or institutional servers, which are often ripe for hacking. Instead, blockchain technology allows personal information to be stored on the relevant decentralized ledger, while cryptographic hashing creates an unbreakable layer of safety. Digital identities can then be used to conduct ‘transactions’ among all the users connected to the system. A digital ledger of trusted transactions is maintained for all the participants. The technology is complicated but the premise is simple: the blockchain establishes trust between independent parties and allows those parties to share trusted information without any intermediary institutions becoming involved. The system works by addressing inherent trust deficits that have developed in our society. Blockchain is not just a distributed ledger but also a distributed consensus ledger through which trust is created by a collectively agreed-upon consensus protocol. We might therefore be able to prove the birth and provenance of individuals X and Y — as well as their qualifications, employment history, and so on — even when the institutions that originally provided that proof in the form of certificates no longer exist, all because of the indisputable verification mechanism that blockchain technology offers. Blockchain technology, then, has the potential to create new solutions for refugee and identification systems, providing a digital verification mechanism for people unable to prove their identity and allowing them to share their identity and transact with other actors. Through a distributed blockchain technology system directly accessible to refugees and immigrants, identity services could become available to all people: anytime, anywhere. In an increasingly mobile world with borders that are becoming more and more porous, it is essential for every individual to adopt reliable tools for proving his or her identity and professional skills. This involves delivering digital entitlements and addressing other challenges, including social and financial inclusion through blockchain solutions. As Blockcerts, the open standard for creating, issuing, viewing, and verifying blockchain certificates, asserts: “We are entering a new infrastructure of trust.” The future is bright as we develop blockchain solutions for stored identity sets in the form of cryptographic hashes. We are at the beginning of a new frontier in this exciting space.
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T
he competitive behavior of international airlines has brought the fight from the air to the ground. Business travel lounges are becoming the new hotels, whereby luxury designers, chauffeurs, celebrity chefs, and masseuses seek to overcome common associations with airports of discomfort, crowds, stress, and unproductive layovers. According to data from the World Bank, the number of passengers carried per year was 2.25 billion in 2009. In 2017, the figure almost doubled to 3.97 billion travelers. With this dramatic increase come world-class service and luxuries focusing on providing exclusive ‘away-from-home’ comforts, health and wellness, and authentic cultural experiences.
Home and Comfort In 2018, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US retained its position as the world’s busiest
airport. According to UK-based magazine International Airport Review, the airport managed to keep competition from China and the Middle East at bay, both of which are growing fast in this respect. To its aid, this hotspot is also rated as the most efficient airport by the Air Transport Research Society. It should be no surprise then that the airport is home to one of the world’s most highly regarded business lounges. Delta Air Lines’ popular Sky Club offers spa treatment for travelers looking to indulge in leg massages or facials using products customized to each guest’s unique skincare needs. Moreover, customary to many Sky Club facilities, the lounge features Sky Decks, which are outdoor megapatios designed by popular American interior designer Thom Filicia. Describing the patios, Filicia says: “You feel as though you’re on your own patio. The materials add to that sensation. There’s a great mix of man-made and natural elements — wood, rope, ceramic, metal, glass.”
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IMAGE: Qatar Airways
From Air to Ground: How Airlines Design for Business Class Luxury
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Many airliners follow through on their promise to provide solace and a sense of homeliness in their business lounges. The Cathay Pacific Business Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport, also known as The Wing, boasts “unobstructed views of airport activities, open ceilings, and a minimalist design aesthetic”. Behind this design is London-based architect Ilse Crawford, who’s mostly known for designing the luxury hotel Ett Hem in Stockholm. Crawford notes that she drew inspiration from her quest to redesign what luxury really means to first class travelers today. The result is a world away from the typical corporate lounge aesthetic to a space more akin to an elegant apartment. The lounge includes favorites such as The Noodle Bar and The Long Bar and also offers a Coffee Loft, where one can replenish on handcrafted drinks and pastries. Beginning operation in March this year, the Hong Kong lounge is the only one at which Cathay Pacific hosts a separate lounge for first class travelers.
IMAGE: Qatar Airways
IMAGE: Qatar Airways
Health and Wellness Another luxury lounge that has caught the eyes of international jet-setters looking for a breath of fresh air is the VIP Lounge at the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana International Airport. Besides the world-class bar and buffet sections, the area offers an infinity pool looking out onto the runway. This goes well with the airport’s overall tropical and contemporary feel, featuring open-air terminals with palm-covered roofs and modern interiors. Lounge pools are fairly new, although several airport hotels, such as the Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Hotel and the Singapore Changi Airport, offer indoor pools with scenic views. The Grand Hyatt Dallas Fort
Above and opposite page: Qatar Airways’ multi-level Al Mourjan Business Lounge in Doha is a favorite among business class travelers, offering various amenities in a premium and elegant fashion
Worth Airport Hotel in Texas is even filled with mineralinfused water that is said to have a salinity that is “identical to the human tear”, according to the hotel’s website. Overall, health and wellness is a growing trend in airport lounges the world over. The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse at London Heathrow Airport is aptly self-titled the “oasis of calm at the UK’s busiest airport”. It features power showers and complementary spa products for travelers passing through this busy UK airport. Guests can also visit the Clubhouse Spa for a haircut and/or manicure and can indulge in the extensive à la carte menu. The Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse was judged World’s Leading Airport Lounge by World Travel Awards two years in a row. In 2017, the Clubhouse at Heathrow even revealed a heated igloo on the building’s roof, which can snugly seat up to eight people looking out onto the runway.
National Homage and Cultural Authenticity Opened in 2014, Qatar Airways’ flagship international business class lounge in Doha, Qatar, was also built to impress. A total of 1,000 passengers can be accommodated in the Al Mourjan Business Lounge, which is spread out over two levels and is equivalent in size to 10 Olympic-sized pools. Besides the usual dining, shower, and game rooms, the Al Mourjan also has a dedicated business center offering, which includes a conference area and personal internet workstations decked out with printers and scanners. An airline that prides itself most on its culinary offering is Air France, which, at its lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, offers travelers a restaurant boasting a custom menu by the revered French chef Alain Ducasse. The La Première lounge, as it’s known, also features a private chauffeur who takes guests straight to their planes. Turkish Airlines’ arrival lounge has also gone the extra mile to bring cultural authenticity to travelers passing through the hallmark Istanbul Atatürk Airport. A tourist attraction in itself, last year, the airliner attracted four awards from the Skytrax World Airline Awards — most notably earning the badge for World’s Best Business Class Lounge and Best Business Class Dining Lounge. Among the amenities in the double-story facility, known for its luxurious size, are a movie theatre, pool table, self-playing piano, library, mini-golf, massage service, and a children’s area. The lounge trades heavily on cultural authenticity, offering Turkish food and culture. Travelers can revel in freshly prepared pita and baklava. Competition for cultural reputation is one of the key drivers for authentic, worldclass service and experiences in airliners today.
