POST 15 June-15 August 2015 Issue

POST

style. diplomacy.

Exclusive:

15 june – 15 august 2015

Ramy Jallad on investing in free zones and Ras Al Khaimah

Trade Talk with Hong Kong’s Perry Fung

Celebrating a time with Thierry Stern

In Focus: The Crises in the Mediterranean and Asia

his Excellency

Issue # 3

Ambassador Arif Lalani: Canada-UAE Re-energize Relations

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inside post

Investing in each other’s futures POST’s exclusive interview with His Excellency Ambassador Arif Lalani of Canada reveals his country’s relations with the UAE, and his story is gracing our pages of Cover Story.

Cover Image by Butch Delatina

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inside post

12Around

the World

12 22

We take a glimpse on what’s happening in different areas of the globe.

22 Pursuing Investments

Learn more about investing in the UAE as Mr. Ramy Jallad, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Ras Al Khaimah FreeTrade Zone Authority, discusses most cost-effective means.

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Twenty five years and counting

Perry Fung, the Regional Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council, shares his tales of serving the council for a quarter of century.

44 Sail Away

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Refugees take perilous journeys seeking a new life in foreign shores only to find out the land is less welcoming.

George Donnel reports.

52 view of yemen A display of exclusive images of Yemen showing its people and places before the bombs started dropping.

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Precious Encounter

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We look back at that rare opportunity of meeting watchmaking virtuoso, Thierry Stern.

76New Sunshine

Explore life in Australia as ex-Dubai-based engineer gives us a tour of his new hometown: Brisbane.

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A Reading Pleasure

POST reviews how Scott Anderson revisits Lawrence of Arabia by setting the man in time with his contemporaries.

team post Publisher G. Imperial Editorial Managing Editor Sherry Tenorio

memo POST is committed to delivering relevant, timely, universal, local, up close and even personal information about the the members of the diplomatic corps, the business community, the newsmakers, the cultural trends, developments here and abroad, the politics and its key players, the entertainment and more.

On our third serving, we give you the exclusives - direct, substantial, and even personal.

Mr. Ramy Jallad, Acting CEO of RAK Free Zone Trade Authority, is here to make us understand that opening a company in the UAE is convenient and frizz-free.

We went to lunch with Mr. Perry Fung of Hong Kong Trade Development Council and wrapped away his secrets in keeping a 25-year career in promoting two-way trade.

We were welcomed at the home of His Excellency Arif Lalani, the Ambassador of Canada in the UAE, who graces our cover. We left his lovely home assured in the knowledge that relationships – even political and economic – are sweeter the second time around. The re-energized state of Canada’s relations to the UAE evidences the old famous adage.

Our special features take a look at growing refugee crises in the Mediterranean and Asia Pacific, Nepal after the quake and a photo essay on Yemen.

But diplomacy extends to all things culture and even fashion. We witnessed the search for good and sustainable food in the culinary fusion between Madrid and Manila. Michael Cinco showed us that artists and designers are one’s country’s top ambassador, too.

The usual sections on food, hotel, book, movies and motoring will, as always, delight you with reviews and insights on some of the latest in Dubai.

This issue is our send off gift to you, our readers, as we wish you a wonderful summer and a blessed and peaceful Ramadan.

Sherry Tenorio

Lifestyle & Features Editor Heather Grey Features Writer George Donnel Contributors Jim Joquico William B. Damot Second Secretary and Consul Fernando V. Beup Jr. Third Secretary and Vice Consul Redentor S. Genotiva Consul Geronimo Suliguin, Jr. Art Design Muriel Santos Photography Butch Delatina Belle Villanueva Shutterstock Sales & Marketing Ann Pajares Printed by Premier Printing Press Distributed by Emirates Printing, Publishing & Distribution Co.

Imperial Publishing FZ-LLC Ground Floor, Office 17 The Iridium Building Umm Suqqeim Road, Al Barsha Dubai, UAE Mobile: 055-5905110 Email: info@postme.ae Website: www.postme.ae Copyright 2015 Imperial Publishing. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of Imperial Publishing. Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of the publisher or POST. All information in POST is checked and verified to the best of the publisher’s ability, however the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistake or omission enclosed in the publication

Rebuilding Nepal after the major earthquake marks another wave of disaster diplomacy

People Issues Events POST serves knowing perspective on the diplomatic corps’ most pressing issues and most charismatic personalities.

This section also lends the limelight to the region’s entrepreneurs, philanthropists, artists, designers and accomplished individuals who exemplify the magazine’s attitude. Stories about the community, environment and social affairs are also in highlight in this section.

verbatim

“Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion so you can do more than just get by.”

- Hillary Clinton announcing her second bid for the presidency Sunday, 12 April, in an online video

“I will say this clearly: There are no Russian troops in Ukraine.”

-Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual marathon phone-in.

“We will see the islands form part of our territory again.”

-Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was reported saying during the 33rd anniversary of the start of the Falklands war last 2 April.

One can only suspect political motives behind the fact that (bailout negotiators) insist on further pension cuts, despite five years of pillaging.”

-Alexis Tsipras, Greek Prime Minister after the collapse of recent talks 10

verbatim

“Our leadership knows its true wealth and accepts the obligation to respect and understand the many religious beliefs of the people living in this country. I believe that each of you can provide evidence that the leaders of the UAE are fulfilling that obligation.”

- His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, speaking at the opening of St Paul’s Church, in Abu Dhabi

“This is the Chinese navy ... This is the Chinese navy ... Please go away ... to avoid misunderstanding,” - Chinese navy warning as a U.S. surveillance plane flew over artificial islands in the South China Sea

“What we do is we stop the boats by hook or by crook because that’s what we’ve got to do and that’s what we’ve successfully done and I just don’t want to go into the details... The important thing is to stop the boats.”

- Prime Minister Tony Abbott when asked if he would pay people smugglers 11

around the world

Americas

Thousands of demonstrators take part in a protest against the government of Brazil

Hillary is In

Near the end of a two-minute video released just after 3 p.m last April 12, Former Secretary of State, Democratic presidential hopeful, New York Senator, and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton declared with a smile “I’m running for president,” ending years of denial she is seeking the presidency for a second time.

Clinton appears to be the front-runner among Democrat hopefuls for the 2016 elections, a veritable familiar place as she was also the favorite in 2008 before Barrack Obama changed everything. If Clinton earns the nod of her party, this will be the first time a woman captures a USW major party’s nomination.

in a remote field north of the islands, Malvinas to Argentina.

The two countries fought a 74 day war in 1982 after Argentina launched a military solution for the long-standing claim over the islands. Relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina were restored in 1989. In 2013, a referendum on political status was held in the Falkland Islands with 99.8% voting to remain a British territory, with only three votes against. Before the referendum, during his visit to London in 2013, the Argentine Foreign minister Hector Timerman claimed that Falkland Islanders “do not exist” as such, but simply British citizens in disputed islands.

1 Million Demonstrated Against

“Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that Corruption in Brazil champion. So I’m hitting the road to earn your vote — because A reported million people demonstrated in cities across Brazil it’s your time. And I hope you’ll join me on this journey,” said following issues of money laundering and bribery committed by Clinton. state-controlled oil company Petrobras involving members of Clinton’s announcement was met with Republican reactions even the sitting President’s Party. before and after her bid came out. Hopefuls from the GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, and Jeb Bush leading the pack while former Democratic Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley earlier commented that “the presidency of the United States is not some crown to be passed between two families.”

Mostly sporting the colors of the flag in yellow and green shirts, some protesters claim that they participated because they are against Petrobras’ pushing of the government, its economy, and the people’s dignity, the issue of trusting the government, to the need for greater focus on education, healthcare, and housing.

Argentina Summons British Ambassador

Recently, Joao Vaccari of the ruling Workers’ Party, and the closest ally of President Dilma Rousseff, stepped down of his post after his arrest on a charge over an alleged scheme in which the Worker’s Party received laundered money from inflated deals between oil executives and construction firms.

British ambassador John Freeman was reportedly called in by Argentina’s deputy foreign minister Eduardo Zuain with regards to allegations made by Edward Snowden that British agents spied on Argentina between 2006 and 2011. Reports have it that the ambassador was demanded to account for the silence of the British government amidst the issue and was warned that Buenos Aires would prosecute oil companies working in waters off the Falklands.

A day before, it was the British Foreign Office that summoned Argentina’s ambassador to London, Alicia Castro, for criticizing London’s plan to boost defenses on the islands following announcements from three British firms that oil and gas were found

The Petrobras investigations have indicted dozens of executives from six of Brazil’s largest engineering companies and two former Petrobras managers for money laundering, bribery and of funneling money from the company to politicians involving a number of legislators, not sparing the speakers of both houses of Congress who were all allegedly receiving bribes. President Rousseff served as chairwoman on Petrobras’ board when the issues took place.

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around the world

Asia Pacific

Structures being built by China in the disputed Spratly Islands

Indonesia Protests Over Execution of National in Saudi Arabia

Aquino’s remark followed the concern expressed by US President Barack Obama saying China is using its “sheer size and muscle” to push around smaller nations in the region. “Where we get concerned with China is where it is not necessarily abiding by international norms and rules and is using its sheer size and muscle to force countries into subordinate positions,” said Obama in a town-hall event in Jamaica.

Saudi ambassador to Indonesia Mustafa Ibrahim al-Mubarak was summoned by the Indonesian government to protest against the execution of Indonesian national in Medina who was convicted of murder of her employer in 1999. Reports quoted Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi as saying neither Indonesian consular officials nor her family were given prior notice. President Joko Widodo and three of his predecessors all had appealed for clem- China was quick to dismiss the remark as “groundless” in a regency. ular briefing of China foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei and “urged the Philippines to respect China’s territorial sovereignty.”

The Saudi interior ministry in a statement said that the execution had been delayed for more than 15 years since the youngest child China claims sovereignty over most of South China Sea using its of the victim has to be old enough to decide whether or not they 9 dashed demarcation lines that first appeared on Chinese maps would choose to give pardon or demand for execution. in the 1940s, fueling tensions in the region with Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all sharing overlapping claims.

The Indonesian foreign ministry is seeking to prevent the execution of at least 229 Indonesian citizens with death sentences India is Fastest Growing Emerging overseas while in January it put to death six people including five Economy in 2015-16 says IMF, WB foreigners.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced that India is likely to be the fastest growing emerging economy in 2015-16 China’s first runway in Spraatlys by clocking a growth rate of 7.5 and overtaking China. However, Sparks Security Concern IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly publishes Satellite images provided by a group company of global rating agency Moody’s says that the Airbus Defence showing that China has begun building a runway Indian economy is only expected to grow at 7.3% during the year on reclaimed parts of Fiery Cross Reef as well as island building compared with 7.2% in 2014 as interest rate cuts buttress private on Subi Reef that if linked up could mean another airstrip in the sector spending. World Bank shares the same GDP growth foreSpratly Islands. Reports have it that China’s island building at Fi- cast for India for the current fiscal year. ery Cross Reef has created a landmass that is capable of housing a runway about 3,000 m long.

Moody’s Analytics stated that their “tracking model suggests that Philippine President Benigno Aquino said that the Chinese ac- first quarter GDP growth is tracking around 7.3%, a slowdown tions in the West Philippine Sea (SCS) “should engender fear for from prior quarters. But we expect this softness will prove temthe rest of the world” and that the “question of it escalating to porary with improving domestic demand to help India’s GDP something beyond everybody’s control should be at the top of grow 7.3% for all of 2015.” the minds of all world leaders.”

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around the world

Europe

Greece risks deep recession if talks with creditors fail

Greece Struggles to Find Creditors

Weeks of negotiations over terms to get more loans have yet to through on its commitments, time is certainly running fast before produce sign of progress making Greece’s debt default closer to a deal is reached to avoid any default. reality as well as the question of its exit of the euro block.

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed to keep the euro intact saying “if the euro fails, Europe fails,” the same sentiment echoed by French President Francois Hollande, it appears that Greece and its creditors are not seeing eye to eye with regards to the terms of the fresh loans that Greece badly needs.

US, Romania Hold Air Exercises

The United States has deployed twelve U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs for months in joint military exercises with Romanian air forces to reassure eastern Europeans against the perceived Russian influence in the region. Dubbed the “Atlantic Resolve”, around 350 U.S. and 300 Romanian troops are taking part in exGerman Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said that “Greece ercises until July. must become competitive. Otherwise it’s a bottle without a bottom. And you can’t spend hundreds of billions on a bottle with- “Intimidating actions ... have created significant distress among east Europeans and resurrected thoughts of a not too distant out a bottom.” past,” U.S. Lt.Gen. Darryl Roberson, 3rd Air Force and 17th ExIn order to get more loans, reforms are needed to make state peditionary Air Force reportedly said. He added that the exercises administration and business rules more efficient by scrapping would calm fears of NATO allies about Russia amid the Ukraine multiple tax exemptions, obstacles to mass layoffs for losing busi- crisis. nesses, the need for a major privatization program, and reforms in the pension system.

The Ukrainian crisis remains to be the theatre that NATO uses to intensify drills aimed at reassuring eastern members worried by On the other side of the table, Greece’ ruling Syriza Party is fo- Moscow’s policies on Ukraine and its nuclear capabilities. cused mainly on curbing tax evasion by the rich, opposes further privatizations, and limiting job protection rights in light of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu meanwhile said a drive its election promise to end austerity measures that catapulted it by the United States and its allies to bring Kiev closer to the to power.

West was a threat to Moscow and had forced it to react even as Russian President Vladimir Putin during his annual marathon With the IMF leaving the negotiations table last week and the EU phone-in has stated “clearly” that “There are no Russian troops creditors still bent on keeping the pressure for Athens to follow in Ukraine.”

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around the world

MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

Egyptian High Court of Justice

Yemen’s AQAP Loses Head The U.S. government confirmed the death of Yemen’s top lead- tence imposed on him initially passed in May. er of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP last 16 June following a suspected U.S. drone strike in Yemen’s Hadhramaut Following the consultation with Egypt’s highest religious figure, region Friday. the Grand Mufti, the death sentence by hanging was confirmed as with the death sentences of five other leading members of U.S. National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said his the Muslim Brotherhood, including its supreme guide Mohamdeath was “a major blow to” to AQAP considered to be the med Badie, not to mention the one hundred and one other de“most dangerous affiliate” of al Qaeda. fendants sentenced to death in absentia.

His death was also confirmed on Tuesday with AQAP releasing a video statement announcing that its leader and two aides had died. The group’s military chief, Qasm al-Rimi, also known as Abu Hureira al-Sanaani, succeeded the leadership.

While the verdict is still subject to appeal, it is a far contrast to that of Egypt’s another ousted ex-President, Hosni Mubarak, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for failing to stop the killing of protesters by security forces, but the same conviction overturned by a criminal court. However, it appears AQAP has been exploiting the unrest in Yemen to gain more that Mubarak will face another trial with Egypt’s highest appeals territory. In April, the group captured the port city of Al Mu- court reviving the charges. kalla while Saudi-led coalition leads the bombing sorties against the Houthis.

In May, Egypt started demolishing the headquarters of Mubarak’s party. The four-storey headquarters that overlooks Egypt Court upholds Death Sentence the Nile in central Cairo and the adjacent 14-storey tower that once housed offices of state-run organizations are being disfor ousted Ex-President His jailbreak in 2011 caused ousted Egyptian ex-President Mo- mantled after the government approved plans to demolish the hammed Morsi his life as Egyptian court upholds the death sen- buildings.

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around town

Ras Al Khaimah in Japan Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Shares Business Set-Up and Expansion Benefits with Japanese Investors Seminar

amy Jallad, Acting CEO, Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone (RAK FTZ), led the free zone’s first delegation to Japan to share RAK FTZ’s business set-up and expansion benefits with Japanese investors. The mission sought to enhance trade between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Japan, and to create new investment relationships between the two countries.

r

Mr Jallad conducted a series of high-level meetings with key government and investment bodies, as well as local companies, in Tokyo and Osaka over a five-day period from last April.

