Crown Prince of Karauli

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MORALMODA Royal Issue Vol. 2, Inida .2021

EXCLUSIVE COVER-STORY

CROWN PRINCE YUVRAJ

VIVASVAT PAL OF KARAULI LENSED BY KARISHMA BEDI STYLED BY SIDDHARTHA TYTLER

FEATURES

GENEVA WATCH DAYS

LADAKH, BY SHALINI PASSI

THE ROYAL HOUSE OF BALOI, NEPALI

HAUTE JOALLERIE

HH PRINCE DATU PRADEEP SAPKOTA

magazine


THE LUXURY COLLECTION HOTELS & RESORTS Copyright © HOTEL CRISTALLO

THE LUXURY COLLECTION HOTELS & RESORTS

HOTEL CRISTALLO S.p.a Via Rinaldo Menardi, 42 - Cortina d’Ampezzo Dolomites, 32043 Italia T. +39 0436 881111 - info@cristallo.it Mailing address is: booking@cristallo.it

www.cristallo.it


www.piaget.com

High jewellery BLISSFUL LIGHTS EARRINGS 18K white gold earrings set with 2 radiant-cut yellow diamonds (approx. 3.11 cts, FIY-VS1 and 3.02 cts, FIY-VVS2), princess-cut diamonds, marquise-cut diamonds, baguette-cut diamonds and brilliant-cut diamonds. G38R8500. Image courtesy of © Piaget.


Contents

14

INTERVIEWS 22 INTERVIEW WITH MAX STUDENNIKOFF - FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CC FORUM (BY LILIYA TIPPETTS)

16

10

HAUTE HOROLOGY & LIFESTYLE

Contributors p 6

10 AUTOMOBILI PININFARINA & The House of BOVET 1822

Editor’s Letter p 8

12 Jacob & Co. debuts the art of watchmaking at Salon Privé TIME

24 AN INTERVIEW WITH RASHID KHALAF AL HABTOOR CEO & PRESIDENT OF AL HABTOOR TRADING ENTERPRISES, UAE

14 The GPHG celebrates its 21st edition with a global tour!

36 HH Datu Pradeep Sapkota Director and Founder SUNWay Research and Innovation Center, Nepal

28 ÇIRAĞAN PALACE KEMPINSKI ISTANBUL

26 Maharani Sita Devi: An Escape to Monaco

30 Distinctive Architectural Heritage & Landscapes of Ladakh


28

30

FEATURES

HAUTE HOROLOGY & LIFESTYLE

37 English Afternoon Tea By Ignatious Joseph

30 Distinctive Architectural Heritage & Landscapes of Ladakh

38 Olga Antropova - Monaco and MALI Dresses

34 Afghanistan At a Ground Breaking Point in History By Carlos Mundy

40 Kaan Akinci at Ciragan Palace 50 Feature Innovation Summit, Dubai, By Dr Yana Leonova

FINE JEWELLERY 13 Piaget Fine Jewellery and Fine Jewellery 'Sunlight' collection with Olivia Palermo

16

16

Exclusive Royal Story with: Crown prince Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal of Karauli, Rajasthan, India


Haute Couture


Haute Couture


Top International Contributors:

Liliya Tippetts Principality of Monaco

Dr. Yana Leonova United Arab Emirates

Estelle Arielle Bouchet France

Vice Presid. Moralmoda, Monaco www.marlidresses.com www.ArteLia-Consultancy.com

Business Communication Dir. Moralmoda, Dubai/the Gulf. Dr. Leonova is a strong believer in disruptive technology transforming modern industries and businesses. She provides knowledge-based consultancy to multinational startups, R&D teams in the UAE. Dr. Leonova is a frequent speaker and a co-organiser of high-end events devoted to technology (G20 Foundation event in Hamburg 2017 and during Davos World Economic Forum 2020). M: +971585277036

"Méditerranée en Lumière" www.mediterranee-enlumiere.com Estelle is a writer and an international journalist. She has specialized in Art, Costume and Fashion, thus she collaborates with Conde Nast supervising the entire reportage for major issues. She contributes to theluxurychronicle.com, founded the publishing house "Méditerranée en Lumière" whose mission is to protect the Peoples, Cultures and the Sea of the Mare Nostrum. Méditerranée en Lumière will publish “Secret Egypt” art book in late 2021.

Shalini Passi India

Raquel-Elena Díaz Kingdom of Spain

Emré Erturk Turkey

Shalini Passi Art Foundation & MASH (My Art Shalini) mashindia.com shalinipassiartfoundation.com President-founder of the Shalini Passi Art Foundation & MASH. Shalini is a Delhi based artist & Arts Patron of FICA (Foundation of Indian Contemporary Art), and is also an important Patron of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. She sits on the Advisory Board of KHOJ (the not-for-profit contemporary arts organisation).

International Relations for "The Diplomatic World" In 2010 she became Director of International Relations for "The Diplomatic World" an organization, subscribed by 68 ambassadors and chaired by Her Majesty, Doña Sofía de Grecia, Queen of Spain. She coorganized Spanish-Russian political forums, in Munich, Prague and Madrid, attended by the ex-President of Spain and the Vice President of Russia.

Vice President Moralmoda, Istanbul Ambassador Moralmoda, Bodrum Yalihan International Emré Erturk New York yalihaninternational.com emrenewyork.com

Liliya has art & business consultancy company between London / Monaco (media communication, art & business advisory). She was previously involved in capital raise and wealth management at a London family office. Liliya is also Co-Founder of sustainable Fashion label MARLI Dresses (MonacoLondon) focusing on designing eco-luxury wardrobe essentials. Email to Liliya@artelia.co.uk, M: +33 6 09 10 55 19,

Carlos Mundy Kingdom of Spain

Carlos Mundy was born in Spain. From an early age, he was fascinated by music and history. An art advisor by profession, Carlos Mundy is a published author of several novels and historical essays and currently collaborates as a writer with V Magazine and MoralModa Magazine.

Mihane Sadiku Turkey

Emré Erturk NewYork, is celebrating this year the 25th anniversary in Fine Arts with solo Arts shows to honour his art collectors. His celebrity list ranges from Hollywood to aristocracy. In 1992 he moved to London, to study fine arts & design at the International Schiller University and the American College of Arts. He was the IT-handbag designer for the 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010 Oscars. Emré New York raised the bar in fashion world with his organic sunglasses designed with Mazzucchelli organics. Emré Erturk NewYork is also being used as a case and as a role model at New York Parsons School of Design.



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EDITOR’S NOTE

ear reader, Thank you for your attention to the topics highlighted in our Royal Issue. It is a true honour to unveil the exclusive royal featuring Crown Prince Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal of Karauli and the exceptional and long history of the Karauli family in Rajasthan - one of the India's oldest. You will find that we again open the issue with art pages and the latest fine art events that we are proud media partner of. Discover also current exhibitions in Paris on fine jewellery, and interviews with scientists and experts in fine jewellery, haute horology, crypto and blockchain, art and more. Reporting about CC Forum LONDON, it is very clear tendency that sustainable investment is entering all the fields of discourse. This new technology has clear advantages to improve the sustainable aspects of luxury as my research and interviews for this issue reveal. It is indeed tremendously exciting, and I look very much forward to include more on the latest developments in our feature media coverage. I think this issue will have relevant content to watch collectors too, in the Tourbillion's 220th year. Watchmakers have in the unprecedented quest to produce the world’s most accurate fine watches, let's say pushed the limits and experimented with this groundbreaking innovation by Breguet, which came to life in Switzerland, right after the French Revolution. It is exciting to reflect on the future of the watchmaking for the next two centuries, but we don't have to wait that long as Geneva Watch Days, Only Watch charity auction and Baselworld 2022 are all approaching. I would not miss to prepare coverage again from these events for all readers. Not just for the sake of luxury, but more so to be at hand as an indicator of the measure of the exact present situation. Geneva Watch Days initiative was launched by a pool of Founding Benefactor Brands including Bvlgari, Breitling, De Bethune, Gerald Genta, Girard-Perregaux, Greubel Forsey, H. Moser & Cie., MB&F, Ulysse Nardin and Urwerk, which have formed a non-profit association alongside Associated Brands: Arnold & Son, Bianchet, Czapek, Doxa, Ferdinand Berthoud, Frederique Constant Group, Louis Erard, Maurice Lacroix, Parmigiani, Phillips, Oris and Reuge. I wish you as always, a lovely moment reading these pages.

MORALMODA MAGAZINE is the world’s first & only independent publication dedicated to art and sustainable luxury. Exclusive insight with interviews and luxury news from world's top luxury destinations, thanks to teams in Monaco, Geneva, Madrid, Dubai, Istanbul, London, New Delhi and Paris.

Copyright 2021 ©. All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by copyright notice may be produced or utilised in any form or by any means, O TpO CiRsO I N tChEe YPU w i t h oCuOt VwErRi P t tH en e r: m s iW o nN fP r oRm uV b lRi A s hJ e r . L rO RrArUe L M o r a l m o d aV IdVoAeSsV nA ' tTe P nA do s eF iKnAc o c tI i n f o o r a d v e r t a n d o p p i n i o n s o f t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e b r a n d s are not necessarily those of the publisher.

No. 43 MORALMODA MAGAZINE

N E R M I N A H M E T , C E O & P R E S I D E N T, LILIYA TIPPETTS, VP MONACO E-MAIL: LILIYA@ARTELIA.CO.UK EMRÉ ERTURK NEWYORK, VP I S T A N B U L, D R . Y A N A L E O N O V A , BUSINESS COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR DUBAI, UAE, ESTELLE ARIELLE BOUCHET, STYLE EDITOR, MIHANE SADIKU, V P B O D R U M, R E N U C H O U D H A R Y , F I N E J E W E L L E R Y, S H A L I N I P A S S I , A R T & D E S I G N C O N T R I B U T O R, LAYA HAFFAR, DESIGN DIRECTOR, MARWAN HAFFAR, D E P U T Y E D I T O R, C A R L O S M U N D Y , C O N T E N T S T R A T E G I S T, , M A R W A N H A F F A R ,R E S E A R C H EDITOR, TOVE MCCNEY, DIGITAL PUBLISHING

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ENVIRONMENTECO-LUXURY

AUTOMOBILI PININFARINA & The House of BOVET 1822

Image: © Blancpain. All rights reserved.

The Battista will be the most powerful car ever designed and built in Italy and it will deliver a level of performance that is unachievable today in any road legal sports car featuring internal combustion engine technology. Automobili Pininfarina is based in operational headquarters in Munich, Germany, with a team of experienced automotive executives from luxury and premium car brands. Designed, engineered and produced by hand in Italy, the Battista hyper GT and all future models will be sold and serviced in all major global markets under the brand name Pininfarina. The new company aims to be the most sustainable luxury car brand in the world. The company is a 100 per cent Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd investment and has been named Automobili Pininfarina following the signing of a trademark licence agreement between Pininfarina S.p.A. and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Pininfarina S.p.A. will take an influential role in supporting design and production capacities based on their unique 90-year experience of producing many of the world’s most iconic cars.

The House of BOVET, based in Switzerland for almost 200 years, artfully combines the most sophisticated watchmaking with the highest craftsmanship, employing artisanal techniques, while at the same time using cutting-edge designs, colors, and materials, completely handcrafted in Switzerland.


BOVET 1822 and Pininfarina team up to write a new chapter in the history of watchmaking and sustainable supercars. The announcement of the partnership between BOVET 1822 and Automobili Pininfarina, during the Monterey Car Week, is celebrating the creation of the first automobile designed and completely assembled in Cambiano – the exquisite new Battista pure-electric hyper GT.

MORALMODA | ISSUE 43

Image: © Bovet 1822. All rights reserved.

The new collaboration was officially launched at an exclusive event at Monterey Car Week in California and it will be followed up by a unique new timepiece revealed later this year, featuring "concepts and forms that we have never used before in our timepieces.", reveals Pascal Raffy, BOVET 1822 owner. Meanwhile, during the Geneva Watch Days, Bovet opened the rich Grand Exhibition showcasing the Maison's latest creations in equally stunning surroundings of the 15k a night Villa du Lac at La Réserve Genève Hotel right on the lakeside, with the world's first pure-electric luxury hyper GT makina in the backyard. Both brands are dedicated to present a new standard of luxury for the future, as Pascal Raffy, explains, “The 11-year partnership with Pininfarina is a key foundation for BOVET 1822, and the collaboration with Automobili Pininfarina is a continuation of this. Since the start, we have been working together in design, technology, and engineering, while at the same time utilising the artisanal nature of BOVET 1822 manufacturing. We are two houses sharing the same values, and now we are heading into the future.", adding that “the world is becoming more sustainable, and the future is definitely in electric cars. This is what is so exciting about the beautiful Battista, which combines engineering excellence with hand-made attention to detail, like the fine timepieces of the House of BOVET." Indeed, Parked in the September sun, with views to the southern coast of Lake Geneva, this car is faster than a current Formula 1 race car in its 0 -100 km/h sub-two second sprint, and with 1,900 hp and 2,300 Nm torque on tap, the Battista will combine extreme engineering and technology in a zero-emissions package. Mr Raffy concludes that "We all need to move in this direction, and Automobili Pininfarina is inspiring us to use new methods and materials and look at our processes with an eye to sustainability as well.


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Jacob & Co. Manual Winding Movement featuring 832 components that support extraordinary Double Triple Axis High-Speed Tourbillon, • Internal Cage Flying: in 24 seconds • Intermediary Cage Flying: in 8 sec • External Cage Flying: in 72 sec Regulator between the Triple Axis High-Speed Tourbillon Carriers, and Patented Double Mechanical Safety℗ Feature During a Chiming. The unique watch made in partnership with Bugatti holds power reserve of 50 hours.

acob & Co. debuts as the participating watchmaker in Salon Privé, an exclusive annual fair dedicated to rare classic cars and supercars. Billed as the “ultimate end-ofSummer party,” the event was held September 1 - 5 at Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.