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A Time to Secede: Separatist Movements and the Search for Independence
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n 18 September 2014, the Scottish people were asked the following question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?” They answered in the negative — just. Less than two years later, the UK government asked its constituents whether they would like to leave the EU or stay put. As we all know, they voted to leave, albeit by the thinnest of slivers. On 1 October 2017, the people of Catalonia were asked whether they would prefer to remain part of the Spanish state or pursue their ambitions to be an independent republic. The answer was emphatic: 92% wanted to break away. What, might we ask, is going on in Europe? Are these separatist movements anomalies — or are we seeing the start of a trend that favors protectionism and independence over unity and integration? If it is the former,
we can chalk it up to the constant waxing and waning of political entities that has been occurring since long before the creation of the EU (or the European Economic Community, as it was originally known) in 1957. However, if it is the latter, then we had better be prepared for what comes next. Will we soon be booking tickets to visit the United States of Northern Italy? How about the State of Bavaria? Or will we find ourselves musing about whether or not the Republic of Flanders is supposed to be lovely at this time of year? Secession movements occur when a region of a country wishes to break away and become its own separate state. This can occur for ethnic, economic, or political reasons, and as such it is a topic that cannot help but stir up polemic issues of nationalism, identity, and dormant historical
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Above: All Under One Banner marches have been ongoing in Scotland for a few years now, with the largest such gathering — of about 16,000 — reported in mid August. The organizers of the campaign have committed to continue marching and exercising pressure on the Scottish Government until such time as Scotland is declared “free”
Above: Catalonia, with a population of roughly 7.5 million, accounts for 16% of Spain’s population and 20% of its GDP, making it one of the leading economically active regions in the country. Should Catalonia gain independence, it is reported that it will have a GDP that surpasses Finland’s
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grievances. For this reason, it is a particularly brittle topic to analyze objectively. Nonetheless, the phenomenon of secession is well worth considering, especially in light of the increasing numbers of alternative citizenship- and residenceby-investment programs on offer in the world today, which tend to benefit smaller countries disproportionately. This final point is significant because, by definition, secession entails the creation of smaller countries. In Europe alone, the past few years have seen a noticeable upsurge of radical populist parties: for example, Nigel Farage’s UK Independence Party; Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom in the Netherlands; Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France; Viktor Mihály Orbán’s Fidesz in Hungary; Alternative for Germany; the People’s Party in Austria; and the Five Star Movement in Italy. It should be noted that not all of these movements have secession on their minds, but they are all broadly ‘Euroskeptic’ and suspicious of cosmopolitanism. On the one hand, it is tempting to dismiss these movements as idiosyncratic in an otherwise pervasive climate of globalization and political liberalism. When one puts them in the context of a tumultuous past decade for the EU, which has included the Eurozone crisis, the migrant crisis, and Brexit itself, however, now would seem to be a good time to get serious about what would actually be the implications of successful secessionist movements. Focusing just on Europe (as opposed to other well-known cases such as Quebec and Kurdistan, for instance), several proposed secessionist movements could dramatically reconfigure the borders, power structures, and major economies of the region as we know them. The highestprofile examples of breakaway movements are probably in
Scotland and Catalonia, but there are other regions that harbor their own serious ambitions for independence. The examples of Bavaria, Northern Italy, and Flanders were alluded to earlier, but Corsica, the Basque Country, and Venice are also areas tussling for self-determination. For the sake of argument, let us indulge in a quick hypothetical scenario. Imagine that all of the regions above successfully seceded from their current host nations, thereby becoming brand new, independent countries. What would the consequences be? Would these regions even survive and, if so, would they become more or less desirable regions in which to reside? What could they reasonably offer their citizens? In the case of the resource- and industry-rich areas of Catalonia and Northern Italy, one imagines that secession might not necessarily leave those regions poorer in the long run. Catalonia accounts for 16% of Spain’s population yet its EUR 215.6 billion economy (which is larger than that of most countries in the Eurozone) generates over 20% of Spanish GDP. Catalonia’s exports of EUR 65.2 billion represent more than 25% of the national total and, at about EUR 37 billion, foreign investment in Catalonia accounts for more than 25% of inward investment to Spain. The highly developed and industrialized Northern Italy appears to be even more self-sufficient than that, generating 75% of the country’s wealth, with Milan by itself generating about 10% of national GDP despite only containing 2% of the population. To place that in perspective, Milan alone is richer than Sweden — and, at the other end of the country, Naples is poorer than the Czech Republic.1 Scotland, the Basque Country, Corsica, Venice, Bavaria, and Flanders might not fare quite so well if they achieved
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independent status. If those regions have been paying attention to the upward demand for alternative residence and citizenship, however, they might be tempted to establish their own residence- or citizenship-by-investment programs. After all, if residence- and citizenship-by-investment have taught governments anything, it is that a small nation with a high quality of nationality has a fortune to gain from investors looking to expand their citizenship portfolios. Thus, imagining that each region above were allowed to keep its status as a member of the EU, they would unambiguously represent an attractive investment opportunity for high net worth individuals seeking alternative citizenship. Keeping EU status for breakaway regions, however, is far from guaranteed. In every case of secession, a newly independent state would doubtless need to re-negotiate its position as a member of the EU. Rather than cause the readmission of each new entity into Europe, however, the blossoming of several new independent states — of varying degrees of self-sufficiency — would more likely spell the end of the EU and the Schengen Area as we know it. The subsequent investment value for new would-be citizens would therefore also be massively diminished. Irrespective of what happens to the EU, though, one would certainly expect each new country to try to maximize its assets in every way possible in order to fill its state coffers. Would we therefore see the creation of new tax-free zones? Of bilateral alliances with other regions looking to get a foothold in Europe? Would Europe see the growth of areas no longer bound by European law, where ordinarily illicit activities are tolerated as a means to boost tourism? The ramifications are seemingly endless. In terms of access, could it be that successful secessionist movements would paradoxically lead to more porous national borders, because the more countries in the region, the less practicable it would be to try to maintain hard frontiers? What would be the implications for trade, travel, diplomacy, and bureaucracy? The consequences are potentially so complicated that one would be forgiven for