“Japanese investors can expand their companies into the UAE by taking advantage of the strategic geographical location of RAK FTZ, making it easier for their products and services to reach fast-growing markets in the Middle East, Africa and Europe,” Mr Jallad said. “RAK FTZ also helps Japanese companies grow with a full range of business setup and support services, high-quality facilities, complete freedom from taxes, full repatriation of profits, and lower costs, so they can generate higher profits.”

Meeting with the UAE Embassy to Tokyo

Nihon Mesh Kogyo UAE is a Japanese-headquartered manufacturer and distributor of wire mesh demisters for desalination plants. The company selected RAK FTZ as its Middle East base to take advantage of the free zone’s ongoing business support services and strategic location, and is considering an expansion at RAK FTZ. Keiji Tanaka, Manager of Nihon Mesh, said: “We decided to set up a factory in the UAE to be closer to our customers, and RAK FTZ proved to be the most cost-effective and convenient option.”

Meeting with Jetro Osaka

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around town

Dr. Michel Alaby, Secretary General and CEO of the ABCC

Gala Dinner

French Gala Dinner on sustainability development

The FBC (French Business Council) organized a closing ceremony of the first France-DEWA Forum, under the theme of “Sustainability and Technology for a better future”. For its growing community, the French Business Council Dubai (FBC) celebrated its annual Gala Dinner which happens to be the first corporate event of the French Business Community and hosted 1026 guests including official personalities such as Harry ROSELMACK, French TV Presenter, the French Ambassador, the French General Consul, representatives of Dubai Chamber of Commerce and top management of the French companies based in Dubai.

Dubai-Brazil to strengthen bilateral relations

The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) has announced that a high-profile delegation from Dubai visited Sao Paulo recently to participate in various seminars and attend business meetings. Organized with the support of the ABCC, the visit aims to seek new suppliers and establish fresh partnerships to give a boost to an already bustling trade between the South American country and the UAE. The agenda included a seminar on ‘Business in Dubai’ for delegates from Dubai on the first day at the Administrative Head Office of the State of Sao Paulo Trade Federation (FECOMERCIO). The forum threw the spotlight on Dubai as a business hub for Brazilian companies as well as a gateway to the Middle East. On the second day, a closed panel discussion was held at the Federation of Industries of the State of Sao Paulo (FIESP), where Brazilian lawyers and accounting officers enlightened firms from Dubai about local laws and methods of conducting methods. On the same day and venue, Dubai-based companies had a business meeting with Brazilian companies.

This prominent annual celebration took place in a glamorous atmosphere under the stars at the iconic venue of the Address Montgomerie in Dubai with a fine gastronomy including live cooking stations of talented Chefs from prestigious restaurants in Dubai and a French touch with live music band from France!

The French ambassador, His Excellency Michel MIRAILLET, opened the ceremony with an official speech. He said: “Our country is going through a phase of major challenges and in this context, the French Chambers of Commerce abroad must provide efficient support to all entrepreneurs and enterprises who wish to either start up, or further their development, in the United Arab Emirates.” He added: “Major groups and SMEs are established in the UAE, as well as our largest expatriate community, now around 25,000 people strong – 3 to 5 French families settle in Dubai every day.”

Dr. Michel Alaby, Secretary General and CEO, Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, said: “The visit of a senior level delegation from Dubai to Sao Paulo underlines ABCC’s agenda to further strengthen the bilateral relations between Brazil and Arab countries in general and Dubai in particular. The seminar and business meetings to promote Dubai as the Middle East’s trade and investment hub and a major importer and exporter of goods. We foresee Dubai as a highly developed city with tremendous economic opportunities and establishing good business relations and partnership with the emirate will bode well for Brazil’s economy.”

Hussain AL JAZIRI, Honorary President of the French Business Council held a speech as well. He said: “2015 could see the culmination of the relationship of trust between our two countries through a mother step bringing the abolition of Schengen visas for Emiratis. We are aware that it is France’s support for this initiative that would make it possible.”

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around town

A preview for Saudi Transport

High-profile Lebanese delegation at Al Zorah

‘Saudi Transport 2015’ features projects in the Kingdom

High-profile Lebanese trade delegation visits Ajman

Saudi Arabia has seen remarkable progress in the transport and railway industry throughout the past years, complementing its efforts to address development needs and provide safe and prompt transportation to the public, based on latest technologies. With the ongoing development and massive projects across the transport and service industry, and looking to contribute effectively to the local transport sector and shed light on the current and future prospects in the Kingdom, Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC) recently hosted the ‘Saudi Transport 2015’ exhibition at Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center (RICEC).

A high-profile Lebanese trade delegation has come to Ajman and had a special tour of The Pavilion of Al Zorah, a premier waterfront and organically connected lifestyle project by Solidere International in partnership with the Ajman Government.

They expressed their admiration of the landmark project that is defining a trendy new lifestyle in the UAE. Imad Dana, CEO of Al Zorah Development Company, and Oussama Kabbani, COO of Solidere International, welcomed leading business leaders from Lebanon, who are in Ajman to meet officials at the Ajman Chamber of Commerce & Industry, followed by a visit to the Ruler’s Court and meet with His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince and President of the Executive Board.

Held under the support and patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Transport, the ‘Saudi Transport 2015’ attracted leading local and international industry players to showcase their advanced products and services and communicate effectively with topnotch experts, investors and industry leaders. The event also featured a wide range of the latest products, services and solutions related to the various segments of the transport industry including air freight; integrated transport techniques; rapid transport; land, sea and air transport; public transport systems; online data exchange; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP); e-services; distribution; free-zone services and equipment; insurance and many more.

The top-ranking business leaders were hosted at The Pavilion, Al Zorah’s majestic sales centre and an architectural marvel, where they were provided an overview of the iconic development, located along the breathtaking natural peninsula on the coastline of Ajman.

Mr. Dana explained the tremendous business opportunities and lifestyle choices offered by the freehold development, which will start welcoming visitors at the end of the year. It will encompass 12 kms of waterfront, 1.6 kms of sandy beaches and a golf course. Over 1 million sqm of natural mangroves are spread over the property, 60% of which is devoted to public spaces and protected mangroves.

The Saudi Ministry of Transport has conducted a study on the public transport policies and regulations being implemented in the Kingdom, with the aim to develop comprehensive and well-defined strategies and policies to establish a public transport system within and between cities. This has resulted in the issuance of the Council of Ministers’ Resolution No. 174 dated 2/6/1433 for creation of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) with the aim to regulate the public transport services within and between cities, oversee them, provide a good level of services at affordable cost and encourage investment in the transport sector on a par with the objectives of the social and economic development in the Kingdom.

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around town

His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak at St. Paul’s Church

Dubai Business Internships

Sheikh Nahyan inaugurates Second Catholic Church in Abu Dhabi

Dubai Business Internships celebrates inaugural class

A second catholic church in Abu Dhabi was inaugurated on Thursday evening in the presence of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state and Bishop Paul Hinder, the apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia.

Religious leaders, including Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, Archbishop Peter Rajic, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Arabian Peninsula, Bishop Paul Hinder, the Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia, and Bishop Camillo Ballin, the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, attended, along with other dignitaries, officials of the civil authorities, municipality, consultants and contractors were present during the event.

St. Paul’s Church, part of the Apostolic of Southern Arabia, expects to serve about 60,000 to 70,000 Catholics, many of whom live in labour camps. At full capacity it can accommodate 1,200. The 4,560-square-metre complex is built on land that was given by Abu Dhabi Municipality, under the directives of the Office of the Crown Prince, in 2011. The foundation stone was laid in June last year and building started the following month.

The opening of St Paul’s Church, in Mussaffah, highlights the religious tolerance of the country’s leaders. In the UAE there are almost 900,000 Catholics and up to 20,000 of them are attending weekly church services in Abu Dhabi, which, until now, was only possible in the capital’s only Catholic Church, the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, located in the city centre.

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The inaugural class of interns have graduated from Dubai Business Internships (DBI) – a prestigious programme run under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Facilitated by Falcon and Associates, the programme saw its first intake celebrate their achievement during a graduation ceremony held at the Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai recently.

All 17 interns were awarded on stage for completing the intensive 10-month fully-funded course of academic training, cultural exposure and Dubai-based work placements. The full DBI programme team were in attendance at the ceremony as well as senior representatives from the DBI Placement Partners – some of Dubai’s leading companies and government entities including: Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), Dubai International Financial Centre Courts (DIFC Courts), DP World, Emirates Group, Emaar, Emirates NBD and Jumeirah Group.

DBI combines a 26-week work placement, with training modules delivered by world-class education specialists, the European School of Management and Technology, working in partnership with local providers Capadev and Bon Education.

DBI also includes a comprehensive programme of cultural exchange activities.

Environment

Minister of Environment and Water on ‘World Environment Day’ Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet.

Let’s Consume with Care’: A statement from Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad

H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, has asserted that current consumption patterns are major challenges to the move towards sustainable development in the region and beyond. The minister noted that present consumption rates are exceeding the Earth’s regeneration capacity and undermine the global community’s efforts to achieve sustainable growth.

In a statement during World Environment Day celebrations, H.E. Bin Fahad said that unsustainable consumption patterns are mainly responsible for the many environmental problems faced by society, such as pollution, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity, and climate change.

He also stated that in light of this information, it has become more urgent to reconsider ongoing patterns of production and consumption.

He explained that the event theme, ‘Seven Billion Dreams.

One Planet. Let’s Consume with Care’ addresses the growing concern posed by the irresponsible consumption of resources and the need to move towards sustainable patterns of consumption. This is especially vital as the latest studies predict that the world’s population will reach nine billion by 2050, which means that current consumption patterns will require three Earths to meet demands.

The Minister said that the excessive consumption of resources in the UAE may be more severe compared with other regions in the world as a result of comprehensive development initiatives, population growth, and improved income levels.

He noted the limited environmental resources in the country which are highly sought after by both the general population and various development sectors. The effects of over-consumption can be seen through noticeable indicators such as the country’s ecological footprint, fresh water uptake, waste production, and greenhouse gas emissions, all of which are being recorded at levels higher than the global average.

Concerned authorities within the UAE have joined forces to combat these negative effects through the development of programs and initiatives that focus on two main areas. The first component aims to mitigate the negative environmental impact associated with traditional patterns of consumption.

This objective will be realized through the enhancement of existing legislation meant to regulate economic development and human activities that could potentially harm the environment. Improvements include adopting green policies, promoting the use of renewable and alternative energy, exploring carbon capture and storage techniques, advocating cleaner production, pursuing green architecture, and implementing sustainable transport. This goal can also be achieved by fostering essential national values for enhancing the water and energy efficiency of household appliances, reviewing

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Environment

H.E. Bin Fahad specifically referred to the UAE Strategy for Green Development, under which the green economy approach was adopted in the context of sustainable development.

H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water

modern agricultural and irrigation patterns, and establishing global hectares in 2014, as well as the slide in greenhouse gas emissions per capita from 39.5 tons in 1994 to 20.6 tons ecologically conscious economic habits. in 2012. The positive trend is expected to continue over H.E. Bin Fahad specifically referred to the UAE Strategy the next few years with the completion of many essential for Green Development, under which the green economy projects in the field of renewable energy, nuclear energy for approach was adopted in the context of sustainable devel- peaceful purposes, and waste management. opment. He noted that this strategy is crucial to gaining a deeper understanding of the value of imported and export- In addition, the programs of the UAE National Agenda and ed goods and services harnessed from the ecosystem, and Strategy for Green Development along with other stratethus provides a better assessment of natural capital’s actual gic plans of different sectors are currently being developed value in the process of decision making and in the context of and implemented. With these agendas in place, the coming financial accounting systems. This is an important element period will witness the emergence of tools and programs in the effort to create sustainable consumption patterns that will complement the main priorities and directives of the recently adopted National Environmental Education and through integration with the economic mechanism.

Awareness Strategy. It will also utilize the National InnovaThe second path focuses on raising awareness on sustainable tion Strategy to find more novel solutions towards environconsumption patterns among various segments of society. In mental preservation. addition to the approved awareness programs instigated by participating organizations, the UAE has launched a set of H.E. Bin Fahad further emphasized that members of society important programs over the past few years such as the Eco- should be aware of their responsibility to the environment logical Footprint, Green Applications, Heroes of the UAE, and its resources which collectively form an integral compoSustainable Universities and Schools, and My Environment nent for economic prosperity and the social well-being of is My National Responsibility Initiatives. Aside from these, UAE residents. He referred to UAE Vision 2021, underlining there have also been several national campaigns conducted “the importance of embodying our collective responsibilisuch as a ‘Day Without Paper’ and ‘Car Free Day,’ as the ties to promote and maintain appropriate lifestyle choices.” implementation of a wide range of national awareness drives disseminated throughout the year. H.E. Bin Fahad praised In conclusion, the Minister pointed out the pivotal role of the vital role of competent environmental authorities, stake- individuals in avoiding excessive consumption and its negaholders and civil society organizations in raising awareness tive effects. He noted that the success of government initiatives hinges on the conscious and committed participation on environmental issues in the UAE. of each member of society. H.E Bin Fahad ended his speech The positive results of the initiatives that have been imple- by calling on everyone to be personally accountable for the mented over the years have only begun to surface. The best preservation of natural resources and ecosystems for future example of this is the reduction of ecological footprint per generations to enjoy and benefit from. capita in the UAE from 11.8 global hectares in 2006 to 7.75

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10 Questions with

Ramy Jallad We asked Mr. Ramy Jallad, Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone Authority (RAK FTZ), to find out more about his vision for the organization, his motivations, the reason that drove him to the emirates, and, of course, his favorite watch.

exclusive ith over 8,000 registered companies from 106 countries and 50 industry sectors, RAK FTZ is without doubt becoming a force in the free trade zones business. The accolades it has received in the past years, including being named as one of the top five free trade zones of the future in the Middle East, only prove the continuing success in being the zone of choice of many investors.

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Along with providing commercial, general trading, consultancy, industrial, and academic licenses, registering legal entities, and offering competitive and tailored offices, warehouses and land, the RAK FTZ also provides value-added services such as advertising, procurement, event management, recruitment and training assistance. More than these, investors at RAK FTZ are earn with greater returns especially that the emirate is known to mark lower cost of living as compared to its neighbors.

Indeed, this esteemed organization under the supervision of Ramy Jallad, keeps soaring when it comes to attracting businesses of large and small scale, locally and internationally.

Ramy Jallad’s role is to set the policies and strategies of RAK FTZ, as well as to plan, lead, and direct all aspects of the free zone ensuring that it meets its overall objectives. Through it all, Ramy Jallad is performing brilliantly and he has stellar results to prove it.

A Post Exclusive, Ramy Jallad shares his key to motivating himself, the difference of RAK FTZ offerings, and his experience working in the Middle East. Read on.

1. What keeps RAK FTZ different?

There are many things that differentiate RAK FTZ from other free zones. For example, we have been recognised by fDi Magazine, a subsidiary of the London-based Financial Times, as one of the best free zones in the world for small and medium-sized businesses. That’s because we provide everything a small, medium or large business owner needs to set up and expand a profitable company. Not only do we offer 100 per cent foreign ownership and no taxation along with fast-track licensing and registration to help businesses quickly set up, we also offer a wide variety of services to help ensure that companies accomplish their goals. Additionally, our strategic location between the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Asia, our lower cost of doing business, and our high-quality facilities make us the right place for companies to succeed.

2. What makes RAK FTZ the most cost-effective in the country today?

We offer the same advantages as the other free zones such as 100 per cent foreign ownership and no taxation. But our clients don’t have to invest as much money to get the same

results. We provide ready-made facilities and business support services that are on par with the best free zones. As an added incentive, the cost of operating a business and living in Ras Al Khaimah is 25 per cent to 50 per cent lower than it is in other emirates. This allows our clients to see higher return on investment.