A world first “Inspired by the Impossible” Jacob & Co. just released three timepieces from its Twin Turbo Furious collection that features both a fully transparent sapphire crystal case and a decimal minute repeater, a first in the world of haute horlogerie! Jacob & Co. is one of an exclusive group of ten luxury watchmakers selected to exhibit in a special area called Salon Privé TIME. The exclusive event is in its 16th year. It is the first time watchmakers have been asked to exhibit. “I’m very pleased with the interest and support we’ve had from the watch sector so far,” said David Bagley, co-

Moralmoda Magazine Issue No. 43 |

Salon Prive. All rights reserved..

Jacob & Co. debuts the art of watchmaking at Salon Privé TIME

Left: Jacob & Co. released three timepieces from its Twin Turbo Furious collection that features both a fully transparent sapphire crystal case and a decimal minute repeater, a first in the world of haute horlogerie.

ounder of the event with his brother Andrew. “As with every aspect of Salon Privé, we go for the top, premium sectors only and so we are very selective about who we invite to participate. Mindful that the right brands bring the right guests the event is very conscious about the right fit. During the five day event car and watch collectors were offered iconic models from the Swiss luxury watchmakers and the best British and Italian carmakers along the exclusive brands. Jacob Arabo, founder of Jacob & Co., was planning to personally attend, for this debut, although that meant that he will leave earlier the 2nd edition of Geneva Watch Days taking place simulationously, but Belinham Palace is a unique, “It’s an honor to participate in this prestigious event. I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new people. I’m also excited about seeing the cars on display. I plan to be a very active participant.” The first four days to attract upwards of 3,000 visitors per day and the final day, open to the public, would bring estimated 10,000 visitors.

“During the first three days, we have many high-net-worth collectors and enthusiasts attending,” Bagley explains. “This is also when the exhibitors and sponsors invite their key clients. You also have the Concours entrants themselves in attendance and they are some of the most affluent guests that attend with many of them having multiple cars in their collections.” Saturday, September 4, the fourth day, is open to members of luxury and high-performance automobile clubs. In 2020, the event attracted more than 1,000 cars and their owners. It is not for free to participate either, the ticket price for the first three days, at £595 ($816) give access to the centerpiece of the early days is the Concours d’Elégance, where more than 100 cars and motorcycles are situated on the South Lawn of the estate for judging and viewing by the guests. Only specially selected owners’ clubs such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche, Rolls-Royce take part.


PIAGET 18K ROSE GOLD PIAGET SUNLIGHT PENDANT, featuring a 30 x 32mm centre paved with a snow-setting of two different shades of pink sapphires (approx. 2.38 cts) and 49 brilliantcut diamonds (approx. 0.79 ct). (left)

A MATCHING PIAGET SUNLIGHT RING with sun rays on the side comes in 18K white gold with the same snow-setting of two different coloured blue sapphires to illuminate the day. The ring comprises 102 brilliant-cut blue sapphires (approx. 1.33 cts) and 17 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.21 ct).

A PIAGET SUNLIGHT RING WITH SUN RAYS ON THE SIDE comes in 18K rose gold with a snow-setting of 102 brilliant-cut sapphires (approx. 1.35 cts) in two different shades of pink. The ring also includes 17 brilliant-cut diamonds (approx. 0.21 ct) to accentuate the luminosity of the evening sky.

FROM DAWN TO DUSK

To Piaget, the ultimate elegance is synonymous with its extraordinary savoir-faire and iconic style. This year, Piaget is unveiling a magnificent collection of jewellery creations that celebrate moments of the sun’s journey through the sky, from dawn to dusk. To achieve the unique luminosity of each moment, Piaget uses a “camaieu” of different nuances of the same colour to create a uniquely radiant effect. This is the result of a team effort between the Maison’s

THE PIAGET SUNLIGHT COLLECTION IS INSPIRED BY THE POSITIVE ENERGY OF THE SUN WITH CREATIVE DESIGNS THAT COMBINE THE WARMTH AND LUMINOSITY OF GOLD WITH UNIQUE AND RADIANT DESIGN.

Maison Piaget expands its Sunlight collection with Ambassador Olivia Palermo

All images courtesy of © Piaget.

The House of Piaget is renowned for its high-end jewellery and watch collections. In celebration of this new fine jewellery collection the brand unveils wonderful creations with friend of the Maison, Olivia Palermo. The new collection celebrates unique gem setting technique "camaieu" preserved and perfected in Piaget’s “Atelier de l’Extraordinaire”. Mainly inspired by nature, Piaget has used countless different life-like motifs to adorn its hand-made gold bracelets, such as ocean waves, frost, flowers, foliage, etc. Founded in 1874, the Swiss, watchmaker remains relevant today with a series of exquisite collections and projects that keep enchanting connoisseurs, buyers and collectors and in general fans of high valued gems. Not only is it very complex to find the perfect stones in the exact hue, but the gem setting is also a timely process, with the pendants alone taking four hours to snow-set. Each gem selection is also made in-house from the finest quality gemstones. Piaget unveils two new 18K rose gold rings, one with a gorgeous scratch-resistant finish, and the other depicting the rising sun with the Maison’s iconic Palace Décor engraving and 19 brilliant-cut diamonds, (far left).

A PIAGET SUNLIGHT RING

102 brilliant-cut yellow sapphires (approx. 1.35 cts), in two different shades of yellow, and 17 brilliantcut diamonds (approx. 0.21 ct).

Moralmoda Magazine Fine Jewellery | 13


The GPHG celebrates its 21st edition with a global tour! Nominated watches, exhibited this fall in

Dubai, Geneva and St. Petersburg.

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his year some of the most beautiful watchmaking Maisons compete for the 21st edition of GPHG with 84 timepieces proposed across 14 categories. The nominated novelties represent fine Swiss watchmaking at its best over the past year. The 84 nominees were announced right after the Geneva Watch Days, during which I had the chance to re-see the models. Since we already featured the most striking models throughout the year I wish to highlight three models from the Mechanical Exception category and 2 from Astronomy. One can only imagine the considerations that the 2021 Jury, comprising 30 experts under the leadership of Nick Foulkes, the newly appointed President of the Jury, will need to take into account before placing their vote. And how much does sustainability impacts the final vote? The 2021 awards ceremony will take place on November 4 in Geneva so we should know more by then. Prior to Geneva, the 84 watches nominated by the GPHG Academy will also be exhibited within the magical setting of the Fabergé Museum in St-Petersburg, from October 13 to 17, 2021. After the awards ceremony on Thursday, November 4 at Geneva’s Théâtre du Léman, the winning watches will be presented during the Dubai Watch Week from November 24 to 28, 2021.

A unique retrospective “Aiguille d’Or” On the occasion of its 21st edition the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) is bringing together for the first time the watches that have won the “Aiguille d'Or” best-in-show award since the GPHG was created in 2001: twenty exceptional timepieces testifying to the excellence of contemporary watchmaking, to be admired at the Rath Museum in Geneva from October 23 to November 14. a in parallel with the annual exhibition presenting the 84 watches nominated for the current edition. With 104 watches on show, the GPHG is presenting an exceptional panorama of contemporary watchmaking creativity.

„SVEMIR“ ( Universe) by Miki Eleta Svemir combines for the first time ever two astronomical models in one Clock, Geocentrism and heliocentrism, intruduced during the 16th century's Copernican Revolution. 20 years after the creation of the GPHG, a clock celebrating the origin of the watchmaking is presented to the Jury. the geocentric model in "Svemir" shows the hour and the world time, the zodiac signs with their start and end dates, the highest and lowest positions of the sun as well as equinoxes can be read on its 12 segments. The sun is represented as a white ball that moves under the current date by 1/365 per day along the ecliptic ring. The moon moves by jumping one division every day. It shows the moon phase, solar eclipses and tides (correction every 128 years). The heliocentric model diagonally above the globe consists of its own sun and six planets. All six planets are mounted on a common axis inclined by 23.5 degrees relative to the axis of the earth. They revolve around the fixed sun visible below. According to Kepler's laws, the sun is slightly offset to the axis of the planets. The model displays the orbits of Mercury (period of revolution: 88 days), Venus (225 days), Earth (365 days), Mars (687 days = 1.8 years), Jupiter (4329 days = 11.86 years) and Saturn (10751 Days = 29, 45 years). The clock shows hours and minutes and provides the energy for display of world time, month, season, signs of the zodiac with start and end date, equinoxes, solstices, moon phases, solar eclipses, tides, geocentric model, heliocentric model.

For the first time, for this table clock, Ulysse Nardin collaborated with the celebrated clockmaker Maison L’Epée 1839 and Verre et Quartz, a technical glassblowing workshop located on the shores of Switzerland’s Lake Neuchâtel to manufacture 3mm-thick tube. Weighing 7.2kg, comprising 675 components, a deadbeat second and with one year of power reserve supplied by its six extra-large barrels and a balance wheel rim that reaches the spectacular diameter of 49 mm, UFO displays the time on three trapezoidal dials (image above). Never a company to leave well enough alone, Jacob & Co. designers got to thinking - why not do both? That’s when Jacob & Co. introduced the Grand Complication Opera Godfather Minute Repeater. In the universe of chiming/musical watches at Jacob & Co., the minute repeater first appeared in the Palatial collection and in the Twin Turbo and Twin Turbo Furious. Then, Jacob & Co. decided to produce a watch that played music, and the Opera Collection was born. The 49mm Opera is the first luxury timepiece to combine a high watchmaking triple-axis tourbillon movement with a two-comb, two-cylinder Swiss music box. The Opera Godfather took the Opera one step farther, introducing the theme music from The Godfather, followed by the Opera Scarface with music from the movie. The stylized image of Marlon Brando as Don Corleone, motif chosen to adorn this dial is superimposed on an 18K gold and black-lacquered piano. reproduces that of the historical theme, (left).

Christiaan van der Klaauw Astronomical Watches proudly presents the unique art piece CVDK Planetarium Eise Eisinga. This astronomical timepiece gives you storytelling, science, in-depth history and art.


Octo Finissimo Perpetual Calendar, the slimmest in the world, redefines the limits of contemporary fine watchmaking, by the Italian House of Bvlgari: featuring 408 components interacting within the extremely limited space provided by the slender 5.80 mm case.

The development of the 2.75 mm calibre required the movement design engineers of the Manufacture in Le Sentier to devise new solutions, such as the use of a microrotor and the optimal use of the space between the components without reducing their dimensions, bulgari.com.


The Royal House of Karauli, Rajasthan A new limelight on the exceptional history and heritage

Above: Painting watercolour by Crown Prince Vivasvat Pal of Karauli. Left: Crown Prince Vivasvat Pal of Karauli, wearing microfibre jacket from Siddartha Tytler couture collection printed with cheetahs from Prince's watercolour ‘After The Hunt’.

The House of Karauli is renowned for its spiritual and artistic contributions to the historically important Karauli, its area and the family-both are woven into the fabric of the country’s cultural ethos. While the foundation of the current city of Karauli was laid in 1348 AD by Raja Arjun Pal, the city is only the last of the several capitals founded by the family in an impressive martial and administrative history over thousands of years. The relics of this are still present in the many forts and citadels scattered across the Braj area from the Bayana fort in present-day Uttar Pradesh, to Timangarh, Devgir, Utgir, the magnificent Karauli City Palace, and the Art Deco Bhanwar Vilas Palace, the present home of the Karauli family.

The Royal Family of Karauli, Rajasthan. The Karauli royal family are the head of the Yaduvanshi Jadauns (literally the descendants of the Yadus) and the historic rulers of Brajbhoomi, the land sanctified by Lord Krishna. They trace their lineage to Lord Krishna, from his descendant Vajra Nabh.

This indeed makes them among the oldest consistently ruling families in the world. Mathura was lost and regained multiple times by the descendants of Vajra Nabh, but was in their control till 996 A.D. under Raja Jayendra Pal, the last Yaduvanshi ruler of Mathura, 87th in line from Lord Krishna. The Yaduvanshis of Mathura were to bear the brunt of constant attacks from the earliest waves of Muslim invaders from the North-West. This prompted Raja Jayendra Pal to send his son, Bijai Pal to establish his capital at Bayana, while he himself stayed back at Mathura where he died defending his ancestral homeland.

Maharaja Ganesh Pal Ji, the ruler at the time of Independence also built the uniquely Modern Bhanwar Vilas Palace in 1938 (above).

.

The Bayana fort-Bijaimandirgarh, became the scene for the earliest recorded jauhar in Rajput history-at the battle of Kanawar in 1046 AD, where Bijai Pal and his army fought against Abu Bakr Kandahari-a commander of Masud Shah. Successive rulers built many more forts and citadels scattered across the Braj area from Timangarh, Devgir, Utgir, Dholdera (the origin of Dholpur) culminating with the magnificent Karauli City Palace, whose foundation is synchronous with the establishment of Karauli in 1348 by Raja Arjun Pal. The Yaduvanshis, who have nearly always remained around the area of Braj near Mathura, at one time held a formidable territory encompassing Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli and Dholpur up to Gurgaon and Mathura, the greater part of Agra west of the Yamuna, and portions of Gwalior lying along the Chambal. The great ruler, Tahan Pal ji built the magnificent historical fort of Timangarh about 1058, which, with its stone carved bazaar was considered to be a veritable paradise. It was also a strategically significant fort that fell to Babur as one of the biggest of his Indian victories before being regained by the Karauli family later.