not wishing to think about it. The simple recognition of Britain’s status outside of the EU already has its interlocutors baffled and, relatively speaking, Britain’s leaving the EU is a straightforward example. If the practical complexities of these issues are hard to digest, it is also worth considering the sentiment that often underpins them. After all, there does appear to be a meniscus of distrust to secessionist movements. The unspoken assumption is that the ‘other’ is different and not to be trusted. A major question to ask today, therefore, is whether we are continuing with Enlightenment values of free trade, liberal democracy, and increased globalization, or whether we are in fact emerging from such a phase and entering into something new. If we are, indeed, entering something new, it behooves us to ask, what is that something? If we choose to view secessionist movements from the standpoint of a safe, tolerant, peaceful world, it has to be said that the diagnostic signs do not look very good. They include retreat from collaboration, incendiary racial politics, the frosting of trade relations, autocratic leadership, withdrawal from multilateral agreements, and decreased consensus about global issues such as climate change and pollution — the list goes on. One thing that all would-be independent regions might consider is how to establish sufficiently good diplomatic relations with the rest of the world that they do not risk becoming pariah states. If that obstacle can be overcome, then for smaller countries, opening up a reputable residenceor citizenship-by-investment program might be a sensible next step, as it has been shown to furnish both investors and host nations with considerable benefits. But as indicated above, this comes with a rather large caveat, which is that these programs only work where there is a bedrock of trust, excellent bilateral relations, and a superb quality of nationality. The extent to which new secessionist regions can offer these is so far shrouded in doubt. Endnote 1 focus-economics.com/countries/italy
Houses rise and fall, crumble, are extended Are removed, destroyed, restored, or in their place Is an open field, or a factory, or a by-pass Old stone to new building, old timber to new fires ‘East Coker’, TS Eliot
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A Guide to Investment Migration for Governments and Global Citizens
N
ational and international political shifts, volatile limited by the particular context, policies, and resources economies and markets, and rapid technological of their birth citizenship. These can hinder their ability and ecological changes combine in complex to respond to new threats or opportunities, or to access ways every day to transform pacific environments into the global travel, culture, and residence options that appeal chaotic ones, economic assets into to them. liabilities, safety into insecurity. At Individua ls interested in the same time, risks can become insuring against political and Individuals opportunities overnight, particularly economic uncertainty, as well as interested in insuring for those who are able to act swiftly, those determined to capitalize on unburdened by bureaucracy and the the rapidly changing mix of against political and frictions of global travel. More than markets, business ventures, and half a century of rapid globalization culture on offer around the globe, economic uncertainty has linked nations, economies, and cannot afford to ignore the value cannot afford to markets in new configurations. Yet, of expanding their residence and while global connectivity continues citizenship options. That is, they ignore the value of apace, static notions of nationality need to consider holding second or expanding their remain, and citizenship — the accident multiple passports, or alternative of birth that determines where residences, if they are to claim the residence and individuals can travel and reside, and power and flexibility of true global which markets and networks they can citizenship. citizenship options access — continues to define and Alternative citizenship holds constrain people. particular appeal for international Wealth — what one has accumulated, but also the sum investors and globetrotters. Jim Rogers, Co-founder of the of one’s knowledge, talent and connections — has legendary Quantum Fund with George Soros, is among traditionally been a buffer against chaos as well as a path them. Rogers says his many journeys convinced him of the to further success. Yet even wealthy individuals and necessity of a second passport. “If you’ve seen the world, families, if they are not globally connected, will remain you know the world is always changing, and whatever you
13% of Australians
21% of Canadians
32% of Americans
33% of Europeans
Above: Relatively few people consider nationality as being strongly defined by one’s birthplace
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FEATURES
think today is not going to be true in 15 years,” says Rogers. “So you had better have a plan in case you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He adds: “Many countries and people throughout history have learned that things change, and often for the negative, so everyone should have a ‘plan B’ that includes having some of your assets in other countries and a way to live in another country if you need to. Everybody in my family has more than one passport. In my view, it’s a wise insurance policy and a wise investment.”
The US is not alone among high-income nations with such programs. More than 36,000 investor visas were issued globally in 2014, and a small group of high-income nations — the US, Canada, the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia — accounted for more than 80% of them. Most Western nations operate some type of investment migration program. 5 Canada established its Federal Immigrant Investor Program in the 1980s, followed by the US and the UK in the next decade. New Zealand, Australia, and Singapore followed suit.6 Investment Migration Boom Some nations are beginning to move from residence-byInvestment migration programs enable nations to grant investment, as is the case with the US program, to citizenshipresidence or citizenship rights to individuals in exchange by-investment. Austria, for example, now grants citizenship for a substantial investment. These are rapidly growing in exchange for substantial financial contributions.7 phenomena, particularly in the last decade, with demand Investment migration is by no means a new phenomenon, for alternative residence and citizenship however. The idea of exchanging rights now driving thousands of investment in a country for citizenship individuals to these programs each dates back to Roman times, when While the year. Supply has increased, too, with citizenship was granted to neighboring citizenship programs a host of new investment migration and conquered peoples, often in programs emerging around the globe. exchange for money, to ‘Romanize’ of small island nations As of 2016, there were 60 different them and strengthen the empire. programs in 57 countries, half of them Today, citizenship-by-investment has often dominate the set up since 2000.1 grown into a roughly USD 3 billion narrative and the news, While the citizenship programs of industry, while residence-by-investment small island nations often dominate — which is slightly more difficult to it is large economies approximate — most likely exceeds the narrative and the news, it is large that actually account for tens of billions of dollars each year. economies that actually account for the bulk of investment migration But if investment migration is a the bulk of investment activity, with major global players legitimate, established phenomenon such as the US, the UK, and the EU — and also a rapidly growing one — migration activity the reasons for this transcend financial participating in the industry since its inception. In fact, the US’s EB-5 and security concerns. Immigrant Investor Program, established in 1990, is the world’s largest investment migration program. It offers Endnotes 1 permanent residence in exchange for an investment of A Gamlen, C Kutarna, and A Monk ‘Re-thinking Immigration Investment Funds’, Working Paper No. 128 USD 500,000 to USD 1 million in a new commercial University of Oxford, 2016 enterprise that boosts job creation.2 Between 2012 and 2 Ibid. 2013, more than 11,000 successful applicants provided a 3 combined USD 5.8 billion in capital through the EB-5 Q Chen ‘The “Golden Visa” Program into the US Is Set To Expire, and That’s Worrying Many in China’ CNBC, April 2017 program and supported 562 projects, which generated 4 some 174,000 jobs, according to the US Commerce EB Solomont ‘EB-5 Gets Yet Another Six-month Extension’ The Real Deal, March 2018 Department. 3 Despite significant pushback from anti5 immigration forces within the Trump administration, in Gamlen et al. op. cit. 4 6 March, the US Congress voted to extend the programme. K Surak ‘Global Citizenship 2.0: The Growth of Citizenship by Investment Programs’, Investment Migration Working Advocates for the program argue that it is consistent with Paper 2016/3 the nation’s founding idea of attracting talented individuals 7 from around the world. Ibid.
