Parliament News Magazine - Summer 2021 Edition

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NEWS

PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS FASHION AND SPORTS MAGAZINE

Activity Book PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY

7 MUST SEE PAINTINGS AT THE NATIONAL GALLERY LONDON

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TIPS FOR BOOSTING YOUR COMPANY’S ONLINE PRESENCE

ISSUE SUMMER 2021

CYBER SECURITY IN THE COVID ERA

UK

TRAVEL GUIDE


"Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life." – Amy Poehler

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THE CO DILEMM EMPLO CONTE

REBECA RIOFRIO, DIRECTOR OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS, FASHION & SPORTS


OVID-19 VACCINE MA IN AN OYMENT EXT IN THE UK Over a year after the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic, many countries are still grappling with the seemingly unstoppable spread of the virus. In response, governments around the world are continuing rolling out vaccines as soon as they become available. In the UK, the government has introduced the COVID -19 Vaccination Programme (“Programme”), which allows UK residents to be voluntarily vaccinated free of charge. Throughout the course of the COVID pandemic, many businesses (especially those in consumer and retail sectors) have been heavily disrupted by mandatory lockdowns, restricted operating hours, and limitations on social gatherings. With the “Programme”, many employers will be confronted with the question as to whether they can or should compel their employees to get vaccinated. The issues with vaccinations involved from a policy perspective require a delicate balancing of individual liberties, public health and employment obligations and responsibilities. In this article, I would like to analyse a possible framework through which employers may wish to consider vaccination issues relating to their employees. Importantly, this is an evolving area, and the impact of this framework may differ from one business to another quite markedly, and in response to developments in government policies.

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HIGH LEVEL PRINCIPLES: Before addressing specific scenarios, it may be useful to highlight a few high-level guiding principles:

01 An employer has an obligation to provide a safe workplace to its employees.

02 The Disability and Equality Act 2010 requires employers to accommodate employee’s medical conditions and/ or disabilities.

03 Likewise, an employer should not make hiring decisions based on a prospective employee’s vaccination status to avoid being seen to be discriminating against a certain class of people (i.e., those susceptible to COVID-19).

04 In respect of existing employees, the employer should not be requesting for vaccination history unless relevant for any legitimate purpose (e.g., relaying such information to insurance companies when requested), and in this regard, the employee should have given explicit consent for such information to be collected and transferred onto the third party.

05 The employment contracts generally do not expressly provide the right for an employer to insist upon an employee’s vaccination, and even if such a right was included, it may not be enforceable.

06 The “Programme” proposed by the UK government does not recommend vaccination for all. Groups such as those under the age of 18 years and pregnant women are generally either not recommended or are ineligible for vaccination. The “Programme” is also being rolled out in phases, and eligibility for vaccination will not be uniform amongst employees until the Programme is in its final phase. Consequently, employers should not adopt a single point-of-time approach.

07 The “Programme” details also identify groups of people who may not be suitable for vaccination. The key point here is that employers should not impose a blanket requirement (or even recommendation) that all staff must or should be vaccinated, since this conflicts with UK government health advice. What would seem to follow from the above is that employer should not mandate the vaccination of their employees, and any recommendation on vaccination should recognise that this may not be suitable for all groups. Could government policy potentially change the current stance? Yes, it could. Currently, vaccination under the Programme is administered on a voluntary basis. There are also no guidelines or orders from the UK government which provides any clarity on vaccinations in the workplace. There is also currently no linkage between vaccination and the right to reopen businesses or accepting a higher concentration of customers in a business in the same way as we have seen recently with COVID-19 testing. To reiterate, there is a significant difference between COVID-19 testing and vaccination both from the perspective of the level of individual choice which may be seen as reasonable, and the potential for adverse reactions (personal or medical). In the absence of such guidelines, employers must continue to abide by the existing employment contracts, employment legislation and case laws. However, if the UK government provides directions (for example by gazetting directions and specifications under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984) requiring businesses in certain industries to operate only if its staff are vaccinated, employers would


then be in a position of greater strength to require its employees or new hires to be vaccinated. Importantly though, any decisions in relation to requiring vaccinations should be made considering any government guidance or direction. More recently, The Coronavirus Act 2020 gives the government powers to take the right action to respond effectively to the progress of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, for example by making it easier for people to receive their Statutory Sick Pay. These powers are temporary and designed to be switched on when necessary, and off when no longer needed.

WHERE IS IT LIKELY TO GET MORE COMPLEX? While the above framework is likely to deal with a broad array of situations, it is not difficult to conceive of circumstances where more nuanced issues may arise. For example: How should employers approach employees who are required to travel overseas for business purposes? What if the destination country requires all visitors to be vaccinated before entry? Can an employer restrict an employee’s duties in circumstances where they are not vaccinated? What if there is guidance from the government requiring workers dealing with vulnerable individuals to be vaccinated? We suspect that many of the practical issues employers will deal with are likely to fall into these categories. The answer to many of them is “it depends” and the position will become clearer as the “Programme” continues to be rolled out. Factors such as the following are likely to be relevant to any decision: - The extent to which the relevant restriction or entitlement is proportionate and reasonable from a health and safety perspective in all the circumstances. - The extent to which the relevant restriction or entitlement is consistent with prevailing government health directives and executive orders at the time; and - The extent to which the relevant restriction or entitlement is integral and materially affects the employee’s ability to carry out normal duties and responsibilities. - The extent to which the relevant restriction or entitlement considers groups with specific needs, such as persons under age 18 or pregnant women or those with certain health conditions, such that it does not operate in a discriminatory way. How should employers handle employees in relation to the vaccine? Employers may wish to highlight to their employees that the “Programme” is available and to refer employees to the government website for the details relating to queries they may have in relation to the vaccine. This is important because, as noted earlier, not all the population is recommended to be vaccinated.

CONCLUSION We understand many employers desire to utilise the Vaccination Programme to provide a safe workplace. However, employers should be prudent when directing their employees in relation to getting vaccinated and avoid any acts which may potentially be seen as unreasonable or discriminatory. In addition, employers should continuously monitor government announcements relating to the Vaccination Programme, including any executive orders. While support for the vaccination programme is a laudable aim from a public health perspective and this may align with business objectives, the legal rights of employees need to be respected in the process.

SOURCES: KPMG HONG KONG JOURNAL 7


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PAIN THE NATIONAL LOND MUST SEE

The National Gallery is an art museum located in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The Gallery is an exempt charity, and a non-departmental public body of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Its collection belongs to the government on behalf of the British public, and entry to the main collection is free of charge. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic it attracted only 1,197,143 visitors, a drop of 50 percent from 2019, but it still ranked eighth on the list of most-visited art museums in the world. Unlike comparable museums in continental Europe, the National Gallery was not formed by nationalising an existing royal or princely art collection. It came into being when the British government bought 38 paintings from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein in 1824. After that initial purchase, the Gallery was shaped mainly by its early directors, especially Charles Lock Eastlake, and by private donations, which now account for two-thirds of the collection. The collection is smaller than many European national galleries, but encyclopaedic in scope; most major developments in Western painting "from Giotto to Cézanne are represented with important works. The present building, the third to house the National Gallery, was designed by William Wilkins from 1832 to 1838. Only the facade onto Trafalgar Square remains essentially unchanged from this time, as the building has been expanded piecemeal throughout its history. Wilkins's building was often criticised for the perceived weaknesses of its design and for its lack of space; the latter problem led to the establishment of the Tate Gallery for British art in 1897. The Sainsbury Wing, a 1991 extension to the west by Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, is a significant example of Postmodernist architecture in Britain. The current Director of the National Gallery is Gabriele Finaldi.

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NTINGS AT L GALLERY IN DON

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“Virgin of the Rocks by Leonardo da Vinci “Virgin of the Rocks” by Leonardo da Vinci depicts the Madonna and Child Jesus with the infant John the Baptist and an angel in a rocky setting, which provides the painting with its unusual name. This painting is in the National Gallery of London. It is one of two versions of this picture, which has the same name and similar composition but with several differences in the detail. The earliest version of the two paintings is in the Louvre, Paris, and has been transferred to the canvas, whereas this painting is on the original wooden panel. The composition shows a grouping of four figures, the Virgin Mary, the Christ child, the infant John the Baptist, and an angel arranged into a triangular formation. The setting is a background of rocks and a distant landscape of mountains and water. Mary occupies the apex of the pyramidal figure group, stretching one hand to include John and raising the other above the head of the Christ child is a blessing. 10


“Sunflowers” by Vincent van Gogh “Sunflowers” by Vincent van Gogh, was painted in 1888 and is one of four sunflower paintings in his “Arles S u n fl o w e r s ” series. Sunflowers were symbolic of happiness for Van Gogh. The “Arles Sunflowers” series was painted in Arles and was intended to decorate Gauguin’s room in the house that he had rented in the South of France. He and Gauguin worked there together for three months. “Sunflowers” was the painting that Van Gogh was most proud of, and it is one of Van Gogh’s most famous works and one of the most reproduced. In this painting, the flowers are built up with thick brushstrokes to evoke the texture of the seedheads. Van Gogh wrote to his brother: “I am working at it every morning from sunrise on,
 f o r t h e fl o w e r s f a d e s o quickly.
 
 I am now in the fourth picture of sunflowers.
 This fourth one is a bunch of 14 flowers … it gives a singular effect.” This painting was created during a period of optimism when Van Gogh awaited the arrival of his hero, the avant-garde painter Paul Gauguin. The lonely painter dreamed of establishing an artist community with Gauguin as its mentor. Sunflowers Series by Van Gogh Sunflowers is the name of two distinct series of still life paintings by Vincent van Gogh. The first series was painted in Paris in 1887 and depicted the flowers lying on the ground. While the second set, created a year later in Arles, shows a bouquet of sunflowers in a vase. In 1889, Van Gogh created three additional repetitions of his Sunflowers. Two of which are replicas of this version of Sunflowers. The “Arles Sunflowers” series includes the following four versions: 1.“Three Sunflowers” – turquoise background – Private collection in NY 2.“Six Sunflowers” – royal-blue background – destroyed by fire in World War II in Japan 3.“Still Life: Vase with Twelve Sunflowers” – blue-green background- Neue Pinakothek, Munich, Germany 4.“Sunflowers” – yellow background – National Gallery, London, England The 1889 Repetitions include: •“Vase with twelve sunflowers” – repetition of the 3rd version – Philadelphia Museum of Art •“Sunflowers” – repetition of the 4th version (yellow background) – Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands. •“Sunflowers” – a replica of the 4th version (yellow-green background) – Sompo Japan Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan.

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“The Ambassadors” by Hans Holbein the Younger “ T h e A m b a s s a d o rs ” by H a n s Holbein, the Younger, is a grand size masterpiece but highly detailed and full of symbolism. Created in the Tudor Period in the same year Elizabeth I was born, this double portrait depicts two wealthy, educated, and powerful men. On the left is Jean de Dinteville, French ambassador to England. On the right is Georges de Selve, bishop of Lavaur, who acted on various occasions as ambassador to t h e E m p e r o r, t h e V e n e t i a n Republic, and the Holy See. In the foreground is the distorted image of a skull, a classic Renaissance image with a universal message of human mortality. When this image is viewed from a point a t t h e e x t re m e ri g h t o f t h e painting, the distortion is corrected, and the skull image is evident. 12


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“Venus at her Mirror” by Diego Velazquez “Venus at her Mirror” by Diego Velazquez depicts the goddess Venus in a sensual pose, lying on a bed and looking into a mirror held by Cupid. Painted by Diego Velázquez, the leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age, between 1647 and 1651, it is the only surviving female nude by Velázquez. Nudes were extremely rare by seventeenth-century Spanish artists, who were policed by members of the Spanish Inquisition. Despite the Spanish Catholic church’s restrictions, foreign artists’ nudes were keenly collected by the Spanish court nobles. This painting is also known as “The Rokeby Venus” and “The Toilet of Venus.” It was inspired by famous Italian works of the nude Venuses, which were the precedents for this work, which was painted during Velázquez’s visit to Italy. Velázquez combined two traditional compositions of Venus in this painting, the recumbent Venus and the Venus looking at herself in the mirror. This Velazquez painting also illustrates the “Venus Effect,” which is a phenomenon in the psychology of perception, named after Venus, because of the various pictures of Venus gazing into a mirror. Viewers of “Venus Effect” may assume that she is admiring her reflection in the mirror. She is actually looking directly at the viewer, through the mirror; she is looking at the reflection of the painter, not herself. This perception effect is often used in the arts, the cinema, and photography This painting has a fascinating history. For its first 150 years, it hung in the houses of Spanish courtiers before being purchased and brought to England to hang in Rokeby Park, a country house, in Yorkshire in 1813. Then after the National Gallery, London acquired this painting, it was attacked and severely damaged in 1914 by the suffragette Mary Richardson, in what was her most famous act of defiance. The picture was restored and returned to display at the National Gallery and is today one of its more famous works.