The Karauli City Palace-built in 1348 is the oldest City Palace in Rajasthan Approached through the twelve entry gates of the ancient citadel, with temples on each side, it looms up over the winding lanes, an edifice of immense proportions. As you pass the massive cages that once held tame tigers, you are struck by the foottall adjacent dwars, one covered in intricate stone carvings, and the other in fine Radha-Krishna paintings, outlined in crushed blue lapiz. In the time of Kunwar Pal, Muhammad Ghori captured much of the Yaduvanshi territory However, one of Kunwar Pal's courageous descendants, Arjun Pal, was determined to recover the territory of his ancestors and embarked on a successful campaign to accomplish this. In 1348 he founded the present capital Karauli. Raja Arjun Pal also built the original fortress ramparts of the Karauli City Palace. Gopal Das ji, among the most famous of the chiefs of Karauli, is known to have laid the foundations of the Agra Fort at Akbar's request. The legend goes that the foundation stone of the fort was repeatedly washed away by the Yamuna till Akbar was advised that the river would only permit a direct descendant of Lord Krishna to lay the stone. He is also revered for bringing the likeness of Gopal ji to the Madan Mohanji temple, having been miraculously guided to it hidden in the pillar of a fort at Daulatabad, while on his Deccan campaign. Another great ruler of Karauli, Maharaja Gopal Singh ji led an alliance of the Rajput rulers against the Marathas in the 1720s. Below: The Royal family of Karauli, family picture: His Highness Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal, H. H. Maharani Rohini Kumari, Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal, Yuvrani Anshika Kumari with their children Bhanwar Brajeshwar (centre) and Brijaambika Kumari.

Though support from other Rajput kingdoms was short-lived, he re-captured several of his ancestral territories back from Gwalior. The statue of Madan Mohan ji, one of the sixteen statues built by Vajra Nabh-the great-grandson of Lord Krishna was brought to Karauli by Maharaj Gopal Singh. It is said that Madan Mohan j appeared in his dreams and told him that he wished to return to the land of his descendants. Fortuitously, Gopal Singh’s sister was married to the then Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur and mentioned this dream to her husband. The Maharaja of Jaipur then devised a test, wherein he placed three identical statues including the original, and asked Gopal Singh to identify the original statue while blindfolded. He did so correctly, and the statue was moved to Karauli in an enormous ceremonial procession. After the advent of the British Raj, Karauli became among the foremost Princely States-with seventeen gun salutes. Maharaja Ganesh Pal Ji, the ruler at the time of Independence was among the most forward-thinking rulers in the country. His expansion of infrastructural facilities in the state including bridges, roads, city circles and sports clubs combined advanced engineering with a contemporary decorative aesthetic. He was also a keen sportsman, who instituted tennis, volleyball and cricket in the state armed forces and built several sports clubs and courts. He also built the uniquely Modern Bhanwar Vilas Palace in 1938, which has been converted to a heritage hotel by the present family. Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal of Karauli, the current head of the dynasty, the 181st of an illustrious line remains as invested in the local culture and philanthropic works as his ancestors. At present, he is heading two religious temple trusts where he has employed five hundred people, through which he is running mobile hospitals, the Madan Mohanji, and Kailadevi schools, a hundred-bed hospital, and also hosts medical and surgical camps. He also runs the Maharaja Ganesh Pal Ji Charitable Trust, named after his grandfather, which is working towards water conservation projects with the help of a Dutch foundation called Stichting Karauli. The Maharaja is a former member of the State Wildlife Advisory Board and the Game warden of the Kaila Devi Sanctuary. He has been particularly active in tiger conversation in the Kaila Devi Wildlife Sanctuary as well as a dedicated campaigner for the independent development of the Sanctuary. Maharani Rohini Kumari of Karauli is the first lady in the family to determinedly enter the public sphere as a politician. Having successfully contested the 2008 elections, she represented Karauli in the state legislature till 2013.

Moralmoda Magazine


Far-right: Crown Prince Vivasvat Pal of Karauli wearing ivory beige sequin hand embroidered kurta by Siddhartha Tytler. Right: detail from Bhanwar Vilas Palace, City Palace. Below: Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal wearing hand-embroidered sequin pants, crystal and crochet tee, and a silk jacquard sherwani.

She has also been at the forefront of the historical conservation movement in Karauli having discovered and restored several forgotten monuments in Karauli and having single-handedly undertaken the mammoth task of restoring the magnificent Karauli City Palace. She also undertook the conversion of Bhanwar Vilas into a heritage hotel, restoring and decorating its period interiors in a completely authentic manner while modernising its luxuries. Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal is the son of Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal and Maharani Rohini Kumari. He is very passionate about both his very disparate occupations-art and hospitality. As the scion of a family that has long patronised one of the foremost schools of miniature painting in India, the Karauli school of art, he has inherited its influential cultural tradition as well. Having studied at the Heatherly School of Art in London and exhibited his portraits at the Schallaburg Castle in Austria, he continues to work on his own paintings and sculptures, while training the hereditary palace artists of Karauli to restore the intricate 14th-century murals at the City Palace. He is also a practitioner of restoration techniques in paintings, sculptures and porcelain. He is also active in local youth organisation his father in the management of the family’s social and philanthropic concerns. His wife, Anshika is from the ancient taluqdari of RamnagarDhamedi in Uttar Pradesh She brings with her the literary traditions of Awadh and is a believer in the significance of critical academic thought is simultaneously constructing and sustaining historic traditions.

With their combined artistic and literary aesthetic the couple is uniquely fitted to breathe new vigour into ancient cultural concepts and to present the heritage they have been blessed with, in a rejuvenated form for the future. Bhanwar Vilas was built by Maharaja Ganesh Pal, in 1938 and its unique architecture and interiors that veer from Bauhaus to Colonial completely fit the avant-garde aesthetic that the family subscribes to. Stylistically, it rather resembles an English country house in its eclectic yet harmonious melding of Oriental and Art Deco forms. It was converted into a hotel in 1992, making it one of the oldest heritage hotels in the country. Bhanwar Vilas is very unique in that none of the rooms are newly constructed, they are all part of the original edifice and with antique furniture in each room to present an authentic, and not merely simulated, heritage experience

The City Palace, approached through the twelve entry gates of the ancient citadel, with temples on each side, looms up over the winding lanes, an edifice of immense proportions. As you pass the massive cages that once held tame tigers, you are struck by the foot-tall adjacent dwars, one covered in intricate stone carvings, and the other in fine Radha-Krishna paintings, outlined in crushed blue lapis lazuli.


THE

Most Anticipated Hotels “The property has layers upon layers of history, but it’s a brand new hotel with fresh energy...” LORENZO MARAVIGLIA General Manager

San Domenico Palace This summer, Four Seasons will welcome discerning guests to its third Italian property, the legendary San Domenico Palace, which is set just off the southern tip of Italy, on the large and lovely island of Sicily. Sicily has long been a popular playground for the rich and famous. San Domenico Palace is one of the most renowned hotels on the island. Its history starts in 1374 as a convent, but its doors open in 1896 as one of

The St. Regis, among first luxury brands to open in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital

The iconic St. Regis brand, part of Marriott International, welcomes

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (left), were guests at San Domenico resort along some of the world’s most powerful and beautiful people. Images: fourseasons.com

Europe’s first grand hotels. Ever since San Domenico has attracted royalty, artists, writers, scientists and Heads of State. Its visionary owner Prince Cerami, who transformed the convent into a hotel has planted a seed to the glorious future of the location. The new management by Four Seasons and General Manager Lorenzo Maraviglia, seeks to preserve the hotel’s rich history, famous for catering to some of the most celebrated figures in the world, fourseasons.com.

New Bulgari Hotel at “Triangle d’Or” Bvlgari Hotel is poised to become the new it venue in the world’s

becomes its authentic Italian most visited city, when Paris finally hospitality address. Situated the 8th arrondissement, in one of Paris's main business districts, the 7th Bulgari Hotel will be neighbour to the head offices of major corporations such as AXA, Bouygues, SanofiAventis, GDF Suez, HSBC France, and Standard & Poor's' France office and landmarks like the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la Concorde, as well as the Élysée Palace. Most French fashion luxury brands have their main store in huitième, too.

Golden Triangle Parisian Golden Triangle is heaven for luxury escapism. It’s bordered by the hotel per se on Avenue George V, the Champs Elysees and the guests to The St. Regis Almasa with the rebranding of the Almasa Hotel. Avenue Montaigne. Ideal location after theatre play or walks along Located in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt, the project is the right bank of river Seine. Its 76 rooms, most of them suites, offer realized together with the National Authority for Management & a full range of luxury facilities including a spa with a 25-metre pool. Investment under its Chairman, General Sherif Salah El-Din, “The Haussman city planning National Authority for Management and Investment is excited to collaborate Bulgari’s city hotels tend to have exterior anonymity and can be with Marriott International to bring the classic sophistication of the St. Regis almost impossible to find in the labyrinth of streets in London and brand to the New Administrative Capital of Egypt.” The hotel’s enviable address is situated a short distance from Egypt’s ministerial district and Milan. While the 19th century Haussmanian urban patterns are form the new Arts and Culture hub which is home to the Grand Opera the hotel, its redesigned facade stands out thanks to the Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, and the renowned House, Egypt’s Capitals Museum and the Capital Library. Parisian architects Valode & Pistre, bulgarihotels.com. The St. Regis and neoclassical sophistication Guido De Wilde, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International said, “This opening is a significant milestone in our journey and underscores the tremendous trust and confidence our owners have in us.” The St. Regis Almasa blends the neoclassical style with the surrounding lush green landscape. Arcades and columns, impressively lined around its vast courtyard with pool, give privacy to 270 rooms, 90 suites, 60 apartments and 14 villas. The hotel’s classic aesthetic blends effortlessly with an elegant palate of rich fabrics to create a refined environment of luxury and comfort. Guests will enjoy the brand's signature Butler Service, which offers around-the-clock anticipatory service. The St. Regis Almasa boasts a 42,000-square-foot convention center that hosts official government conventions and events, as well as official foreign presidents’ and delegation visits. The Convention Center includes 3 ballrooms, 9 meeting rooms and 6 VIP lounges with access to a private restaurant. It also features The Summit Hall, which is renowned for hosting heads of states, and Teatro Al Asema, a state-ofthe-art spectator venue, st-regis.marriott.com.

Top image Bvlgari Hotel Paris . All images courtesy of Bvlgari Hotels.

Moralmoda Magazine | Travel 29


THE

Most Anticipated Hotels “The property has layers upon layers of history, but it’s a brand new hotel with fresh energy...” LORENZO MARAVIGLIA General Manager

San Domenico Palace This summer, Four Seasons will welcome discerning guests to its third Italian property, the legendary San Domenico Palace, which is set just off the southern tip of Italy, on the large and lovely island of Sicily. Sicily has long been a popular playground for the rich and famous. San Domenico Palace is one of the most renowned hotels on the island. Its history starts in 1374 as a convent, but its doors open in 1896 as one of

The St. Regis, among first luxury brands to open in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital

The iconic St. Regis brand, part of Marriott International, welcomes

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton (left), were guests at San Domenico resort along some of the world’s most powerful and beautiful people. Images: fourseasons.com

Europe’s first grand hotels. Ever since San Domenico has attracted royalty, artists, writers, scientists and Heads of State. Its visionary owner Prince Cerami, who transformed the convent into a hotel has planted a seed to the glorious future of the location. The new management by Four Seasons and General Manager Lorenzo Maraviglia, seeks to preserve the hotel’s rich history, famous for catering to some of the most celebrated figures in the world, fourseasons.com.

New Bulgari Hotel at “Triangle d’Or” Bvlgari Hotel is poised to become the new it venue in the world’s

becomes its authentic Italian most visited city, when Paris finally hospitality address. Situated the 8th arrondissement, in one of Paris's main business districts, the 7th Bulgari Hotel will be neighbour to the head offices of major corporations such as AXA, Bouygues, SanofiAventis, GDF Suez, HSBC France, and Standard & Poor's' France office and landmarks like the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe, the Place de la Concorde, as well as the Élysée Palace. Most French fashion luxury brands have their main store in huitième, too.

Golden Triangle Parisian Golden Triangle is heaven for luxury escapism. It’s bordered by the hotel per se on Avenue George V, the Champs Elysees and the guests to The St. Regis Almasa with the rebranding of the Almasa Hotel. Avenue Montaigne. Ideal location after theatre play or walks along Located in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt, the project is the right bank of river Seine. Its 76 rooms, most of them suites, offer realized together with the National Authority for Management & a full range of luxury facilities including a spa with a 25-metre pool. Investment under its Chairman, General Sherif Salah El-Din, “The Haussman city planning National Authority for Management and Investment is excited to collaborate Bulgari’s city hotels tend to have exterior anonymity and can be with Marriott International to bring the classic sophistication of the St. Regis almost impossible to find in the labyrinth of streets in London and brand to the New Administrative Capital of Egypt.” The hotel’s enviable address is situated a short distance from Egypt’s ministerial district and Milan. While the 19th century Haussmanian urban patterns are form the new Arts and Culture hub which is home to the Grand Opera the hotel, its redesigned facade stands out thanks to the Italian architectural firm Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, and the renowned House, Egypt’s Capitals Museum and the Capital Library. Parisian architects Valode & Pistre, bulgarihotels.com. The St. Regis and neoclassical sophistication Guido De Wilde, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International said, “This opening is a significant milestone in our journey and underscores the tremendous trust and confidence our owners have in us.” The St. Regis Almasa blends the neoclassical style with the surrounding lush green landscape. Arcades and columns, impressively lined around its vast courtyard with pool, give privacy to 270 rooms, 90 suites, 60 apartments and 14 villas. The hotel’s classic aesthetic blends effortlessly with an elegant palate of rich fabrics to create a refined environment of luxury and comfort. Guests will enjoy the brand's signature Butler Service, which offers around-the-clock anticipatory service. The St. Regis Almasa boasts a 42,000-square-foot convention center that hosts official government conventions and events, as well as official foreign presidents’ and delegation visits. The Convention Center includes 3 ballrooms, 9 meeting rooms and 6 VIP lounges with access to a private restaurant. It also features The Summit Hall, which is renowned for hosting heads of states, and Teatro Al Asema, a state-ofthe-art spectator venue, st-regis.marriott.com.