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Your Choice for Life 20 Years of Excellence 1997 – 2017
The experts for international health insurance Streulistrasse 19 8032 Zurich Switzerland
T. +41 44 266 61 11 E. zurich@sip.ch www.sip.ch
GLOBAL LIFE
Above: In 2016, Danish aid worker and founder of DINNødhjælp Anja Ringgren Lovén was voted the Most Inspiring Person of the Year in recognition of her distinguished efforts to rescue and rehabilitate Nigerian children accused of being witches
Global Citizen
Anja Ringgren Lovén
I
n 2017, an audience at Cannes Film Festival was enthralled by the screening of I Am Not a Witch, the debut film by Zambian-Welsh Rungano Nyoni, whose work offers a slightly comedic but highly poignant and insightful glimpse into the life of witch-believing communities in Africa. The
making of I Am Not a Witch followed Nyoni’s visits to witch camps in Ghana and Zambia, where individuals accused of witchcraft — typically women and children — are housed usually as a protective measure but also, as seen in I Am Not a Witch, as a tourist-attracting, money-making endeavor.
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IMAGE: Yilmaz Polat
“As a little girl I dreamt about life in an African village and to be able to play with the African children…I grew up with a dream to make a difference in Africa one day”
Above: Anja is pictured here with some of the boys at DINNødhjælp’s children’s home in Nigeria. The home, known as Land of Hope, currently houses almost 70 rescued children. Anja is carrying Hope
IMAGE: DINNødhjælp
IMAGE: Yilmaz Polat
GLOBAL LIFE
In its review of Nyoni’s film, Variety magazine writes: “In places where life is hard, and education patchy at best, mere coincidence can seem like a curse,” especially when related to death and illness in the family, harvest failure, layoffs, or infertility. And this, perhaps, is what underscores persistent belief in witchcraft in some African countries. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, to date, almost 50,000 children have been accused of being witches, leading to their families’ rejecting them, and in some instances burning or burying them alive. In Nigeria, this figure is at roughly 10,000 per year. On 30 January 2016, Nigeria-based Danish aid worker Anja Ringgren Lovén embarked on a rescue mission and came across one such case: a two-year-old destitute boy who had been wandering the streets of Nigeria alone after his parents, convinced that he was a witch, left him on the street to die. An image of Anja offering the emaciated boy some food and drink made international headlines, raising necessary awareness of the plight of accused children. After rescuing the boy and housing him at the orphanage Anja runs with her Nigerian husband David, the boy was named Hope (which is tattooed on her knuckles to represent ‘help one person every day’), received
medical attention (going on to make astounding progress), and started kindergarten. For her efforts, Anja was named 2016’s Most Inspiring Person of the Year by German publication Ooom, with her fellow top-five company being the likes of former US President Barack Obama, Oscarwinning actress Charlize Theron, His Holiness Pope Francis, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. According to Anja: “Belief in magic was almost universal in the past. Almost all cultures believed that you could use supernatural means to help with hunting or to make one’s crops grow better or to make humans or animals more fertile. Magic could also be used to heal the sick. For the great majority of people who lived before the 18th century, magic was an ordinary part of everyday life.” While Europe and most of the Western world shrugged off this belief in magic, parts of Africa held on, with theorists arguing that poverty and dire economic conditions act as a fertilizer of sorts. Anja concurs, citing that extreme poverty limits access to education. “This is why my team and I carry out a lot of advocacy work in the local communities…We need to help villagers and change their mindset. We need to enlighten them through advocacy programs so that the
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difference in Africa one day.” The death of her mother, whom Anja describes as being “the center of my life”, when Anja was 23 years old, had a crippling effect on Anja, who struggled deeply with the loss. It took her several years to reconfigure her world without her mom, but in 2011 she decided that she had to fulfill her childhood determination of making a difference in Africa as an ode to her mother. Anja joined aid organizations in Malawi and Tanzania, and after two years she went on to establish DINNødhjælp. Since then, the organization has extended its reach and now proudly boasts having helped hundreds of children. In addition to the care center, DINNødhjælp has built and runs a children’s hospital, a vocational and entrepreneur center, and a volunteer’s building. There is also a volleyball court and a football field, as physical activity is an important part of the child development program, as well as a large garden and snail farm (currently home to almost 4,000 gastropods) — highlighting the holistic approach that DINNødhjælp adopts to rehabilitate and nurture the most vulnerable members of Nigeria’s Above: In 2017, Anja had the privilege of meeting His Holiness community. the Dalai Lama, who praised Anja and the DINNødhjælp While acknowledging their progress and achievements team’s work with vulnerable children in Nigeria to date, Anja is quick to remind us that there is more work to be done. In 2017, His Holiness the Dalai Lama killing of innocent children can stop…Education is the personally invited Anja to his home in Dharamsala, India, where he praised her work and shared that she was one strongest weapon in the fight against superstition.” When talking about her team, Anja is referring to the of his heroes. Anja still struggles to believe that this really almost 30 Nigeria- and Denmark-based individuals who happened but says that the meeting was “very special”. support the work of her NGO, DINNødhjælp, which runs When a person of as much influence and global the Land of Hope care center — the significance as His Holiness speaks largest such center in Nigeria, curso admirably, it is incumbent upon us, the global community, to pay rently housing 67 children between We need to help attention to the cause at hand and the ages of two and eighteen. The villagers and change their DINNødhjælp team implements a join its efforts to resolve it. While carefully developed creative proAnja has numerous traits that make mindset. We need to gram to facilitate trauma counselling her stand out, one of them is her and support psychosocial developnon-judgmental approach to enlighten them through ment, and also runs community interacting with witch-believing advocacy programs so awareness programs. communities in Nigeria. While many have scoffed, and continue Anja says: “From a very young that the killing of innocent age I developed a very strong to scoff, at the idea of this, Anja children can stop fascination about making an impact believes that “it is important to in the society. My mom worked in understand superstition and to an elderly home and she always told know about Nigeria before anyone me about equality and human rights. My biggest interest can approach such a challenge”. And indeed, Anja has committed herself to truly understanding the people of was the children of Africa. As a little girl I dreamt about Nigeria and how best she can help them, which explains life in an African village and to be able to play with the African children…I grew up with a dream to make a why DINNødhjælp has made its life-saving gains.
IMAGE: DINNødhjælp
GLOBAL LIFE
60 | Global Citizenship Review
Glob
IMAGE: DINNødhjælp
68.5 million people around the world have been forced to flee their homes Torn apart by conflict, persecution, torture and threats to life and freedom, unprecedented numbers of families have been forced to make dangerous journeys to find safety. From Syria to Yemen, Bangladesh to Uganda, UNHCR is there, providing the life-saving and long-term support refugees need to thrive, not just survive.