3. In RAK FTZ’s experience, how important and effective is customer/client satisfaction?

Client satisfaction is one of our highest priorities. We are here to help clients set up and grow profitable companies, and that is why excellent customer service is at the heart of our business model. From purchasing to after-sales, we make sure to provide ongoing business support to keep them happy. We tailor our products and services to meet the specific, individual needs of each client. Whether they need flexi desks, executive offices, warehouses or land to develop their own facilities, or business packages that provide the right kind of incentives, we meet the needs of our clients on their own terms to help them succeed.

4. What is your vision for RAK FTZ and how do you plan to achieve it?

I am here to execute the vision of His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), to diversify the emirate’s economic activity. In the past, RAK’s economy has been focused on industrial manufacturing. Today, we are working hand-in-hand with government and the private sector to increase the attractiveness of the emirate to foreign investors from other industries, including trading, sales and marketing, services, as well as logistics and distribution. Education is another major area of growth for RAK FTZ as we increasingly make Ras Al Khaimah a hub for higher learning, academic research and vocational training. We also are working hard to attract more back-office services such as IT, Human Resources, calling centres, etc. Realising this vision is a work in progress, and it requires complete determination and persistence.

We are working to achieve this vision by enhancing our global brand recognition. We aim to be the premium investment agency where customers can find optimal business solutions for their needs. Some of our many strategies include providing excellent client support services, building new infrastructure to meet the rising demand for high-quality facilities in the UAE (including the construction of 100 new warehouses in our Technology Park), and sending delegations around the globe to share the benefits of doing business in Ras Al Khaimah. We are showing the world that RAK FTZ is a cost-effective platform to reach the world’s most dynamic markets.

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“We are working handin-hand with the government and the private sector to increase the attractiveness of the emirate to foreign investors from other industries, including trading, sales and marketing, services, as well as logistics and distribution.”

5. You’ve been in the business of free trade zones for a long while and have led assessments and training for various skills, people and management developments. What drives you then and now?

What motivates me is challenging myself to make an impact and positive change wherever I go. I need to make a difference in whatever I do. What I love about free zones is that I am making an impact and instituting changes that benefit an entire nation’s economy. In free zones, I am improving the quality of life for people, fostering interaction between diverse cultures, and increasing the level of services that businesses receive. So I have a large spectrum in which to make a difference.

tive. I witnessed exponential growth and development. After completing college, I did not want to live anywhere else. I love the pace of life, the environment, the people, and the culture. It’s all very impressive to see what the UAE has accomplished in so little time. After travelling the world and witnessing life all over the globe, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

8. How would you describe your experience in the region and what do you find fascinating in this part?

My experience in this region has been seeing the drive for improvement and best practices everywhere. The quality of life here is second to none. Here, we have the best of everything, and I would not trade it for any other place in the 6. You have been in business for 24 years. Do you still get world. surprises?

Every day, there is a surprise. That’s what keeps me going. 9. How important is personal touch in handling a company?

The surprise is that there is no limit to what you can do. Companies are always run based on visions, boards, culOnce I’ve seen it all, there is no reason for me to continue. tures and corporate values. However, as a leader, you must As you grow older, you realise that we are the only people have your own personal touch. That’s why you’re entrusted who limit ourselves. The barriers do not come from others. as a leader. Everything is about personal touch, the kind of Other people may see things differently from the way that stamp you place on everything you do, the way you guide and you do. No two people will see the same thing the same way. direct the organisation.

The surprise is that someone will give you a different per10. Last question: What’s your favourite watch? Why? spective that allows you to see the whole picture.

I have a lot of favourite brands, brands that revolve around 7. What drove you to this part of the world? How did it hap- the pure art of watchmaking. My favourite piece is not necessarily the most expensive. I like BRM (Bernard Richards pen?

I grew up here. I came here with my parents as a young boy. Manufacture) because it reflects a unique association of moMy childhood experience growing up here was very posi- tor sports and the racing lifestyle that I admire.

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Cultural Diplomacy

Fusion of Nations Gastronomy is a catalyst to fostering closer relations between nations as proven by the recently concluded Madrid Fusión Manila.

n 1521, Spain came to the Philippines and started the Hispanization of the country for more than 300 years. This year, Spain is back and was very much welcomed as the Philippines was meant to impress in the 3-day biggest food event in town- the Madrid FusiónManila.

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To officially receive the delegation, no less than the Philippine President Benigno Aquino III hosted a reception at the Malacanang Palace. POST was privileged to be invited and in his message to the participants, the President talked of the most awaited and first ever showcase of Madrid Fusion in Southeast Asia.

“Huge family reunion has extended meal as the central activity. And one trait that I find very unique to us is that during any of these meals part of the discussion always deals with food whether it is about the dishes we consumed before, dishes we consumed at present or what one would want to consume in the future. And, in thorough analysis of our cuisine, we’d agree that this is an amalgamation of various influences whether it is Spanish, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, American and - given the Filipino diaspora - so many influences.

During your stay you will find the gastronomic vocabulary of the Filipino is better cosmopolitan from paella to sio mai, from cheeseburgers to arros a la Cubano which does not exist in Cuba. Perhaps for this reason Filipinos have become one of the most adventurous in terms of creating new dishes. This is the context of which we welcome the Madrid Fusion in the Philippines.

Each day when we read the newspapers or watch the news programs, we receive what seems to be the long conflicts and tensions in so many different places. In a world where so many intend to divide, food allows us to engage one another in a positive manner, after all can we ever imagine a scenario where good food has produced a hostile reaction, that a good meal to violence except maybe on auctions? That partaking a good meal normally sets to one in a good mood.

Food is one of the most accessible ways of exchanging cultures that leads to greater understanding and cooperation between our peoples. It is for this reason that we thank Madrid Fusion for choosing to hold their first event in Southeast Asia here in our country. I am hopeful that the coming days, all of you can enjoy everything what our country has to offer, in fact I invite all of you to please stay longer after the conclusion of your work-related events, after all 2015 is ‘Visit the Philippines’ year. And I am certain to that the Tourism De-

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Chef Margarita Fores presents her culinary know-how

partment can prepare the itinerary that would prove eating is Margarita Forés and Bruce Ricketts among others from more fun in the Philippines.” across Asia including Andre Chiang of Singapore in this edition of the Madrid Fusión Manila.

Madrid Fusión Manila presents a unique opportunity for chefs, food aficionados, and food-and beverage company Held from 24 to 26 April 2015 at the SMX Convention professionals to come together, learn new things and share Center in Pasay City, the 3-day event set the Philippines as a their talent, expertise, as well as products to the market. culinary center of excellence and presented a unique opportunity to gather chefs, food aficionados and food and beverA pinch of perspective age companies. With varying flavors and cultures expressed Madrid Fusión is one of the most attended international through a plethora of unique dishes, Filipino cuisine through gastronomic events in Madrid. It is an annual gathering or- Madrid Fusión Manila captured the attention of the world. ganized by Foro de Debate S.L., where international culinary legends and rising stars showcase new techniques and cut- Dash of delights ting-edge innovations, while paying tribute to culinary tradi- Guests to this gastronomical affair were treated with huntions from which these contemporary cuisines have sprung. dreds of trade exhibitioners who displayed a savory showcase. A few got the chance to partake at the regional lunches Early this year, Philippines chefs made history in the coun- that presented quirky interpretations of Filipino favorites try’s first ever participation in Madrid Fusión, the 13th Inter- such as tortang talong, sardines on bread, lugaw (rice pornational Gastronomic Summit, which was held at the Palacio ridge), sisig, lechon and many more. Also, there were workMunicipal de los Congresos de Madrid. The Philippines´ shops and demonstrations at the exhibitions area but what presence in Madrid Fusión 2015 allowed for the promotion professional chefs and culinary aficionados awaited for were of its cuisine in the international scene. Its booth delighted the congress sessions where the Spanish kitchen rock stars guests and participants of the summit with a sampling of the and Filipino culinary rising stars presented their views in topvarious Filipino food and cocktails. ics closest to their hearts and passion.

Months after the delegation visited Spain, world-renowned Among the highlights of the congress was the talk conductchefs Elena Arzak, Luis Aduriz and Quique Dacosta joined ed by Chef Claude Tayag on the most distinctive Filipino Philippine-based chefs Fernando Aracam, Chele Gonzalez, dish: Adobo. He praised the dish’s versatility and its ability

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Cultural Diplomacy cca manila faculty and chefs from madrid fusion

“Food is one of the most accessible ways of exchanging cultures that leads to greater understanding and cooperation between our peoples.”

– President Benigno Aquino III to bridge even the divide between economic classes. Tayag also touched on the strong influence of Spain on Philippine cultural heritage and identity. In fact, in his quest for the truth behind this quintessential meal, he figured that ‘adobo’ should not be used only to refer to a specific dish but instead a manner of cooking. He suggested that it’s a process, a cooking technique which pre-dated Spanish colonial rule.

They saw something that looked familiar and quite different, and called it “adobo”.

witness and taste true-blue fusion style dishes.

In the Filipino cuisine front, a grand feast of innovative Filipino flavors as the country’s premier education institution, the Center for Culinary Arts, Manila (CCA, Manila) presented a 7-course special dinner at Casa Roces led by award-winning CCA Culinary Director Chef Sau del Rosario and CCA faculty. Boasting only the best of both traditional and modern-style Filipino cuisine and local ingredients, the CCA, Manila faculty prepared a tantalizing selection of “reinvented” Michelin-starred Ramón Freixa demonstrated new ways of Kapampangan specialties in honor of Pampanga, the gasinterpreting traditional Spanish tapas which included favor- tronomy capital of the Philippines. ites like pan con tomate, gazpacho and stuffed olives among others. Consisting of 12 tapas, Freixa’s exhibition showcased Full stomach and nourished brain the chef ’s widely acclaimed creativity and culinary prowess At the eventful meeting in Madrid, in his remarks, Ambasin miniature cuisine. sador Carlos C. Salinas underscored that Madrid Fusión Manila will be the biggest culinary gathering to happen in The overriding theme of personal experiences influencing a the Philippines. It is a fitting celebration of the kinship and chef ’s relationship with ingredients was not lost during Mar- history between the Philippines and Spain which spans more garita Forés’talk. Admitting that maternal love for her son than 370 years. He also encouraged guests to participate in Amado drives her passion, Forés presented dishes that used the event and to mark 2015 as the Visit the Philippines Year ingredients associated with reproduction namely egg, crab in their personal calendars. roe, fish sperm and roe and pork and cow udder. Forés reminded the participants that the “farm-to-table” movement Those who heeded the Ambassador’s summon certainly exis very real, and that “there is a real wave, a big interest in perienced an amazing discovery of culinary wonders such as organic local ingredients,” according to Forés. coconut vinegar, calamansi, pili nuts, heirloom rice. These ingredients were just a few among the long list of encoun“Madrid Fusión Manila can be a very good venue to connect ters still quite unique in the country that chefs and tourists chefs and restaurateurs to local farmers. This way, we eat would come back for in the Philippines. more sustainably and healthier, and at the same time, we can support livelihoods and industries,” the Filipina chef noted. In his closing remarks, José Carlos Capel, president of Madrid Fusión, drew a resounding applause from the particiMeanwhile, the special dinner with Elena Arzak showed off pants when he spoke in Filipino and said, “Kita-kits ulit sa her prowess in almost laboratory cooking, allowing guests to susunod na Madrid Fusión Manila sa 2016!” *Philippine participation in Madrid Fusión 2015 and the organization of Madrid Fusión Manila are projects of the Department of Tourism, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, the Philippine Embassy in Madrid and private stakeholders. *Accommodation served in Diamond Hotel is one of the best in the country. *Daily flights are available via Cebu Pacific.

Day in the Life

Mr. Trade Perry Fung, Regional Director of Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), sat down with POST to reveal his career goals and council’s mission.

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erving the trade council for 25 years – a quarter of a century – is, undoubtedly, a milestone for any career-oriented professional. Perry Fung has delivered loyalty and commitment to HKTDC, the organization that honed his skills and enhanced his talents to expertise.

A statutory body established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is the international marketing arm for Hong Kong-based traders, manufacturers and service providers. With more than 40 global offices, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China and throughout Asia. The HKTDC also organizes trade fairs and business missions to connect companies with opportunities in Hong Kong and on the mainland, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and online.

Each year, The HKTDC organizes more than 30 worldclass fairs in Hong Kong. Last year, the seven fairs registered 11,300 global exhibitors and attracted around 222,000 buyers sourcing in the fairs.

The UAE is Hong Kong’s largest export market in the Middle East. In 2014, Hong Kong’s total exports to the UAE went up by 25.4 per cent year on year to US$6.2 billion. Reciprocally, Hong Kong’s imports from the UAE were valued at US$3.8 billion.

“To harness the potential between the two places, we will step up our promotional efforts to expand our bilateral trade volume,” Fung said.

In our exclusive interview, the Regional Director shared more about his responsibility of delivering the council’s mission in countries around the Middle East and Africa, his challenges, and his typical day in Dubai.

What influenced you to join HKTDC?

I have been in a private exhibition company for two years before I joined the trade council. I have been with this organization for 25 years, and I believe that this is the career for me.

Back in the university, I have known that I have a very outgoing personality, and I know that this helped me where I am at now. The nature of the council does not rely to promoting trade fairs. Organizing trade fairs is only one of many channels of promoting international trade. This job also entailed other functions such as opening our offices in other countries.

I have been to Sydney, Beijing and Taiwan over the course of my stay with the council, and I can say that this continues to be an interesting professional career path.

Let’s talk a bit about HKTDC. How do you measure the success of the council?

We have key performance indicators, number of exhibitors,

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Day in the Life

My goal is to promote the two-way trade among the countries in MENA and Hong Kong, and discover untapped opportunities.

business launching, buyers, business visits – all these are I attend group classes in one. The fitness activity makes me quantitative indicators. more energetic, and our weekend program starts with that, and normally followed by eating out in different restaurants.

But there are also those qualitative factors that must be mea- Dubai gives a number of options for healthy and quality dinsured. Say, in terms of servingsmall and medium enterpris- ing. I also like the fact that the city provides safe and clean es (SMEs) in my area of responsibility and in Hong Kong, facilities perfect for fitness lifestyle. There are jogging parks and relate them together, give new opportunities, and achieve where we usually go to for quick run in the morning or weektheir goals actually provide satisfaction in doing successful ends. I’ve been in the city only for two and half years but I like the lifestyle here. It makes me feel at home. job.

You mentioned that HKTDC is not all about trade fairs. What are the challenges you face on a day-to-day basis?

What are the other means of promotion that you do for the My goal is to promote the two-way trade among the countries council? in MENA and Hong Kong, and discover untapped opportuOur main goal is to create and linked up all the opportunities available to SMEs. We also have modern channels like mobile application that SMEs can use through their smartphones which can help them source products and services in Hong Kong, and contact suppliers right away. We deliver roundtable discussions, and we send out regular digital magazines to keep them updated.

nities. Our main challenge lies on how to use our imagination, experience and network to explore and think of generating something into workable and efficient projects that will serve our interest especially that we have limited manpower in such vast geographical responsibility. So, yes, maximizing our limited resources, I think, is my true challenge.

Also, we organize trade delegations to visit many parts of the world, and bring along UAE companies interested to do business in Hong Kong. Not necessarily all of them are attending trade fairs though trade fairs are very efficient in providing meet-ups for buyers and suppliers

What do you consider as your career milestone?

What do you like most about your job?

I am an adventurous person. I like sports such as snowboarding and hiking. In my work, I find the similar thrill that I get from doing such adventurous sports. It kinds of reflect my personality who tends to explore new frontiers. My work indeed allows me to explore new places and opportunities.

Since the developed countries are quite saturated, my responsibility here in the MENA region paved the way for me to understand new markets.

Given your quest for highly stimulating activities, how do you keep yourself busy in Dubai?

Dubai is filled with shopping malls but I still do become active by joining clubs for fitness, and even skiing. The city is full of amazing fitness clubs, and during weekends, my wife and

I would say that the most memorable moment of my career was when I opened our office in Taiwan. Back then, the relationship between China and Taiwan was not so favorable.

It was quite a huge challenge but I am proud that after my 4-year tenure, I was able to develop and establish our presence in the country.