Top image Bvlgari Hotel Paris . All images courtesy of Bvlgari Hotels.

Moralmoda Magazine | Travel 29


The recent fashion collaboration has been extremely unique since it showcases the wildlife paintings by the talented Prince on the couture outfits by designer Siddartha Tytler. The shoot took place at the 14th-century Karauli city palace, Bhanwar Vilas Palace and the Kailadevi wildlife sanctuary lensed by photographer Karishma Bedi . Recovering from this first glimpse of structural magnificence you are lead through an enchanting series of vast courtyards surrounding by trompe l’oeil windows on the surrounding wall, the durbar hall completely covered in miniatures and gold mirrors, the zenana balconies with painted floors, and terraces of stone carvings and magnificent views of the city. At the back are the red stone medieval towers-part of the palace, and the huge zenana area with a bewildering array of rooms and carved and latticed jharokhas. The palace akhada, with friezes dedicated to Lord Hanuman and the underground sauna and bathing area, are also remarkably unique examples of palace architecture. With the blessings of Kaila Devi, the rulers of Karauli have always maintained a deep connection with the temple. Maharaja Gopal Singh Ji laid the foundation of the temple in 1723. He also established the statue of Chamunda Ji, bringing it from the fort of Gagraun where it had been placed by the Khinchi ruler Mukund Das Ji (the ancestor of Digvijaya Singh of Raghogarh). Since then each successive ruler of Karauli has served the goddess, expanding and improving the facilities from Maharaja Bhanwar Pal ji who had the temple reconstructed with more modern architecture to the present Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal whose tireless work has seen several radical modern facilities added to the temple, as well This page and opposite: Yuvraj Vivasvat Pal wearing a signature gold & black sherwani with a hand-embroidered pashmina from Kashmir. Shot inside the Darbaar hall of the 14th century city palace of Karauli

as the establishment of the 1000 strong Kailadevi Senior Secondary School and hostel, where quality education is provided at a nominal fee. The school is remarkable for the number and achievements of its girl students. The family’s ingrained social conscience and their sustained efforts in developing and maintaining the monuments and infrastructure of the area have established Karauli as a prime historic, artistic, and spiritual destination. As the historic heads of the whole of the ancient area of Brajbhoomi, a visit with the family offers not simply a slice of history but a composite understanding of the entire history of this area. Crown Prince Vivasvat Pal of Karauli tells the story on the royal family, Bhanwar Vilas Palace, City Palace through the recent fashion collaboration that is extremely unique since it showcases the wildlife paintings by the talented Prince on the couture outfits by designer Siddartha Tytler. The shoot took place at the 14th-century Karauli city palace, Bhanwar Vilas Palace and the Kailadevi wildlife sanctuary lensed by photographer Karishma Bedi. Discover more about the royal family and how to visit the Palace on www.karauli.com.

Moralmoda Magazine | Issue No. 43


Step by step, two years ago at the CC Forum London edition which was totally dedicated to the emerging technologies, sustainability and sustainable development, we received a letter of greeting from Buckingham Palace on behalf of HM Queen Elisabeth II and we were officially authorized to use this for our state-of-the-art booklet alongside with her official photo, then Prince Albert picked up the torch so to speak and graciously bestowed his patronage to the next edition held in Monaco in 2020. So much so that not only did he attend the event, but also received me in person at a meeting at the Palace of Monaco, and this shows to all the extent to which we progressed a global platform. We are still very much in an embryonic state, but we have been succeeding in triggering off the investors' community's thinking in the right direction.

Sustainable snd Impact Investment - Interview with Max Studennikoff - Founder and Executive Director of CC Forum

The 7th CC FORUM:

GLOBAL INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

L. T.: For your events held at the best locations between Monaco, Dubai and London, how do you identify different themes or topics for each region and destination or how is the programme organised? Max Studennikoff: We are indeed in the top locations. All is incorporated into the vision of investment and sustainability. However the content differs depending on the location, I will just give a few examples. So, when we came to Dubai, apart from many topics that were shared across conferences, there were 2-3 that were specifically region oriented, such as potable water and real-estate, these were considered to be the Gulf related topics. In the case of Monaco besides the frequent topics disused we have also highlighted and discussed the future of the car industry, which is a quintessential topic related to Monaco, and the Principality has always a been capital of showcasing the achievements in the naval industry as well.

→ From October 26th to 29th in London The mission of CC Forum is convening the top business leaders, policy makers and public figures and defining the relevant course of action to confront the existential challenges we are all facing today including climate change, fossil-fuel-based economies, overpopulation and poverty. The CC Forum agenda is parallel to the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations, and being an investment conference which is 100% dedicated to investment in sustainability its topics centre around investing in Environment, Renewable Energies, Emerging Technologies, Healthcare, Education, Social Inclusion and Philanthropy connecting the brightest startups to the savviest of investors, cc-forum.com. While CC Forum’s previous editions were held in London in October 2019 with a written royal greeting from HM Queen Elizabeth II, in Monaco in September 2020 under the High Patronage and with the participation of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco and in Dubai in April 2021, ahead of the 7th edition of CC Forum London, Moralmoda Magazine talks to the Founder about the goals of the forthcoming CC Forum. Liliya Tippetts: As the Founder and Chief Executive of CC Forum, can you please introduce the background to the CC Forum? Max Studennikoff: CC Forum stands for Climate Change Forum. It is not just tied to climate change only, but it is related to impact investment, social inclusion, philanthropy, finance and so forth. I have been invited to speak at many forums and climate change conferences. And I realised five years ago that the world was lacking a global platform that deals with all the existential issues that are all facing today. In this respect we have always been perceived as an investment forum. Otherwise you could say that the CC Forum is a club of impact investors. It is a platform where they can brainstorm what steps need to be taken on the subject. Moralmoda Magazine Issue No. 43 | 22

All images Max Studennikoff - Founder and Executive Director of CC Forum, courtesy of CC Forum.

These are two huge pillars that Monaco has been propping upon over the decades. When it comes to London the variety of topics will be there, again, because London has been and still is despite the Brexit a global financial center of the world and one of the financial hubs of the world, so a lot of attention will be attached to the future of sustainable financing. It really varies from location to location, but again, it is important to understand that it is all within the frame of sustainable investment and sustainable development. L. T.: What would be the key areas and industries with sustainable investment in the sustainable future? Max Studennikoff: It is so entangled and intertwined that it is really hard to single out the areas. But I would suggest that investment in the green energies is the area that is probably the foremost. It is a groundbreaking revolution, a once in a lifetime opportunity and it has been largely thanks to the extraordinary context of the pandemic. This new investors thinking has been triggered of in the right direction. That is certainly of paramount importance, if we want to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and preserve the planet livable for the future generations.


But again, it is all linked to areas adjectant to that. I would single out education, it remains hugely important to give our kids the ability to understand and be able to share the fundamental values and that we as a species and as a population understand as to what is sustainable and what is not. I have just pointed out energy sector, but there are so many sectors that are linked energy; like health care, as we know that our health and wellbeing is related to the health of the planet. A new era has come that should see of a new type of an entrepreneur emerge that would be more concerned with the environmental and social impact than just profit making, so gone are the days when we could do business as usual. It is really now or never. The sustainable mindset could be implemented across all sectors. It is hugely important to keep the momentum going both at the corporate level and the personal level. These two layers or two axes are supposed to meet in a unity, not only corporations have to share these principals, but also these seeds have to fall on the soil of personal rethinking of paradigm. Sometimes corporations consider these principles as a placebo, and if we instead talk about this complete and total personal rephrasing of the paradigm that would play even more important role. It should all come from within. L. T.: You have crafted an intense and culturally enriched programme for guests to network and Monaco is surely the ideal place for such extensive programme what can we look forward to for your events in London and Dubai? Max Studennikoff: The London edition is of huge importance to us, because we started from London and we now for various reasons could not hold any events in it for almost 2 years. We really attach great importance to this comeback. And it is important to emphasise that the CC Forum London has been seen widely as an investment precursor of the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, will take place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in the Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow. Physical and recreation frameworks are important, but we have always seen us as an investment forum and the practicality of it has always been to unite the best and brightest investors. It is very important to ensure that time frame is right. We will be holding our Conference on the last week of October and Glasgow will then kick off the next week. It is all a different audience and the emphasis is slightly different but we can be seen as a complimentary products, so to speak.

Left to right: José Plácido Domingo a nd Max Studennikoff, during CC Forum Monaco 2020.

Left to right: H.S.H. Prince Albert ll of Monaco, and Max Studennikoff, during CC Forum Monaco 2020.

CC Forum Middle East will take place in mid-February before returning to Monaco in May. L. T.: Holding CC Forums without partners' support would probably be difficult. Who is backing your initiative? Max Studennikoff: Indeed, holding each of our event calls for an enormous amount of strategic planning and operational work. It would be impossible todo so without the staunch support of our partners. I am pleased to announce that CC Forum has entered a long term partnership with the Neutrino Energy Group; as investment in the green energy transition is the focal point of the Forum's agenda. Developed by the group, neutrinovoltaic technology for generating electricity from ambient electromagnetic radiation, as well as energy fields, including neutrino and antineutrino energy, promises to be a driver for the development of distributed power generation and the phasing out of fossil fuels. L. T.: What would be the companies to keep an eye on for high caliber investors? Max Studennikoff: As usual, we will have a strong representation from the British Parliament. Two years ago we organised the forum in London alongside many other events for the House of Lords, including the black tie Gala Dinner and Award Giving ceremony. We will also be holding multiple VIP receptions and garden parties as well during the London event. There will be a lot of discussions and debate. It is also important that the VIP delegates have the opportunity of mixing and socialising, this is why it is not confined to the conference room only, we try and give them the opportunity to engage outside the conference room. It's really now or never, we should grasp the seriousness of the situation on this planet. I would say, and I am very far from being pessimistic here, on the contrary, the forum's mission and ethos are to highlight new projects and to bring the companies that can make : tenor Domingo the difference. I think it is a bit of Above: a stick andPlacido carrot for and Max S.. investors here, we should be hugely aware of the potential

consequences if we fail to reinstall sustainable practices. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel: we are seeing the startups and mind-blowing ideas which can help us turn the ride. If we look at the philosophical side of it, the bulk of the problems that we have today stems form the fact that humanity has trodden the wrong track choosing the technology as the guiding light, but I am really convinced that it is paradoxical as it might seem, that it is down to technological breakthroughs to bootstrap mankind and the planet from the fine mess we are in today. More info on cc-forum.com.


An interview with

AL HABTOOR CEO & President of Al Habtoor Trading Enterprises, UAE

Commenting on his personal attitude towards noble sport discipline, Rashid Al Habtoor said,

Tobias Kormind.

RASHID KHALAF

playing polo for the last 30 years all over the “Polo is one of the most beautiful sports. I have been

world.”

Image left: Rashid Al Habtoor

R

ashid Al Habtoor talks to Liliya Tippetts at the state-of-the-art Al Habtoor Polo Resort & Club, in Dubai. The interview took place at the polo tournament with players from abroad and the UAE.

Liliya Tippetts: Polo is one of the most elegant and noble sport disciplines worldwide, and your passion for this sport is evident at so many levels, how did you got involved in polo? Rashid Khalaf Al Habtoor: Polo is one of the most beautiful sports. I have been playing polo for the last 30 years all over the world. I have been invited to play in Miami, Spain, UK where I participated in high goal tournaments. And of course, I have been playing with Rommy (ed. Gianni) for many years, including at the polo fields in St-Tropez, Spain, and here in Dubai. I look forward to playing with him in many other polo destinations. L. T.: When does the Polo season begin in Dubai and when does it end usually? R. H.: Dubai is very big and attracts more and more polo fans. At this time of the year, from January to March there

Moralmoda Magazine Issue No. 43 | 24

are only two places in the world that are important for polo. They are Miami, Florida and Dubai. Right now these are the best places to come and play polo in the world. We have played polo here in Dubai for 10 years. And for the next year we plan something bigger, including a polo tournament with the Monte-Carlo Polo Team. L. T.: Which polo events do you host recently at the state of art Al Habtoor Polo field R. H.: We start the season gradually at the end of October here in Dubai. The season opens with small tournaments in November and December. Then in January, February and March we play high goal, that is the 18 hole. Here in Dubai, we have 10 team. From mid-April and end of the March, we gradually end the season as it becomes too hot for the horses. L. T.: Polo is a team sport, how important is teamwork for you, and what are your plans for developing your polo sport in Dubai? R. H.: Dubai is already significant polo destination. We


Left to right: Rashid Khalaf Al Habtoor at the Al Habtoor Polo Club in Dubai, with His Highness, Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah ibni Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, Regent and 4th Crown Prince of Pahang Malaysia.

"We start the season gradually in the end of October here in Dubai. The season opens with small tournaments in November and December. Then in January, February and March we play high-goal, that is the 18-hole." - Rashid Khalaf Al Habtoor.

have 10 team high goal, 18 goal and almost 40-50 polo professionals live in Dubai. The situation now with covid is not as we are used to but depending on the situation and future improvement we will play in St-Tropez. L. T.: Thank you very much for your time, and valuable insight, do you have any points to add in the end? R. H.: I have a question for Magazine readers, when will you start playing polo?