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“Arnolfini Portrait” by Jan van Eyck “Arnolfini Portrait” by Jan van Eyck is a full-length double portrait, depicting t h e I t a l i a n m e rc h a n t Giovanni di Nicolao Arnolfini and his wife, in their home in the Flemish city of Bruges. Arnolfini was a member of a merchant family from Lucca living in Bruges, as an agent of the Medici family. The couple is depicted in their prosperous home. This masterpiece is considered one of the most original and sophisticated paintings in our heritage of early oil paintings. This painting is famous for its elaborate symbolism, detailed rendering, geometric perspective, use of light, and for the various detailed elements in the picture, such as the mirror, to create a realistic space. The vibrant colours h i g h l i g h t t h e m a t e ri a l wealth and opulence of the subject’s world. Van Eyck’s quest for realism means he p ro b a bl y e m p loye d a magnifying glass to paint the minute details such as the highlights inf the amber beads hanging beside the mirror and the smaller pictures within the mirror’s surround. The painting is full of everyday details and symbolism. Van Eyck has injected symbolism throughout the picture, such as the little dog, which symbolises fidelity. And the bedpost’s crowning ornament is a small statue of Saint Margaret, who is the patron saint of childbirth. The ornate Latin signature under the mirror translates as ‘Jan van Eyck was here 1434’. Jan van Eyck was a Flemish painter active in Bruges. He is one of the most significant representatives of Northern Renaissance art. The “Arnolfini Portrait” and his “Ghent Altarpiece” are the oldest panel masterpieces that were executed in oils and not in tempera. Van Eyck took advantage of the longer drying time of oil paint, compared to tempera, to blend colours as wet paint to achieve variations in light and shade to create the illusion of three-dimensional depictions.

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“Supper at Emmaus” by Caravaggio “Supper at Emmaus” by Caravaggio (The National Gallery, London) depicts the moment when the resurrected Jesus reveals himself to two of his surprised disciples, only to soon vanish from their sight, as told in the Gospel of Luke 24: 30–31. One of the disciples, Cleopas, wears the scallop shell of a pilgrim on his clothing. The other apostle, presumed to be Luke, wears the green torn coat. The standing waiter appears oblivious to the unexpected event that is taking place. This event, according to the Gospel, took place in the town of Emmaus. Luke reports that Jesus appeared, after his death and resurrection, before two of his disciples while they were walking on the road to Emmaus. Its geographical identification is not clear, several locations having been suggested throughout history, all we know about the town is that it is on the road connecting it with Jerusalem. According to the Gospel, Jesus appeared to them “in another form,” which may explain why Caravaggio depicted a beardless Jesus in this painting. In depicting Jesus interrupting an ordinary meal, is Caravaggio suggesting that perhaps Jesus, could be an unseen part of our daily activities or encounters? This painting depicts life-sized figures with a dark and blank background, and the table layout is a still-life meal with the basket of fruit dangling over the edge.

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“Venus and Mars” by Sandro Botticelli “Venus and Mars” by Sandro Botticelli depicts Venus, the Roman goddess of love, and Mars, the god of war, as a coupled reclining in a forest setting, surrounded by playful baby satyrs. It is an allegory of beauty and bravery, representing an ideal view of sensuous marriage and love. Based on the subject of the composition and the unusual wide format of this masterpiece, the painting was intended to commemorate a wedding. It was created to be set into a piece of furniture to adorn the bedroom of the bride and groom. Venus watches Mars sleep while two infant satyrs play with Mars’ weapons of war. One of the satyrs blows a small conch shell in Mars’ ear to wake him. The implication is that the couple has made love, and the male has fallen asleep. In this context, the lance and conch can also be read as sexual symbols. Botticelli painted this masterpiece a few years after the “Primavera” around the time of “The Birth of Venus.” Similar to those mythological paintings, this picture’s appeal is its visual beauty. The are many debated elements of this composition. The symbolism of the swarm of wasps that hover around Mars’ head is not certain, but they add to the mystery and allure of this painting. 19


MEET THE ENGLAND

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LADIES POLO TEAM

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Between 20th – 26th of September the England Ladies Polo Team will be representing the Nation in the FIP Ladies European Championship 2021 in Italy - at La Mimosa Polo Club Milan. Other finalists’ teams competing are Italy, Ireland and Germany. This tournament is a World Championship qualifier, with the top teams going through to play in Argentina in April 2022. Unfortunately, the England Ladies team has to fund all the expenses related to attending the championship themselves as there are no government funds available for a “ladies polo team’ to represent England for this tournament. The expenses of transporting horses, their vaccinations, the veterinary certifications and legal quarantines are high, for that reason, the team are still looking for further sponsorship funding. If you would be interested in sponsorship opportunities or would like to offer funding, please contact the team directly through the Chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association.

SPONSORS The team are very grateful to have received sponsorship from: - Emma Willis, through her charity, Style for Soldiers, founded in response to the numerous casualties incurred in Iraq and Afghanistan. https:// www.styleforsoldiers.com/pages/about Nicholas Mockett entrepreneur and Head of Packaging (mergers and acquisitions) at Moorgate Capital has also generously provided sponsorship funding for the team. Further funding is still required for the team and any financial assistance is most gratefully appreciated, please contact Francesca Townend through the Chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association, email David@hpapolo.co.uk 22


ABOUT THE TEAM:

Heloíse Wilson-Smith, 6 goals; Team Captain An international polo player and HPA instructor, She founded the Hampshire Polo Club which she runs with her husband.

Francesca Townend, 1 Goal A para-polo player and an Emergency Department doctor. Fran was able to get back into playing competitive sport through the Sports Recovery program run by Help for Heroes.

Emma Tomlinson, 6 Goals An international polo player and an equine vet, Her family owns the prestigious Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire

Millie Hughes, 3 Goals A young female amateur player and ambassador for the Ladies Polo Foundation, Millie is also an England Lacrosse player. 23


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WHY PEOPLE AND COMPANY CULTURE FIT ARE SO IMPORTANT BY LAURA TIMM, BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND ADVISOR, BUSINESS CULTURE & ALIGNMENT

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If you want to build a great company, not just a good one, you need to attract great people and build a company culture that represents both the core vision and beliefs of the business as well as its people. Great companies are built on great people, and they have a strong and distinctive company culture. Company culture in which individuals and teams thrive and create astonishing results together, ensuring continuous growth and success for the organization. If you look at companies like the Virgin Group, Tesla Motors or Apple, they are more than just big widely recognized brands, they represent more than that. They represent a feeling, a desire, a lifestyle, a sense of belonging. They all attract individuals who feel the brand speaks to them and represents who they are. The saying ‘We attract who we are’ applies both for people and for companies. The people you recruit, are more than just what is written on their resume. It is no longer a world dictated by bare skills and experiences typed up on someone’s CV, and it hasn’t been for quite a while. Great companies know this. They know that they need to dig deeper; they need to find the right talent and culture fit amongst all the candidates. Even when an individual has all the right qualifications and experience required to fill the role in theory, they might not be the right fit for your organization. They might be able to do the job for a while, but they will not go the extra mile or bring that passion, drive and creativity to the table the way highly motivated individuals do when working in the right company culture. Individuals who do not match the culture of your organization usually end up departing after a short while, leaving you or your HR team in a position having to re-start the whole recruitment process all over again, not to mention the time, effort and resources it takes to train someone new. Tesla Motors for example looks for individuals who embody the same values and vision that the company represents, people who always try their best, are environmentally conscious, take risks and are constant learners. These attitudes are a key part of what an individual needs to represent for them to be a suitable fit for the organization. They know that the success of their recruit depends on identifying the right individuals who don’t just match the requirements listed in the advertisement for a vacancy, but also are a great fit for the culture of the business. They ask specific questions digging deeper into the belief and value systems of the potential hire. As a forward thinking and progressive company, they also ensure they find out the individual showcases strong problem-solving skills and can demonstrate this capability. These attitudes are the shared values of the individual and the organization, combine those together and you can build a strong long-lasting foundation for your organization. When we look at Virgin Group as an example, they are known for putting people, both employees and customers, at the core of their business. Even on their company website they tell anyone interested working for the organization that they will be measured against the company values during an interview. At Virgin, it is strongly believed that their values are intrinsically linked to their success. Therefore, it is vital to ensure any new hire shares the beliefs and values of the brand. They ensure the individual demonstrates these values through their actions, so questions to determine these will be asked during an interview. Questions around beliefs and approaches, but also examples of handling difficult situations, especially those that showcase the individual’s ability not just to solve problems, but also demonstrate high levels of empathy, ensuring they can relate to others in order to put people first. Having fun and enjoying what you do is also part of the culture and demonstrated in external presence to the world (just think about any of the entertaining marketing videos you have seen, or when Richard Branson dressed up as a stewardess himself as an example) but can also easily be seen and felt when you interact with the employees; from the way they speak to you and the big smiles on their faces. The people working at Virgin Group are the true measure and example of the core values of the company and its culture. Next time when you need to fill a position within your organization, think about the culture you have cultivated in the organization so far and ensure the people you hire match that culture. You will be amazed how quickly the right people adapt, gel with the team, the results they deliver, not to mention the passion and drive they come to work with every single day. The culture you create in your company determines the success of your organization. Make sure the company values and beliefs are made very clear and pay close attention to who you choose to be part of the culture, as they will either help the organization flourish or tamper its growth. 26


FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS ARTICLE CONTACT EMAIL LAURA TIMM ON CONTACT@LAURATIMM.COM 27


RE-IMAGINED CYBER SECURITY IN THE COVID ERA By Pamela Rüstem Deputy Chair of the Conservative Science and Technology Forum (CSTF) in Parliament

Covid has brought with it a re-imagined era, in which we have to adapt to a new wave of tech criminals who have used Covid-19 to their advantage. According to Top Cybersecurity Statistics, Facts and Figures 2021 “The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has also had a major impact on cybersecurity. Online scams spiked by more than 400% in March 2020 compared to previous months, according to international law firm Reed Smith, while Google revealed it was blocking more than 18 million malware and phishing emails related to COVID-19 every day.”



Now more than ever our security is at risk, costing organisations millions of pounds each year. The loss is often unmeasurable in terms of time, energy and data. Cyber criminals are becoming ever cleverer and strategic in their attacks, and our pre-set response has to be robust. An attack must come up against a brick wall, that’s my personal aim with an advanced product, to be launched by my new company soon. Cyber security is a fascinating subject, it’s one I’ve embraced following a career in telecoms, working globally with major companies around the world. Whilst not technically minded, the ability to ‘translate the concept’ to others is something of a superpower. Passion for the subject and my values of protecting our businesses and citizens from malicious cyber-attacks, propels me forward to learn as much as I can about this exciting and ever-changing subject.