Last question: How would you describe your typical day like?

Since I travel a lot, I would say what my typical day is like in Dubai. I wake up early in the morning, and recently my wife and I have been in the habit of eating healthy breakfast. I like that Dubai provides countless choices and convenient options for healthy eating. And after that, just a normal office worker, I go to office to answer emails, treat visitors or go to meeting if there is any. What I try to do also is to spearhead market research. I try to gain intelligence regarding the trade industry and facilitate the information gathered for the development of our programs.

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The Ambassador in front of his favorite Hurtbuise painting.

In the Service of Canada

Regrets, he has none, sacrifices he has a fair share. Here is a glimpse of a man who has exemplified a stellar service, all for the love of his country.

Text: Sherry Tenorio Photography: Butch Delatina

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is Excellency Arif Lalani, Ambassador of Canada to the UAE, is “typically” Canadian – which is to say that he is of Indian descent, Muslim, and born in Uganda. He is an immigrant to Canada. Political upheavals in the African country and the rule of Idi Amin brought the five year old Arif and his family to Canada. Even at that tender age, the future diplomat had already been exposed to the worst that humanity can inflict upon itself.

I was grateful to be given the honour. It was of course for Canada, but on a personal level, I was grateful that the government recognized what I had tried to do to help Afghanistan during my time there.

His home is filled with masterpieces from renowned Canadian artists including the magnificent sand art featuring Sheikh Zayed

This early experience and the knowledge that international cooperation can be used to confront such tyranny and build a safer world may have influenced him to enter a career in the Foreign Service. Moreover, his extraordinary roots helped forge a well-rounded, curious, sharp and dedicated public servant committed to the defense and promotion of Canadian values.

A Muslim himself, Mr. Lalani has had the distinct pleasure to serve as Canada’s top envoy to four Muslim majority countries, posted as Ambassador to Jordan and Iraq (2006-2007), Afghanistan (2007-2008) and the UAE (2012-present). During his time in the UAE he has served concurrently as Canada’s Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

These experiences allow him to speak with credibility about the misperceptions of Islam in some quarters, the need for intercultural respect and understanding; and, the need for the Muslim world to create a positive, model of modern, open, Muslim societies.

In conjunction with the celebration of Canada’s National Day on July 1, POST was privileged to conduct an exclusive interview with the ambassador. Opening the doors to his modern and chic apartment at the Eastern Mangroves in Abu Dhabi, which was built by a Canadian company, we were surprised that the air of flamboyant glamour, normally afforded to stately houses, is not present. Instead, the official residence is filled with modest, but sophisticated and contemporary details, lots of sunshine, and some of the most beautiful Canadian artworks, which include a combination of the government’s collection and their personal works chosen by his wife Katie Kerr.

The residence reflects his government’s take on modern diplomacy – effective, efficient, and economic.

The proud diplomat gladly shared with us his experiences in an extremely successful

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career, being stationed at what many would consider “hard posts”, and receiving awards along the way from both a Queen and the Afghan President. The Ambassador also spoke of the real bonds that exist between his country and the UAE, especially those that have developed in the past three years in the context of a re-energized relationship.

What is Canada’s policy with regards to the region, and how is Canada working with UAE in this respect?

The Canada-UAE relationship is based on what we have termed a Shared Strategic Agenda. What we mean by this is that Canada and the UAE have a similar outlook on the regional security situation, on collaborating to invest in the development of third countries, and on the mutual benefit of the commercial relationship for both of our societies. Given how aligned our interests are, it has become a priority to invest in each other’s future.

Canada has been part of the history of the UAE since the founding of the country. Canadians were here from the outset; Canadian companies helped to design and build Maqta Bridge, the first bridge from the mainland in Abu Dhabi; A Canadian company built Al Bateen Airport, the first international airport in Abu Dhabi; Canadians designed the Emirates Towers in Dubai which houses the Prime Minister’s Office; Canadian architects helped supervise the construction of the Burj Khalifa; and Canadians actually make dirham coins at the Royal Canadian Mint. These are just a few examples of how we are really a part of the history of this country.

It is a legacy of cooperation that we wish to continue and build, which is one of the reasons we were very clear in our public support for Dubai’s hosting of Expo 2020. The World Expo in Dubai is incredibly important symbolically; this is the right city, in the right country at the right moment to bring together people with the goal of “connecting minds and creating the future” as the theme says. Now more than ever, it is important that the Middle East demonstrates that it can be a force for the meeting of minds. This is part of its legacy.

Canada’s history in the UAE and our success in hosting large events, including two World Expos and three Olympic Games, make us an ideal partner to help the UAE fulfill this vision. I can’t stress how important it was for Canada to be actively and publicly supportive of the UAE in their bid for Expo 2020.

Canada had never revealed its support in the past and this was the first time that Canada made public who we would be voting for. It is now important that we promote all of the services that Canadian companies can provide to the UAE. Canada has expertise in infrastructure, management, construction, consulting, food processing - everything it takes to make an Expo work. We have the companies that can help and our next step is a coordinated initiative to bring Canadian expertise to the UAE to support the development of Expo 2020.

UAE - Canada relationship?

In 2010 we had a well-publicized, but limited issue in our trade relationship. This is typical of all partnerships from time to time. Afterward, both countries, led by Foreign Ministers, decided to rejuvenate the relationship by focusing on areas where we both have strategic interests; the result has been the creation of the Shared Strategic Agenda. This agenda provides the framework for our entire bilateral relationship by identifying thematic priorities in the areas of commerce, security and development and outlining the collaborative initiatives that support these priorities. We have had 7 Foreign Minister visits in the last two and half years alone between our two countries, a testament to the strength of the relationship. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah spent a whole week touring Canada last year, travelling to 3 cities and meeting with the Prime Minister, several cabinet Ministers, provincial Premiers, municipal leaders and business leaders to help celebrate forty years of diplomatic relations between our two countries. Already, we have seen a huge impact on our trade levels in the UAE. Canadian exports to the UAE reached $1.75 billion last year, a 9% increase over 2013. This is more than triple the level from a decade ago.

Given the pace of recent activity, I would say our relationship is in a better place than it has ever been. In fact, when His Highness Sheikh Abdullah was in Canada he said that “the Canada-UAE relationship is stronger than ever”; those were his words. We see eye to eye on so many issues and recognize the importance of each other’s success. That is why we want to invest in our futures accordingly.

What are the areas that your good office is currently working on to further the gains made in the past year 2 years with respect to this re-energizing strategy?

Our main interest here is to cooperate so that each country can contribute to the other’s success. We share security concerns; we have resource based economies that we are both diversifying, and we have over 40,000 Canadians bringing their talent and know how to work in the UAE. The UAE is one of the top 10 investors in Canada. Only last month, DP World announced an additional $580 million investment in Canada in Prince Rupert, contributing to the economy there. The UAE is our largest export market in the Middle East. We have launched a negotiation for an investment protection agreement, we have launched the Canada-UAE business council, we have signed MOUs on scientific cooperation, and we have had very large trade delegations visit each other’s countries. So on the trade front, we will continue to bring Canadian expertise and know how in contact with those in the UAE that are building a modern economy.

We believe in that this country can be a strong role model for a modern, progressive, prosperous and stable Muslim country for others in the region and beyond.

How would you describe UAE-Canada relations a few Major economic agreements were signed in the past 2 years years after the two countries set out to “re-energize” the between Canada and UAE. How do you see this economic

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partnership benefiting both countries?

I would say that both countries have seen an incredible return on investment. What I mean is that UAE is one of the top foreign investors in Canada, directly providing employment and boosting economic activity in Canada. For example, one of the major energy companies in the UAE, Taqa, has its North American headquarters in Calgary and it is a top employer in Alberta. On the other side, one of the significant benefits for Emiratis is capacity building, knowledge and technology transfer, and the ability to import Canadian products and services to the UAE. Canadian companies are some of the best in the world, so much of what you see built in the UAE is Canadian made. For example, the Canadian residence we’re now sitting in and the collection of complexes it is part of were built by a Canadian company.

Aside from trade and economic relations, how do you further the relation to education, tourism and cultural relations?

With regards to education, the UAE has scholarship programs for Emirati students to attend university in Canada. I am very proud that in May, The Crown Prince Court launched a scholarship program for McGill University in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. This is the only other program in North America that the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi is partnering with (the other is Harvard). Second, we have many schools in the UAE with a Canadian curriculum, and this curriculum is recognized by numerous academic institutions around the world. The options in this country to pursue a Canadian curriculum education include the Canadian University of Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Grammar School, and the Canadian International School in Abu Dhabi. This is to say nothing of the many Canadian-trained teachers who bring their expertise to schools all over the UAE. Furthermore, our universities have corporate education programs available to Emiratis, with a focus on training senior level managers and executives. As you know the pursuit of excellence in education continues to be a priority for the UAE. This is not a country that rests on its laurels. Canada is proud to play an important part in supporting the UAE’s vision and contributing to the development of future generations of Emiratis.

We would like more Emiratis to come to Canada. Tourism is a growth industry because distance is quite frankly not an issue with transportation options. There is also a straightforward process for Emiratis to obtain a visa to travel to Canada and the multiple entry option means that one visa will last for years. I think we’re making it much easier for people to get to Canada – we just really need to get the word out. There are 6 flights a week to Canada with leading carriers Emirates and Etihad. And there will be 3 more weekly flights starting in November via Air Canada. His Highness Sheikh Abdullah’s visit last year was very important. He broke new ground by travelling to Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary and we’ve al-

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ready seen more Emirati visitors as a result of that trip. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan, the Crown Prince of Dubai, is also a great promoter of visiting Canada. If you go on to his Instagram site, you will see from his pictures that he visited Canada on multiple occasions last year alone. He even has property in Vancouver.

Canada offers everything a visitor could want. We have worldclass cities – Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary for example. In fact, we are rated in top 10 of the world’s most beautiful cities. We have some of the most beautiful mountains and national parks on the planet, especially the Rockies.

I know Emiratis love to go fishing and hunting; we have a huge industry that caters to these activities in Canada. When you have a country as large as Canada there is something new to discover with every single trip. From Canada, you can also easily travel to the US.

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you faced? How did you overcome the challenges? Did you have any say in those assignments?

At a reception hosted by the Canadian Embassy and the Canada-UAE Business Council with (from left to right) Co-Chair of the Canada-UAE Business Council Omar al Hashmi; Co-Chair of Canada UAE Business Council Jeffrey Steiner; UAE Foreign Minister His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan; Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird, UAE Minister of Economy Engineer His Excellency Sultan al Mansoori; UAE Minsiter of Energy His Excellency Sultan al Mazrui

Emiratis will feel right at home in the cosmopolitan and multicultural centers across the country; Vancouver is home to a large population of Asian heritage; Montreal is often described as the most European of Canadian cities with its cobblestone streets, cafés and rich history; Toronto is a huge metropolis (the 4th largest in North America) and remains a safe and friendly environment; Calgary is the heart of Alberta’s economic engine and maintains its roots as a Western frontier town despite its rapid growth and incredible infrastructure. With such diversity, visitors are able to access all kinds of adventures. Emiratis would also certainly appreciate a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska and back to see polar bears, icebergs and feel the great cold they don’t get at home.

Jordan was not much of a hardship in terms of the difficulties I experienced. My wife and I really enjoyed our time in Jordan; it is a beautiful country with very talented people. While based in Amman, I was also accredited as the Ambassador to Iraq, which proved a unique challenge given the security situation.

However, I was only in Jordan for 6 months because the Prime Minister appointed me as Ambassador to Afghanistan at a time when we were the third largest donor and our military was deployed to the toughest area of the country – Kandahar.

Afghanistan was one of the most difficult and exciting life experiences I have ever been through. As it was a conflict zone, for their safety, families were not allowed to accompany us on post; yet sitting in a conflict zone is when you miss your family the most. From all that distance, daily texts to my wife, who was my rock, got me through tough times. It was obviously dangerous in terms of security. I would always have a team of bodyguards around me made up of over a dozen dedicated and professional individuals. I was also traveling in armored vehicles for security. On one occasion, my fellow ambassadors and I were caught in the crossfire of a gun battle at a national day event! I went to a national parade and we heard guns shots, then we hear bullets hitting close to us; it was an attack from an extremist group. Along with others, my bodyguard and I had to flee, running with bullets being fired over our heads, ricocheting close to us. It was like one of those cartoons where you have to move from post to post while bullets are being fired, except it certainly wasn’t funny. It was a scary situation. On a different occasion, a suicide bomber detonated himself behind our embassy. All of our buildings were damaged, our people were very shaken up and we had debris from the explosion all over our compound. That’s the time when you see everyone pull together. Our people were particularly strong that day. From a security perspective, you had to remain constantly vigilant. I cannot say enough about the civilians and military personnel, who worked there, risked their lives there; and those who lost their lives there. The UAE’s forces were in Afghanistan as well, making a vital contribution. We were strong partners.

When you are asked to serve your country, you don’t say no.

I took the job and I have to say that for all the frustrations, we were still able to make a huge difference in the lives of people. Thanks to Canada, along with other donors, our programs resulted in more Afghan girls going to school than ever before in Afghanistan’s history, and more Afghans employed than ever before. Even during the toughest times, those girls went to school and those men and women went to work; I On a more career related note, we learned that you spent can only marvel at their continued perseverance and bravery two years in succession as Ambassador to Jordan, Iraq, and under such conditions.

Afghanistan, and did so at a very young age. For most, these are considered hard posts. What are the challenges Looking back, how did you begin with your career?

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I believe in the UAE. This is one of the most aspirational countries in the world. The Arab world and all emerging economies need to see a country that is forward looking, that strives to be the best, that makes economic development a driving force, and that works to shape a modern society for its people.

Learning about racing falcons with falcon trainer at the outskirts of Dubai

I always had a keen interest in international affairs and the idea of foreign service. The main reason could be that my family and I were refugees. My parents first migrated from India to Uganda. I was born in Uganda and when I was five there was a coup d’état and we were forced to leave. Canada was very generous in taking thousands of Asian refugees from Uganda at the time. Canada and Canadians welcomed us at a time when large scale migration was challenging. Canada was my adopted home, but I was determined that it would be my permanent home and that I would contribute. I jokingly thank Idi Amin for expelling us out from my place of birth. He changed my life for the better. Canada gave me a life of opportunity – where if you work hard you can succeed on merit. It’s a great Canadian story - an Indian Muslim, born in Africa and raised in Canada, ends up being a Canadian Ambassador, the senior representative of his country across the world. It is fair to say that this type of a story is rare in some countries, but seems completely appropriate for Canada. It is a tribute to the ethos of openness, opportunity and merit that Canada represents.

My father wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor or something more professional. He didn’t quite know what a diplomat would do. But I wanted to join the Foreign Affairs Department. It was accessible to all Canadians, but it is a very competitive process to become a Foreign Service Officer. To be a diplomat in Canada there are stringent educational requirements, you write a series of exams, do interviews, and they run security clearances. I was fortunate enough to make it through this process and join the ranks of Canadian diplomats. I started right at the bottom as Third Secretary and worked my way up the ladder.

You’ve been awarded with Queen’s Jubilee medal. How was the experience receiving such an accolade? How about the experience of receiving a special award from the President of Afghanistan? What was your initial reaction on both occasions?

The Golden Jubilee medal was a complete surprise to me and I received it when I was serving in our embassy in Washington. Some of my superiors had nominated me for the award, but I had no idea about it. I was very surprised and honored.

First and foremost, it was an honor because of the respect I had for the people that had nominated me. It also had a special meaning because it felt as though I had come full circle as a Canadian and as a citizen of the Commonwealth. I was an Indian whose parents had made a long journey from one Commonwealth country to another and here I was as an adult with Her Majesty the Queen rewarding me for service to my country.

The award from Afghanistan was also a surprise. The President’s Chief of Protocol called me one night shortly before I was to end my post and days before I was to depart the country. His words were “The President would like to give you this award and you should come to the palace tomorrow”. In my mind, this was a tribute to Canada because it reflected how

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much we had tried to do in Afghanistan. However, on a per- During your time as Special Envoy you saw the opening of sonal basis, I have to admit, I was very grateful for this hon- the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada last fall. What our. I was grateful that the government acknowledged what I significance does this cultural achievement hold? had tried to do there during my time.