Thank You Interview conducted in Dubai at the Al Habtoor Polo & Resort Club. By Liliya Tippetts Vice President of MoralModa in Monaco

Moralmoda Magazine Issue No. 43 | 25


THE PRIVATE OFFICE OF SHEIKH SAQER BIN MOHAMED AL QASIMI INVITES TO EVENT TAKING PLACE DURING THE DUBAI EXPO 2020

Future Innovation Summit is taking place on October 13th14th, 2021, in Dubai at one of the most iconic business venues – InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City, UAE

w w w . d f i s x . c o m.

As the leading governmental conference and e x h i b i t i o n o r g a n i z e d i n p a r t n e r s h i p wi t h T h e Private Office of Sheikh Saqer Bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, the Future Innovation Summit is a unique platform for organizations, businesses, and individuals alike to share their expertise, knowledge, technologies and lay the foundation for future vision and innovation for the world in healthcare, education, real estate, A.I. & technologies, telecommunications, blockchain, digital assets and NFT. Leading international speakers will share their ideas and vision on how we can collaborate and improve the lives of humankind. The Future Innovation Summit presents you with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to extend the network in your sphere of interest. The Future Innovation Summit presents: Director General of Knowledge & Human Development Association UAE (KHDA) Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation/Emirates H.E. Mo h a m m e d Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Municipality H.E. Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Health Authority (DHA) H.E. Awadh Seghayer Al Ketbi, Director General of Dubai Land Department (DLD), and many more distinguished guests. And representatives from the World Health Organization, The World Bank Group, United Nations, Dubai Knowledge & Human Development Authority, World Bank Association, Royal Families of the UAE, Government Representatives from Europe, the US, CIS countries, owners of the largest companies, such as IBM, Marvel, Disney, Forbes, Bloomberg, and many others into one place to speak about the future of innovations and human development.

"The Summit differentiates itsel f f rom other similar Summits in Dubai. We gather a significant amount of decisionmakers, policymakers, high-l evel official s, heads of digital transf ormation on a country level, emtech f unds etc f rom the region. Usually, the vast majority of speakers are expats promoting their products here. We f ocus on del ivering profound knowledge and expertise from the horse’s mouth, and we are very selective with projects and products exhibition with us."

Dr Yana Leonova, Head of the Future Innovation Summit.


Haute Couture Winter 2022

Courtesy of Georges Hobeika.


Exclusive travel

ÇIRAĞAN PALACE KEMPINSKI ISTANBUL The Grande Dame of the Bosphorus

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ating back to the 17th century, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is the only Ottoman imperial palace and hotel situated on the Bosphorus which although was once a template of power and light that was seen as a pearl of an empire. Facing Asia, and with enchanting views to the historical peninsula, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul offers the glamour of a genuine Ottoman palace in a city where east meets west, Europe meets Asia and history meets the contemporary.

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Following a complete restoration and the addition of a modern hotel building that includes elegant guest rooms, restaurants and meeting venues, the hotel and palace opened in 1991 under the management of Kempinski Hotels, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. At Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, guests can choose from 313 rooms, including 20 suites in the hotel and 11 suites in the historical palace, in addition to magnificent outdoor event spaces that host prestigious local and international events


With its splendid style, superb location, breath-taking views and resort ambiance, including a spacious green garden dotted with palm trees, Çırağan Palace Kempinski has been an Istanbul icon since its opening with eternal flame with boundless power. Countless dignitaries continue to pass through its doors, including government officials, royal families, and worldrenowned celebrities. As an award-winning property recognised the world over for both its sophisticated elegance and commitment to impeccable service, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul showcases an alluring blend of old and new that comprises modern Istanbul.

"Berthold" - a unique pop-up in the Palace gardens This legendary hotel features a variety of both indoor and outdoor bars and restaurants. These unique establishments continue to entice guests with a seasoned blend of delicious cuisine and magical Bosphorus views. The award-winning Tuğra Restaurant which offers guests the ultimate Ottoman dining experience, complete with timeless, palatial rituals. Laledan Restaurant serves the best buffet breakfast and brunch in Istanbul in an idyllic setting by the Bosphorus. The “Legendary Çırağan Brunch” offers a vast selection of mouth-watering tastes at Laledan Restaurant. Çırağan Palace Kempinski has also unveiled “Berthold” – a distinctive, delightful concept set against the breath-taking Bosphorus vista. Named after Berthold Kempinski, founder of the Kempinski brand. The 47 Music & Drinks is also a great waterfront bar on the Bosphorus. It is the new must-visit destination for entertainment enthusiasts. Le Fumoir offers posh ambiance coupled with striking decor. The legendary hotel is now getting prepared to open a new Italian restaurant which will be called “Bellini” and will be located at the historical palace. Çırağan Palace Kempinski venue to the most elite events One of the most important and unique highlights of Çırağan Palace Kempinski is the worldwide known Sultan Suite. Located at the palace side Sultan Suite is one of the most expensive suites in the world. The Sultan Suite offers 24-hour private butler service and absolute privacy, including a private entrance and a lounge. Being a landmark, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is always the host to the most prestigious and extravagant events, meetings and weddings in the city.

With its romantic and spacious wedding terrace, and the Çırağan Ballroom overlooking Bosphorus, it is the best wedding venue and a top choice for romantic honeymoon destinations and anniversaries worldwide. Used frequently as a meeting place for the Ottoman Parliament, in 1910 a devastating fire poured through the complex, sparing only the external walls, some columns, and a large part of the Turkish bath. Fortunately, the other area destroyed by the fire has been restored to its original glory. From birthday parties to wedding celebrations, the truly special ambiance of this traditional Turkish bath also can accommodate up to 20 guests for dinner or 40 guests for a cocktail party, ensuring a truly unforgettable experience. Since its opening, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul has been the only hotel in Istanbul reachable in three ways (by limousine, yacht, or helicopter) and has seen countless eminent figures come through its doors, including government delegates, royal families, world stars and celebrities. The ultimate way to arrive in style, Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is also the one and only hotel in the city with a registered helipad on the Bosphorus. With impeccable service dedicated to excellence, Çırağan Palace is always appreciated and awarded by many leading publications and authorities. Recently Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul is awarded as one of the “Top 50 Hotels in the World’’ and it is featured in “The 10 Hotels in Greece and Turkey” listings of the prestigious and respectful Condé Nast Traveler, Readers’ Choice Awards. The hotel has been also awarded a “Five-Star” rating for 2021 within the scope of the annual “Star Awards”, the prestigious global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas established by Forbes Travel Guide, the world-renowned expert in genuine Five-Star service, discover more on kempinski.com.

Above: "Berthold" - a unique pop-up in the Palace gardens. Left: Sultans dinner. Right: Tugra restaurant.


ENVIRONMENTECO-LUXURY

Distinctive Architectural Heritage & Landscapes of Ladakh

Serenity, tranquility and peace are synonymous with Ladakh. From gompas to mountains, lakes and Brokpas, Ladakh is a scenic, historically formidable kingdom in itself. Being one of the highest regions in the world, it offers a distinctively striking landscape and architectural heritage.

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Text and Images: Shalini Passi


Pangong Lake is the highest endorheic salt-water lake in India and stretches across 160 km. India owns one third of this lake and the remaining is in China as it falls under the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Pangong Tso derives it’s name from a Tibetan word Banggong Co that translates as narrow and enchanted lake. Offering surreal, breathtaking landscapes, the water of this lake appears to be coloured differently in different climates and is tremendously popular amongst photographers. The Indo-China war took place on the shore of this lake. Pangong Tso freezes during long Ladakh winters but the Dogra general Zorawar Singh apparently trained his soldiers and horses on this frozen lake prior to invading Tibet.

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Traditionally, architecture in the union territory is ingeniously sustainable and can withstand extreme weather conditions. One can find ancient earth style construction along with multicultural architectural influences due to its fervent political history. The monastic architecture here is usually at higher planes and the layout style varies from one religious foundation to another, often offering unparalleled views. My whole experience in Ladakh has been nothing short of surreal.


1. SHANTI STUPA Built in 1991 by the Japanese Buddhists, Shanti Stupa is situated at the top of Chanspa hill. Shanti Stupa was built to commemorate 2500 years of Buddhism and promote World Peace and harmony as a part of Japan’s Peace Pagoda Mission. This beautiful dome-shaped Chorten situated 3609 meters high, offers a panoramic view of the entire Leh, apart from being a religious attraction. Where the base of the Stupa is a burial chamber for Buddha’s relics, the inner walls are adorned with illustrations from Buddha’s life and statues. These illustrations range from birth to death stories. Exterior surface of the stupa is adorned with colourful murals and sculptural reliefs, symbolic of Buddhism. Reaching the Stupa is a 500 step climb and is one of the best places to capture sunrise and sunset. Illuminated at night, Shanti Stupa is breathtaking and is my favourite spot in Leh.

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Being the oldest, it houses the oldest paintings in Ladakh. Paintings are a depiction of Kashmiri and Buddhist style whereas statues and wooden carvings resemble Baroque style. It is believed that Rinchen Zangpo brought in Kashmiri artists who specialised in ‘Gandhara School of Art’ in the 11th century. Alchi Monastery is now a constituent of Likir Monastery. The art from Alchi stands as the root of art development in Ladakh.

ALCHI MONASTERY The distinctive art from Alchi Monastery has been one of the major highlights of the trip. Situated in Alchi village of Leh District, Alchi Monastery is the oldest monastery in Ladakh. It is divided into four constructions, each dating back to different time periods. Three of the major shrines are the Dukhang (Assembly hall), the Sumtsek and the Temple of Manjushri. What makes it unique is that it's the only monastery situated at the ground level and unlike other monasteries, Alchi is a confluence of cultural influences.

STOK MONASTERY & PALACE Stok Gompa is a buddhist monastery in Leh district of Ladakh and the Stok Palace is merely 2km away from it. The verandah of Stok Monastery is endowed with murals of the Guardian of the Four Direction and the assembly hall with thangkas. The ideal time to visit this place is around February or March because it's annual ritualistic mask-dance festival. This Gompa also has a rich library holding 108 volumes of Kangyur. Built in 1820, Stok Palace was originally the summer home for the royal family of Ladakh from the Namgyal Dynasty. Now this has been converted into a heritage property, open to visitors. It also comprises a temple and a well endowed museum where one can find artefacts, photographs, costumes and jewellery relics that belong to the royal family, some of it dating back to 400 years. Popularly, there is a thousand year old crown and headgear embellished with 401 turquoise stones and gold. Where one can easily find solace in the scenic views, spirituality, history and culture, there is another aspect that I found to be soulful. It veils behind the narrative paintings, humble Ladakhi’s and their way of living.

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1. HEMIS MONASTERY Originally built in 1930, Hemis Monastery is one most richly endowed monasteries and was re-established in 1672 by the Ladakhi king Sengge Namgyal. This shrine descends from the Drukpa lineage. What makes this monastery so popular is its annual event called the Hemis Festival. This religious festival takes place over a span of two days, followed by several customs and mask dances, marking the birth anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava. Once in every 12 years, one of the

1. ALCHI MONASTERY The distinctive art from Alchi Monastery has been one of the major highlights of the trip. Situated in Alchi village of Leh District, Alchi Monastery is the oldest monastery in Ladakh. It is divided into four constructions, each dating back to different time periods. Three of the major shrines are the Dukhang (Assembly hall), the Sumtsek and the Temple of Manjushri. What makes it unique is that it's the only monastery situated at the ground level and unlike other monasteries, Alchi is a confluence of

biggest Thangka is opened for viewership to the attendees of this festival. Hemis houses a museum persisting a diversified collection of Tibetan books, Thangkas, the statue of Shakyamuni Buddha made out of gold and stupas embellished with precious stones. While the exteriors are white alongside a giant facade, the interiors are adorned with colourfully illustrated

cultural influences. Being the oldest, it houses the oldest paintings in Ladakh. Paintings are a depiction of Kashmiri and Buddhist style whereas statues and

narratives from the life and the teachings of Buddha. Hemis also comprises a giant courtyard and central prayer hall. The oldest part of the monastery is called the Nyingma Lhakhang.

wooden carvings resemble Baroque style. It is believed

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that Rinchen Zangpo brought in Kashmiri artists who specialised in ‘Gandhara School of Art’ in the 11th century. Alchi Monastery is now a constituent of Likir Monastery. The art from Alchi stands as the root of art development in Ladakh.

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Changing hands of power India’s Independence Day on August 15th 1947, heralded a change to the status of the princely states. In 1949 Baroda formally acceded to the union of India. the state celebrated the 40th birthday of maharaja Pratap Singh, with great celebrations and entertainment including an elephant parade at Laxmi villas palace the maharaja seated on his golden throne under a scarlet velvet canopy embroidered with threads of gold, wearing the famous seven strand Baroda pearl necklace of unmatched luster and beauty. Sita Devi glittering with an enormous three-strand diamond necklace featuring in the center the ‘star of the south’ a cushion-shaped diamond of 128 carats and underneath that the ‘English Dresden’ a pear shape diamond of 78 carats. A final vision of excess and extravagance! 1949 an evening in Baroda After accession to the dominion of India which eventually became the Republic of India, the Indian government started to look into the finances and treasury of Baroda. it was time to act and act fast for the maharani. She hired a private plane owned by the American pilot who had bought the said aircraft from the British army surplus. as mentioned in “Van Cleef & Arpels treasures and legends” by Vincent Meylan:

Maharani Sita Devi:

An Escape to Monaco By Pratiek Kavindra Dhadha

The mere mention of her name evokes imagery of a fiery woman with a passion for cigars, Rolls Royce’s and French chiffon sarees and not to mention an astounding collection of jawdropping jewelry. Sita Devi was born in madras on 12 May 1917, the daughter of a minor prince of southeast India, the maharaja of Pithapuram. Her first marriage was to the zamindar of Vuyyuru, a local aristocrat. In 1943, when she was still only in her mid-twenties, she met Pratap Singh Rao Gaekwad Maharaja of Baroda.