Pamela Rüstem Deputy Chair of the Conservative Science and Technology Forum (CSTF) in Parliament. 30


Particularly fortunate to be surrounded by the greatest minds in tech and security, who translate how the malicious attacks are carried out and how they could be potentially prevented. Moving forward to co-found my new company, we’ve successfully invented a radical and proactive way of preventing attacks by identifying malware by its key characteristics. This success means we can prevent the attack from taking place in the first instance. Rather than being reactive, firefighting and playing catch up on attacks as they come along, we can proactively stop unnecessary loss in its tracks. As a result of my work in the cyber security industry I was delighted to be invited to become part of the Conservative Science and Technology Forum (CSTF) in Parliament. The CSTF was founded in 1978, a UK think tank and Policy Advisory Body. Consulting on Industry, Academia and other key subjects. Discussing important technological and societal issues and putting them into mainstream political context. As Deputy Chair it’s my honour to be part of esteemed company including; Members of the Houses of Parliament and House of Lords, and carefully chosen business leaders in the science and tech arena. It’s not a Lobby Group, but rather CSTF exists to help develop discussion and policies on a higher level, enabling the UK to harness advances in Technology to remain a leader in the global knowledge economy. Our challenge is to become aligned with flow of information between relevant parties. Part of my role as co-founder of a cyber security business, is to share my expertise with CSTF to help protect our online systems and impact UK policy in a positive way. Bringing about effective change in our policies at national level, while filtering out to the rest of the world. I truly believe that one person with the right convictions can make a positive difference. On a personal level, I’m always open to the next great innovation out there in terms of better, simpler and more effective ways of doing things. That new idea unicorn in cyber security sustainability. Partnering with likeminded individuals is paramount for us all to move forward as a society, and I’m delighted to be a Board member for an investment company who do just that. Seeking out new ideas, innovations and finding the funding to realise those ideas, taking us all to the next level and greatly benefitting the United Kingdom and our organisations. References: https://www.conscitech.com/

Fortinet | Enterprise Security Without Compromise | SC Media (scmagazine.com)

Pamela Rüstem bio As a passionate campaigner for change and mentor of young people, Pamela Rüstem is Non-Executive Director for 8Billionideas. One of twenty organisations chosen by the Prince’s Trust with the mission of giving every student on the planet the skills and belief they could change the world. Pamela also holds editorial and executive membership on a variety of boards, with strong focus on education, cybersecurity and innovative technologies. Former Judge for the SC Awards and Editorial Board Member of SC Magazine, the leading source of Cybersecurity information since 1989. She successfully campaigned for 11 years to save a 133-year-old, 4.8 hectare playing field, now home to a sports facility offering football, rugby, and multi-sport for the community and schools in the Blackheath area. Co-founder of an innovative cyber security company, it’s her passionate belief, that one person with the right convictions can effect positive change in the world.

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Ana K

ART BEHIND

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Karime

ND FOOD

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Culinary Tourism -Florence Travel gastronomy is one of my passions, last summer we visited Gucci Osteria in Florence and I found art behind their food. During this visit I had the pleasure to meet their head chef Ana Karime that presented us with quality well though food, I want you to discover more about her and why this restaurant should be in your next destination when in Florence.

Ana Karime’s interview 1.Could you please tell us about your background and how it leads to the work you do today? I have always been passionate about arts, and plastic art in particular. I was attending some courses in sculpture and paintings in Paris, preparing my French. That’s when I fell in love with the beautiful Parisian pâtisseries windows: desserts that look like miniature sculptures. The realization of the beauty and artistry opened my mind. Pastry, and cooking in general, is also a form of art. That's how the two worlds connect. I thought that the skill needed to make them so beautiful was similar to the plastic arts, with the only difference being that in this case, works of art can be eaten. And I love food. My training in arts of course has had and continues to have a great influence on my work now, in terms of flavours, products, and especially for the aesthetic of the dishes. 2.What is your culinary education background? After that discovery in France, I decided to become a chef and that I wanted to stay in Europe to train and move my first steps in this sector. So, first of all I signed up for a cooking course in Sevilla, where I could attend school in my own language. Then, I started my career at Can Fabes restaurant. Next came the Mugaritz with chef Andoni Luis Aduriz, followed by Pujol of Enrique Olvera, in Mexico. Afterwards, I returned to Europe to work with René Redzepi at Noma, and then moved to Japan, at Ryugin, the three-starred temple of cuisine in Tokyo. For five years, I have been working in Peru, as Virgilio Martínez’s right hand at Central, before coming to Italy, where I started a wonderful collaboration with Massimo Bottura, that eventually led to Gucci Osteria in Florence. 3. What are five words you'd use to describe yourself and your work ethic? I would say: determined, disciplined, caring for my team, passionate, and motivational particularly for what regards my work ethic. 4. Why are you passionate about being a chef? Gastronomy and art have always been and still are two of my greatest passions. These disciplines are strictly related and interconnected. They bring people together and make us share experiences and ideas. There are so many aspects that have stayed in my heart since day one of my journey in this industry. Everything is so dynamic, and I'm always learning, every moment, from every situation. All these activities give me so much energy. And that's how my passion for this job which is really also a lifestyle - grows in me every day. 5. Are there any chefs you admire? What do you admire most about them? To be honest, I have a long list: I admire all the chefs! In this job, you give your whole heart and soul every day, and there are so many challenges that we have to face and overcome. That's why I admire all the people involved in the culinary world: any tasks can be demanding and require dedication.


Gucci Osteria - Chef Team


Gucci Osteria - Florence




Gucci Osteria - Florence


Gucci Osteria - Florence


6. What is your favourite dish to cook and why? When I'm home, I love to prepare Mexican-style breakfast for my family. Mexican breakfast is awesome and super rich, so when I have time I love to do that. In the restaurant, one of our signature dishes is the Purple Corn Tostada, which represents my country Mexico. The dish is marinated bonito with purple corn tostada, a hint of spice and citrus. It’s an Italian tostada because we use Italian corn, but we’re using Mexican techniques. 7. What is your proudest moment as a chef? There are two: the day we opened the restaurant and the day we received the star. The Michelin star was an award that we earned thanks to the whole team working so hard on such a beautiful project. 8. What or who has been the biggest singular influence on your work? My inspiration is the stories people tell me, the colours I see every day and the melting pot of cultures and experiences each individual discovers daily. Life is an endless source of inspiration, lots of different elements inspire me; the weather, the city, the place I work. I incorporate this into our kitchen, respecting seasonality and always listening to what I really want to do. In terms of people who have influenced me, I think we have many mentors in life, and I find it difficult to refer to a singular influence. For me, it started with my family. Then when it comes to techniques and professional education, Santi Santamaria was my first mentor. He was the first person to give me a job opportunity. I learnt a lot when I joined his restaurant in 2005 - we were understaffed and ran the kitchen with just ten chefs, his style of cuisine is very detail orientated, so there was lots of intricate work. Enrique Olvera from the restaurant Pujol in Mexico City was also a significant influence. I learnt that cooking in a kitchen is more than just heavy-duty work; it can also be a pleasure and fun source. Next, Seiji Yamamoto, a Japanese chef at the restaurant Nihonryori RyuGin showed me how deep a food concept could be and how crucial respect for the product is. Of course, I can’t forget Massimo Bottura; I owe him everything. I am now at the helm of Gucci Osteria in Florence because Massimo believed in me. He taught me, among many other things, the utter importance of building a solid team you can rely on. 9. Where can people find more information about you and your future projects? On our Gucci Osteria website (www.gucciosteria.com ), where the latest updates and restaurant news are constantly uploaded, and on instagram. All the photos on this article are by Gabriele Stabile, for Gucci Osteria.


DANIELA RAYTCHEV

ART OF UNSPEAKABLE 22



Exhibition and Safeline charity fundraiser by internationally acclaimed contemporary artist Daniela Raytchev took place from 20th May until 10th June 2021 in South Kensington’s Smith and Partner gallery. Raytchev’s work has been supported by numerous British TV personalities and high profile individuals including Gail Porter, Barry Martin, Raymond Keene OBE and others, who attended the opening night of the show. The exhibition includes works from various stages of Raytchev’s career going back to 2014/15. Raytchev has been passionate about raising awareness about mental health since the start, and this year’s show had particular focus on the healing from sexual abuse and rape. Raytchev’s exploration into human psyche draws inspiration from her personal experience. “The project is very personal to me, being a survivor myself. Being honest about the situation is the first step towards any change. Art can facilitate this conversation.” Dismantling the truths about stranger danger, the project titled ’Are We Human or Are We Spam’ initially started during Raytchev’s artist residency in New York two years ago. This was the first time some of the works were exhibited in the UK. The artworks are based around Raychev's conversations with survivors of sexual abuse, transcripts of the rape trial of feminist Italian Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi, and aspects of healing and recovery. Last year, Raytchev was selected to become an ambassador for Safeline charity, to which she is donating 10% of the sales. (a specialised charity working to prevent sexual abuse and to support those affected in their recovery). Simultaneously with the exhibition, Raytchev and Safeline launched a #BreatheChallenge and released T-shirts with one of Daniela’s paintings on them. “Safeline is always looking for creative ways to fundraise and raise awareness about sexual violence and abuse. “We are very pleased to have such a talented contemporary artist as Daniela Raytchev to be an ambassador for our charity and to collaborate with her on the ‘BREATHE’ t-shirts. We love the design which is based on one of her paintings. We both felt the message ‘Breathe' is very relevant for our charity as it’s important part of healing and recovery.” - N. Henderson, Safeline CEO

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Artist Daniela Raytchev at the her art exhibition in South Kensington London

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ABOUT DANIELA RAYTCHEV London based multidisciplinary artist, mental health campaigner and alumna from Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design and London College of Fashion. Raytchev has participated in various group shows and science conferences around the world (UK, US, Russia) and collaborated with King’s College Neuroscience Department, B-Eat and NEDA (eating disorders) charities in the UK and the US respectively. In 2015 during Frieze Art Fair, she held a successful solo exhibition in London’s Notting Hill. Raytchev has been mentioned in numerous national and international press such as the Times, News Week US, Dazed Digital, Huffington Post, Bullet Media. One of her most recent achievements was her art chess set ‘Addictions’ that has been exhibited at the World Chess Hall of Fame Museum in the US, along side renowned artists Yoko Ono, Barbara Kruger and Sophie Matisse. www.danielaraytchev.com Smith and Partner Gallery - is a contemporary fine art supplier and gallery, specialising in selling limited-edition framed art prints. Our flagship store, located in the heart of South Kensington, London is home to our most popular collections and locale of our art fairs and exhibitions. We are dedicated to supporting the work of our emerging artists as well as preserving the works of blue-chip art for the purpose of home decor, gifts and celebrations as well as investment purposes. www.smithandpartner.co.uk Safeline charity - Established in 1994, Safeline is a specialised charity working to prevent sexual abuse* and to support those affected in their recovery. This includes working with people whose mental health issues (manifesting for example as self-harming) suggest that they may be vulnerable to abuse. Safeline provides a comprehensive range of services for people affected by sexual abuse, including counselling, national Male survivor’s helpline, online support, independent sexual violence advisors, training and prevention projects. Safeline offers its services to people of all ages, regardless of gender, sexuality, or race, who are survivors of abuse. Face-to-face services are provided in Coventry and Warwickshire, telephone and online support and training are offered throughout England and Wales.

For more information contact: press@danielaraytchev.com or call +44 (0)7540 297 545 www.safeline.org.uk T-shirts: https://www.safeline.org.uk/breathe-a-safeline-partnership-with-the-artist-danielaraytchev/

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STAYCATIONS AND MORE THAN 46 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UK HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OF A CORONAVIRUS VACCINE - PART OF THE BIGGEST INOCULATION PROGRAMME THE COUNTRY HAS EVER LAUNCHED AND YET BRITONS ARE DEALING WITH TRAVEL BANS AND UNPREDICTABLE RULES THAT CREATES ANXIETY FOR ALL OF US WHEN IT COMES TO PLAN OUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE. FOR THOSE THAT DON’T WANT TO EXPEND UNNECESSARY HOURS AT AIRPORT CONTROLS AND THEIR MONEY ON PCR TRAVEL TESTS I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT AMAZING DESTINATIONS WITHIN THE UNITED KINGDOM THAT WILL MAKE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH OUR COUNTRY LANDSCAPE.


UK HOLIDAY IDEAS


SCOTLAND WITH A MESMERISING LANDSCAPE AND TARTAN-KILTED HIGHLANDERS, SKIRLING BAGPIPES, THE LOCH NESS MONSTER, LONELY CASTLES, GOLF, MAGNIFICENT SCENERY, WONDERFUL FOOD, AND SHAGGY HIGHLAND CATTLE. ALL OF THESE ARE PART OF THE MYSTIQUE OF THIS UNIQUE PART OF THE COUNTRY. YOU CAN EXPLORE SCOTLAND BY BOAT, ON FOOT ALONG ITS TRAILS, ON SCENIC TRAIN RIDES, OR TOURING BY CAR, AND EACH WILL LEAD TO UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES. HISTORY IS EVERYWHERE AS YOUR SIGHTSEEING ADVENTURES TAKE YOU TO THE CASTLES AND FABLED BATTLEFIELDS WHERE CLANS FOUGHT, SEE YOU TRACE THE FOOTSTEPS OF LEGENDARY KINGS AND QUEENS, OR FOLLOW LITERARY TRAILS BLAZED BY ROBBIE BURNS AND SIR WALTER SCOTT.