There is huge significance attached to Canada being the home How do you see yourself working toward your goal as Head of for the Agha Khan Museum in Toronto because it is a musePost in UAE and as prominent Muslim diplomat? um built on global themes. It is a museum of modern Islamic art that resonates around the world. Here in the UAE it has I think I have the best job in the department. At this time, in provided Canada a much higher cultural profile; for example, this region, amongst all the turbulence, the UAE is one of the the Agha Khan Museum coordinated with our embassy on most aspirational countries in the world. According to a re- Art Dubai this year. Last year we also worked together on an cent Arab youth survey, the UAE is the place where most want event for Art Dubai. It assists Canada in explaining our values to be and the place they most want their own countries to to the world, and in demonstrating the compatibility of Caemulate. Canada was actually number four on the list! When nadian values with those of the Muslim world and vice versa. there is so much turmoil, it is a privilege and a responsibility to be posted in a country that can do good.

The Agha Khan Museum could have been located anywhere, but it chose to be in Canada because our country has exactly Our job is to build relationships built on trust that will help us the type of open and welcoming environment and appreciaadvance our interests. It’s about meeting people, being genu- tion for Muslim history and culture that it is trying to reflect. inely interested, being open-minded and really learning from the people and their culture.

Global museums are very important for people in understanding each other, and the UAE recognizes this fact because it is My objective is to try to help each country’s leaders and busi- opening the Louvre, the Guggenheim and its own national ness communities see the mutual benefit in investing in each museum. In the cultural sector, Canada is proudly partnering other’s security and prosperity. Being a Muslim and being of across the UAE. An agreement has already been signed with Asian descent helps me to more easily understand some of the Barjeel Foundation in Sharjah to have the Foundation exthe cultural nuances here and the way of doing things, under- hibit some of its remarkable art collection in the Agha Khan standing some of those things you feel but are hard to explain. Museum this summer. Canadian artists from across the range So being a Canadian Muslim makes it a little easier to help have performed here in the past three years, including Michael explain each country to the other.

Buble, Jan Lisiecky, Drake, Russel Peters, Nickleback, and Cirque de Soleil. Canadian culture is an increasingly important The other part that makes my job easier is the tremendous part of life in the UAE – the UAE hockey league is even beteam of people we have, both Canadians and other nation- coming more and more popular amongst Emiratis. alities, in our embassy and our consulate general in Dubai.

They work hard, do terrific work, and are also ambassadors Last question. Do you have any regrets? for Canada.

Yes. Plenty. Everyone always says no regrets. Well I think I

On a related note, could you share your impressions in ful- could have done so much more, could have had more imfilling your concurrent role as Canada’s Special Envoy to pact when we were trying rebuild Afghanistan, or on when I the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)? worked on Iraq at the UN Security Council. So, in that sense,

yes, I wish had done more. But I certainly worked extremely hard to advance Canadian interests. There were also sacrifices.

Often people only want to see the glamorous part of our lives, the stereotypes. I can assure you that I have never seen more dedicated public servants than my colleagues in the Foreign Ministry. We work extremely hard, oftentimes in very challenging environments. We have risked our lives and, in some cases, have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. We’re often separated from our families, our spouses frequently have to leave their jobs to follow us overseas, and our children are forced to adapt to constant change. Having said that, I think that being a diplomat and serving as Ambassador is a unique privilege and responsibility which I am very Again, at this time in the region, I also hope that the OIC will grateful to have. There is nowhere else I’d rather be right now than representing Canada in the UAE and at the OIC. find ways to help build peaceful solutions.

I was fortunate to be appointed Canada’s first Special Envoy to the OIC. There are only a handful of western countries that have made this commitment. My role from here is to work directly with the Secretariat of the OIC in Jeddah. Therefore I travel to Jeddah regularly and I am invited to the OIC ministerial meetings and to the OIC Foreign Ministers’ Meetings to represent Canada. It is my job to look for areas in which we can cooperate with the OIC and its members, be it with respect to humanitarian assistance, development assistance or other opportunities. I am always looking for new areas of cooperation and so I engage with the members of the OIC and liaise directly with their governments on OIC matters.

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Canada-UAE: At a glance The UAE is Canada’s largest export market in the region. Canadian merchandise exports to the UAE registered a record $1.76 billion in 2014 and were up 9-11 % when compared to 2013. Canadian goods exports to the UAE are diversified, led by food commodities (oilseed, wheat, pulses), which represent about 20% of the total, followed by petroleum, ICT, mining, aerospace and automobile products, in that order. The Government of Canada’s integrated commercial economic program in the UAE supports Canadian companies in their exploration of market opportunities. 2013 saw the establishment the Canada-United Arab Emirates Business Council (CUBC); this group of high-level private sector executives from Canada and the UAE meets regularly to pursue opportunities aimed at increasing bilateral commercial activity.

With respect to inward investment, by its own estimate the UAE ranks among the top 10 foreign investors in Canada with a nearly $30 billion investment stake, $5 billion of which is placed in the Alberta energy sector. The Canadian firm Brookfield is launching a joint $1 billion fund with the Dubai Investment Authority. In April 2015 the UAE-based DP World announced the purchase of a container terminal in British Columbia Canada for $580 million.

An estimated 40,000 Canadians live and work in the UAE, making it one of the largest western expatriate communities for Canadians. This community forms a good base for expanding trade and investment ties with Canada and provides strong support to the two business councils in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which collectively have more than 600 members.

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Paying respects during Eid at Palace of His Highness Sheik Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan.

Photo taken by Ryan Carter (Crown Prince Court)

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ATM poses tourism growth

Growing exhibition signifies increasing significance New events and features boost attendance for Middle East signature travel trade showcase; travel tech focus sees +24% leap in sector exhibitors while UNWTO Ministerial Forum puts regional tourism development in the spotlight

Tourism

he initial figures shared by Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organizer of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2015, showed that for the 22nd edition of the annual travel trade showcase, an excess of 26,000 influential visitors was recorded, representing a 15% increase on 2014 figures.

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The record-breaking show, which is the largest travel trade exhibitor showcase in the Middle East, also welcomed several new initiatives this year including the Captains of Industry lunch, the Travel Tech Show at ATM with over 50 travel tech-specific exhibitors (up 24% on 2014 floor space), the RateGain Travel Technology Theatre and Visa Exhibitor Showcase Theatre; as well as the return of the high profile UNWTO Ministerial Forum Hosted by National Council of Tourism & Antiquities and the all-new ATM Best Stand Awards.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum at ATM 2015

Exhibitor numbers across the 9 halls totaled 412 confirmed participants including 113 first-timers, with over 2,800 exhibiting companies representing 86 countries, 64 national pavilions and a packed schedule of over 50 seminar and tech theatre sessions.

“The preliminary figures for this year’s show yet again underscore Arabian Travel Market’s relevance to the regional travel and tourism sector, and reflect general industry confidence as well as underlining the vital role that tourism plays in driving regional economies towards a sustainable future,” said Nadege Noblet-Segers, Exhibition Manager, Arabian Travel Market.

Buzzing tourism

“The mood on the show floor across the four days of the exhibition was incredibly dynamic and buoyant, we have already had 68% of ATM 2015 exhibitors rebook space for next year – such was the enthusiasm on the show floor, 20% of 2015 exhibitors are already contracted for 2016, a great achievement given that this is the first time that contracting has ever taken place at the event,” she added.

The Captains of Industry closed door lunch and networking event, which was sponsored by Al Rayyan Hospitality, featured keynote speaker Geoff Cousins, former Global Director for Jaguar who addressed a line-up oftop commercial travel industry movers and shakers.w exhibiting destina-

Dubai stand at Arabian Travel Market 2015

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to u rism

Tourism

Ministers gather at UNWTO & ATM Ministerial Forum

tions included Croatia and Serbia with an international contingent of companies making their ATM debut including the Slovak Tourist Board, Slovakia; Travel Plan-Eurostar, US; Izmir Development Agency, Turkey; Al Rayyan Hospitality, Qatar; Small Luxury Hotels of the World, UK; L.E. Hotels, Spain; Hard Rock International, US; Dubai Parks & Resorts, Dubai and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, USA and Even Global, Malaysia.

Following the success of last year’s inaugural spotlight theme, which was luxury travel, attention this year turned to family travel - a key area of opportunity for the industry both in the region and globally – with a program of focused seminars and hosted buyers representing this profitable growth segment.

Popular annual features included the easy-to-follow exhibition trails covering family travel, budget travel, business travel, health & wellbeing, shopping, transportation, sports travel, cultural and heritage and adventure travel; and the high profile New Frontiers Recovery Awards, which was given to Nepal.

“The feedback from both exhibitors and visitors has been extremely positive, and beneficial, and we are already discussing a number of creative ideas to add even more value to next year’s line-up, as well as cementing plans to add a further hall for 2016 in order to accommodate demand and to support industry development,” said Noblet-Segers.

“The spotlight theme for ATM 2016, to be held from 2528 April, will be mid-market travel, an area of opportunity and demand that has been steadily gaining ground in the last couple of years, with the regional hotel pipeline set to add a new dimension in accommodation in key locations across the Middle East. We are delighted to be working with The Address as the sole host hotel, the launch of Emaar Hospitality Group’s mid-market Rove brand will be the ideal fit with the 2016 spotlight theme,” she concluded.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, the show has grown to become the largest showcase of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the world.

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Tourism

UNWTO Ministerial Forum urges Middle East destinations to look local to boost visitor numbers The UNWTO Ministerial Forum at Arabian Travel Market 2015 saw 20 Middle Eastern tourism ministers and private sector leaders agree the need for an intra-Arab tourism strategy to increase the number of tourists travelling between the countries of the region.

merce Marketing, Dubai: “There should be a true open skies policy, similar to Europe, enabling travel anywhere, anytime,” he said.

Addressing both the GCC visa and Open Skies topics, Qatar Tourism Authority, Chairman Issa Mohammed Al Mohannadi said the moves H.H Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, would also encourage the high number of expats Minister of Culture, Youth and Community De- working in the region to act as tourists and visit velopment and Chairman of the National Coun- neighboring countries more. cil of Tourism and Antiquities opened the forum by calling for a collaborative tourism strategy to UNWTO research suggests that within the Midpush forward intra-Arab tourism. dle East, around 40 per cent of tourists come from within the region compared to figures for He referred to co-operation between the Arab other parts of the world such as Europe where countries with regard to practices, procedures this total is more than 60 per cent – leaving conand policies that cover religious, historical and siderable scope to grow this ‘domestic’ traffic. sustainable tourism to eliminate barriers, im- Research by YouGov reinforces the fact that prove ease of travel and using tourism to im- residents in the region are taking more regional trips, emphasizing the potential to lock in to this prove the standard of living for nationals. market to boost year-round travel figures.

The panel of the region’s private and public sector leaders at the forum discussed a number The newly released Travel Oracle – Aviation Inof topics to be part of the strategy, including sights report showed that two-fifths of MENA a GCC visa, similar to the European Schengen residents (41%) took one or more short-haul leivisa to allow easy cross-border access for both sure trips in the last 12 months, with 12% taking the region’s national and expatriate residents, and three or more trips by air - additionally, more an Open Skies agreement to increase air capacity than one-third of MENA residents (36%) are between Arab countries. planning to increase their leisure travel over the next year, with 15% anticipating a big growth in Regarding a GCC-wide visa, World Travel and outbound travel, according to the YouGov data.

Tourism Council, President and CEO David Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the UNWTO, Scowsill recommended the expansion of auto- concluded the ministerial forum by recommendmated and electronic visas in the region, an idea ing the region’s tourism industry develop more endorsed by tourism ministers from within and packages that cross country borders, highlighting outside the GCC including Bahrain, Jordan and the cruise sector as an example of how this is already working.

Morocco.

In addition, an Open Skies agreement was pro- He also urged the region to make the most of posed by H.E. Mr Helal S.K Al Marri, Director the spotlight it will receive from both Dubai General, Department of Tourism and Com- 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

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f o cus

Boat s of Despair Refugees from war-torn and poverty-stricken places in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia are taking perilous journeys seeking a new life in foreign shores. But with the current political and economic climates in Europe and Asia Pacific, they find out that their dream destinations do not hold promises as they believed.

Text: George Donnel

Sub-Saharan Africans sit on board the Italian Finance Police vessel

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Boatloads of Rohingya and Bangladeshi migrants stranded at sea

“If we do the slightest thing to encourage people to get on the boats, this problem will get worse, not better.”

- Tony Abbott

he Syrian civil war has claimed more than 230,000 lives since 2011. The anti- President Bashar al-Assad’s rule protests in March 2011 quickly turned to a conflagration so complex that the end is nowhere in sight more than four years since it erupted. News would claim Syrian rebels making gains only to be pushed back by Assad loyalists some days or weeks later.

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age of 18. This on top of the reported 6.5 million people displaced in Syria as of August 2014.

With recent reports of camp conditions going from bad to worse, many take great personal risk to get away from the Middle East. According to Italian figures of October 2014, as many as 20,000 Syrian refugees have been rescued at sea, with said refugees reportedly paying smugglers to take them out of the Middle East and try to reach Europe.

Lured by the promise of better conditions in Europe, refugees from the Middle East are increasing finding their way to Europe. But it is not just those coming from the Middle East who are braving the Mediterranean. Influx from Libya and war- and poverty-ravaged parts of Africa primarily from the Horn of Africa are also heading in that direction, By October The civil war and the IS presence have combined to create a 2014, almost 140,000 people had landed and been registered massive Syrian refugee crisis that is only getting worse. The by the Italian authorities, mainly from Eritrea and the Syrian UNHCR released in April that there were 3,977,538 regis- Arab Republic (Syria). tered Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, and North Africa while an additional 11,319 refugees Crossing the Mediterranean is a perilous journey. Since Ocwere awaiting registration. Of the figures released, more tober 2013, more than 100,000 people have been rescued than half are women, and more than a quarter under the by the Italian Government’s Mare Nostrum operation. The Then there’s the emergence of IS which, in March 2013, took over the eastern Syrian city of Raqqa. Since then, the group has been adding territory while profiting from the first provincial capital to fall under rebel control from the oil fields it controls.

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Civil war shatters Syria

operation was abandoned the following year after some EU issue in the long term.” members - including the UK - said they could not afford to fund the program.

It has been reported that French authorities drafted in ranks of police to prevent migrants from Italy crossing the border This year alone, at least 1,750 people have died - a 20-times at Ventimiglia. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has also increase over the same period last year which recorded 96 said he will take unilateral action under an as-yet undefined people dead. The largest number occurred in April after more “plan B”. Right wing parliamentarians are also backing the disallowing of migrants rescued from non-Italian vessels to than 800 people died when a single boat sank. disembark on Italian soil.

Criticisms against the E.U. surfaced quickly, with both experts and national leaders accusing the E.U. of mishandling the issue of refugees. IOM Director General William Lacy Swing declared “All of us, especially the E.U. and the world’s powers, can no longer sit on the sidelines watching while this tragedy unfolds in slow motion.”

Away from the Mediterranean, a similar crisis is happening with Muslim Rohingyas stranded at sea in Southeast Asia seeking refuge after a Thai crackdown on human-trafficking in early May.

After the Philippines made an offer that it may accept the Rohingyas, Malaysia and Indonesia bowed to international presWith Italy as preferred destination as the main gateway to the sure and said they would no longer turn away migrant boats, rest of Europe, Italy has started showing strain and has de- and have offered to take in a wave of asylum seekers provided manded help from EU. But as the emergency summit opened they can be resettled or repatriated within a year. in Luxembourg, France and Germany proposed a “compromise” deal on the distribution of asylum seekers around the Australia, which appeared to be the destination of choice, EU while Britain’s Home Secretary, Theresa May, speaks of announced $6 million in extra aid for Myanmar’s Rakhine the “need to go after the criminal gangs who are plying a ter- state where most of the minority comes from and has suggested that the issue “would be something that ASEAN rible, callous trade in human lives,” in order to “deal with this

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Syrian boys walk between tents in mud from the heavy rains at a refugee camp

could have on its agenda as it’s a regional issue affecting a number of ASEAN countries.”