Love at first sight The maharaja and Sita Devi found themselves in a union that came with its fair share of scandals and obstacles, Sita Devi was still married and the 34-year-old maharaja had a wife and eight children. the maharaja’s advisors suggested that as a way out of her marriage Sita Devi could renounce her Hindu religion and convert to Islam and ask her husband to do the same. This she did and, as expected, the zamindar refused to convert and so Sita Devi divorced him under the Islamic law, which does not permit a woman of Muslim faith to take a non-Muslim husband. this devious plan set free Sita Devi from her marriage, she then reverted back to Hinduism and married the maharaja of Baroda. This was perhaps setting the stage for several more scandals to follow in her lifetime.

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“Standing a little distance from the aircraft, the pilot observed the scene with a keen interest that contained a hint of covetousness. There was no doubt in his mind that the chests were filled with gold, jewels and precious stones. He had been a little surprised as he watched the servants stowing on board what appeared to be heavy carpets wrapped in unbleached cotton covers. But the whims of an oriental potentate were hardly his concern. And how could he have possibly imagined that those carpets were made up of millions upon millions of pearls and gemstones?” Once the priceless cargo was fully loaded and the doors of the Dakota were shut, the motor cars drove off the runway, she confirmed her instructions to fly to Europe via Cairo. Now that the pilot was the sole master on board with three female passengers the maharani and her two ayahs. the pilot reopened negotiations “your highness I know what’s in those trunks. I think it's time we discussed the terms of our agreement. the transport costs are going to be slightly higher than anticipated.” Of course, the maharani agreed! Squabbles over baubles “By the mid-1960s the former maharanis' lavish lifestyle began to put her finances under strain and she secretly began to sell some of her stones and pieces of jewelry. Harry Winston had purchased some jewelry in the Hindu style that he refashioned and sold to the duchess of Windsor. a large necklace with Indian flat cut diamonds from which hung emerald drop beads. One evening perhaps at a ball, Sita Devi spotted the necklace wrapped around the duchess’s neck. Scoffing at the compliments the duchess received for something that had been her former property. She was heard saying “those emeralds were ever lovelier when I wore them on my feet!” The humiliated duchess returned the necklace the very next day. As it turns out the emerald and diamond necklace might have been anklets that Harry Winston purchased from her in 1953. “Before her divorce with the maharaja, she occasionally sold pieces that she no longer wanted or that she wished to exchange for some more up to date jewels, this piece probably fell into this category “as mentioned in “20th Century Jewelry and Icons of Style” by Stefano Papi and Alexandra Rhodes. Princess Grace of Monaco arrives at a gala along with Princess Sofia of Spain and Maharani Sita Devi Sahib of Baroda. (1962) Princess Grace is wearing an organza evening gown with diagonal ruffled hem by Balenciaga. All images: courtesy from © Grace Film/Tumblr.com.


HH Datu Pradeep Sapkota Director and Founder SUNWay Research and Innovation Center, Nepal Image left: From the ceremony of adoptation as a Nobel son and Awarded as an outstanding Ambassador of Peace and Humanity by HRH Dr. Camad M. Ali (The Royal House of Baloi, Philippines), Queen Sigay Rajah Potre (Queen Rajah Putri of the Sultanate of Buayan Darussalam) and Queen Baimaruja Ampatuan Mastura (Queen of Maguindanao) on the occasion of 65th Birthday of HRH Dr. Camad M. Ali.

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HH Datu Pradeep Sapkota is the Founder and Director of SUNWay Research and Innovation Center, Founder and President of Change Nepalese Mission Organization. Prince Datu Pradeep executes his role as the Ambassador of Peace and Head Representative of Nepal at SPMUDA International. H. H. is an Honorary Cultural Ambassador to Nepal at The Royal House of Baloi and The Royal Chivalric Order of Baloi, Country Director at ONE WORLD Citizens based in the Netherlands. His official motto is that, "Nothing is impossible, everything is possible but we have to cooperate together." This is the aim of his passion to introduce the most modern sustainable practices in Nepal for the benefit to the people and the nature of the Asia. Since 2016 he is also working with the projects related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a trainer to empower children, youth and women of Nepal, Rwanda, Kenya, The Kingdom of Netherlands, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraq/Kurdistan. HH Sapkota is described as Global Leader, Global Youth Ambassador and Peace Ambassador. Born on the lap of Nepalese Himalaya and adopted as a Noble son and conferred

noble status with the rank of Datu-Prince and vested as a Honorary Cultural Ambassador to Nepal by The Royal House of Baloi in the Philippines.

International Work to achieve SDGs Regarding the work to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, Datu Sapkota was invited in the Netherlands several times (from 2016 to 2020) in cooperation with ONE WORLDcitizen organization. During his visit in Europe, Datu Sapkota was invited in different European countries (Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, German, Belgium ) to have a joint meeting and cooperation with likeminded people to have a strong strategy and setup Research and Innovation center in Nepal. SUNWay Research & Innovation Center In Nepal, majority of the people are doing agriculture and livestock farming, unfortunately they are compelled to do farming in a traditional way that’s why people are switching the jobs and going to abroad for hard and laborious works. To overcome this problem SRIC center aims to integrate software technology to introduce more efficient: automatic irrigation system; tractors; crop spraying drones, sensors, smart greenhouse, and involve the youngsters in sustainable agriculture. HH Datu Sapkota, is a young visionary leader where he was dreaming to bring the dreams into the reality to achieve sustainability for social impact. He founded and registered SUNWay Research and Innovation Center in 12 November, 2018 to join hands with all concerned stakeholders at international, national and local levels to initiate and promote use of ICT for Education, Agriculture, Livestock and Renewable Energy sustainably to support green economy of the country. Mission: To provide innovative, quality and sustainable ICT solutions and services to enrich local community to improve living conditions of people. Objective: To popularize and promote the use of ICT in Education.

Awards and Recognition Most recently, in 2018, The Royal House of Baloi, Mindanao, Philippines granted and conferred noble status with the rank of Dato and Honorary Cultural Ambassador to Nepal. The same year he received an prestigious awards as an "Outstanding Ambassador for Peace and Humanity" from SPMUDA International Organization For Peace and Development, and was ordained with The Royal Chivalric Order of Baloi from The Royal House of Baloi, Mindanao, Philippines. On 17th March, 2019 The Royal House of Baloi granted and conferred noble status with the rank of Datu Prince and vested as a Honorary Cultural Ambassador to Nepal. He received numerous International Peace & Humanity Grand Awards and in 2021 , the prestigious "Top Ten Global 7 Stars Falcon Award" from SPMUDA (International Organization for Peace and Development). Learn more about the sustainability and peace projects under the motto: “Nothing is Impossible, Everything Is Possible, but we have to cooperate together“. www.sric.network , sric.network@gmail.com


Afghanistan At a Ground Breaking Point in History

By Carlos Mundy

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lmost 20 years ago, after the fall of the Taliban, I wrote an article for the newspaper EL Mundo in which I argued that the only solution for Afghanistan was the restoration of the monarchy in the person of King Mohammed Zahir Shah (15 October 1914-23 July 2007). I argued in my article that a Western-style democracy should not be introduced in a nation that had never had one and whose power structures were based on tribalism. For all the tribal chiefs, the King was the only one who could unite them as he was the sole person they all respected. The King (Padishah) reigned for four decades, from 1933 until he was overthrown by a coup in 1973. The first 20 years of his reign were characterised by a cautious policy of nation-building,

expansion of foreign relations and domestic development using exclusively Afghan funds. World War II slowed down development processes, but Afghanistan maintained its traditional neutrality. My father and grandmother knew him well and I was a regular visitor to his home on the Côte d’Azur in the late 1930s. Shah Mahmud, prime minister from 1946 to 1953, sanctioned free elections and a relatively free press, and a so-called “liberal parliament” functioned from 1949 to 1952. However, conservatives in the government, encouraged by religious leaders, supported the seizure of power in 1953 by Lieutenant General Mohammad Daud Khan, a brother-inlaw and first cousin of the king who would later overthrow the monarchy in 1973 to install a corrupt and disastrous

republic that marked the beginning of the end of Afghan welfare. Prime Minister Daud Khan (1953-63), to the surprise of many, turned to the Soviet Union for economic and military aid. The Soviets eventually became Afghanistan’s main trade and aid partner. The Afghans refused to take sides in the Cold War, and Afghanistan became an “economic Korea”, testing the West’s (especially the US) willingness and ability to compete with the Soviet bloc in a non-aligned country. Daud Khan successfully introduced a number of far-reaching educational and social reforms, such as allowing women to wear the veil voluntarily and abolishing purdah (the practice of keeping women out of public view), which theoretically increased the labour force by about half. However, the regime remained politically repressive and tolerated no direct opposition. The fall of Daud Khan was brought about by Pakistan, which closed its border in 1961. His prolonged closure led Afghanistan to become increasingly dependent on the Soviet Union for trade and transit facilities. To reverse the trend, Daud Khan resigned in March 1963, and the border reopened in May but would return in 1973 to take revenge on his King. The King and his advisors instituted an experiment in constitutional monarchy. In 1964, a Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) adopted a new constitution, under which the House of the People would have 216 elected members and the House of Elders would have 84 members, one-third elected by the people, one-third appointed by the king and one-third indirectly elected by the new provincial assemblies. Afghanistan experienced a decade of hitherto unknown progress and tranquillity. Elections for both houses of the legislature were held in 1965 and 1969. Several unofficial parties fielded candidates with platforms ranging from fundamentalist Islam to the extreme left. One such group was the Marxist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), the country's main left-wing organisation. Founded in 1965, the party soon split into two factions, known as the People's (Khalq) and Flag (Parcham) parties. Another was a conservative religious organisation known as the Islamic Society (Jamʿiyyate Eslāmī), which was founded by a number of religious-minded individuals, All nature images courtesy of wesolson © and flickr.com jnelsonsinger. Jan Horak. Image of King Zahir Shah.


including members of the faculty of religion at Kabul University, in 1971. The Islamists were heavily influenced by the militant ideology of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and fervently opposed the power of leftist and secular elements in Afghanistan. Domestic politics became increasingly polarised, a situation that was reflected in the king's appointment of five successive prime ministers between Sep. 1965 and Dec. 1972. Mohammad Daud Khan sensed the stalemate in the constitutional processes and seized power on 17 July 1973 in a virtually bloodless coup. Leftist military officers and Flag Party officials collaborated in the overthrow, and a number of Islamist militants were forced to flee the country. Daud Khan abolished the 1964 constitution and established the Republic of Afghanistan, with himself as Chairman of the Central Committee of the Republic and Prime Minister. Since then Afghanistan has been in a state of permanent chaos (the Soviet invasion, a civil war since the assassination of Daud Khan in 1977, the Taliban regime and the disastrous Western intervention between 2002 and 2021). The US is responsible for the failure to restore the monarchy. In April 2002, when the country was no longer under Taliban rule, Zahir Shah returned to Afghanistan to inaugurate the Loya Jirga, which met in June 2002. After the fall of the Taliban, Afghans openly called for a return to the monarchy. The King himself made it known that he would accept any responsibility imposed on him by the Loya Jirga. However, he was forced to step aside publicly at the behest of the United States, as many of the Loya Jirga delegates were willing to vote for Zahir Shah and block Hamid Karzai, the American candidate. The Americans had their way regardless of the country's idiosyncrasies and the King was given the ceremonial title of "Father of the Nation", symbolising his role in Afghanistan's history as a nonpolitical symbol of national unity. The title was dissolved with his death. Hamid Karzai, a prominent figure of the Popalzai clan, became Afghanistan's president and since then, especially in Kabul, a certain openness has been restored, but the reality is that the country has experienced a covert civil warwith the participation of Western troops until their departure and the consequent Taliban victory.

It took the US and its allies only two months to "liberate" Kabul from the Taliban in 2001 and declare victory. As the US occupation faltered, the deposed Taliban regrouped and a new phase of civil war against US and Afghan government forces began for much of the next two decades. The Taliban, following the precipitous departure of Western forces, regained power and declared an end to the war. But successive US administrations deliberately misled the American public into believing that all was well on the Afghan war front, when in fact the opposite was true, just as they had done earlier during the Vietnam War. The scene of US personnel fleeing Kabul last week, just as they did Saigon in 1975, was frankly shocking. The US and its allies have suffered a few thousand casualties, but tens of thousands of Afghan security forces have been killed, and untold numbers of civilians have become the real casualties of the war, which has destroyed the lives and livelihoods of countless families and communities. There is no shortage of benchmarks for counting the cost of America's longest war. Blood is by far the most precious metric. But as images of Afghans swarming through Kabul airport, desperately trying to flee Taliban rule, flood screens around the world, the vast sums the US spent trying to turn Afghanistan into a liberal democracy deserve a thorough audit. Otherwise, the lessons may be forgotten and the tragic mistakes repeated. The foundation of any nation-building effort is security. If people do not feel secure, instability, graft and corruption flourish while the formal economy withers. Since 2001, the US has spent $2.26 trillion in Afghanistan, according to the estimates by Brown University's Costs of War project. Yet despite all this,

Afghanistan still has one of the smallest formal economies on the planet. Last year, President Ashraf Ghani said that 90% of the population lived on less than $2 a day. As if that performance were not poor enough for the US, the Afghan army and the government it was supposed to protect have collapsed. President Ashraf Ghani has fled the country and the Taliban are taking selfies behind his desk. This is what an investment of over 2 trillion dollars has produced for the US: a chaotic and humiliating end to a 20-year war. The total collapse of Afghan government forces following the withdrawal of the remaining US combat troops has left many in Washington and other Western capitals scratching their heads for answers and voters and the press asking: what our soldiers died for? Afghans knew deep in their hearts that the US and its allies would leave sooner or later, and that they would have to deal with the Taliban again. That is why in 2002 tribal leaders insisted that the only solution to the long civil war was the return of the King. Since Hamid Karzai's presidency, successive governments have been rather inept and corrupt, and lacked the confidence of the people. Their total dependence on US military and financial aid ensured that they could never attempt to stand on their own two feet. The same was true of with the armed forces. Despite outnumbering the Taliban four to one, corruption, nepotism and neglect were rife, especially at the top. In short, it is clear that monarchy in some nations can be the solution to armed conflict and, had it been restored, would have avoided the humiliation of two decades of tragedy. Washington must learn to avoid war at all costs in the future, keeping in mind that it has not won one since WWII.