HIGHLANDS, SCOTLAND


GLENFINNAN VIADUCT, SCOTLAND


SCOTTISH CLANS EDINBURGH


CORNWALL

WHAT STRIKES ME STRAIGHT AWAY IS THE NUMBER OF BEAUTIFUL BEACHES WE HAVE RIGHT HERE ON OUR DOORSTEP, A FIGURE OF WELL OVER 300 COMES TO MIND SPANNING OUT OVER OUR 250 MILES OF MAJESTIC COASTLINE. UNIQUE AND INDIVIDUAL, EACH BEACH HAS ITS OWN BIT OF PARADISE FOR BOTH YOU AND YOUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND. PERFECT FOR A LITTLE GETAWAY FOR TWO OR A FAMILY WEEK AWAY, CORNWALL HAS A WONDERFUL ARRAY OF STUNNING BEACHES THAT WILL LEAVE YOU FEELING AS THOUGH YOU ARE ABROAD (JUST WITHOUT THE TRAVEL COSTS)!.


JURASSIC COAST WALKS, CORNWALL KYNANCE COVE, CORNWALL


STONEHENGE

WITH A HISTORY SPANNING 4,500 YEARS STONEHENGE HAS MANY DIFFERENT MEANINGS TO PEOPLE TODAY. IT IS A WONDER OF THE WORLD, A SPIRITUAL PLACE, AND A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION. THE STONE CIRCLE IS A MASTERPIECE OF ENGINEERING AND BUILDING IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN HUGE EFFORT FROM HUNDREDS OF WELL-ORGANISED PEOPLE USING ONLY SIMPLE TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGIES. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VISIT STONEHENGE IS AN ICONIC SYMBOL OF BRITAIN.


STONEHENGE, SALISBURY PLAIN IN WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND


COTSWOLDS

THERE’S A REASON SO MANY CELEBRITIES BUY A SECOND HOME IN THE COT S W O L D S , I T ’ S G O R G E O U S . S P R E A D OV E R G LO U C E S T E R S H I R E , OXFORDSHIRE, WARWICKSHIRE, WILTSHIRE AND WORCESTERSHIRE, THIS LITTLE POCKET OF QUINTESSENTIAL ENGLAND HAS EVERYTHING WHEN IT COMES TO WEEKEND BREAKS; HONEY-COLOURED HOUSES, LIVELY MARKET TOWNS , CASTLES , COUNTRY HOUSES , SURPRISINGLY EXCELLENT RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS AND THE ROLLING HILLS OF THE WOLDS TO WANDER.


COTSWOLDS


THE LAKE DISTRICT AND CUMBRIA THE LAKE DISTRICT, ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL REGIONS OF THE UK, IS LOCATED IN THE HEART OF CUMBRIA, A PREDOMINANTLY RURAL COUNTY IN THE FAR NORTHWEST OF ENGLAND. WORLD FAMOUS FOR ITS BEAUTIFUL LAKES AND MOUNTAINOUS FELLS, CARVED OUT LONG AGO BY GLACIERS, THE LAKE DISTRICT TODAY IS A PLAYGROUND FOR WALKERS AND OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS.
 AS WELL AS THE WHOLE OF THE LAKE DISTRICT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE LAKES OR LAKELAND AND NOW A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE, CUMBRIA INCLUDES THE EDEN VALLEY, THE NORTH PENNINES, THE FURNESS PENINSULA, AND A SMALL PART OF THE YORKSHIRE DALES.


THE LAKE DISTRICT AND CUMBRIA


THE DARK HEDGES, NORTHERN IRELAND

THE BEAUTIFUL AVENUE OF BEECH TREES WERE PLANTED BY THE STUART FAMILY IN THE 18TH CENTURY TO IMPRESS VISITORS AS THEY APPROACHED THE ENTRANCE TO THEIR GEORGIAN MANSION, GRACEHILL HOUSE. GAME OF THRONES FANS MAY RECOGNISE IT AS THE KING'S ROAD IN WESTEROS. DRIVE ALONG THE KING'S ROAD WHICH LED NED STARK TO HIS DEATH AND ARYA STARK AWAY FROM KING'S LANDING. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LANDMARKS ON THE GAME OF THRONES MAP AND A HIDDEN ROAD ON THE WAY TO BUSHMILLS.


THE DARK HEDGES, NORTHERN IRELAND



WINDSOR CASTLE A ROYAL HOME AND FORTRESS FOR OVER 900 YEARS, WINSDOR CASTLE, THE LARGEST OCCUPIED CASTLE IN THE WORLD, REMAINS A WORKING PALACE TODAY. THE QUEEN USES THE CASTLE BOTH AS A PRIVATE HOME, WHERE SHE USUALLY SPENDS THE WEEKEND, AND AS AN OFFICIAL ROYAL RESIDENCE AT WHICH SHE UNDERTAKES CERTAIN FORMAL DUTIES FROM INVESTITURES TO STATE VISITS. WINDSOR CASTLE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND VISITORS CAN EXPLORE THE HISTORY AND SIGNIFICANCE OF WINDSOR CASTLE. TAKE A SNEAK PEAK VIA OUR VIRTUAL TOURS.


WINDSOR CASTLE

HOW TO SPEND IT

FINANCIAL TIMES MA Elaph launches How To Spend It Arabic, in association with Financial Times. Elaph, the independent online newspaper, has signed an agreement with the Financial Times to produce the FT’s luxury magazine, How To Spend It, in Arabic, under licence. This marks the first time the FT’s HTSI journalism will be available in Arabic, opening the door to a new audience across the Middle East and North Africa. HTSI Arabic will be distributed in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait as well as in Egypt and Morocco. It will also be available in an online edition. How To Spend It (HTSI) is the multi award-winning luxury magazine from FT Weekend, presenting themed issues on fashion, interiors, art, travel and lifestyle. Under the editorship of Jo Ellison, HTSI features stories about the most exclusive and unique fashion, travel, interior design, food and other experiences imaginable. The weekly magazine is renowned for its compelling visual aesthetics.


GAZINE IN ARABIC Financial Times CEO John Ridding said: “As a global brand with global reach, we are always excited to bring the FT’s quality journalism to new regions. This association with Elaph allows us to bring one of our flagship publications to a very substantial audience.” Jo Ellison, Editor of How To Spend It, said: “This launch aligns with the FT’s wider strategy of growing its brand reach through enhanced reader engagement. The Arabic-speaking world represents an important readership for How To Spend It and the combination of the FT's HTSI editorial with original content from Elaph represents a bespoke offering for those readers who seek out unique lifestyle features and themes.”


ELAPH FOUNDER AND EDITOR-INCHIEF OTHMAN AL-OMEIR, SAID: “ELAPH’S ROLE IN PRODUCING ORIGINAL CONTENT FOR THE HTSI ARABIC PUBLICATION, BOTH DIGITALLY AND IN PRINT, WILL FOCUS ON STORIES THAT CELEBRATE THE BEST OF ARABIC CULTURE, TALENT, FASHION AND LIFESTYLE. WE WILL COMBINE OUR LOCAL KNOWLEDGE WITH QUALITY EDITORIAL TO COMPLEMENT THE STRENGTH OF CONTENT BEING PRODUCED BY THE FT’S HTSI.”


Nicholas Claxton, COO of Elaph and Director of Elaph Media Publications, said: “This is a game- changing proposition both editorially and commercially, particularly now as the Middle East has one of the fastest growth rates in ultra high-net worth people and digital presence. Our investment into How To Spend It Arabic reflects Elaph’s commitment to a region where emerging luxury and lifestyle markets are really taking off and where we can uphold the values and appeal of the HTSI brand.” HTSI Arabic will be published in London. The print edition of How To Spend It Arabic will be produced by Les Imprimerie Le Matin in Morocco, a division of Group Maroc Soir newspaper. Advertising for HTSI Arabic will be based in Dubai. Advertising for HTSI Arabic will be based in Dubai and represented by Rosy Kachouh from I-REP (rosy@i-repme.com). Key bookings pre- launch are expected across both the online and print editions from some of the most influential global and regional brands CONTACT For more information please contact jean@marcomlux.com; Mehdi@marcomlux.com; or mark.staniland@ft.com. ABOUT THE FINANCIAL TIMES The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of more than one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community. ABOUT ELAPH Elaph is the first Arab online daily newspaper founded by the British-Saudi journalist Othman Al- Omeir in 2001. With an extensive network of writers, editors and reporters, Elaph provides Arab readers around the world with everything new in politics and economics, culture, sports, sociology, women's affairs and entertainment.

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9

TIPS FOR BOOSTING YOUR COMPANY’S ONLINE PRESENCE

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BY ELVIJS PLUGIS

DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST


WEBSITE Whether you are representing yourself or a company, you must have “some sort”of website. It's not always important to have a high-end website that takes thousands of pounds and many months for completion. Nowadays, you can simply start with a basic, automated website (like the ones available on WIX, Webs, and Foursquare!). On these platforms, you can use their templates and drag-and-drop content blocks to have a basic website up and running in as little as a few hours. There are many YouTube tutorials that can help you make sense of how these website builders work. Sure, your website may not be very impressive in terms of visual appeal or SEO, but it will still get the job done, at least initially. As you keep on adding tweaks and upgrades, it will get better. It is important to bear in mind that a website is just like a business investment. There are many free website builders that help you create and launch your website instantly, and that too without the need to add domains or worry about hosting. Based on your budget, you can get a basic domain for £0.99 to £10 annually, some reputable domain providers such as GoDaddy and Google domains that can help you with that. If you don't want to create the website on your own, you can hire a professional who can build for you for about £500 £900. If you're new to website building it is recommended to avoid server-based websites like WordPress, as they usually require extensive knowledge and are harder to maintain than websites made with automated web providers. If nothing works, you can use Google My Business to launch your site for free and with minimal editing. Not many excuses for not having a website!

BRAND PRESENCE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. Social media acts as an invaluable tool for the growth of many businesses. Nowadays, people spend a lot of time using social media, and it's the best place in today's digital age to make them notice your business. Your competition is already aware of this, which is why in 2020, businesses spent over $99 billion on social media advertising and marketing alone. Social media platforms currently have a total of 4.3 billion users worldwide, and if our business isn't there, does it even exist? Sign your business on as many platforms as you can with all relevant descriptions and website links. This helps protect the brand and prevents copyright infringement. Additionally, each profile you create represents and promotes your business on that platform, and each web link will act as a backlink to the site, which confirms domain authority, leading to higher search engine rankings, and also helps attract potential customers. Here are some of popular social media platforms your business should be registered on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tik Tok, Snapchat, Quora, Reddit.

TIP: I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND CONDUCTING SOME HASHTAG (#) RESEARCH, AND USING THESE IN YOUR SOCIAL POSTS. FOR EXAMPLE, ON INSTAGRAM, TRY 12 – 18 HASHTAGS PER POST, KEEPING ONLY 3-5 THE SAME, AND CHANGING THE REST ACCORDING TO YOUR POST. – MAKE SURE ALL HASHTAGS ARE RELATED TO THE POST IN ORDER TO PREVENT REACH SUPPRESSION. ON TWITTER, STICK TO 1- 3 HASHTAGS. REMEMBER, BY HAVING ONLY ONE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A HIGHER REACH THAN THREE . Recommended: Convert your social profiles to business profiles and then display the analytical aspects on your website.

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DIRECTORIES AND REGISTRIES. Advertising can be costly, but there are currently over 100 online directories and registries that offer free listing services for your business. You should check them out as they can help millions of people come across your services and products. Your top priority should be search engine directories, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Make sure your business is listed on these so that you are visible to millions of potential customers that use search engines to perform their searches. You will need a business address to sign up with these registries, but you can make it invisible so anyone coming across your business listing will only see the general business information with details of the services and products and not the website, unless you want them to see it. Your website link and contact info will still be available, so you don't have to worry about being unreachable. Other registries and directories are split into international, national, and local searches. By registering with as many registries and directories as you can, you will maximise your reach to potential customers/ clients. Business locations are usually required, but if you don't have one you can try using a friend's office address. There are also many postal addresses available for use as a monthly subscription. Registering manually on all these platforms can take some time, but the ROI is worth it. If you have a budget set aside for this purpose, check out dedicated platforms such as Yext, Yell, Semrush and others that provide automated placement and management for a monthly fee. These fees usually range from about £20 - £60 per month for each location. Here are some directories: Yell, Bing, Yahoo, Apple Maps, Foursquare, Yellow pages, Hot Frog, BOTW and others. Let me add here that the same principle applies to both social media and the registries and directories. Each profile plays the role of business promotion on these platforms, and on search engines, and each link will be a backlink for your website, helping with domain authority and additional traffic generation due to organic ranking on search engines and from registered platforms.