UNHCR’s response We save lives
When conflict erupts, UNHCR leads the emergency response. We provide shelter, blankets and clothing, and ensure vital needs such as food, water and medical care are met for millions of refugees globally.
We restore hope
We understand what refugees have been through and what they need to build a better life for themselves. This includes ensuring children can go to school and making sure adults can obtain a job to become self-reliant.
We seek lasting solutions
We help refugees find home again, helping them integrate into the country where they have found refuge or resettling them to a welcoming new country. Eventually, we hope to ensure all refugees can return to their home country in safety and dignity.
Our global presence
No one chooses to be a refugee. It takes courage, resilience and determination to not only survive, but thrive. UNHCR is there to help them do this. It’s a job we’ve been doing for over 65 years and it has won us the Nobel Peace Prize twice. We have nearly 12,000 dedicated staff in over 125 countries, and are funded almost entirely by direct, voluntary contributions from our amazing supporters.
What can you do?
You can help refugees by funding vital areas of our work, organizing fundraising events, reaching out to circles that influence the agenda and public debate. For more info and to explore ways of partnering with UNHCR, contact adbdelhar@unhcr.org © UNHCR/Ola Kabalan
GlobalCitizen_PrintAd.indd 1
16/08/2018 12.54
GLOBAL LIFE
Property
T
ake a moment to imagine this: Along the coastline of Limassol, the sunshine haven and bustling city of Cyprus, are three unmistakeable beachfront towers whose construction has left an indelible mark on the city’s landscape. Dazzling in stature and mesmerizing in architectural achievement, these towers make up Trilogy Limassol Seafront, a premium residential and business hub that is redefining the meaning of luxury on the island. Those captured by this thought don’t have to imagine for much longer, as construction of Trilogy Limassol Seafront is well underway. Life at Trilogy, a family of three towers, will be the epitome of fine Mediterranean living and will offer a range of first-class private amenities. Conveniently located on Limassol’s waterfront, properties at the development are in high demand. In just six months following its launch, Trilogy managed to achieve sales and reservations in excess of EUR 85 million.
Trilogy’s West, East, and North Towers — the brainchild of the globally renowned WKK Architects — offer different apartment layouts for prospective residents to select what is most in sync with their individual needs. Despite the sense of scale that comes with such a development, the team behind Trilogy, led by Cybarco Development, have managed to infuse an element of uniqueness and novelty to each tower. As it stands, the West Tower will be the first completed, in December 2021. Not long after this will be the completion of the East Tower in March the following year, with the last sibling’s completion set for December 2023. The West Tower will have only 69 apartments, with the rest of the space used as professional, well-equipped office facilities, while the East Tower will house 127 apartments and the North Tower 111. Each property at Trilogy will have large terraces providing a seamless and
62 | Global Citizenship Review
IMAGE: Cybarco Development
Trilogy • Limassol
IMAGES: Cybarco Development
IMAGE: Cybarco Development
GLOBAL LIFE
natural flow of movement and offering unparalleled sea views. The generous lighting envisioned for each spacious property means interior features will always be in the spotlight, but this is of no concern for the designers and decorators of Trilogy, who have plans for elegant and carefully selected finishes. Trilogy’s three towers will boast retreat areas intended to offer residents-only access to gyms, saunas, steam baths, treatment rooms, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The Oasis, a private area with swimming pools, a pool bar, and manicured gardens, will be enough to make residents feel as if they’re at a relaxing tropical holiday destination. True to Trilogy’s family-friendly approach, there will also be a dedicated children’s play area, and tennis courts for those families who thrive on activity. Life at Trilogy will be truly self-sustaining, as the Plaza will have a variety of restaurants, cafés, bars, and shops that residents and the public can conveniently access. This thriving area of activity will be just right for on-the-go coffee meetings, relaxing sundowners, and intimate sunset dinners. At the launch of Trilogy Limassol Seafront, Cybarco Development CEO Michalis Hadjipanayiotou commented: “We have worked hard with our international partners to ensure that Trilogy offers customers the complete aspirational living experience.” This thinking underpins the development’s intention to “combine three lifestyle aspirations — live, work, and play — in one ecosystem of prosperity”. While many developments promise an effortlessly holistic experience, Trilogy Limassol Seafront is doing a spectacular job of setting the standard in Cyprus.
Above and opposite page: Cybarco Development’s visionary Trilogy Limassol Seafront offering is a pioneering project whose completion is set to redefine what it means to fulfill a live, work, and play lifestyle in Limassol, the stunning sunshine capital of Cyprus
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GLOBAL LIFE
Above and opposite page: The Library Hotel houses a diverse range of over 6,000 books in which visiting book lovers can indulge. This New York establishment is a truly one-of-a-kind hotel for guests seeking character, culture, and charm, and it offers grand views of Manhattan’s magnificent skyline
Marco Polo
C
alling all literature enthusiasts: pay close attention. Conveniently located in midtown Manhattan is a book lover’s haven called the Library Hotel — an entire hotel dedicated to the glorious respite that is books. Aptly located on what used to be known as Library Way (now 41st Street) on the corner of Madison Avenue is the Library Hotel Collection’s New York establishment, whose entire concept is premised on bringing the Dewey Decimal System to life.
From the moment you enter the Library Hotel, there is no mistaking that this facility means business when it comes to books: guests’ first encounter with the hotel’s impressive collection is at reception, which features a floor-to-ceiling dark mahogany bookshelf along the passage wall. Over 6,000 books are housed in the Library Hotel, some systematically spread across guestroom floors and others shelved in easily accessible spots throughout the facility.