Taj Mahl Hotel

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ENGLISH AFTERNOON TEA

TEA AT THE PITCH…

Mr Josepb by Orion-Dahlmann.de

ngland had just scored 144 runs before tea in the match against Australia at “Lord's” cricket ground in London. On that same day, the West Indies declared for 480 against Sri Lanka after tea at Jamaica's "Sabine Park" ground in Kingston. While the ninety minute game of football is divided into halves, the day on the cricket pitch is divided by tea. In the most of the former British colonies tea is a principal beverage. In fact after water, it is the second most important beverage worldwide. However tea is also an essential part of the English game of cricket. Many outsiders could be forgiven for asking why tea is part of a sports event? No other sports event integrates the celebration of an elite social activity like cricket and tea. The interval between innings (the turn each side gets to bat) is called "tea" - what North Americans would call "lunch". During this break in play tea and a combination of sweet and savoury foods are served. In most cases that means sandwiches and cakes. Of course there is no limit to the opulence of a tea for those with deep pockets. This is an English tradition maintained not only on the cricket ground but at fashionable events like the flat races at Royal Ascot, in club life whether in the city or country, and naturally in those fine hotels around the world inspired by the luxury and style of the British Empire, such as Hong Kong's Jockey Club. For some 200 years "high tea" has been an

By Ignatious Joseph

icon of what it means to be British throughout the world. It is imitated, modified and improved beyond the cricket ground, too. During my youth we followed the matches with commentaries emitting from a mahogany radio in the sitting room. Broadcast from London or Melbourne, Cape Town or Bridgetown, we followed the latest cricket score with plenty of tea. Cricket is a community game, a social gathering. I still remember skipping classes with my schoolmates to listen to the “Ashes” (the England v Australia test series, also the world's oldest continuous sporting rivalry). sometimes our parents would excuse us because the older men too would skip their office duties to fellow the match. Of course they had whiskey or arrack with their tea to heal the sadness or celebrate with glee, depending on which side they had bet. Commentators announced the games in English, but often with an Indian or maybe a South Africa dialect. This was not a big issue until the results were delivered. As children wondered how these commentators looked in real life. One day my good friend Dr Wilkinson surprised me with an invitation to the "British Club" in my home town. The guest speaker, who had flown in from London for the occasion, was Sir Christopher Martin Jenkins. As I child in Sri Lanka I could never have imagined that one day I would be able to talk personally to Sir Christopher-a man whose voice was an intimate part of our family life in front of that mahogany box. Naturally there was plenty of tea served at the club in Dusseldorf too. For centuries tea has been a major commodity traded internationally. The British planted tea throughout their tropical colonies, especially India. India is not only one of the largest tea producers in the world, over seventeen per cent of its tea is consumed domestically. Renowned teas originate from the eponymous regions of the sub-continent, such as Assam and Darjeeling. Once dominated by British trading houses, the Indian tea industry established its own global brands and enjoys a firm place along side China, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

The tropical island of Sri Lanka is one of the world's most important tea growing countries. Tea is also the island's main economic stay along with tourism. The British, who brought the plant from China, discovered that planting tea on the island was a lucrative business. First the colonists tried coffee. However the climate and leaf fungus infecting the coffee plants proved an insurmountable obstacle. They abandoned coffee and decided to exploit tea-- establishing plantations in the hill country. The tea shrub is very delicate and hard to cultivate. It needs tropical climate. The English managed to master the tropical climate in the countries they occupied, building the infrastructure to support their industries and the English culture of those administering them. Away from London, they brought their architecture, food culture, and sports-- especially cricket. The warm, tropical weather did not hinder the British. They maintained their traditions within a magnificent local community who supported and adopted the British way of life. After independence, much of this survived among those who took the reins of administration, government and business in the emergent British Commonwealth. Ceylon’s educated men and women took the higher positions in every sector. Some English-educated Ceylonese came back to Island to take over the jobs the English vacated when they left after 1947, when much of the British Empire was transformed into independent commonwealth realms. From Barbados to New Delhi to Colombo to Singapore people were joyful and celebrated their newly gained freedom. With the changes and challenges of the post-independence era, Sri Lanka had to continue the tea industry. Management was gradually passed to the locals who assumed the plantation and administrative work. Young men were trained in England to learn from the old tea planters the secrets of the trade. Bright students found opportunities. One particular gentleman I know is Mr Merrill J. Fernando. He entered the tea world in 1950 and now runs an internationally renowned tea company. The English-trained young man learned the art of tea tasting and blending, along with six of his countrymen, at London's famous Mincing Lane. Mr Fernando then returned to Ceylon.

© Jorge Royan. Chai tea kettles.


Left: © Galle Face Hotel. Below: black tea from Dilmah.

There his career in the tea industry progressed, evolving into a lifetime devotion to the art of growing and selling tea. After nearly 38 years working for British-owned companies he launched Dilmah Tea in 1988. This was a historic moment since it was the first time a tea grower or producer had offered tea grown, picked, blended and packed at the source. Dilmah tea is a household name, both nationally and internationally. Run by the family, the two sons Mr Dilhan and Malik Fernando and father Mr Merrill J. Fernando are still at helm. One can be expect every time is tea time, whether on or off the pitch, with Dilmah tea.

me a “normal black tea” and still I would get a chai. In Mumbai, the Taj Mahal Hotel, served me one of the best high teas. However nothing compares to a tea in my native country, relaxing on the grand terrace of Colombo's Galle-Face Hotel Colombo with its amazing sea view. My experience sampling "high tea” continues to grow with visits to other countries, adventures and new destinations-- holding my fascination like those cricket commentaries from my mid 19th century that the concept of youth. "afternoon tea" first appeared. Elegant society continues the style of

British "High tea” in social gatherings. Afternoon Tea Afternoon Tea is now often referred to as High teas are offered in many countries, old-fashioned tea, the at-home tea, the especially in luxury hotels specialize family tea and high tea. Today there are which either continue or innovate this many hotels and tea houses that specialise British tradition. Today tea is served in the ritual of afternoon tea-- something throughout the from breakfast to dinner made famous beyond the British Empire in Britain and beyond. by innumerable films and books. They can be found in London, many former colonial Here are some of the fine hotels that capitals, and cities with long-established serve their own interpretations of "high trade relations to Britain, such as tea". Hamburg, Germany. Some of the former colonies have The Langham Hotel Shanghai The Langham Hotel has been acclaimed as developed there own "high tea" rituals. the birthplace of English afternoon tea. Since March 2021, The Langham, Xintiandi, Shanghai is presenting a Paddington Bear™-themed immersive afternoon tea – a fusion of traditional English afternoon tea etiquette with an innovative immersive experience. It is also awarded “The most popular themed afternoon tea” in China by the 5th Hotel Discovery Awards, langhamhotels.com.

Orion-Dahlmann.de

The Peninsula, Hong Kong Britain’s cultural influence in Hong Kong goes beyond the afternoon tea. Yet even since the British left the harbor city, Hong Kong has continued with the afternoon tea tradition adopted from the colonial era. No wonder why it is one of the mustdo cultural experiences for visitors to Kowloon, peninsula.com.

English traditions prevailed on the cricket grounds and in the churchyards. Hotels, taverns and bars and some locals gladly embraced the new styles and elegance left by the English. English sartorial culture continued to fill the streets and could be spotted from Colombo to Barbados. Panama-hatted gentlemen enjoying high tea on the terraces of cricket club pavilions were not uncommon. This British tradition of high tea began in the mid 1700s. However afternoon tea, perhaps the most quintessential of English customs is a relatively new tradition. Whilst the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was popularised in England by the Portuguese Infanta Catherine de Braganza in the 1660s during the reign of her husband Charles II. It was not until the

Every second soiree or intimate gathering in different cities, either private or social gatherings is inspired by the notion of high tea. Tea is a common beverage in everyday life. Especially in the Indian subcontinent, tea preparations have developed according to social needs. Tea is cooked with spices, sometimes in warm milk, called chai -- from the original Chinese word-- and served in every part of India, enjoyed by poor and rich alike. Notably Portuguese and Russian are the only European languages that preserve the Chinese expression for the beverage. Tea is derived from the Dutch word tee. My travels to the Indian sub-continent were sometimes adventures. Even when I ordered just a normal tea-- as I was used to drinking at home-- I got the Indian “chai”. I would tell the waiter just to bring

The Galle Face Hotel, Colombo Sri Lanka The iconic Galle Face Hotel is one of Ceylon’s oldest landmarks, established in 1864, east of the Suez channel, facing the see front and the Galle Face green, has a rich history. Over the years it has served food and tea on the hotel's verandah overlooking the India Ocean.Today high tea comes with hot savories, scones, and Ceylon sweet dishes with finest Ceylon teas and fine service. No visit is complete to Ceylon without staying at this majestic hotel restored to its former glory. Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town South Africa. An iconic, century-old establishment, the Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel embodies the colonial-era grandeur of Cape Town’s heritage. Set among expansive, lush gardens in the shadow of Table Mountain, the Mount Nelson's legendary high teas are regarded as the best in the world by food critics, belmond.com. © Jorge Royan. Chai tea kettles.


Olga Antropova in Monte-Carlo by @natashakot, below and right.

"Lady With A Big Heart"

O

lga Antropova is a multifaceted and accomplished woman. Her many passions include philosophy, environmental protection and the welfare of children. Antropova's infatuation with philosophy began when she traveled to Chile and spent time with philosopher, scientist and humanist Dario Salas Sommer. This journey inspired her to delve deeper into the meaning of life.


By Josip Grabovac Fashion editor

& MORALLY

Olga Antropova in MonteCarlo with her daughter Anastasiia Antropova. Image @elegantshooter

As an avid reader, she learned that the philosophy of true fulfillment in life is underpinned by philanthropic endeavours. Her vision was realised at the Monaco Streaming Film Festival, where Dario Salas Sommer's film was presented to a wider audience. He may no longer be with us, yet we can still learn from his wisdom. As a passionate philanthropist, Ms. Antropova has attended several charity events, including the Amber Lounge during the Formula Grand Prix. As a mother, she is pleased to be sharing these values of philanthropy with her teenage daughter, Anastasia. She feels it is her duty to instill these ideals with Anastasia, who during the event, presented an auction lot on behalf of the Antropov Foundation. The motherdaughter duo are delighted to be supporting the Caudwell Children Foundation and children with disabilities this year through the Butterfly Ball.

Overflowing with creativity, Ms. Antropova is an artist, photographer, and a muse. She was recently chosen as the face of timeless and sustainable luxury brand, Marli Dresses Collection (Monaco-London). A well-travelled woman, her photography is a portfolio of work which is the result of her international perspective. Her works center around themes of nature and environmental conservation. Through showcasing the beauty of everything around her, she hopes to raise awareness to the importance of protecting the environment and to inspire those around her to do the same. Sourcing inspiration for her artworks through the environment, she is just a few artworks away from doing a solo exhibition. Stay tuned for her collection.

Above and left: Olga Antropova by Nadezhda Rylkova @Nadoosh.rlkv

Moralmoda Magazine | 39


Hollywood Production Proudly Presents A New Star KAAN AKINCI

MM: You were chosen as the most handsome model in Europe in a competition held in France. How did this affect your life? K. A.: First of all, I am very proud to represent my country well. After the competition, I received many job offers from Turkey and abroad. Since I started my modeling and acting career in America, I think I learned the discipline and working strategies of that place very well. This had a very positive effect on my career. After the competition, I received the most successful male model of the year award in Turkey in 2019. This year, I received many invitations from both Turkey and international award ceremonies. There is no end to success, I will try my best to be better. MM: Who is your agency and who represents you internationally? K. A.: I have signed a contract with Mister “Varol Porsemay” partner of “Hollywood Productions” talent agency Hollywood, Amsterdam and Istanbul.

MM: Can you tell us about your acting career and education? K. A.: I graduated from Beykent University fine arts faculty graphic design advertising department and the University of San Diego, CA (SDUIS) web design department. Then when I came back to Turkey, I studied acting, action and theater for 3 years in cinema schools. I studied famous actors in Turkey. I went to dancing and action schools. Also, I have been professionally involved in cross fit and bodybuilding for nearly 10 years. MM: What is your signature look? K. A.: I like to create my own style. I don’t like to wear clothes that are trendy from year to year. I like to dress differently, stylish and with attention to detail and high quality of bespoke garments. I love silk shirts and pants. Cream colour, petrol blue, red and black are my favorite colors.