BLOGS Blogs have grown to be elements of huge importance over these past few years. Blogs are a great place to talk about one's experiences, expertise, thoughts and so much more. Blogs attract traffic that's hard to get otherwise - they boost online visibility by directing traffic to your blog, and by using blog content to build your website and brand keyword ranking through on-site SEO with keyword-rich text, and off-site SEO with interlinked backlinks that confirm keyword and domain page authority. This all helps your business appear higher on relevant search results. There are no set standards for how a blog should look, but it is advisable to have a minimum of 1000 words, along with a good presentation and content that resonates with your target audience, is informative, and enjoyable. Make sure to post frequently and see how it all works out as time goes by. There are many ways to create a blog that helps boost the online presence of your business. Blog on your website: In this manner, you will direct traffic to your website. Certain parts of your blog can be used to generate internal web links to categories, products, or services. It's okay if you are not too familiar with this, as what's most important is that you have a blog that speaks to your audience.Thirdparty blog sites: Don't have a website? Or do you want to increase the number of backlinks to your existing one (you definitely should!)? Try third-party blog posting platforms like Google blogs, blogger.com, ghost.org, and many others! Create original blogs or rewrite old ones and post them on these sites, with a link back to your website if you have one, or social networks, or just your contact information; there are endless possibilities. Refrain from using the exact same content for each blog as search engines will quickly detect that and will lower your link ranking, which significantly reduces online visibility. Instead, rewrite your existing blogs and make sure you're always brainstorming to come up with new ideas.

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Guest blogs: This is the process of producing content and posting it on other businesses' websites with a link back to your website, which increases traffic and improves page and domain authority for your website, which in turn helps with relevant keyword ranking on search engines. These websites often require some kind of payment or blog placement exchanges. Even if you don't have a website at the moment, it still helps your brand boost its online presence and visibility. Again, remember to rewrite your content for each blog so that it remains unique. Copy-pasting does more harm than good! It usually takes anywhere between 3 to 24 months for your blog to properly get indexed on search engines and yield notable results. However, there is a workaround that is discussed in the bonus strategy at the end of this article.

SEO The science and art of increasing the visibility of your website, blog, and other pages in search engines is called Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) SEO is the key to help you boost traffic to your website through organic search engine results or, in other words, to enhance your company's online exposure on over 100 web search engines such as Yahoo, Google and Bing and others. SEO is a highly complex thing, and it requires endless hours to understand even the most basic concepts about its functionality. Not to mention the constant regular search engine algorithm changes that must be kept track of, as well as the technical aspects of websites and servers that need to be managed. But I will break it all down for you in a simple manner so you can apply it as much as possible, and help your business attract potential customers. An SEO mainly exists as two types: On-site SEO or on-page SEO: It is work done on your website to optimise page content in order for it to rank higher in search engines. Google, for example, examines the content of your website to decide whether it is a relevant result for the search query. Part of this procedure entails searching your site pages for keywords and keyword-related information. Try to ensure that your website, page, and blog content is related to the keywords you want your business to be visible online for. Implement this across headers and main content sections. Any pictures or video clips you have should also be renamed to relevant, keyword-related names. Exercise caution when doing this, and make sure you don't oversaturate the text with certain keywords, as that may sometimes be detected as spamming which leads to a lowered search result ranking. As talked about in the blog section, the text should appear natural. AI is very smart these days and is just as if a human is viewing your content, so always ask yourself - does what is written here make sense? Does it get the message across nicely? Since August, Google's new on-site SEO algorithm update has priority over off-site SEO, which will help your business in getting discovered online. Note that the same principle applies to your social profiles, social posts, registries, directories and other content related information that is out there. What is your business about? What do you want to be found for? Offsite SEO or Off-page SEO: Some actions are not performed on your own website, but they have the power to influence your rankings in search engine results pages. Backlinks are another word for this. This usually appears above guest blog posts and dedicated blog site posts. You create backlinks as you keep adding your website links to the text. These backlinks have segments like do follow, no follow, as well as tier 1,2,3 and others, but we will leave that to the professionals. What you should ensure is that there's a backlink for your website in all the content you post. An even better approach would be to include an interlink on words in the text that you would like to link back to your website. The link that you add to that one word or word group will determine its meaning, for example, I am an expert marketer residing in London. 74


“ALWAYS REFRAIN FROM PURCHASING FAKE FOLLOWERS AND OTHER SUCH ACTIVITIES, AS SOCIAL PLATFORM ALGORIT HMS WILL INSTANTLY DETECT BOT ACTIVITY, WHICH TYPICALLY LEADS TO YOUR PROFILE GETTING SHADOW-BANNED.” ELVIJS PLUGIS DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST INFO@SIGULP.CO.UK ELVIJS PLUGIS IS A DIGITAL MARKETING SPECIALIST WITH OVER 9 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN RUNNING AND CONSULTING MULTIMILLION POUND REVENUE BUSINESSES IN THE UK AND INTERNATIONALLY. CURRENTLY HE HAS HIS OWN MARKETING MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTANCY COMPANY SIGULP LTD, WHERE HE HELPS BUSINESSES, INDIVIDUALS AND CORPORATIONS AND HE IS ALSO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR A DIGITAL MARKETING AGENCY TECHTADD LTD. CURRENTLY HE IS THE VICE CHAIR AND MARKETING ADVISOR FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY.

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Now, the link to my website is added to the phrase "expert marketer" which will show search engines that I'm confirming that my website is about a marketing expert, and if someone searches for one, I may show up in the results. However, if on-site SEO is not carried out accurately, and there is no mention of me being an expert marketer in my website content, the results won't be as good. On-site and Off-site SEO both go together and work hand in hand. There is much more to all of this, such as competitor analyses, difficulties in ranking the keyword, and strategies you will need to implement over a course of 3-6 months in order to start seeing notable results. But on a fundamental level, even if you apply the basic concepts I've talked about above, you'll see that you already have an edge over other lower-level competitors. It's important that you remember that every time your website is mentioned on social media posts, it acts as a social signal, almost identical to a backlink. The same principle applies to re-shared posts and brand mentions. All of these things assist your business in boosting its online visibility across social media and web search results. TIP: Make sure you get in touch with all sites, friends and colleagues who may have your brand-related content on their websites or blogs, and ask them if it's possible for them to quickly add a link back to your website.

ONLINE ACTIVITY EQUALS VISIBILITY Once you have successfully completed the gruelling task of coming up with engaging and unique content across all of your social profiles, online directories and other web addresses, you will see that your business now has greater visibility online than it did before. Now, it may seem like this is the end of it all and your work is done, but it is actually just starting! There are several methods for ensuring online engagement while establishing brand signals, and increasing exposure via authority and presence side by side. But I am simply going to highlight two of the most important and simple ones. Social media platforms: It is advised that you set aside some time to work on your social accounts' engagement and on a daily basis. Try to remain active on your account, and engage with accounts that follow you, as well as those you follow back. Make sure you also reach out to accounts outside your following. One of the best ways to get this done is by finding content via hashtag searches that's relevant to your own brand and engaging with those posts in an authentic, creative, and genuine way. Let us consider an example. So, your Facebook and Instagram profiles are related to houseplants. You type the hashtag "#houseplants" in the search bar, and proceed to like and leave creative comments on all of the relevant posts that come up under this hashtag. Sometimes, you can also reach out to the account that posted the content via DMs and Messages, just to strike up a conversation or genuinely compliment their content. It has been observed that 5 out of 10 times, they will appreciate your kindness, will follow your account, and will even start liking your posts, as well as leave some comments on a few of them. And even if they don't do all of that, your social profile will still be regarded as an active one and will get ranked higher, which will lead to much better post outreach.

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Another great way to boost account engagement is by joining and interacting with relevant groups and communities and becoming a valuable member of their circle. When engaging with groups and communities, take special care as to not spam, or shard sell. Respect group rules, be nice to all members, take the time to leave genuine and meaningful comments on posts, and just make an effort to genuinely engage with people and add value to the group. Then wait and watch as the favour gets returned. Forums/Blogs: Keep an eye out for online blogs and forums where people either write about topics related to your business or your potential clients and then try to actively engage in their comment sections and online conversations. The best site that I can recommend to you would be Quora, which is a buzzing community of curious people where someone is asking or answering different types of questions all the time. Filter through their questions or subjects that are related to your niche and then provide informative, valuable answers from your business profile. If it seems to fit the answer, you can also mention your website and them to check out your product/services. Just make sure you use common sense when answering the question, and be mindful of the way with which you provide information. And the best part in all of this is that if your answer is genuinely helpful, it will become a valuable asset for search engines and Quora's website forums, which in turn will astronomically increase your online visibility.

THIRD-PARTY PROMOTIONS Nothing says more about your business or promotes it better than an independent, unbiased opinion. Amazon has a very famous approach about this – they state that one good word from an existing customer has the power to reel in 10 more customers, but one bad word leads to a loss of 20 customers. Use any opportunity you can possibly find to get other parties to promote your business online. This will undoubtedly work 10 times better than what you try to do on your own. Let's talk about some of the most solid approaches everyone should know about: Reviews: Try to get as many reviews as possible on listings, websites, and social media platforms, as they will show people what others' experience was with you. The more positive reviews you earn, the better it will be for your online presence, audience reach, and overall visibility. Influencer marketing: Based on your budget, look for micro or macro-influencers and ask them to give your business a shoutout in their circles and social posts. This will introduce your brand to all of their followers, which you may not have been able to reach on your own. Affiliate marketing: Give other people the chance to bring you some clients and sales via affiliate marketing. This works well for both parties as they will make money, and you'll get more clients/customers. Usually, affiliates make their best effort to boost your brand's online presence however they can, because their own income will depend on the number of sales you make.

CONSISTENCY AND QUALITY Quality: There is a famous expression that's well-known in the marketing world – "Content is the King". The reason behind this is that information about what you give and how you provide it is important across all platforms and tiers. It truly has the power to make or break your brand, as it will either increase the visibility of your company or reduce it. Consistency: Aim to remain consistent and active at all times, and regularly focus on developing content for all your online platforms. All platforms thrive on consistency, as this allows them to make accurate analytical predictions. If you would like to make one blog post every month, make sure you do it on the same date. Similarly, if you want to make 3 weekly posts on social media, do them on the same day every week. Over time, this kind of consistency can really yield impressive results.

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PAID VISIBILITY When it comes to paid visibility, there are many categories and a huge number of opportunities, but let me talk about the two main ones. Search Engine Marketing (SEM): When it comes to SEM, the most popular players in the market that you'll be familiar with, are Google Ads and Microsoft ads. This is a pretty straightforward avenue where you can use search engines, web placements and other web-related ads to advertise your products/ services, boost your business visibility, and convert visitors into customers/clients/leads. This is a paid service and as long as you are willing to pay for it, your business will enjoy heightened online visibility. Even though the ad option is available to everyone, I would highly recommend that you look into free online courses about Ad management. For instance, Google Garage offers extensive step by step training that can help you effectively run ads on unprecedented levels. TIP: When you are signing your new business up for Google My Business, you will also receive a free Google Ads voucher worth £70 that can be used to run experimental ads. However, make sure you take a good look at your budget settings to make sure everything looks alright. Social Media Marketing: Most social media platforms offer a wide array of advertisement opportunities. The most notable ones would be Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, but let's not forget Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest Snapchat and others. Similar to SEM, there are numerous free online courses available that can help you learn how to make use of paid marketing opportunities on social media platforms. Not to mention, YouTube's step by step tutorials are a great way to learn about this. The core principle is the same - as long as you can afford to pay for these ads, your business will remain visible on that site and its extensions. You can use these social media ads to grow your audience, boost following, acquire leads, direct viewers to your website, and even convert them into buyers. TIP: Always refrain from purchasing fake followers and other such activities, as social platform algorithms will instantly detect bot activity, which typically leads to your profile getting shadow-banned. Instead, make use of each platform's promotional tools. Of course, this is a more expensive option, but you can rest assured that all followers and engagement will be from real accounts that you can even choose to target, based on your business audience analyses. 78


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BONUS: For parliamentary Society magazine readers, I will quickly offer an effective online marketing strategy that can help you increase your brand's online visibility. !Create a unique, informative, and engaging blog post that is at least 1000 words long. !Record yourself using the blog post as your script, but bring it to life in a way that's identical to talking with someone face-to-face. You can even record this on your phone with a shelf or stand help. Just ensure that your sound is loud and clear. If possible, record both vertical and horizontal versions. !If you don't already have one, go ahead and create a YouTube channel (It's free and easy, and there are countless YouTube guides on how you can do it yourself). Include your logo, links, and your business information. !Upload your video to your YouTube channel with an appropriate and relevant title and description. At the end of the description, make sure you include your website so that you can have a backlink to your website. !Now, you can go ahead and post your blog either on your website or on a dedicated blog site, such as Blogger and google blogs etc. When you make a blog post, find the plugin that will help you attach your YouTube video to it. Usually, web providers provide you with the option to add videos with a link extension or with developer input codes that are under the video. You can find a step-by-step tutorial for this on YouTube. For example, you can search up "how to add YouTube video to Wix blog" !This way, your blog is available as both information and as a video, helping you avail online visibility on 2 of the largest search engines in the world – Google and YouTube. !You should now create social media posts with web links that promote your new blog. This will create social signals and will attract more traffic to your website/blog page. Use all of your creative ideas, and don't be afraid of diversity! Perhaps a poster promoting the blog, or maybe some short reels? The possibilities are endless. !If there isn't one already, create a Pinterest account for your business, and make sure you add all the relevant business information, logo and all related links. !Now, create some image and video pins that contain web-links to your blog. Make sure the titles and descriptions you use correspond to the information you want people to discover them for and are common searches connected to your business. Make sure to include a blog link in all of your entries. This will increase your page authority and drive visitors to your website/blog page directly through your articles, as well as indirectly through organic searches in the future.