64 | Global Citizenship Review
IMAGE: Library Hotel Collection
Library Hotel • New York
Each floor has been allocated one of the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal System. For example, the third floor covers social sciences, with books spanning law, money, world culture, economics, political science, and communication. Above this, the fourth floor focuses on languages, such Ancient, Middle Eastern, Asian, Germanic, Romance, and Slavic varieties. The eighth floor is all about literature (mystery, fairy tales, dramatic literature, poetry, classic fiction, and erotica) and the 10th floor covers general knowledge. Other categories include: math and science, technology, the arts, history, philosophy, and religion. Each of the 60 rooms has its own selection of 50 to 150 books, with corresponding art décor. The books are selected in accordance with the floor’s Dewey category. If none of these appeal, guests can enquire at reception regarding available pre-published manuscripts, which can be read in a number of nooks, such as the hotel’s Reading Room (where refreshments are available at all hours of the day). One reviewer wrote: “Being in the Library Hotel is like stepping away from a crowded dinner party and into a well-kept study. The atmosphere is quiet and contemplative — just the thing after a day in Manhattan’s fast lane.” Another highlight of this hotel is that it provides access to a DVD library of the American Film Institute’s 100 most highly rated titles of the 20th Century. The Reading Room is also where a daily wine and cheese reception is hosted. Between 17:00 and 20:00, guests can enjoy a selection of Prosecco and local and international cheese. Other entertainment at the Library Hotel can be found at the Bookmarks Lounge, which opens daily at 16:00 and offers an amusing range of literature-inspired cocktails: think Tequila Mockingbird and a Tempest. When the cosy
Bookmarks Lounge is not in service, the space is used as a Writer’s Den and Poetry Garden. From this wraparound terrace, one can enjoy magnificent views of the ever-bustling Madison Avenue and the Manhattan skyline. Established in 2000 (and having undergone renovations in 2012), Library Hotel is conveniently located and is within walking distance of a number of key attractions, including the New York Public Library, Times Square, the Theatre District, and the shopping heaven that is Fifth Avenue. This easy access to heritage and entertainment makes the hotel a favorite among business travelers preferring character, culture, and charm over the typical, large offerings of multinational hotel chains. With such a comprehensive offering, it is no wonder the Library Hotel Collection prides itself on its “novel approach to hospitality”.
IMAGE: Library Hotel Collection
IMAGES: Library Hotel Collection
GLOBAL LIFE
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GLOBAL LIFE
Culinaria
A
t the southernmost point of the crescent-shaped Lake Geneva is the eponymous city that is widely regarded as the gourmet capital of Switzerland. This trendy, cosmopolitan hub is host to some of the nation’s finest dining and gastronomic experiences, among them Le Chat-Botté. Situated in the heart of the historic Beau-Rivage hotel, whose establishment dates back to 1895, is the Michelin-starred Le Chat-Botté, quirkily named after the mischievous hero of the Charles Perrault tale Puss in Boots. At the helm of the restaurant and its team of 45 is acclaimed Swiss chef Dominique Gauthier, who once received elite recognition as Chef de l’Avenir 2015 (Chef of the Future 2015) by the International Academy of Gastronomy and has been rated 18 out of 20 by prestigious French restaurant guide Gault&Millau — quite the achievement. Despite these accolades, Gauthier maintains that he derives more pleasure from the satisfaction he sees when customers enjoy their meals than the awards he receives. The generous epicurean says: “The stars that really matter to us are not so much those that are stamped, but the ones we actually see shining in your eyes.” The exceptional cuisine at Le Chat-Botté embraces the changing tides of gastronomy, masterfully engaging
complex culinary techniques to create a harmonious symphony of flavors. The delicately crafted dishes are a selection of contemporary and creative French cuisine, incorporating the flavors and colors of the Mediterranean. Using only premium ingredients, the team at Le Chat-Botté thrive on creating artistic dishes inspired by the natural colors and tastes of the seasons. Favorites on the menu include Dublin prawns roasted in kadaïf, citrus juice, and basil; crispy soufflé with Impérial Gold caviar; and Golden Delicious, an apple tarte tatin revisited. For those culinary enthusiasts who yearn to be at the center of the action, there is a seat available at the Chef’s Table — providing an intimate view of the kitchen and its team. Gauthier’s passion and love for food extends beyond merely creating culinary masterpieces, as he shares his secrets through his exclusive haut de gamme cooking classes, for which guests at the hotel can sign up. Receiving the opportunity to work directly with Gauthier, guests can enjoy the unique experience of creating a gourmet meal served at the Chef’s Table. Le Chat-Botté is open from Monday to Friday, from 12:00–14:00 and 19:00–22:00. To make a reservation, contact +41 22 716 69 20 or email restauration@beau-rivage.ch
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IMAGES: Le Chat-Botté
Le Chat-Botté • Geneva
Medicus
Dr. Bernard Gersh
F
IMAGE: Mayo Clinic
IMAGES: Le Chat-Botté
GLOBAL LIFE
rom humble beginnings in southern Africa, Dr. Bernard Gersh has risen through the ranks of international medical prestige to become a leading practitioner in the area of cardiovascular disease and internal medicine. Born in South Africa, Gersh spent his early years in neighboring Zambia (Northern Rhodesia at the time), later returning to South Africa to complete his secondary schooling at the exclusive Hilton College for boys. Upon completing his schooling, Gersh moved to Cape Town and enrolled in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery studies at the University of Cape Town, one of the top-ranked universities on the continent. He describes his first year of study as “rather checkered” — a reference to his poor performance that resulted in him repeating the year’s courses. Nevertheless, he went on to graduate in 1965, having obtained a clean sweep of first class passes in the final years of his course. Testament to his stellar academic potential, Gersh was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship, affording him the opportunity to enrol in postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. He opted to pursue a DPhil in anesthesiology (his thesis was titled Ventricular Function and Hemodynamics in the Dog During Anesthesia) and completed this in 1970. He subsequently spent some time at the National Heart Hospital in London as a Research Fellow in the Department of Cardiac Surgery. Gersh considers his time in the UK as a delight, as he often had the opportunity to watch live cricket matches. To this day, and much to the bemusement of his American peers and friends, Gersh takes an annual trip to London to watch a game at Lord’s. Gersh then returned to South Africa to commence training at Groote Schuur Hospital — home of the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant as performed by the late Dr. Christian Barnard. Experiencing a burgeoning interest in the subject, Gersh decided to pursue opportunities at Mayo Clinic, a highly regarded academic medical center in Minnesota, US, to which he moved in 1978. Shortly after joining
the center he took up the position of Director: Coronary Care Unit. Gersh continues to work at the center (he is currently Professor of Medicine at the College of Medicine), and his time there has seen him leap from one success to another. Reflecting on his cross-continental pursuits, he says, “I think moving [to America] has been good for both sides. That I slotted in so well is testament to the high standards I learned at the University of Cape Town. I feel not only has America lived up to my expectations, but I have lived up to what was expected of me.” Indeed he has. In 1993, Gersh was appointed the W. Proctor Harvey Teaching Professor of Cardiology and Chief of Cardiology at Georgetown University Medical Center, a position in which he served for five years. And in the years that followed, he received plenty other nods, including: the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Council of Clinical Cardiology’s Distinguished Achievement Award in 2004; an honorary PhD from the University of Coimbra in 2005; the American College of Cardiology’s Distinguished Service Award in 2007; the Hatter Award for Advancement in the Cardiovascular Science from the University College London in 2009; the AHA James B. Herrick Award for Outstanding Achievement in Clinical Cardiology in 2012; the Mayo Clinic Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015; and the AHA Distinguished Scientist Award in 2017. A keen advocate for scholarly productivity among professionals, Gersh has a phenomenal record of academic publishing, which includes roughly 900 manuscripts and almost 150 book chapters — impressive by all accounts. For this achievement, Gersh was acknowledged by Thomson Reuters as being one of the most highly published individuals for the period 2002–2012. He remains the editor of over 10 books and sits on the editorial boards of almost 30 journals. With over 50 years’ experience, Gersh continues to see patients and often treats for acute coronary syndrome, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
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GLOBAL LIFE
Books
The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship Edited by Ayelet Shachar, Rainer BaubĂśck, Irene Bloemraad and Maarten Vink
T
he concept of citizenship has changed drastically over the past few decades and is garnering more interest than ever before. Contrary to mainstream belief, the influence of a rapidly globalizing world has by no means made citizenship redundant. In fact, the proliferation of economic citizenship has grown into an industry worth roughly EUR 3 billion, underlining the importance that individuals are placing on their global positioning. The remarkable expansion of the internet and social media and the proliferation of smartphones to almost every corner of the globe mean that people are more interconnected, aware, and mutually concerned than ever before. And this should come as no surprise. The most urgent issues that we face today — climate change, food and energy security, statelessness, inequality, disease, and so on — transcend national and regional boundaries. They demand a unified, global effort, not a retreat into xenophobic nationalism, and most people intrinsically realize this. The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship combines the views of experts in various industries linked to citizenship, including law, economics, philosophy, political science, sociology, and geography, to provide a multi-pronged argument around the various dimensions citizenship assumes. These include citizenship as a legal status and political membership, as a right and obligation, as identity, and as a discourse of social equality.