Australia has also singled out Myanmar as the root source of the problem which was seconded by Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill saying “we must get the leadership of Myanmar to account. Leaders in those countries need to be told that people in your community are not being looked after well and we need to work together in addressing that. Those of us who are accepting refugees cannot continue doing that forever.” O’Neill has also called on Australia to increase its own humanitarian intake.

With recent claims of Australian authorities allegedly paying to turn the asylum-seekers back to Indonesia, the issue has added strain to the Australia-Indonesia relations. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has refused to confirm or deny the claims, saying he does not comment on operational matters.

As both crises unfold, the UNCHR says “much more” needs to be done beyond the EU’s current plans to tackle the migration in the Mediterranean while it has urged Australia to work with its neighbors in finding a solution, and certainly it has nothing to do with boats.

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“Last week the British [Navy] rescued hundreds of migrants and brought them to Italy. Great, you did well, but why not take them to the UK and do your part, too?”

- Maurizio Gasparri, Deputy Speaker of the Senate

O n th e Ground

People salvaging what they could from the ruins of a building in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

On the Ground

Nepal Aims to Return to Normal It is said that much of the work of the diplomatic corps is hidden from the public eye. Most of the time, once reported to the Home Office, actions taken are left to pile up, gather dust, and, if one is lucky, rediscovered after some time. But on this section, we’ll feature the men and women on the ground as the event unfolds.

Photography: Second Secretary and Consul Fernando V. Beup Jr.

Nepal has undergone extensive cleanup work in a rush to have its heritage sites open to visitors two months after a massive earthquake in 25 April killed more than 8,800 people and injured more than 23,000. A CNN report cited that Nepal’s authorities have reopened all its seven world heritage sites including the three Durbar Squares of Bhaktapur, Kathmandu and Lalitpur -- ancient cities and home to centuries-old, unique pagoda-style temples.

Nepal’s earthquakes, including the massive aftershock in May, have hit the country hard especially its tourism industry. With the returning tourists, the government is hoping that the lives and the livelihoods of people depending on them will also be restored.

The damage to the Kathmandu valley is described to be “extensive and irreversible” and is estimated to cost 12bn Nepali rupees ($117 million) to rebuild the country’s damaged monuments.

Following the quake in April, Second Secretary Fernando V. Beup Jr. flew to Kathmandu and shared to Post some of the images he saw. In May, he came back to the city and witnessed a country still reeling from the damages but clearly determined to recover.

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Team from Pakistan clearing the rubbles of a collapsed heritage structure in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Rescue and relief operations are in full swing at Nepal’s air base.

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Portraits of Yemen

Outpost shares portraits taken by Third Secretary Redentor Genotiva during his last visit to Yemen before the coalition air strikes began.

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With Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general, in attendance, the UN-sponsored negotiations on the Yemen crisis have started in Geneva last 15 June.

Aiming to end the bloody conflict in the country, the talk is expected to gather representatives from Iran-backed Houthi delegation, Saudi Arabian-backed Yemen’s exiled government, former president Ali Abdullah Saleh’s General Peoples’ Congress and other opposition groups.

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While the conflict in Yemen is mainly between forces loyal to the President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, and those who forced Mr Hadi to flee the capital Sanaa last February, other players are further complicating the situation. Both factions are opposed by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), while an affiliate group of Islamic State seeks a different end altogether.

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In late March, Saudi Arabia led coalition comprise of five Gulf Arab states, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Sudan intervened and launched airstrikes against Houthi targets garnering support from the U.S. while Iran and Russia demanding immediate halt to intervention.

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Panthère de Cartier Collection Carries On Her Reign

grooming The magazine features wide range of topics, including luxury, fashion, shopping, beauty and social graces. From watches to jewelries, suits to high heels, POST provides information about the most elegant options and experiences available in the market.

spotlight ith images of Baselworld 2015 still lingering in our minds - yes, that superlative, cannot be missed annual global event for watches, jewelry and all related sectors, that true top-class event, and the watches (did we mention THE watches), from the Grand Seiko 62GS Hi-Beat and Spring Drive Watches, Rolex’s new 39mm version of the Oyster Perpetual and its Day-Date 40, Breguet’s Tradition Chronograph Independent 7077, Glashutte Original Senator Observer, Patek Philippe’s Calatrava Pilot Travel Time, and of course, the Arnold Schwarzenegger watches, we could not help but look back and deep within ourselves how the world of watches can really turn the world on its head.

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Celebrating a time with

Thierry Stern

One of the major movers and shakers of the world watch industry, Thierry Stern, President and fourth generation of a family company known in every tongue as the 170-year old watch company Patek Philippe, once visited the city of gold for Watch Art Grand Exhibition where one of the most beautiful exhibitions for Patek Philippe, if not the most, was unfolded.

POST’s very own Sherry Tenorio sat with the man as sophisticated as the watches in his guardianship, and now allows us mortals to have a glimpse of the man’s passion in watch-making, the challenges in continuing Patek Philippe’s family legacy, the future of Patek Philippe and, of course, his favorite Patek Philippe watch.

Here we celebrate our time with Thierry Stern.

Passion is the driver to success, not pressure.

I was six years old when I knew the first time that I wanted to make watches. I was actually in my father’s office at the time, and in his office drawer were around 10-15 pieces that he collected.

When I was opened one the drawers – I still know the smell and color of the drawer – I saw these evening pocket watches, and right then I told him I wanted to make something like that. All I knew at that time was the passion I had in wanting to make watches; I didn’t know I had to take over Patek Philippe.

Never push your children to run the family business.

I was never pushed by my father (to run the family business) which is also the same thing that I do with my children. I believe that I should let them do what they enjoy. When I was young, my father would always ask me if this was what I wanted and he would just say that it’s going to happen when I’m ready. I never had any pressure from my family. That’s why (with) my children, I believe that before Patek Philippe, it is their happiness that is more important.

Keeping the company’s rich history alive is a huge challenge.

“I would say that my biggest challenge today is to keep this history alive and to keep the know-how alive. The collectors of Patek Philippe love to know the history behind the watches, and they are expecting from us that we can explain the history of this movement, etc. – and to do that well we need to use new tools,

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spotlight for example today we have launched an application for iPad that we are using internally. We have to take thousands of photos and history paper in the archive and maintain them. In this way, I don’t need to tell our collectors to go to the basement to get the information they need.”

It is ok to be like your father.

I have been working with my father for more than 20 years, so I think you can say I’m a bit of a copycat from my father. Maybe the difference today is the way I work with technology. He never touched a computer. I’m all using computer today; I have to adapt myself to this. Otherwise, the philosophy, the spirit, the strategy my father was using with Patek is also the same that I’m using now. My father was also using that of his father’s and his father’s father that of his father.

Patek Philippe watches are not for sale during the Watch Art Grand Exhibition.

“We wanted to share, to welcome them in our home, show them where we live and work, and give them the feeling that we are serious company. We are not selling watches in this exhibition. It is done to exhibit our history and know-how as Patek Philippe.”

The most expensive watch in the world is sold out, and will never be reproduced.

It took us a long time, nine years to be precise, but the spirit behind it was just to show the world the know-how that we have.

This watch embodies the whole history of Patek Philippe – this is what we have learned for 170 years which we tried to put inside this watch. But this one is meant for die-hard collectors who are really deeply passionate for Patek Philippe. This is the watch Making the Finest Watches in the World which I won’t sell to someone Patek Philippe’s strategy is pretty simple: to make the finest watches in the just because they have the money world. to buy it. Even you can afford, it It has always been clear that it is doesn’t mean I will sell it to you. an easy strategy to make the finest I only sold it to passionate people. watches in the world, and that is what And, this piece has been long finis really nice with Patek. It is easy and ished. There is no chance for anyeverybody understands that and they one to buy it. No we’re not going agree with that. to make any of these, not anymore.

Patek Philippe is not going to, and It came in limited series wherein will never fall into the trap of fashion we made 4 sets. Every set had 4 trends. colors but now it is finished. This piece in exhibit is the last one you We have a tradition of innovation in can see, and we will keep it for the Patek Philippe and (it does not) inmuseum. (TS was referring to the clude being a fashion brand. I don’t jewel in the crown of the exhibilike it to be a fashion brand because tion is the Patek Philippe Star Calfashion is nice for six months and iber 2000 - a double-faced pocket then you keep it aside or throw it watch. Nine years of research and away. In Patek, you cannot do that.

We innovate movements but in terms development were invested into of design there are watches we are the creation of this masterpiece, not willing to make square since it is which has 21 complications and always round and thin. It has always contains six patented innovations. been like this – we adjust the color, It ranks third among the world’s the size, add some details but not most complicated timepieces, and create a total change. This is very clear with Patek, and the col- displays not only the time, perpetual calendar and sunrise/sunlectors enjoy it. It is like collecting a Porsche, for example the set times, as well as the progression of the seasons, but also the 911 Porsche. You always see the same design with very small movements of the lunar orbit and phases of the moon.) changes in colors. We make sure that we innovate yet we don’t get too far in changing designs, there’s always a limit.

“It is okay to be like your father.”

It’s 5970.

The future for Patek Philippe gears towards complications.

The demand today is in complicated watches. I can see that the future for Patek is directed towards this. We keep the basics and also try having complicated watches and keep basic ones. From China Switzerland, America – I see the demand or complicated watches everywhere.

“Well finding my favorite is difficult. It is like being asked which one is your favorite kid. But what I really enjoy wearing is the 5970. In my own eyes, this reflects the design and quality of Patek Philippe. So, when people ask me what is in your mind the perfect Patek watch, it’s 5970.”

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pro f i l e

From the Philippines, to Dubai, to the World They say a pen is mightier than the sword but in Michael Cinco’s case, it is his clothes. Take a look at the man who used his innate talents and extraordinary skills in fashion design leading to praises for himself, his country and his fellows.

Text: Sherry Tenorio Photography: Butch Delatina Designer extraordinaire Michael Cinco

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Working on his bridal masterpiece

rom dressing royalties to celebrities, Michael Cinco has made it to THE list as one of the most influential Asians in the global fashion industry.

The Dubai-based couturier has risen to fame as a string of Hollywood’s biggest names – Lady Gaga, Paris Hilton, Sofia Vergara, Mila Kunis, Britney Spears, Tyra Banks – chose to wear his stunning creations. He also has received accolades in both regional and international fashion circuits, including a seat as a senior member of the esteemed Asian Couture Federation, a non-profit group that aims ‘to inspire, support, and promote the highest levels of Asia-based fashion design artistry to the Asian and global markets’.

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“The biggest highlight of my career was being a recipient of the most distinguished 2014 Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas,” Cinco eagerly revealed. To be exact, he was hailed under the ‘Pamana ng Pilipino Award,’ a category conferred on Filipinos overseas who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession.

According to the A-list designer, the Presidential Award is one of the highest awards he can ever have in his life – a testament of all his achievements in becoming a true pride But among these awards, Cinco has one that gives him the for the country and a role model for fellow Filipinos in the greatest pride. This he revealed to POST during an exclusive fashion industry. interview at his divinely white and crystallized atelier where his showroom is as glossy and posh as his fashion creations. Cinco recalled the events with modest smile, “It was a great privilege to have been chosen. From the time I learned from The man of the hour was in his signature black ensemble, the Consulate that I was nominated to the time that I rehiding behind his equally dark Givenchy eyewear. Cinco con- ceived the email that I was actually receiving the award, the fessed that he is a very shy person, and his use of sunglasses experience was indeed humbling.” give him the confidence he needs. In fact, he has a collection of various types of sunglasses, for different occasions and Cinco’s other fellows of the 20 Pamana ng Pilipino awardees clients, sitting atop his expansive call table. were award-winning Broadway actress Lea Salonga, com-

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‘Impalpable’ as what he would describe his collections – indeed a ‘Michael Cinco’ looks heavy yet floating and seamless, expensive because it really is.

From haute couture the business-savvy couturier has found his new niche in the design industry. He is now being hailed for his breathtaking bridal gowns worn by royalties, celebrities and socialites from Middle East, Russia, Asia and even America.

“I will be coming out with a fresh range of bridal collections, more affordable pieces in a way but of very high quality. A lot of my clients come from abroad, and therefore not able to wait for months for a wedding gown. So this range of bridal dresses are fitting for this type of clientele.”

Aside from his atelier at Dubai Design District, Cinco also eyes an office in Los Angeles to be able to directly cater to the Hollywood market. If this pushes through, it is very likely that such a move will extend the success further to his men’s line of tailored suits and his range of perfume products.

Receiving his award from President Benigno Aquino III

poser Robert Lopez of Walt Disney’s hit song ‘Frozen’, and investigative journalist Sheila Coronel, now dean of the Columbia University in New York, world-renowned classical musician Cecile Licad, dubbed as the ‘pianist’s pianist’ and Cristeta Comerford, the first Asian and woman executive chef of the US White House.

His breakthrough in the industry did not happen overnight.

The Fine Arts graduate at the prestigious University of the Philippines had to go through trainings under respected designers and further studies in fashion design schools including the reputable Central Saint Martin in France.

Moving to Dubai was also a good idea. The young fashion designer, who had the burning desire to show off his exceptional talent and his incredible skills, reinvented the image of a slightly staid fashion house, and caught the attention of the city’s socialites and royalties who love his cutting edge take on haute couture.

While clearly enjoying his current status, Cinco admitted that new found successes do not necessarily make things easier.

He commented in his amusing dramatics, “Now that I have the Presidential Award and the seat at the Federation under my name, I think I have the bigger challenge and bigger responsibility of upholding to it. I should be wary how I present myself in public especially how I conduct myself in social media. I have to set my own standards and continue to be a role model, and lastly, to show my clients that I am worth their respect.”

And while he is proud of being regarded as one successful Filipino fashion designer, he reminds himself of the importance of being successful in his craft - as fashion designer - before anything else.

“I think any Filipino designer, or anyone, should first excel at his craft. Let others recognize their outstanding workmanship, and when they do, they will realize they’re Filipinos and appreciate the talents and hard work of their fellows.”

Cinco is undoubtedly a key to opening doors for Filipino designers. True to the accolade he now holds, his achievements continue to leave a positive mark, and help uplift the image Since then, a ‘Michael Cinco’ creation has become the buzz- of Filipino talents overseas. word among the region’s well-heeled sophisticates. Cinco soon became known for his signature combination of elegant “Back in the ‘90s, clients would ask ‘What is the nationality fabrics, luxurious embellishments and creative design ele- of your designer?’. Now, they would ask, ‘Is your designer ments.

Filipino?’, Cinco concludes.

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j e wel s

Know thy

Diamonds From pear shaped solitaires to pave designed, diamonds truly are ethereal.

Know what to look for in a diamond and how to purchase it are extremely critical in obtaining the diamond of your dreams. Here, we teach you how to spot the real glitter.

Jewels

Necklace called Cascade with pear-shaped rose cut, round brilliant cut and baguette cut diamonds, from Bulgari’s Muse collection

The delightful sight of Tiffany’s diamonds perfect for breakfast (Audrey Hepburn for Breakfast at Tiffany’s)

The Four Cs

The Four C’s we hear so much about, tells Eddie Le Vian, CEO and Designer of Le Vian Jewelry, are namely the color, cut, clarity and carat weight. “The Four C’s are some of the most important factors, but not the only factors that lead to the quality and price of a diamond” says Le Vian. “In fact, there are other factors that are critical which are not covered by the Four C’s.” For example, he explains that natural color diamonds have their own color grading system and their colors are composed of three factors, these are hue, tone and saturation. “As a result, no two natural color diamonds are ever the same, as is the case with people,” he explains. “That makes them more unique, more desirable and the pricing more dependent on which color buyers prefer.” The bottom line, he indicates, is that color is the most determinant of price in natural color diamonds as you can have a small reddish diamond that is being sold at US$2 million per carat or more simply because of its color.