Instagram: @kaanakinciofficial

It comes as no surprise that Kaan Akıncı has been selected as the most handsome male model of Europe in a competition held in France 2017. His signature look is a piercing gaze. Akıncı is a son of a Black Sea father and a Romanian immigrant mother, from the city of Kocaeli/Turkey. MM: How did you get discovered and what launched your modeling and acting career? Kaan Akıncı: I was discovered by a famous Mexican fashion designer “Francisco Medavog” while doing sports on Pacific Beach, California in 2010. Francisco Medavog stated "You will be a very successful model and actor in the future" and I stepped into the fashion and television world and fulfilled my childhood dream.

MM: How do you like to spend your free time off-camera? K. A.: I love to spend time with street animals and orphaned children voluntarily. I have an amazing dog named Candy. I love to spend all day with my dog, then I go to the gym twice a day, morning and evening. Eating healthy and having a fit body has become my life philosophy for the last 10 years. I also have strong social skills and enjoy communicating with people. That's why I have a strong connection in Turkey.


Since I have a sport in my blood, I try to watch all the matches of the Turkish national teams. I am also a staunch Fenerbahce fan. Goes to stadiums and watching matches is one of my biggest sources of discharge. MM: Besides your home city which other parts of your homeland would you recommend in particular to visitors? K. A.: Istanbul is the 5th largest city in the world, connecting the continents of Asia and Europe. To give a shortlist of places that should definitely be visited and seen in Istanbul, and if we remain in the heart of Istanbul, then I would recommend the found life in Taksim Square. Istanbul's Beyoglu district, located in the vicinity of Taksim Square, restaurants, hotels, shops and entertainment centers and Istanbul's most stopover point. Starting from Taksim Square and Istiklal Caddesi, which are also connected by trams, and Alabaman is busy with Turkey's most famous street. For shopping be sure to visit the largest and most famous Grand Bazaar. Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia Mosque and Museum, Galata Tower, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Maiden's Tower (it is one of the symbolic landmarks of Istanbul, located on a small islet located in the Bosporus), Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace and Istanbul Islands. Food is a central part of the culture, so menus should be studied just as seriously as a map. If the earth was a single state, then Istanbul would be its capital, stated Napoleon Bonaparte.

Kaan wears designer outfit by: Muzaffer Caha | instagram: muzaffercaha_couture Photographs by Sarah Ovey | instagram: sarahhphotography Hair and Make up stylist: Sabit Akkaya Çırağan Şubesi | Instagram: sabitakkaya Location, kind courtesy of Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istabul.

MM: What projects or charities do you support? K. A.: We Turks say that the left hand should not see what the right hand gives. For this reason, I do not want to share the charities I work with. But I can say that I am a hypersensitive person to orphans and street animals. MM: Which project (future or current) can you mention to our readers? K. A.: Currently, there are very interesting TV series and movie offers on the table. I am currently evaluating the offers with my team. As I am a very picky person, I take care to choose the right projects. They see me as the new prince candidate of the actors in Turkey. I'm trying to be worthy of having this trust. And I consider myself sufficiently prepared in succeeding at the national and international stage. I want to be with you in national and international festivals and in films on the screen as soon as possible. I look forward to meeting you in Monaco soon. Love from Istanbul...


SIR ANTHONY RITOSSA'S 16TH GLOBAL FAMILY OFFICE INVESTMENT CONFERENCE COINCIDES WITH THE LAUNCH OF DUBAI EXPO 2020

U n d e r th e H i g h P a t r o n a g e o f H .E . Dr . T h a n i A l Z e y o u d i M i n is t e r o f S t a t e f o r F o r ei g n Trade and Minister in charge of Talent Attraction and Retention at Ministry of Economy, UAE

Recognised as the world's most influential gathering of elite family office decisionmakers, Sir Anthony Ritossa’s Global Family Office Investment Summits launches in Dubai with the 16th edition, at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, October 3-5, 2021, after a highly successful 15th Anniversary by Summit held in Monaco this July. Ritossa Family Office Hosted by Ritossa Family Office, a family business dating back 600 years, to the time of the Venetian Empire in Europe, and with close ties with the Middle East, this is the 16th event in a Global Series covering Dubai, Monaco, Riyadh and Miami and the 10th one in Dubai. Its network of family offices promotes uniting together to build a better world through strategic investments and open discussion about, “the most critical issues facing our planet.“ said Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman of Ritossa Family Office & Host of Ritossa Global Family Office Investment Summits, UAE. Connecting 1,500+ elite family offices The Dubai Summit will act as a bridge between Middle East families and their European, U.S., Asian and Latin American counterparts to meet, and network in a safeharbour environment. During the past 5 years, Sir Anthony has hosted 1,500+ elite family offices, prominent business owners, royal families, private investment companies, sheikhs, and sovereign wealth funds from over 30 countries, representing US$4.5 trillion in wealth. His events have been responsible for US$1 billion+ in investments in companies ranging from start-ups to major global corporations. Above: Conference held in Dubai. Left image, left to right: H . E . D r . T h a n i A l Z e y o u d i , M i n i st e r o f S t a t e f o r F o r e i g n T r a d e & Minister in charge of Talent Attraction and Retention, Ministry of Economy, UAE and Sir Anthony Ritossa, Chairman, R i t o s s a F a m i l y O f f i c e & F o un d e r , R i t o s s a F a m i l y O f f i c e Investment Summits

Sir Anthony’s background includes 30 +years of international financial markets and investment experience, including senior executive positions at Nomura, Barclays Capital, Morgan Stan-ley, BNP Paribas, and Bankers Trust (acquired by Deutsche Bank), DubaiSummit.org.

"In the safe harbor of Dubai, today's Leading International Business Hub, our Family Office Investment Summit is the foremost Global Gathering of El ite Famil y Offices and High-Prof il e Private Investors. Meeting in person, exchanging rich thought leadership, ensuring saf e investing, legacy buil ding and making the world a better place is a conscious power families possess. Our mission is to work together for a better tomorrow."

Sir Anthony Ritossa Chairman, Ritossa Family Office




This page: Courtesy Alexis Mabille Haute Couture FW 2021/2022




‘Orthography of a Recondite Past’, by Mukesh Sharma Above: Courtesy of Mukesh Sharma. In the process of fast - rolling color on a viscosity plate. Artworks clockwise from the top: In Search of Harmony Within Polarity. Medium: Intaglio; Viscosity etching, printed in colour on canson acid free rollpaper, from one zinc plate. 57 h x 105 w. 2020.

Mukesh Sharma (b.1974, Rajasthan, India) is a full-time visual art practitioner based in New Delhi; he holds an MFA in Printmaking from MS University, Baroda (1998) and a BFA in Painting from Rajasthan School of Art, Jaipur (1996). On graduating in Baroda he continued his printmaking journey at the graphics studio, Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, and pursued his art practice where his works displayed the intersection of painting, printmaking and large scale sculpture installation, often exploring as subject the complex dynamics of human environment relationship, bringing forth the visual riches and intensity of his desert state. Sharma's work has been recognized in his native India and beyond. His selected solo shows/projects includes On-site collaboration in India and abroad, like with Amannath of Neemarana's Tijra FortPalace on a bespoke suite called "Mukesh Mahal" (2017); "A Terabyte-ing Serpentine" a Site-specific project in New Delhi (2013); His recent multiple group exhibitions includes presented works at the India Art Fair, New Delhi; Gallery Sumukha, Bangalore; Venice Architecture Biennale Venice Italy; RMIT Gallery, Melbourne, Australia; Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre; Edition Art Fair, Bussan, South Korea; Bonjour India festival Indo-French festival Le Musee Du Louvre, Paris; Gallery 27, London among others, see full artist bio on mukeshsharma.com.

Moralmoda Magazine

Art |

now online at the Galeria Quarentena, Chile, Santiago. The exhibition features prints spanning almost 15 years, 1997-2020.

Sharma explains that his work evolves from childhood memories, dreams and fairy tales, "We work out our understanding of the world through both experiences and dreams. The original purpose of these fairy tales from my childhood was to provide enjoyment but also to teach children social codes and values."

Elaborating on his Linocuts techniques that are printed with layers of decorative chine coll'e below the solid printed block giving it subtle difference in pattern and texture. Each of his prints represents a

@3 PM. Medium: Intaglio; Viscosity etching, printed in colour on acid free somerset paper, from one copper plate. 23 h x 19 w. 1998.

journey through time from a humble village of Rajasthan through the context of a Metropolitian framework which he now inhabits "I try to explore the chromatic potential of paint. The experiment often ranges from rendering of the colours to that of delving into the metaphorical aspect of colour, which can be traced to both the Western and Indian traditions of painting." Jali. 2004. Intaglio; Viscosity etching, printed in colour on acid free somerset paper, one zinc plate. 33h x 48 w.

Sharma points out that noting that he has returned to these tales repeatedly to replace their imagery and characters with his own interpretations, prevents the artist in translating them through references from his own memories and life, "I enjoy the original duality to these tales - to use dream-like fairy tale and circus-like references to things going on in my actual life currently, as a means to adjust and adapt."

"In the contemporary art practice, colour had often been reduced to an aesthetic quality, which undermines the narration, but I try to subvert and have thus chosen to paint with profuse colours to question the lopsided emphasis of a certain kind of practice. The recent works are in super flat technique in which I had experimented on and probed into the varied application of the medium beyond the traditional methods and attempts to contemporize it with other mediums."


78th edition of VeniceFilmFestival

&

the Most Exclusive High Jewellery and Haute Couture return the sparkle in Venice

This year in Venice the red carpet sparkled with love and tender gaze between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. The duo attends the red carpet of the movie "The Last Duel" during the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 10, 2021 in Italy's most romantic destination - the City of Gondolas, costumes and love. JLo sparkled in the latest haute couture gown by Georges Hobeika with a matching gem-studded V-neck ring. Affleck looked dapper in a black Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo with satin lapel and Christian Louboutin shoes. For 11 days, the 78th Festival has celebrated reunion with the cinema and two old sweethearts. American actress Lopez wore a white mermaid style Georges Hobeika gown with low deep Vneckline, accentuated with a string of Swarovski crystal embellishments. She accessorized with a Cartier bracelet, earrings and ring featuring yellow diamonds, an embellished silver clutch and Jimmy Choo platforms.

CHIARA SAMPAIO

BEN AFFLECK AND JENNIFER LOPEZ

MARIANNE FONSECA

CARMELLA ROSE AT THE AMFAR GALA

HANA CROSS


HAUTE COUTURE

Collection Fall-Winter 2022 PARIS FASHION WEEK Georges Hobeika

Moralmoda Magazine l Haute Couture

Courtesy of Georges Hobeika



www.piaget.com

This page: Limelight Gala Timepiece. This precious festive watch is a limited edition. Courtesy of © Piaget.


Reine de Naples 8938, automatic, white gold. Image courtesy of © Breguet.com.


All images courtesy of Jacob & Co.

Discover Jacob & Co.

J

at the newly opened Bucherer Gallery in Zürich

acob & Co. timepieces are now part of the newly opened Bucherer Gallery in Zürich, Switzerland, a retail concept dedicated to the most prestigious Swiss watch brands. The retail space is on a completely new 160-square-meter second floor addition to the Bucherer store located on Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world’s most expensive and exclusive shopping boulevards. Bucherer is one of the oldest, most innovative, and most respected watch and jewelry retailers in the world. "This marks a significant milestone for Jacob & Co. as a global luxury brand", said Benjamin Arabov, Jacob & Co. CEO, see jacobandco.com. The Bucherer Group holdings include 17 stores in Switzerland, 10 in Germany, six in the U.K., and one each in Paris, Austria and Denmark. Under the Tourneau brand, Bucherer operates 32 shops in the American market.

Twice named Pastry Chef of the Year, the young Paris-based chef is celebrated for her originality, artistry and exceptional flavours Her creations for 1931 Café are evoking Art Deco lines and JaegerLeCoultre’s home in the Vallée de Joux by design and flavour.

All images courtesy of Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Jaeger-LeCoultre Debuts Art Deco Café

Chaumet La Samaritaine, luxury shopping experience is reopens Enhanced offerend now in the heart of the emblematic grand store Samaritaine, Paris. Chaumet store is again reopened with iconic jewellery and watch collections at Chaumet La Samaritaine, at 9 rue de la Monnaie, 75001 Paris, see more on Chaumet.com Monday to Saturday 10h - 20h.

Image courtesy of Chaumet.

Completing the Art Deco interior, a special collection of cakes and pastries will be created by Chef Nina Métayer, launching in Shanghai and in the autumn in a new location in the heart of Paris.


MONACO Events

MONACO YACHT SHOW

& MONTE-CARLO GALA

At last Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) is taking place with exlusive brand-new format dedicated to super yacht end users with the exhibition of super yachts available for purchase or charter. The organisers of the MYS, the world’s leading super yacht show, have announced 300 exhibitors and nearly 60 super yachts at MYS, including 40 brand-new launches by some of the most famous shipyards - not to mention regulars here at the MYS including: Benetti, CRN, Feadship, Lürssen, Oceanco, see more on monacoyachtshow.com.

BPM Group acquires Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Monaco

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Monaco has been acquired by the BPM Group. The move represents a major boost for the marque’s sales and customer service in the Principality and surrounding areas. This step also concludes the takeover of Monaco Luxury distribution group, which previously represented the world's leading luxury brand in the Principality. BPM Group’s focus on ethics, trust, excellence, team spirit and customer satisfaction mirror many of the values of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. The takeover opens up new perspectives for both parties and ensures that patrons will continue to offer the highest levels of service and attention, rolls-roycemotorcars.com.

© Rolls-Royce Motorcars

© MONACO YACHT SHOW

22-25 SEPTEMBER 2021 under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco

This year MYS coincides with the 15th anniversary of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the 5th edition of the Monte-Carlo Gala. The Monte-Carlo Gala auction, led by star auctioneer Simon de Pury, has become the most coveted event, offering collectors once-in-a-lifetime experiences, invaluable artworks, and more, see more on fpa2.org.



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