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The expert contributors of The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship uncover and address some of the oldest challenges in the literature on citizenship, and they set an agenda for exploring future theories. The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship provides an accessible and digestible insight into the current state of citizenship that appeals to both academic and non-academic audiences. The book explores the main hurdles and opportunities that we face in a time of increased migration in a globalized world. Attention is also given to new forms of membership and democratic involvement that extend beyond national borders, as well as the increasing development of European multi-level citizenship, highlighting the potential for citizenship to operate beyond the nation-state level. The chapters of the handbook provide a logical breakdown of citizenship in all its variations across countries and in different contexts, shedding light on migrants as well as individuals who have never crossed an international border. Topics covered in the book include citizenship-by-investment, citizenship laws, multiple citizenships, in-between statuses, post-colonial citizenship, the influence of technology on citizenship, and other current and relevant issues. The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship is a robust, modern guideline to induce creative and pragmatic discussions about some of the most pressing issues we currently face. It will surely become a valuable reference to individuals engaged in the various branches of citizenship and will guide theory from a political, cultural, and legal viewpoint.
IMAGE: Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life Niki Brantmark HarperCollins
The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World Iain McGilchrist
The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth
Yale University Press
Michio Kaku Doubleday
IMAGES: HarperCollins; Yale University Press; Doubleday
IMAGE: Oxford University Press
GLOBAL LIFE
In the latest offering from well-known design blogger Niki Brantmark, Lagom: The Swedish Art of Living a Balanced, Happy Life, Brantmark takes an interesting look at the thinking behind Lagom and how its principles can easily be incorporated into our daily lives. Lagom is a Swedish philosophy premised on having just enough and finding balance through maximizing our experiences without denying ourselves of anything. Divided into three sections, the book suggests ideas on incorporating Lagom through decluttering, taking proper lunch breaks, and spending more time outdoors. Incorporating Lagom at home and into family time can include arts and crafts with the kids after homework time and entertaining at home. As pledged by Swedish-founded mega-retailer IKEA, as part of the company’s ‘Live Lagom’ campaign, the smallest changes — such as recycling, saving water, and using energy-saving light bulbs — are all part of living with just enough
Presenting incredible insights into the workings of the human mind, Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World explores existing differences in the left and right hemispheres of the brain. More specifically, McGilchrist looks into how these differences have impacted our history, society, and culture. Drawing on some of the latest research in the field of neuroscience and psychology, the talented author finds that there is indeed a remarkable difference between the two sides of the brain: the left hemisphere guides detail-oriented behavior while the right hemisphere gives way to greater flexibility and more generous conduct. This belief of two opposite ways of thinking helps to clarify the origins of language and music, and it sheds light on questions concerning mental health and philosophy. The book takes readers on a fascinating historical journey through Western culture and illustrates the differences between left and right brain thinkers, revealing the juxtaposing beliefs of intellectuals and artists.
Whether due to the eventual depletion of natural resources, drastic climate change, or cosmic events beyond our control, leaving our planet to ensure survival is a reality we must begin to come to terms with, and in The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth, world-renowned futurist and physicist Michio Kaku shares in fine detail the process humanity will follow to move progressively away from earth and into space. Kaku discusses the importance of development in the fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology to allow us to make Mars habitable and build cities there. His reflections also venture beyond our universe and the human body, as he shows us how we could one day possibly leave our bodies and transport via laser ports to new corners of space. Kaku is the Henry Semat Professor of Physics at The City College of New York where he teaches general physics, mathematical methods, the physics of science fiction, and astronomy.
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Books Interview
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha Global Citizenship Review (GCR): Congratulations on your first book, What the Eyes Don’t See. Can you share with our readers what the book is about? Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha: What the Eyes Don’t See is a fast-paced account of my role in exposing the Flint (Michigan, US) water crisis, which I describe as the most emblematic environmental disaster of this young century. But it is more than that. It is my personal story of how I found myself in Flint taking care of kids; so, it is a bit of a memoir. In addition, it also has a good dose of environmental science and public health history. The intersection of the Flint water crisis story, my personal narrative, and the science and history makes this a unique book. But more holistically, the book is about how, in this unique time, citizens must confront injustice wherever it rears its ugly head.
‘speak truth to power’ and take on politicians to address Flint’s water crisis? Dr. H-A: I am an immigrant. My parents were secular progressives who basically became refugees when Iraq’s Saddam Hussein’s repressive regime rose to power. They saw and confronted injustice as dissidents. This was only part of a tradition of social justice activism ingrained in my family. We were taught early on that the privilege of our education and professions is that we must speak up for what is right.
GCR: What the Eyes Don’t See has been highly praised and is enjoying great success and publicity. Why do you believe the story finds resonance with readers and how do you define its global significance? Dr. H-A: The Flint water crisis story is at the intersection of so many issues that we are confronting as world citizens. Clean water is the most fundamental of necessities. Austerity is poisoning more than just the people of Flint. The Flint crisis happened while the city was under the heels of emergency management by the state — democracy had been usurped — and that too is a pressing question of the time. The racism that contributed to the crisis and
allowed it to continue is a global epidemic. The science denial in Flint is also a global phenomenon, seen in the global warming issue and vaccines. But in the uncovering of the crisis by a team of activists, parents, scientists, moms, doctors, and journalists, there is an inspiring story, and inspiring stories are especially important in these strange and depressing times.