Other Non-C Factors

Other non-Four C factors, points out Le Vian, include characteristics such as Fluorescence, which can make a big difference in how the same grade diamond appears to the eye. “Finally, while many jewelers and buyers have adopted the Four C’s as a grading system for determining the quality and price of a diamond, it is important to note that since the same technical quality can look quite different to the eye,” he explains and suggests that buyers use the grading system as a guide,

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Jewels

Important Quick Tips to Remember While Purchasing Diamonds: • Buy from reputable retailers • Buy from well-respected brands • Clarify the stores guarantees and certifications • See the diamond before buying it • Buy the most beautiful and rare and desirable pieces in your budget

go for uniqueness and desirable colors. “Comparable pricing from the world major auction houses are a benchmark for what the best in the category is going for, and there are many unique and rare colors, such as greens, blues, oranges and chameleons that can come up for the astute treasure hunter,” he tells.

The making of Bulgari’s Serpenti collection_08

but judge the value by how the diamond looks to the eye. He further adds, “Different labs also have different standards Price with the subjectivity elements of grading, which complicates And what part of what factors set the price of a diamond, comparison.” he adds, are determined by the Four C’s. “Also supply and demand and whether the sourcing is controlled or free marColored Diamonds ket,” he explains, as today, with a prodigious amount of both The ultimate in luxury and superlative aesthetics, Le Vian Chinese and Indians attaining super-affluence, many are recommends that the best way to shop for colour diamonds keen to express their new-found wealth with diamond puris to look at them. “The uniqueness of natural color dia- chases. “The demand is bound to outstrip the supply in the monds has made them a favourite of the ultra-wealthy high coming years,” he notes. net worth individuals whose women love to know that another woman cannot have what they buy at any price,” he Where To Buy states.

While there are many places one can purchase a diamond, Le

Vian suggests that you buy your diamond from a reputable jeweler, either a major company that values its reputation or Basically, Le Vian recommends that your buying strate- an independent jeweler who has been around a long time gy could depend on your price range. “Le Vian has found that the top five percent of the natural fancy color brown diamonds that it markets under its CHOCOLATE DIAMONDS registered trademark internationally is 10,000 times rarer than white diamonds,” he says, yet is more affordable due to a misconception amongst some jewelers that brown diamonds are lower in quality. That, he adds, has created a buying opportunity for the public and a way for Le Vian to bring a differentiated product with high chance of appreciation to the market. “These diamonds come from the same place that produced most of the world’s pink and red diamonds in Australia,” Le Vian says.

Women Love Chocolate

Buying Guide

When buying the higher priced colors, Le Vian advises to

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Harry Winston Harrods Exterior

Jewels

The Four C’s In Detail: The-Tiffany-Diamond-and-Necklace-Sketch

and values his reputation. He further advises, “Check the company’s policies to make sure that they stand behind the purchase all the way...make sure certifications are in writing.”

Buying a loose diamond, he adds, commoditizes the purchase. “While many people think they may get a good deal this way, they may not end up with the most beautiful jewelry this way,” Le Vian states.

Watch Out For

Le Vian explains that ‘fluorescence’ is undesirable in colourless diamonds but helps yellow diamonds look more yellow.

“Also stay away from diamonds that have been enhanced with high temperature, high pressure, or have had their inclusions removed artificially,” he advises.

A Peek into the Future

Round shaped diamonds, tells Le Vian, are the easiest to sell and give the highest yield therefore they carry the biggest premium. “Many buyers can get a much bigger diamond of the same quality with a pear shape or cushion or emerald cut or princess cut for the same money,” he says.

With regards to diamond jewellery trends to look for, he details, “I predict that the natural fancy colour brown diamonds, especially the deeper, cleaner Chocolate Diamonds will become the hottest diamonds in the market.”

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The four most commonly used factors to measure diamond quality are cut, carat, colour and clarity. De Beers introduced this set of criteria to consumers in 1939 to provide consumers with a reference for evaluating diamonds.

1. Cut refers to the angles and proportions a skilled craftsman creates in transforming a rough diamond into a polished diamond. The most popular include: Emerald, Heart, Marquise, Oval, Pear, Princess, Round and Trillon.

2. A carat is equivalent to 0.2 grams and is the unit of weight for diamonds.

3. Color is rated according to a precise scale, running from D (colourless) to Z (saturated). Most diamonds appear icy white, but many have tiny hints of colour.

4. A diamond’s clarity rating is the key measure of its overall quality.

Malawi by Beirut-born photographer Christian Ghammachi

High life Luxury living is a core element defining the magazine and we feature only the best in the arts, culture, designs, entertainment, food, books, hotels, destinations, home and interior, and motoring.

food

hoever said that the journey is far better than the destination had not passed through traffic in Dubai Marina’s Jumeirah Beach Residences area.

That night, we braved through almost an hour of slow-moving traffic before reaching our stop at the Sofitel Dubai, Jumeirah Beach. The question whether the drive was worth it was foremost in our minds as we headed towards the hotel’s P3 where the venue was also waiting impatiently.

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The Cassolette Experience Probably the most passionate nation when it comes to food and preparation, the French certainly know a lot about cooking. For this issue, we had a taste of authentic dish prepared simply in French ‘cassolettes’.

To our surprise, our group was the first to arrive at the dinner venue reserved and arranged for the very select members of the media. We were to dine with our host, the hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Antoune M. Lhuguenot, together with Sofitel’s press team. Ever gracious and welcoming, everyone was made to relax and forget the torment of the slow moving traffic while the atmosphere of the celebrated restaurant of the night – Plantation.

While waiting for the dinner to start, we could not help but notice the elegant décor of the restaurant, mostly in earth colors that permeate from the solid walnut floor to the traditional ceiling fans and large linen pendant lights suspended from the conservatory-style roof. Deep comfortable loungers on the outdoor terrace where shisha can also be enjoyed, makes a more inviting and laid-back atmosphere.

More than its look, however, Plantation is famous for its food, both nourishing and authentic, with a mix of Mediterranean influences prepared and served in cast iron pots called ‘cassolettes’. The restaurant offers slow-cooked meals like those that used to simmer on the stove at home.

Retaining the subtle essence of the French touch, Plantation, under the culinary expertise of Executive Chef Vladimiro Gadioli, has unveiled its distinct identity with the launch of its Cassolette dining concept. The new menu created for pure indulgence is certain to please a wide variety of tastes while emphasizing Mediterranean and European flavors.

The cassolette menu comprises of several varieties from the land with meat, poultry and cheese dishes, from the sea with fish and shellfish alongside vegetarian fare including pasta. Accompanying the cassolettes stars, the menu at Plantation includes starters that range from oysters to homemade foie gras terrine, hearty salads, soups and delicious desserts.

Our very own feast began with Carpaccio, the must-try pepper marinated Black Angus beef tenderloin joined by quail eggs, Parmesan crisp rocket lettuce in lingering and authentic taste of truffle olive oil dressing. The savory Saint Jacques was meant for guests who’d look for seafood starter must take a bite at the pan seared scallops in fennel puree paired with green apple, celery and cucumber brunoise, crispy brioche, in saffron dressing. Meanwhile, the French fine de Claire oysters was quite a bit overbearing for our taste buds but nonetheless a true favorite of many.

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food

Foie gras lovers would find Sofitel Dubai, Jumeirah Beach’s Plantation offering a real melt-in-your-mouth that even the doubters inside us were delighted to join the bandwagon as new converts. While only a number showed much eagerness towards the Antipasto, the restaurant’s selections of Parma ham, spicy salami, speck, mortadella, salame Milano, Manchego cheese, cantaloupe melon, gherkins, cocktail onions and mix lettuce in balsamic dressing were a heaven and a delight as far as we are concerned. Another way to kick start the dinner.

appearance of the wagyu beef.

With the Casselottes De La Mer, we give our nods to the Dos de cabillaud, the cod fish braised baby leeks and ratatouille all in one cassolette as well as the distinctive Guazzetto, or oven-baked sea bass with potatoes, capers and tomato basil broth – both of which are sure to spell seafood lover’s happiness.

And what better way to top the almost divine feast in cassolettes than to close the dinner with mouthwatering and creatively presented desserts. The ‘tarte fine aux pommes’ or traditional cinnamon apple tart with vanilla ice cream tops our list, followed by the must-eat fresh pancake trilogy: plain, chocolate and homemade strawberry jam served with vanilla Chantilly, icing sugar and fresh berries. But of course, Plantation’s signature praline and tiramisu are also a must and shouldn’t be missed.

Bearing in mind that the main course was still to come in cassolettes, we did our best to control our appetite while we dived into the best homemade potato gnocchi in tomato basil sauce and buffalo mozzarella gratin we’ve ever tasted in the city! Vegetable lovers will surely be happy to know that the Ravioli spinach stuffed pasta combined with dry tomatoes, truffle pecorino cheese and butter sage, blended and cooked in cassolette was such a joyful treat. If you look at vegetables differently, this will certainly make you notice and see them in Everyone in the group ended the night with great satisfaction entirely different light. from feasting over Plantation’s delish new menu and a clear resolve that we are to go back again. Afterall, the rich and pleasBut the shiniest star in the constellation of the cassolette ant cassolette experience is offered at competitive prices and menu was the most-talked-about wagyu beef so soft one not at an exorbitant range. doesn’t need to chew. The most appetizing flavors of beef And as we headed towards the lift, with a box of sweet takestew blended with steamed baby potatoes, carrots and mush- away from our host, the answer to the question we raised earrooms were simply exploding inside the mouth. The OssoBu- lier was clear. And we will brave the same road again knowing co, slow cooked veal shank peppered with aromatic herbs and full well what awaits us. fresh corn flour polenta, placed in second to the much-awaited

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L o ca lly

St. Regis on a Weekend Abu Dhabi’s first true luxury-leisure haven, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort is located on the white natural beaches of Saadiyat. It is framed by the prestigious Saadiyat Beach Golf Course designed by legendary golfer Gary Player.

Since its opening, the buzzes have never stopped for this property and it has become one of the most sought after destinations in the emirate

locally

Getting there Whether coming from Abu Dhabi or Dubai, getting to The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort is a breeze. The drive is easy and one doesn’t need a GPS. The wide highways are peppered with friendly road signs for new or returning visitors.

With a hassle-free trip guaranteed, one doesn’t have to worry about arriving safe and on time at St. Regis.

Friday Brunch with a View in its signature all-day dining venue, Olea.

The huge selection of dishes is definitely more than enough to stir an appetite. Start with the healthy salads and appetizers or the ever popular sushi, nigiri, maki and sashimi, followed by fresh crabs and prawns. One will also find Asian dishes and a meal could very well be ended with either traditional sweets, or various fruits selection. With any luck, one may chance upon clowns, magicians and similar performers to get the guests, and the kids primarily, enjoy the food more.

The approach to the hotel is an experience in itself. The entry way is imposing and expansive at the same time, the façade a classic elegance, and the lobby grand and spacious.

The friendly staffs are ready to help and one cannot help but feel that he is indeed welcome. And one cannot ask for more Aside from Olea, the hotel also boasts of 55&5th The Grill once he is ushered to St. Regis’ Superior Sea View Room. (the resort’s signature restaurant is a classic grill and lounge inspired by the address of the original St. Regis New York), Luxurious accommodation Exquisitely styled and lavishly appointed, St. Regis’ Superior Sea View Room is a definition of refined luxury. It is elegance and space combined. The scenic view of the pristine beach competes with the amenities the room has on offer, not to mention the fruits and drinks on season.

The resort features 377 guestrooms, all with private terraces, offering panoramic views of the turquoise Arabian Gulf.

Spaces range from the intimate to the grand, with rooms from 55 square metres with 10 square metre balconies, to the majestic Royal Suite, a 2000 square metre lavishly-appointed duplex that features five bedrooms, a private pool and a spacious, ocean-facing terrace.

The resort also offers 33 St. Regis branded villas, 259 St. Regis branded residences and a high-end retail and entertainment complex named ‘The Collection,’ including shops and restaurants.

Following in the tradition of the St. Regis brand’s legendary New York hotel, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi features the famed hallmarks of St. Regis hotels including Signature St. Regis Butler Service, bespoke guest experiences and luxury accommodations tailored to global travellers. Trained in the English tradition, the butlers provide ever-present, yet unobtrusive service while anticipating guest needs and customising each guest’s stay according to his or her specific tastes and preferences.

Exquisite culinary experience A word of advice, make sure to avail of the early check-in facility. You will not only add a couple of hours to your stay, this will also give you the chance to experience the popular

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locally

Sontaya (a popular romantic and culinary mosaic of Southeast Asia with floating, glass-walled pavilions set amidst interconnected ponds and pools), The Manhattan Lounge (inspired by the timeless customs and signature beverages reflecting New York’s elite society) while The Drawing Room (the lobby lounge that celebrates the signature St. Regis Tea Ritual and offers a unique selection of beverages and snacks), Turquoiz (which will open later this year, is the resort’s beach restaurant and terrace offering a variety of freshly prepared seafood as well as a selection of light snacks in a vibrant setting), and last but not least, is Sucré (the resort’s pastry shop that promises a seduction of the senses with handmade chocolates, delightful pastries and bespoke cakes).

Rejuvenating time at leisure One of the biggest plusses The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort offers is its stunning beachfront. The pristine white beach is not just inviting for a swim but for a long leisurely walk. Beach lovers will surely enjoy the comfy beach beds, get lazy and watch the blue skies and let time and nature swallow one up. It’s a relaxing and rejuvenating way to pass the time.

Second to the beach is the extensive leisure facilities for families including the athletic club, which offers 3,500 square metres of ultra-modern equipment, two tennis courts, two squash courts and five pools including a 25-metre indoor lap pool. The Sandcastle Club, the dedicated children’s club, caters to children ages 1 to 12 years old and offers both indoor and outdoor activities including an outdoor pool and access to the resort’s beach.

Checking out A weekend at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort is a sure way to forget about the busy weekdays in the cosmopolitan Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It is a place of pure relaxation in a grand setting. The food, the place, the beach, the resort’s personnel all add up to that wonderful experience. And there is always more to come back for at St. Regis. There is still the region’s first Iridium Spa - featuring 3,500 square metre of 12 treatment rooms and three individually designed luxurious spa suites - Moroccan, Thai and Contemporary each with private terraces and pools. This alone is enough motivation.

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Trav el orde r

“Great one day, Glorious the next” in BRISBANE Text and Photography: William Damot

ost first time visitors to Australia eye Melbourne and Sydney on top of their travel itineraries. This is not surprising considering both cities have been popular destinations for decades – the former known as Australia’s fashion and gourmet capital with its world-class shopping precincts showcasing high-end global brands and eclectic laneways that are lined with restaurants and cafes, while a mere mention of Sydney easily brings out images of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and hippy Bondi Beach.

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For this issue, POST brings you around the continent down under’s “most underrated city” – Brisbane where the sunny weather (blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine a year) makes it the mecca of local tourism and a favourite destination among Aussie holidaymakers.

In 2009, the Brisbane City Council pitched Brisbane as “Australia’s New World City” to highlight the city as a key tourist destination, as well as creating awareness to the growing list of attractions in and around the city. Since then, there has been a marked increase in the number of international visitors to Brissy.

Brisbane Cityscape

travel order Around Brisbane – Things to Do, Places to See Brisbane is named after the river where it is located, which in turn was named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the New South Wales governor in the 1800s, who is credited with the establishment of the first settlement in Queensland.

Gold Coast - Surf Life Savers Competition

Tucked inside a bend of the Brisbane River is the city’s CBD which is home to government offices, private corporations, shopping and retail, entertainment, culture and the arts.

The city has a lot to offer in terms of parks and greens, historic buildings and landmarks, cafes and restaurants, museums and bookshops, sports arenas and sporting events, performing art and public art, shopping and high-fashion.