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ITS ABO CHANGI LIV

INTERVIEW

Dr. Gersho

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OUT ING VES

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om Sikaala

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1. Please could you tell us about your background and how it leads to the work you do today? I am an inventor, mentor & entrepreneur. I am passionate about building a leadership mentality, teaching people to lead and improve themselves so they can lead others and consequently help others cultivate and use their own talents and gifts.I help people discover their gifting through my mentorship program. Because I come from a background where mentorship was unheard of, I know it’s value. My mentorship program digs out the gold in people. 2. How would you describe your work to someone who hasn't seen it before? Many people are book smart. I try to help people marry book smartness with intuitions that are God Given. I learned more about intuitions when I watched how people who have no secular education use their intuitions to sustain themselves, improve their livelihoods. 3. Who else is behind your ministry? The invisible influence upon my life has been the Holy Spirit, and I have surrounded myself with wise people. There is wisdom in surrounding oneself with people that can sharpen you and be an eyeopener for new insight to keep growing and improving oneself. The right people are like a wall of fire around someone, the wrong people will break that wall of protection. 4. What or who has been the biggest singular influence on your work? I have had the privilege of walking with, and learning from great men. Sadly many of them are no longer with us because I met them when they were 80 and 90 years old . These men greatly influenced and are still influencing my life and work. When I was 9 years old I had a vision of Jesus, he has been my greatest and biggest singular influencer. He loved and equipped people, inspiring them so that they become a better version of themselves. He wanted people to prosper in every area of their lives. I like journeying with people into self discovery, breaking limitations and limiting mindsets, and ultimately coming to a place of significance and finding happiness.

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5. Faith in times of crisis. Due to Covid, how do you think people and governments are perceiving ‘GOD’? Covid has brought a new perspective about the value of life. I have been an ambassador of peace, hope and saving lives. It is important for everyone to know that in the midst of this chaos there is hope and light in this world. People need to know that they are not alone in this fight, there is a higher power from above that is able to save. I have prayed for the saving hand to intervene in the midst of misery, pain and hopelessness. Acts of kindness and love are what bring a miracle of change. I greatly encourage governments and leaders to look to God. 6. Could you tell us about your latest book ? I wrote that book to encourage and inspire people at the onset of the covid pandemic. Many people were very downtrodden, depressed and feeling immense hopelessness. I'm glad to have written a book (LOOK AT GOD) #1 Amazon bestseller, that has been therapeutic to many people. 7. Where can people find more about you and your new product? My latest project is a fragrance called “Wonderful favor” you can learn more about it by visiting www.wonderfulfavor.com I got together with the best perfumists in Burbank, California, and San Francisco. We carefully came up with a high-end fragrance that was carefully curated. In this day and age when things are so hard, and poverty is rampant, I wanted to create a fragrance that would uplift people’s spirits and moods, while making them feel better, smell better and live better. For every bottle sold, We will give toward poverty eradication. Global Charity is dedicated to helping eradicate poverty here in LA, in our cities, states, and globally. Global charity recently participated in 1dayLA freedom experience, love movement. The unprecedented movement offered communities across Los Angeles, California hope and help by organizing city beautification projects, back to school events, free medical clinics, homeless assistance, and aid distribution. Dr. Gershom and global charity initiative are no strangers to skid row and other homeless encampments in SOCAL. He and his team had an amazing experience, doing something they normally do with like minded individuals.

Find Dr Sikaala’s Book LOOK AT GOD Now for Sale on AMAZON 85


WWW.WONDER

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RFULFAVOR.COM

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CELEBRAT NICOLETTA MANNI AND JULIAN MACKAY IN DON QUIXOTE BALLET ICONS GALA - LONDON COLISEUM 88


ATION OF Dance 89


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ALYONA KOVALYOVA AND XANDER PARISH IN DIAMONDS_PHOTO_ANDRE USPENSKI_BALLET ICONS GALA - LONDON COLISEUM 91


MAIA MAKHATELI AND JAMES STOUT IN FRIDA. PHOTO ANDRE USPENSKI_BALLET ICONS GALA - LONDON COLISEUM

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LUISA IELUZZI AND GIUSEPPE PICONE IN ELEGIE. PHOTO ANDRE USPENSKI_BALLET ICONS GALA - LONDON COLISEUM

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FASHI DESIG SINGE MALA RECE HONO LOND BY JULIA POWER

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ION GNER AND ER AN BRETON EIVED AN OUR IN DON 95


There in the cool breeze of the London eve, on London’s West End.
 Were the sounds of music, a symphony of notes, a choir of friends, and the only moment in a night filled with “a million neon rainbows” that one with a heart of gold gave his voice, his love, and his heart to charity.
 In a socially distanced theatre, filled with London’s most fashionable. Stars from the west end, influencers, TV personalities, politicians, and the most powerful women of London town watched as one performer, a top ten talent who recently charted on iTunes France with his rendition of a famous father daughter duet from the 1960’s, was crowned the toast of Mayfair.

Fashion Designer & Singer - Malan Breton Honoured in London for Leading Philanthropy Efforts Through Music 96


The name Malan Breton, one of the top fifty fashion designers in the world.
 If the repertoire were any indication, a mixture of Porter, Gershwin, and the songs of musicals that have shimmered over the great white way, the West end, and stages of the world.

Karlo Baker - Music Box Live, Fashion Designer & Singer - Malan Breton, Rebeca Riofrio - Parliamentary Society, Live Music Box - Patrick Alan

In an evening of musical celebration organised by Live Music Box - Karlo Baker and Motown Music Legend Patrick Alan, Malan Breton an Ambassador of the arts appointed in Parliament by the Parliamentary Society of Arts, Fashion, and Sports, Malan Breton received an honour so spectacular for his charitable efforts surrounding children, and the release of his second single a duet of the classic Christmas single, “I’ll be Home for Christmas” for which he dueted with five time Billboard artist Consuelo Vanderbilt Costin.
 The theatre filled with emotion, was a temple of love for Breton. In a room filled with people hanging on every note… Award received by 
 Malan Breton
 on the 2/06/2021
 Art Theatre
 6-7 Great Newport Street
 Produced by Music Box Live - For more information on future Music Box event contact +44 7740324337
 100 percent of proceeds benefited Mental Health Charity, UDAV 97


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COURSING EGYPT, A NATION SOAKED IN HISTORY BY DUCHESS NIVIN EL-GAMAL OF LAMBERTON

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BRITISH - EGYPTIAN ART HISTORIAN AND WRITER DUCHESS NIVIN EL-GAMAL OF LAMBERTON

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I was born just beside the pyramids in Elgiza, Alagouza hospital by the Nile River. The Nile River of Northeast Africa is, by most accounts, the longest river on Earth. Fitting, then, that it was along the shores of this mighty river that one of Earth’s oldest and most storied civilizations took root. Indeed, traces of civilization along the Nile’s shores can be be found dating back almost eight thousand years, as far as the 6th century BCE, though its existence as a unified country is relatively more recent. In its early days the country was referred to as ÒKemetÓ, meaning ÒThe Black LandÓ, a reference to the rich, dark soil found along the Nile Valley and throughout the Nile Delta. This dark soil not only allowed for an enclave of arable land deep into the harsh desert of the Sahara, it also acted as the foundation for what would become one of the earliest cradles of civilization, setting the stage for the rise, fall, and eventual resurgence of Egypt. Egypt is a country with a long history, one that goes so far back that it is quite difficult for people to visualize. Cleopatra, for example, is a name that often comes to mind when people think of Ancient Egypt, and of course the iconic Pyramids of Cairo. To us these might both seem to fall under the same historical umbrella, that of Old Egypt, and yet Cleopatra was born over 2500 years after the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza. For perspective, Cleopatra lived closer to the moon landing than to the construction of the pyramids. It will be another half century before we are as far removed from Cleopatra as she was from the Pyramids. So let’s start way back in the beginning. Egypt was initially split into Upper and Lower Egypt, eventually being unified under the Pharaoh Menes. Pharaoh was a title used for rulers of Ancient Egypt beginning around the Early Dynastic Period, roughly 3100 BCE. The era that most are familiar with however is the so-called Fourth Dynasty, often characterized as the ÒGolden AgeÓ of the old kingdom of Egypt, lasting from 2613-2494 BCE. The Fourth Dynasty was the second of four dynasties that made up the "Old Kingdom". King Sneferu, the first king of the Fourth Dynasty, held territory from ancient Libya in the west to the Sinai Peninsula in the east, to Nubia in the south. It was a successful period and this era is known for its advancement and concentrated government, as seen in the organized building of pyramids and other monuments. It was the height of the pyramid-building age, as the rulers of the era took advantage of the peaceful times to explore more artistic and cultural pursuits. Sneferu in particular oversaw architectural experimentation that led to the evolution from stepped pyramids to smooth sided ÒtrueÓ pyramids. Much of our modern knowledge of the era comes from these structures, and from objects discovered in the desert cemeteries of Giza. Egypt continued to be governed by native Pharaohs for approximately 2500 years, until it was conquered by the Kingdom of Kush in the late 8th century BCE, whose rulers adopted the traditional title of Pharaoh for themselves. This lasted until 332 BCE, when Alexander the Great conquered both Egypt and Persia, ushering in the Hellenistic period, which in turn ended shortly after the death of Cleopatra VII in 30 BCE, at which point Egypt became a province of the Roman Republic, with the title of Pharaoh now being conferred to Roman Emperors. This state of affairs persisted until the Arab Invasion in the year 641, beginning a period of Arab occupation that persisted until the establishment of the independent Tulunid state in 868. It remained under Arab rule, though under governance of several different caliphates and dynasties, until 1517, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. Napoleon Bonaparte attempted to invade the country in 1798, but was repelled by the joint forces of the British and the Ottomans. His invasion and the resulting defense effort nevertheless created a power vacuum in the region after the French were expelled, and an Albanian Ottoman named Muhammad Ali took advantage of the turmoil, and his connections to both the Ottomans and the Albanian mercenaries they had employed against Napoleon, to rise to power. Though the country was still nominally Ottoman, Muhammad Ali governed autonomously, and established a dynasty that would rule until the revolution of 1952. He also modernised the country, building industries, canals, and reforming the country’s civil service in order to support his military aspirations. His implementation of these reforms would lead to him becoming known as the father and founder of modern Egypt.