GCR: How can we encourage a more socially conscious global community that is actively engaged in community advocacy? Dr. H-A: I hope that one of the lessons of the Flint water crisis story is that community engagement and social justice are intertwined. Government regulations
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IMAGE: Blue Wall Photo/Mike Naddeo
GCR: What inspired your courage and determination to
and programs, especially in the environment and public health areas, simply don’t work without community engagement. In Flint, that was one of the breakdowns: the citizens complained about the water quality for eighteen months while the government did nothing but falsely assure them it was safe to drink. It took a diverse set of people in many different positions to get out of their professional boxes and take risks and work directly and cooperatively with community members to expose the crisis. It is especially important for scientists and academics to get out of their labs and ivory towers and rethink how their work helps communities and advances justice.
GCR: Have the last few years sparked any ambitions for a position in public office? Dr. H-A: No. I have lots of work to do in Flint to help kids overcome the effects of the crisis.
a comfortable home and great health care. My parents even have pensions, something workers my age rarely have. Most importantly, this privilege allowed us to attend the great public schools and universities in Michigan. One of the takeaways in my book is that this American dream is no longer in reach for many Americans, much less for my patients and their families in Flint. In some ways, the dream has always been out of reach for them because of the history and present reality of racism in the US.
GCR: What are you hopes and wishes for Iraq? Dr. H-A: Initially, stability and peace. But more long term, I hope for the return of the promise of a non-sectarian and progressive country leading the Arab world in science, industry, justice, conservation, and freedom.
GCR: In 2016, Time magazine
highlights in the process of publishing What the Eyes Don’t See? Dr. H-A: The whole process was surreal. The publishing world is fascinating and strange. I am lucky and blessed to have an incredible editor, Chris Jackson, who also edits Ta-Nehisi Coates, Trevor Noah, and Bryan Stevenson. Chris embraced the risks I took in telling this story but he also guided me and pushed me to always connect the story to the bigger and broader issues.
listed you as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. How do you reconcile this achievement with your simple, yet profound, desire to help people? Dr. H-A: This recognition was a great honor! I hope it serves as an inspiration to young people, especially to women, that these recognitions are not just for celebrities, entrepreneurs, and politicians but also for scientists, activists, and others who work to make the world a little bit better.
GCR: Please tell us about your upbringing and your
GCR: Can you share with us your plans for the future?
family’s quest to attain ‘the American dream’ Dr. H-A: In many ways I had the typical experiences and issues of an immigrant integrating into American society. But in my time growing up, there wasn’t the animus to immigrants we are seeing today. I so worry about the brown kids growing up in Trump’s America and how the undisguised hate is harming them. My parents both had great jobs. My mom was a teacher and my dad worked for General Motors, so we were privileged to take advantage of the American dream. Their good-paying middle-class jobs allowed us to have
What do you hope to be remembered for? Dr. H-A: We are developing a public health model for overcoming the water crisis based on the latest in brain science. We are using early education, nutrition programs, literacy programs, and medical and mental health interventions to wrap our Flint kids with everything that they need to overcome the effects of the crisis. We hope this becomes a national model of recovery, as there are places like Flint everywhere recovering from all kinds of toxic stresses. I hope to be remembered for my role in this.
GCR: What were some of the
IMAGE: One World/Random House
IMAGE: Blue Wall Photo/Mike Naddeo
GLOBAL LIFE
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GLOBAL LIFE
Reflections
D
espite being born into unexceptional circumstances and rampant poverty in the coastal town of Porbandar, India, in 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi went on to became one of the most influential political and spiritual leaders the world has known. His deeply profound conviction of non-violent resistance in the face of oppression has left an indelible mark on the global community’s psyche, challenging humankind to counter brutality and despair with compassion and imagination. Born on 2 October, Gandhi was the youngest of his father’s children with his mother Putlibai. His father, Karamchand, was a dewan (chief minister) and his mother is said to have been devoutly religious. Gandhi’s upbringing is believed to have provided the foundation to his later determination for meditation, fasting, vegetarianism, and harmlessness. An average student during his high school years, Gandhi set off for London in 1888 to study law, returning in 1891 as a qualified lawyer. The course of his life was irrevocably changed when he pursued an offer to work in South Africa, to which he moved in 1893 and where he spent 21 years. The turbulent political and social landscape of racially segregated South Africa at the time transformed Gandhi into the liberator and father of the Indian nation globally revered today, with the passive civil resistance campaign he launched in 1906 bearing a long-lasting impact both locally and internationally. Given the honorific title Mahatma (meaning great soul), Gandhi is widely regarded the architect of nonviolent civil disobedience and is said to have inspired Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. On returning to India in 1914, Gandhi launched a campaign against the government’s Rowlatt Acts in 1919,
which empowered colonial authorities to suppress subversive activities. Gandhi temporarily refrained from the campaign’s activities when violence erupted, however (culminating in the Amritsar Massacre). In 1922, British authorities arrested him on counts of sedition. He was released in 1924 after serving two years of a six-year sentence. Gandhi launched a renewed civil disobedience campaign in 1930, this time in protest of the British Salt Acts, which greatly burdened the poor. Not long afterwards, in 1932, he was again arrested and soon went on to commence a series of hunger strikes as a rebuke against the Indian government. Despite retirement from politics in 1934, Gandhi promoted the ‘Quit India’ campaign, which called for “British withdrawal from India in return for Indian cooperation with the [WWII] effort”. He was arrested again in 1942, this time alongside his wife (who would later die in prison), and was released in 1944. In 1947, Britain granted India independence but split the country into two, India and Pakistan, according to the religious divides between Hindu and Muslim adherents. Aggrieved by the outbreak of violence and bloodshed between the two groups, Gandhi embarked on another hunger strike in 1948. For his efforts, he received plenty criticism from fellow Hindus, who accused him of being too accommodating of Muslims. En route to a prayer gathering, Gandhi was confronted by one such critic, who shot him fatally. At 78 years old, Gandhi — who had been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize five times in his lifetime — was cremated on the banks of the Jumna River. His procession was attended by almost one million people.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
IMAGE: voiceofpeopletoday.com
Mahatma Gandhi
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IMAGE: voiceofpeopletoday.com
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OPINIONS | Global Passports and the Dilution of Citizenship
If there had to be only one Tonda Chronor
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