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The Egyptian revolution of 1952, also known as the 1952 Coup d'Žtat, began on 23 July 1952. The Free Officers Movement, a group of army officers led by Mohammed Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser, initially intended to overthrow King Farouk and have the Army rule Egypt until a more permanent civilian-run system could be implemented. Following the formal abolition of the monarchy in 1953, Egypt was known officially as the Republic of Egypt until 1958, the United Arab Republic from 1958 to 1971 (including a period of union with Syria from 1958 to 1961), and has been known as the Arab Republic of Egypt since 1971. Egypt has seen waves of instability since this time, with President Sadat being assassinated by Islamic Extremists for his willingness to negotiate with Israel, and with a rise in terrorist attacks under his successor, President Hosni Mubarak. This combined with a slew of accusations regarding human rights violations set the stage for the Egyptian revolution of 2011, which saw widespread protests against Mubarak’s government, culminating in the military assuming power and dissolving parliament, before holding a constitutional referendum and parliamentary election. Mohamed Morsi was eventually elected President on 24 June 2012, yet his support for the imposition of strict Islamic practices, particularly his ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, divided the country, with supporters on both sides clashing in the streets. Once again the military would step in to remove Morsi from power, and replacing him with the current President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Since President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi Came to power on 30 June, 2014, he has emphasized that Egypt is determined to moving forward with the sustainable growth plan "Egypt's Vision 2030". President Sisi has restored stability to the country, but critics argue it has come at a heavy cost to human rights. Mr Sisi has also struggled to end an insurgency by jihadist militants based in the Sinai peninsula, who have killed hundreds of security personnel and civilians in unrest which began before he came to power. The standard of living for many in Egypt has also actually declined during President Sisi's first term in office, and the devaluation of Egypt's currency in 2016 and the withdrawal of fuel and other subsidies to meet the terms of a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) affected Egyptians' spending power. From its roots as one of the world’s earliest civilizations to the developing nation that exists in the modern day, Egypt is a case study in the resilience of culture, tradition, and shared identity that endures in a land and its people through time and hardship. Today’s Egypt is a far cry from the Golden Age of 2600 BCE, yet it is a land and a people who, in less than a century, have struggled against a world working against them to regain their independence, reinstate their political autonomy, and take their first tentative steps towards an uncertain future in the modern world. Egypt has 6000 years of civilization in its history, now we hope that it has 6000 more in its future, and that these shaky first steps are nothing more than an old man stretching out his long-dormant legs before rising again. 102


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WOMEN AROUN CONFERENCE KINGDOM O

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ND THE WORLD E HELD AT THE OF BAHRAIN

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The international Conference “Global Women in Leadership Creating a Better Future together” took place in Bahrain from the 26 – 30 of August 2021. The event was more than a conference since it included visits to historical sites and meetings with different national directors, mainly those with a cultural, telecommunication and artistic profile. The “Global Women in Leadership Creating a Better Future together” was organised by Amina Leelo of Stella Polare Events – Women Around the World https://www.stellawomenaroundtheworld.com/about-us/. and has been preceded by CSP, CPAE, award-winning international keynote speaker and best-selling author – Linda Larson. Over 21 speakers from all over the world participated on the conference discussing various topics like: “Women Roles and Innovation, Women in Media, Cyber Security, Environment, Pollutions & Solution, Exclusion and Equal Opportunities, Journalism in War Zones, Mental Health, Theatre and Fashion Diversity, Domestic Violence, and many lives personal experiences.”

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Among the speakers we can highlight the Chairwoman of the UK Parliamentary Society for Arts Fashion and Sports, Rebeca Riofrio speaking about Women Leadership, Surviving Scars and How to Transform Pain into Power; General Secretary of EATA and NETO’s cyber advisor - Krista Mulenok covering the topic on Cyber Security; the granddaughter of Charles Chaplin, Actress & Model - Kiera Chaplin, speaking about her work and new fashion line in partnership with Jyotika Jhalani - JANAVI; War Correspondent- Pula Siler at her life Experiences Covering War; Architect and Urbanist - Anna Grichting talking about Environment; IPA Lithuanian Section Siauliai Branch and International Police Association – Laura Zaleskiene talking about Domestic Violence and covering extraordinary cases during her 22 years on the force; Chief Executive Officer of The Futurist Company - Al Anoud Al Hashmi talking about transformation of Agriculture through Technology and Women Empowerment; Bahraini CEO of the Times Institute for education and Training - Nawal Dossary talking on her life experiences and her political career; International Representative of London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art LAMDA - Alison Shan Price MBE sharing about her multiple projects in Kuwait, . (For full disclosure of all the Speakers and Panellists please go to https://www.stellawomenaroundtheworld.com/speakers-panellists/)

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The event concluded with a Gala night that was attended by local and international personalities, among them Yusuf Lori - Strategic Planning and Projects Management, Jani Lotric Founder – DPS, Kiera Chaplin Actress & International Speaker, Rebeca Riofrio - Chairwoman of the UK Parliamentary Society for Arts Fashion and Sports, performances by Ksenia Simonova - International sand artist and Desert Bridges band. If you wish to know more about this or any future events, please contact: info@stellaevents.net Photos by Liis Tamra

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“THE STATE OFTHE ARTS”

BY CHRISTIAN VINANTE GIOVANNINI, HONORARY PRESIDENT FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY ARTS, FASHION & SPORTS - POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND ARTIST

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Nearly two years ago, while hosting a fundraising event at the Whitehall Horse Guards Hotel, for the people of China then affected by an alarming “new virus”, none of us at the Parliamentary Society could ever have imagined the unbelievable situation that we are all in now. Back then champagne was spilling into glasses and the venues were open, free and sparkling as the drinks being served. The Art world, especially music and cinema, was already facing a massive industry revolution that was shifting record sales from shops to mainly online downloads and movie watching from DVDs to Netflix. Who remembers the hours spent at Blockbuster stores choosing a couple of movies that you weren’t even sure you were going to enjoy? I remember hours spent in vinyl record shops - but that is ancient history! At the end of 2019, digital downloading was already the most popular way to watch Netflix, Which were already the easiest ways to watch a movie or listen to a song.

Sky, or Amazon.

As in any revolution there are fighters, winners, and losers, but the truth is, at the end, who- ever has lost has recuperated later in some other way. Except for the legendary shops like Blockbuster, Virgin Megastore and HMV. The biggest issue was, and still is, the copyright on sales for digital downloads, many of which are still free, but the market and the regulations are keeping up with the situation even if it’s with some difficulty and at a slow pace. Also, artists, in the recent years have new opportunities to make money through YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. This worldwide crisis affected everyone and everything, and as a singer, event organiser, a former DJ and former Events Director of the Green Room Artists Club, I feel the need to write and share with you a few words of hope regarding clubs, theatres, cinemas and artists in general that have suffered more than others. Decision makers had to be rightly tough with the entertainment sector to mitigate the spread of the virus. The risk of being infected is much higher in places like nightclubs than in cinemas, theatres, or even gyms, as you can’t separate and avoid the close contact among people. They are meant to incentivise socialisation despite the loud music, which causes them to raise their voices and get closer and closer, with a higher possibility of exchanging saliva drops – not to mention the dancing, especially after a few drinks. A similar situation exists for football matches, stand-up shows and festivals. After one year of polemics on the “Track and Trace” app that struggled to work, it restored functionality with the reopening of venues, which is now creating more disruptions than ever to the hospitality sector, the arts world, and the sports. As you might know, the Track and Trace invites people who have had close contact with an infected person to isolate for 10 days, even if not affected by the virus. Although to me, it sounds like a good way to reduce the spread, this can turn to be confusing and very annoying to many, and it has created more problems than solutions for the Art industries. From September clubs will need to ask for proof of double vaccination from their guests and, to be honest, it will be a great achievement if we get to September, and we are able to do so. I strongly advocate a better synergy between the Government and the entertainment industry representatives to overcome these obstacles. Actually, I hope that by the time you read this article, it is all sorted. Among the many affected by the restrictions in the artistic world, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, one of the strongest “World of Arts” representatives, has admirably and with lots of courage produced the “Cinderella Musical” during a pandemic. It was a bit of a good opportunistic gamble in my opinion, a gamble that has had its success delayed by just a few weeks. Any new artistic product after nearly two years of absence will almost certainly be a success as the crave for art has never been so strong. A prolonged period of self-isolation or just the impossibility to attend entertaining events has surely created more willingness to get out and have fun. That’s why I hope that all the artists reading this, managed to keep creative during this challenging period, and have been and will keep working hard making sacrifices, because from now on I believe that your work of art will be appreciated by your followers as never before. I wish you will get the best from everything. 112


CHRISTIAN VINANTE GIOVANNINI, HONORARY PRESIDENT FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY ARTS, FASHION & SPORTS - POLITICAL CONSULTANT AND ARTIST

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MEET ARTIST AND EVGENI Evgeni Minchev is a Bulgarian celebrity who successfully masters British fashion and secular life. Starting as a Whatman in his homeland, just to get the right to live in the capital Sofia, he easily rose to be an award-winning poet, singer, organizer of charity events such as Businesswoman of the Year and the British Bulgarian Business Ball in London. As part of the things that confirm his influence and prestige, Evgeni was accepted as a member of some of the most important London private clubs, including The Lansdowne club, Mosimann's, ROSL, The Art's club. Minchev dedicates part of his charity events to raise funds for the British Royal Legion and in 2017 he received a congratulatory address on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. Honorary patron of the British Bulgarian Business Ball in the private club The Lansdowne in 2018 was the former Commander-in-Chief of the British Navy, Admiral Lord West. Evgeni Minchev is often seen in the company of the writer Lady Colin Campbell, and is a frequent guest at the Goring Castle, which she owns. There the eccentric Bulgarian and philanthropist shot the video for his most popular song Galabo. In the close circle of friends of the Bulgarian are also the Russian princesses Olga Romanova and Marina Lobanov-Rostovski, the princess of Yugoslavia Her Royal Highness Katarina, Prince Rostislav Romanov and others. He has published 15 books and is currently completing the extremely useful PR-New Testament. 1. Evgeni, you worked for six years as a Whatman to get a residence in Sofia. Was that humiliating for you? "Not at all." I complied with the times that were under the yoke of socialism and communism at that time. I am among the people who paid perhaps the highest price for their right to live in the capital of Bulgaria. I did my best to consolidate the time with the tram with useful activities. I was the first to create advertising trams in Bulgaria. All the accredited newspapers wrote articles then and encouraged me to do many more interesting things. At that time, I won a poetry competition sponsored by the Ministry of Transport and the Minister of Transport personally presented me with the grand prize. Those were glorious times. 2. You are adopted, how did this affect your life, did it leave an imprint in your life in the future? - I cannot say that it was easy for me. I accept the things in life as they are, and I try to create better conditions for myself to go through everything. But always in my charity I pay attention to children in need.

Evgeni Minchev and Princess Beatrice of York

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D PHILANTHROPIST I MINCHEV

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Evgeni Minchev and Francis Thomas Baring, 6th Baron Northbrook

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Evgeni Minchev & Princess Olga Andreevna Romanoff

3. You do charity for the British Royal Legion. What inspired you to donate to war veterans? - I studied in a military school and for me the respect for the heroes of the war, for the military and the most deserving in the army inspires me. I was very happy when Admiral Lord West accepted to be the honorary patron of the British Bulgarian Business Ball in London, organized by me. 4. Have you visited the British Parliament and which Members do you know? "Among the first lords I know is Lord Anthony St. John of Bletzo, with whom we have sat many times in Parliament's restaurant and discussed international topics." I attended a reception with many select people in The River room with Lord Astor in Heaver, with whom I often see at Poppy ball. I have had the honor of seeing Lord Northbrook, Baroness Beatrice Cox, and Baroness Susan Greenfield, with whom we attended the Miss World pageant, several times. You can find more information on Evgeni Minchev on @evgeniminchevlondon

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PSAFS honorary president Chris Vinante;, Opera singer Isabella Wang receiving and award by Rebeca Riofrio chair for the Parliamentary Society, Amy Lam patron of The Prince’s Foundation and Ambassador for the Centrepoint charity. 118


INTERNATIONAL CHARITY CONCERT AT THE NATIONAL LIBERAL CLUB On Friday 20th of August the Parliamentary Society gave a recognition to various artists that together with Opera singer Isabella Wang preceded a concert in aids for the disastrous natural disaster that affected the region in Henan China. Rebeca Riofrio chair for the Parliamentary Society was accompanied by Amy Lam patron of The Prince’s Foundation and Ambassador for the Centrepoint charity and our PSAFS honorary president Chris Vinante; musicians on the event - The world renowned Violinist Master Hu Kun, the incredible musical artist @bazilmeade Bazil Meade MBE, the Award winning Chinese concert pianistKe Ma, Spanish concert pianist Carlota de Miguel, the Multi-Talented English tenor Stuart Boother and Chinese composer Jiang Li.

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CREATIVE WOMEN INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM CONFERENCE



CREATIVE WOMEN CONFERENCE - LEFT TO RIGHT INTERNATIONAL SPEAKER ALEX ROSEMAN, ACTRESS KIERA CHAPLIN CYPRUS FIRST LADY ANDRI ANASTASIADES, CHAIRWOMAN UK PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS, FASHION AND SPORTS REBECA RIOFRIO, DIRECTOR OF THE CREATIVE WOMEN CONFERENCE OLGA BALAKLEETS

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40+ female influential entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the world, featured in Forbes & Entrepreneur and other publications shared their strategies to develop your career, business, and most importantly yourself to the next phase in your life. In its sixth year, the conference under the patronage of the First Lady of Cyprus, Mrs Andri Anactasiades, took place online and brought together several hundred accomplished female leaders, founders, and entrepreneurs worldwide. The conference Founder and CEO, Olga Balakleets, CEO of Ensemble Productions and the Executive Director and Partner, Dr Viola Edward have established a unique women’s event that welcomes women from all industry backgrounds providing an opportunity for them to connect and develop their creativity. Together with their team of Regional Chairs in nearly 40 countries and Honorary Ambassadors they have developed an online conference in response to the current events, that will still encompass networking opportunities, rewarding lectures, and a chance to learn from one another. The conference’s speakers who are influential women from diverse countries and expertise’s addressed topics around imposter syndrome, personal & business growth, burnout, and current trends in PR & Marketing all with an aim towards helping women become leaders. The event was held on Zoom. Speakers included: Andri Anastasiades, the First Lady of Cyprus and CW Patron (Cyprus), Mako Abashidze, Founder and Director of the British Georgian Chamber of Commerce and CW Chair in Georgia (Georgia/UK), Dr. Haidi Badawi, Founder of Future STEAMPRENEUR and CW Chair in Australia (Egypt/Australia), Dr Anna Belova, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of AFK Sistema (Russia), Dr. Karin von Bismarck, Head of HuntingSHE and Partner Stanton Chase (Germany), Francesca Bombassei, MENA Regional Manager of Seedstars, Founder of EdTech, Co-Founder, Changemakers (Belgium/UK), Kiera Chaplin, Actress, Model, Entrepreneur (UK/USA/ Switzerland), Nadine Chammas, Positive lifestyle expert and CW Chair in UAE (UAE), Tasha Danvers, an Olympian champion and Elite Performance Trainer (UK), Suzanne Davison, Clinical hypnotherapist, NLP practitioner, Life, and Business Coach (UK), Ana Irene Delgado, a Senator at the Panama National Assembly, Partner at SOLENDEG and CW Honorary Ambassador (Panama), Wendy Diamond, Founder/CEO LDP Ventures/Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Organization (WEDO) (USA), Jill Douka, Master Certified Coach, 3 times bestselling author and CW Chair in Greece (Greece), Priyanka Gill, Founder & CEO of POPxo-Plixxo, Co-Founder & President of MyGlamm (UK/India), Jess Gosling, an award-winning entrepreneur and apublic speaker (UK), Dr Shahzadi Harper, Founder of the Harper Clinic (UK), Leila Hatoum, Founder of MENA Comms, CoFounder of mideastwire.com (Lebanon), Noha Hefny, Humanitarian, Entrepreneur & Global Corporate Professional and CW Honorary Ambassador (UAE), , Alysia Helming, Chairman and CoFounder, Earthindex /Founder and Managing Director, EarthStudios and CW Honorary Ambassador in USA (USA), Lamia Kamel, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Promotion of Egypt (Egypt), Dr Maria Kempinska MBE, Founder of Jongleurs Comedy Clubs (UK), Lia Key, Creator of VALENCIA KEY Jewelry (USA), Bahareh Khezr, Senior Consultant at Curzon PR (UK), Seema Kumar, Councilor (India/UK), Elena Leo, Author, Journalist and Producer (UK), Raluca Ioana Man, Executive Director of RSEVEN Ltd and CW Chair in Cyprus and Romania (Cyprus/Romania), Moses Joel Nalocca, High Performance Coach and Entrepreneur (UK), Prathibha Prahlad, Pre-Eminent Artist, Founder and Director of Delhi International Arts Festival and CW Chair in India


(India), Forbes Riley, Actress, Producer and Inventor (USA), Rebeca Riofrio, CEO & Founder of Art in Fusion TV & Production Company, Chairman of the Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion and Sports and CW Honorary Ambassador (UK), Francesca Rubulotta, Founder and Co-Chair of IWIN and Professor of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine and CW Chair in Italy (Italy), Farah Shammas, Managing Director at St Raphael Resort and Marina, Limassol and CW Honorary Ambassador (Cyprus), Detelina Smilkova, Chief Operative Director of Skin Systems Hospital and Chairman of HPC (Human Potential Cluster) (Bulgaria), Jolynn Swafford, Founder and CEO of Beyond Brave Co (USA), Ulviyya Taghizade, Founder and Honorary President the Azerbaijani Women’s Association in the UK and Co-Founder of Movement Platform Baku and CW Chair in Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan), Laura Timm, Award-Winning International Ultra-High Achievement Authority and CW Special Adviser (Estonia/UK), Carolina Tinoco, Architect, Designer and Curator of sustainable and holistic projects and CW Chair in France (France), Xania Wong, Founder and CEO of JOBDOH and CW Chair in Hong Kong and Myanmar (Hong Kong/Myanmar), Aleen Zakka, Founder of Net2work Branding, Activist in Women Empowerment Initiatives and CW Special Adviser and Chair in Lebanon (Lebanon), Mirjam Katharina Zwingli, Co-Partner and Director of International Communication & Marketing at POLIGATE and CW Chair in Germany, Austria and GermanSpeaking Switzerland (Switzerland/Germany). The conference concluded with performances by an opera star Sofia Fomina and by the sensational fiddler, Habib Alberto. The annual Creative Women Conference has been organised since 2016 by Creative Women, and this year’s online conference is supported by Grit Academy, Kayana Breathwork, IWIN, Women Section of the Russian Parliamentary Club, Polakis Sarris + CO LLC, Kypwell, Yiannos Georgiades & Associates, ARC Consultants, St Raphael Resort and Marina, Art in Fusion TV, Premiere Media Group, Business Fit Magazine, Middle East Business News and Magazine, Culturescope by Paul Lambis and Revista Level Magazine. For more information on the conference, press inquiries, about the Creative Women Platform and i t s G l o b a l M e m b e r s h i p S c h e m e p l e a s e c o n t a c t a d m i n @ c r e a t i v e w o m e n . c o a n d visit www.creativewomen.co.


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king AW21 Runway Trends eed to Know! BY FASHION STYLIST ARJOLA LALA, @ ARJOLA_LALA I know, I know, the summer vibes are on, and you’re probably thinking about beach way and holiday packing – but those dedicated fashionista amongst us will quietly be mulling over the latest from AW21 designer runway news with one question in mind – ‘what will be the must have looks for autumn 2021?’ To make life easy, we’ve preed the very best of breaking runway fashion news into 6 Autumn Winter trends that will mean you’re one step ahead of the curve.

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Pretty Pastels Yes goodbye to summer, but not to pastels. We have seen this palette of colours throughout all year, and the colder days will not be able to push these pretty colours away just yet. The Pretty Pastels colour trend is at once a celebration of femininity and an acknowledgement of bolder, more graphic tones. Picture knitwear, tailored suiting and pretty frocks.,because pastels are here to stay.

Nostalgic Neutrals Our post COVID world sees a desire to return to simpler times with the dreamy, romantic blush tones. Where comes the Nostalgia colour trend. It lends itself well to a minimalist approach to design, consisting of subtle pinks and rich creams.This winter, be prepared to see more of this simple yet stunning palette of colours ever ywhere, because sometimes, less really is more. ‘While Prada saw neutrals, D&G showed us creams” 130


Winter greens Shades of green including emerald, mint or forest green will make an appearance too this AW 2021/22 season.What we all crave right now in these challenging times are things to calm us, soothe us and make us optimistic, thus the shades of green have risen to the occasion. Keep this in mind when you want to add a cool item to your wardrobe this autumn, because green is definitely in!

Bloodstone The success of red and brown evolved the perfect colour, Bloodstone. This colour is paired heavenly with many different shades. . Bloodstone will trigger strength and energy when paired with Teal. 50 Shades of Blues Summer may be over but the shades of blue will stay with us in the items we wear. The timeless shades of blue will be relevant for high-end products and will give a perception of luxury. These colours give a sense of stability and connection ,much needed in these times. We’re talking Aqua,Atlantic Blue,Sky Blue ect, all these cool tones that we will see and wear in the AW 21 season. Browns From terracotta leather jackets and caramel brown teddy coats to taupe pants and suede boots, the autumnal hue has become a trusty colour to add to your winter ensembles, and a f a v o u r i t e a m o n g i n fl u e n c e r s and celebrities for its easy styling and colour mixing propensity.Brown, will never let you down.

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Party Season The partying scene seems to be prepping for a new-wave of Roaring ’20s ,so let’s skip the minimalism in favour of something optimistic and let our lights shine, in hopes of brighter days this festive season. The Party Season AW 2021 colour trend sees the introduction of a decidedly darker, moodier palette. Defined by a range of colours that are selected as alternatives to black, it includes greys, teals and purples. We will see form-fitting gowns and dresses, elaborate jumpsuits and innovative new methods of designing fashion. Expect rhinestones, feathers and sequins too for an added “wow” effect. With party dresses, don’t forget to choose the style that best fits your body, as it’s important to follow the trends, but more important to make yourself look the best according to your body type and glow with confidence!

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Credits: Words by: Arjola Lala, @ arjola_lala About: Arjoloa Lala is a Fashion & Personal Stylist, having graduated from advanced training at the London College of Style. 134


Warm and comfy but make it fashion! For many of us, keeping snug and warm sometimes means compromising on style, but it needn’t it! The AW21/22 season embraces warm pieces and makes them super fashionable, so Let’s look at outerwear, jackets, coats at the cutting edge of AW21 runway effortless fashion! -Knitwear If we have seen it present during the hot summer days, this means we will for sure continue to see this trend during winter, as it’s both warm and a fashion statement. The obsession of the season, knitwear, favours a comfy yet sexy silhouette. This year, neutral colours in knitwear will be prominent. Get a knitted nude dress, for a combination of sophistication and warmth, or wear a knitted vest on top of your favourite shirt, and you’re ready to rock the day in a chic and comfy way! -Faux Fur It is no surprise that faux fur is a trend for the winter season, but this year, we’ll not only see it in outerwear but in hats, scarves, boots and accessories as well. For a bold and extra warm look, don’t forget to grab your favourite furry item this winter. -Tailored on Tailored This AW21 trend is the definition of “more is more”. Layers of outerwear are put together to create a unique, cool and exquisite look. Designers aren't going halfway—button-downs are layered under vests, over turtlenecks, under jackets, under long coats, over trousers—and sometimes belted and finished with a tie. So grab your favourite pieces that you may already have and create some fun looks this winter. -Apres-ski Ski chic is prominent in this year’s fashion scene . Retro ski sweater s, chic sophisticated zip necks and stretch pants dictate this season’s après look. The slopes are the new runways!

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Event organised by Women2Win organised by Charlotte Carew Pole preceded by Baroness Anne Jenkin, with the main speaker Suella Braverman MP Attorney General for England and Wales. Was great to be with members of the Parliamentary Society for Arts, Fashion and Sports and the CFCC

Rebeca Riofrio and Christian Vinante PSAFS

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Rebeca Riofrio and Baroness Anne Jenkin


PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY Activity Book 2021

REBECA RIOFRIO GLOBAL WOMEN CLUB SPEECH LONDON UK

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PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS, FASHION & SPORTS FOR MEMBERSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS @parliamentary_society www.parliamentarysociety.com Special Thanks to CHRISTIAN VINATE HONORARY PRESIDENT FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS, FASHION AND SPORTS

ELVIJS PLUGIS HEAD OF MARKETING FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS, FASHION AND SPORTS

VICK KRISHNAN BARRISTER

—— MAGAZINE EDITOR & CREATOR Rebeca Riofrio CHAIRWOMAN FOR THE PARLIAMENTARY SOCIETY FOR ARTS, FASHION AND SPORTS

JUNIOR EDITOR Ciara Kramer SEE THIS MAGAZINE ONLINE VERSION ON OUR WEBSITE

www.parliamentarysociety.com


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