Public Art titled Petrie Tableau at King George Square

The nice weather beckons the city dwellers to venture outside. On weekends, the city is bustling with people taking to the parks and the waterfronts for various outdoors activities -running, cycling, boat rowing/sculling, fishing or simply “firing up the barbie” for a laid back family picnic.

When the sun goes down, the city nightlife comes alive and you’ll be spoiled for choices in terms of signature gourmet restaurants, cafes, pubs and entertainment.

Public Art titled Human Factor at Little Stanley Street

Public Art Trails...Walk and Shoot!

There are many public art pieces around the city at times appearing random and scattered but actually form part of four public art walking trails developed by the city council, the most “modern” being the World Expo 88 Public Art Trail.

Queen Street Mall Right smack in the centre of the CBD is Brisbane’s signature Queen Street Mall and Queensland’s premier shopping destination that caters to both the sophisticated shopaholic and the smart shopper. This is a pedestrian mall where high-end luxury brands and local value stores meet to offer various consumer products both at top and competitive prices.

Watch a Musical, Enjoy Art Located at the chic Brisbane Southbank just across the CBD, and a leisurely 20 minute walk via Victoria Bridge, are the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and the Queensland Museum.

QPAC has showcased world-class musicals and plays.

Some recent productions that played in QPAC include The Lion King and Wicked.

Street Musician - Brisbane CBD

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Eat, Drink and Be Merry - at Southbank or at West End The taste of Brisbane offers diverse culture culinary delights and this is evident from the potpourri of restaurants offering a delicious range of international cuisine. Whether you’re hankering for Japanese sushi or Greek gyros, Brisbane shall satisfy your cravings. In fact, one is spoilt for choices. Outside the CBD, one can sample any of the fine restaurants and cafes found at Southbank and West End.

The Wheel of Brisbane - Southbank

Southbank is a popular waterfront location with a number of fine dining restaurants. Check out San Kai or Ginza (Japanese) or Satay Hut (Malay). For after dinner drinks, coffee or desert, there’s Max Brenner which is usually packed especially on weekend evenings.

West End is a street south of the CBD – about a 30 minute leisure walk on a cool evening – popular for its taverns and pubs, and a variety of restaurants sprinkled in between from traditional Italian (Spaghettihouse Tratorria) to middle eastern grills (Arabella).

Meat lovers should definitely check out The Norman Hotel.

Dubbed as “Queensland’s worst vegetarian restaurant”, The Norman Hotel is actually a popular restaurant serving steaks grilled to perfection at very popular prices. This steakhouse got its name from another city heritage edifice built in the late 1800s as the grand Norman Hotel. The place is packed with loyal customers on weekends and public holidays one may need to book a table a few days in advance.

The Story Bridge The Story Bridge is to Brisbane as the Harbour Bridge is to Sydney. Built in 1940, Story Bridge is a heritage-listed steel structure that spans the Brisbane River.

One can choose to take a picture of the Story Bridge, conquer it, or both. A vantage point to photograph Story Bridge is at the Eagle Street Pier in the Brisbane CBD. Thrill seekers may opt to climb the bridge all the way to the top trusses (Story Bridge Adventure Climb). In September, the Sunsuper Riverfire fireworks show light up the Story Bridge and the city skyline.

Mount Coot-tha Last but not the least is Mount Coot-tha (“cootah”), or a mountain of honey - Coot-tha being an aboriginal word meaning “honey” and the mountain a good place to collect honey. A really “must see” destination, it is located less than 10 km from the CBD, or roughly 15 minutes by car. There is also a regular bus service from the city.

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Performing Artist - Queen Street Mall King George Statue

Story Bridge

travel order On a sunny day, the Brisbane Lookout in Mount Coot-tha provides a panoramic view of the city stretching all the way to Moreton Bay. At night, be treated to an amazing cityscape of glittering lights.

Public Art titled Approaching Equilibrium at Queensland Museum

There is a cafe and a restaurant at the lookout, and nothing beats having an idyllic lunch or even a cup of joe with this kind of vista. It is a popular location for quiet, romantic dinners among the Brisbanites.

On the way back to the city, check out the Mt. Coot-tha Botanic Gardens and the Cosmic Planetarium located just minutes away from the lookout. You’ll never miss these attractions as you go down the scenic mountain drive.

Treasury Casino Heritage Building

Helpful Tips

• From Dubai, a direct non-stop flight to Brisbane takes a little over 14 hours.

• There really is no “best time” to visit Brisbane. If one enjoys people watching, soaking in the local vibe and energy of a “busy” tourist destination, visit during the Spring season (October or November) and until the onset of Summer (December). School and public holidays also mean that there are more people in the beach, parks, theme parks and just about anywhere.

Jetski Stunt Show Seaworld in Gold Coast

• Check the local holiday dates when planning a trip.

• A week’s stay is never enough to explore and enjoy the city and the many nearby attractions.

• Whether you are travelling alone or in a group, as couples or with the family, there is something for everyone in Brisbane.

Skyway Cable Ride Seaworld in Gold Coast

• Stay within the CBD and most of the city attractions are within minutes of leisure walking. The City Council has also set up a public bicycle rental program called CityCycle (http://www.citycycle.com.au/) where one can rent a bike for as short as 10 minutes to as long as a month.

• Venturing farther to the suburbs and there is a reliable bus and train service available aside from driving a rented vehicle. The nearest train station in the CBD is at King George Square and the commuter train service includes a line that goes all the way down south to the Gold Coast. There is also an express AirTrain that connects the city to the domestic and international airports.

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The Aimless Wanderer Second UAE solo photography exhibition seeks beauty in the less obvious

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his May, La GalerieNationale is pleased to present the second UAE solo exhibition for Beirut born photographer Christian Ghammachi, titled MZUNGU, The Aimless Wanderer.

to his destination alone on his motorbike. A first attempt was aborted following a painful crash, but the second effort, a few months later, was successful and is depicted in this, his second solo show.

Mzungu is a Swahili word originally used around the African Great Lakes and was taken to mean someone who wanders aimlessly or is constantly on the move. Nowadays it is commonly used to refer to a white person or a foreigner. Often called Mzungu during his journey, the word has now become an intimate part of Ghammachi’s epic journey and echoes his love for, and identification with, the African people, who welcomed him as he explored Africa. At La GalerieNationale, the exhibition will include a selection of images, such as an abandoned hotel in XaiXai, Mozambique, or 19th century Ghammachi’s passion for photography spans over two de- church in Tanzania, as well as images of Africa’s people and cades, and has led him around the world, resulting in com- resilience. mercial and critical success and representation in both London and Paris. Seeking out the less obvious and overlooked Located in Alserkal Avenue, La GalerieNationale is a gallery details, finding beauty in hidden elements and emotions, specialized in Original Art Furniture made by leading 20th Christian is inspired by the resilience of people, landscapes century designers. The 20th century was one of the most and wildlife. He is particularly interested in making photo- prolific periods in design, giving birth to generations of exgraphs that show strength and enduring passion despite ad- traordinary designers handling art forms with finesse and mastering new materials whilst still creating pieces that were versity. both useful and useable. Committed to promoting this stable The artist’s passion is rooted in Africa, a continent he first of designers, La GalerieNationale is also proud to showcase visited in 2010 and immediately connected with. Having lived artists of exceptional ability, underscoring its twenty years of in Cape Town for nearly two years, Ghammachi decided to experiences in France and Europe and unrivalled access of return to the Middle East and make Dubai his base. But the galleries, institutions, collectors and design enthusiasts. adventurer opted to make his journey the subject by traveling

25 new pieces, majority of which have not been shown, were captured during the artist’s captivating solo motorbike journey across Africa, from Cape Town to Djibouti in 2014. The quest was titled Two Wheels Across, and lasted six months, taking Ghammachi through sixteen African countries and over 19,000 kilometers. The images depict people, places and objects encountered along the way, as he set out to demonstrate that beauty and powerful emotions can be found in the most unassuming of places.

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Modernity and the Making of Identity in Sudan:

Remembering the Sixties and Seventies Conference organized by Sharjah Art Foundation and the Institute for Comparative Modernities, Cornell University

lanned ahead of a major exhibition on Sudanese modern and contemporary art titled The Khartoum School: the Making of the Modern Art Movement in Sudan scheduled at SAF for November 2016, the conference is coordinated by Sharjah Art Foundation President and Director Hoor Al Qasimi and Salah M Hassan, Goldwin Smith Professor of African and African Diaspora Art History and Visual Culture in the Africana Studies and Research Centre, and in the Department of History of Art and Visual Studies, Cornell University. Funded by Sharjah Art Foundation, the three day conference provided attendees an opportunity to visit Sharjah Biennial 12: The past, the present, the possible which opened 5 March 2015, and went on view until 5 June 2015.

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The conference will focus on a pivotal moment in Sudan – the 1960s and 1970s – which witnessed the rise of several modernist movements that radically transformed the literary and artistic scenes. This period also witnessed extremely dynamic and creative activities in all fields of cultural and artistic production – from literature, music and theatre to visual and performing arts. The most influential among these movements were The Khartoum School (Madrasat al Khartoum) in the visual arts and the School of the Bush and the Desert (Madrasat al Ghabawa al Sahra’) in literature, a movement that also influenced the work of several artists of the Khartoum School who will be included in the upcoming exhibition.

In addition, the question of the identity of Sudan has been central to the debate on modernity, considering what the late Professor Ali Mazrui had called the ‘multiple marginality’ of Sudan – a diverse nation that exists on the cross-roads of Africa and the Arab/Islamic worlds, and yet marginal to both.

Despite the importance of the 1960s and 1970s in shaping modernity and the question of identity in Sudan, the scholarship on such an important period remains scarce. With the exception of a few published books, articles and memoirs, the subject remains largely unaddressed in the academic and literary circles of Sudanese studies.

Modernity and the Making of Identity in Sudan: Remembering the Sixties and Seventiesrepresents an effort to bring together some of the major figures who have shaped the literary and artistic scenes of the 1960s and 1970s with younger generations of scholars, artists, and literary and art critics, while providing a platform for documentation and critical investigation of this important period. The subsequent publication will include essays by participants from wide-ranging backgrounds. A comprehensive introduction will provide the historical background and critical reading of the modernist movements and the making of identity inSudan. The book will also contain reprints of major documents and archival material related to these movements, including foundational essays, manifestos and poems from the 1960s and 1970s.

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Lawrence w in Arabia War, Deceit, Imperial Folly and the Making of the Modern Middle East Scott Anderson, Doubleday 2013

Text: Consul Geronimo Suliguin

hile so many books has been written about the man whose young exploits have been immortalized in a widely considered “one of the greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema” after being nominated for ten Academy Awards and winning seven including Best Director, Best Sound Editing, Best Film Editing, and Best Picture, still, certainly there is still room for another volume on Thomas Edward. Lawrence, yes, the Lawrence of Arabia.

Based on years of “intensive primary research”, Scott Anderson revisits Lawrence and put the man in time with contemporaries carefully chosen to provide perspectives in seeing through the grandeur, intrigue and tragedy in this epic and consequential Arab Revolt and the “secret Great Game to control the Middle East.”

Here, Lawrence threads alongside Carl Prufer, an academic serving as a German diplomat in Cairo who’s role was to foment jihad to bring down the British; Aaron Aaronsohn, a renowned agronomist and committed Zionist in Palestine, who spied for Britain as a way of furthering Zionism while holding the trust of the Ottoman governor of Syria Djemal Pasha; and William Yale, a well-connected oil man of Standard Oil travelling through Ottoman empire to gain valuable oil concessions who, in August 1917, from an oil agent became a “special agent” for the Middle East by the US State Department.

Then we have the all too familiar Lawrence. Lawrence himself was inspirational in detailing his remarkable part in leading the Arab irregular army in their campaigns against the Turks. Originally a junior archaeologist in Carchemish on the Euphrates River from 1911 to 1914 and working for the British Museum on archaeological excavations, Lawrence soon found himself fighting for the Arabs and their cause, not for the imperial British, as he himself often stated.

Lawrence soon joined the forces of his chief Arab ally Faisal ibn Hussein’s revolt against the Turks as political liaison officer, leading a guerilla campaign harassing the Turks behind their lines. After a major victory at Aqaba, now a port city on the southern coast of Jordan, Lawrence and his forces supported British supreme military commander, General Edmund Allenby, in the campaign to capture Damascus. For he and his forces’ victorious presence in the field, the cause of Arab independence found its place in the eventual peace settlements when the war was eventually won.

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The book details Lawrence’s conflict with British bureaucracy, too. His stand on the British interest in the Middle East was summed up by the event of October 30, 1918 at the Buckingham Palace with then Colonel Lawrence being made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire and the man refusing the honor.

The book is hefty, tremendous and at most times a demanding read with all the characters, the subplots, and the intensity required by the subject itself. To better picture the world that Lawrence in Arabia is set, imagine today’s Iraq, Syria, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, the Persian Gulf emirates and Egypt, all part of the Ottoman empire, today’s Turkey. Then put the major players of the First World War – the British, Germans, Americans, French – some, if not all, scheming, conniving or outwardly displaying their desires to carve up or preserve for themselves the choice spoils of the dwindling Ottoman empire.

However, with the central character Lawrence fronting the Arab side, and a mixture of Zionist dreams, oil concessions, and jihad against a western empire all thrown and we have an image of Arabia that is not far away from the current image of the region!

And here lies the greatest contribution of Anderson’s work.

Allusions have been made of how the British betrayed the cost of the Arabs championed by Lawrence by denying them the independence they seemed to have been promised by ruling the region for another half-century. By and large, the Sykes-Picot agreement was already a telling sign of what was to come by largely neglecting to allow for the future growth of Arab nationalism, something the British were quick to capitalize on and made use to their advantage against the Turks. With his presentation of Lawrence, setting him up with the other extraordinary characters of his time – though none quite as extraordinary as him – Anderson is forcing the narrative in an attempt to provide an answer to the current conundrum that is the Middle East of today born out of war, deceit, and imperial folly of the past.

Scott Anderson is a veteran war correspondent who has reported from Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Northern Ireland, Chechnya, Sudan, Bosnia, El Salvador, among others. He contributes to The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Harper’s Magazine and Outside. He is the author of four nonfiction books and two fiction works.

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“To Cairo’s repeated queries on the status of the Anglo-French negotiations, Sykes and other London officials only allowed that they were ongoing, and that certainly Egypt would be closely consulted before any final agreement was reached. Instead, it would be May 1916 before anyone in Cairo saw a copy of Sykes-Picot, and by then it was a fait accompli, a secret pact agreed to by the cabinets of Britain, France, and Russia. As T.E. Lawrence would recall, the reaction among the stunned Cairo military intelligence staff upon finally reading the agreement had been a collective urge to vomit.”

movie

ith its massive performance in the box office, Jurassic World became the first film to ever cross $500 million worldwide in its first weekend and now holds the title for top opening weekend in North America with $208.8 million.

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Jurassic World which takes place twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, is the fourth installment in the film series. Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitors’ interest, which backfires horribly.

Sequels Rule

Certainly, the American movie business is enjoying its momentum and the sequels are having a blast at the receipts box. In April, Furious 7, the Fast and Furious franchise rolled out fast in the box office and breached the $1 billion mark on its 3rd week, earning the distinction of reaching that spot the fastest of them all. While Furious 7 enjoys all the good hype created by the $780 million earnings of number 6, the untimely demise of its star, Paul Walker, certainly added more pull at the moviegoers wanting to see how the creators of the film will turn movie with such a tragic loss. And as if a sign of approval, people kept on coming to bid their goodbyes to the late star.

With half of 2015 still hosting a string of sequels headed by heavyweights Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens and the The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, it is even more interesting how 2015 – the year of sequels – will eventually play out.

Below are our must-see sequels.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Following the ultra smash hit The Avengers which reportedly grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide, just the third-highest-grossing film of all time, a follow up was inevitable, now, with the second serving performing better at the box office.

Earth’s mightiest heroes once again team up to stop the new villain Ultron from enacting his terrible plans of wiping out humanity.

Ultron, who first appeared in the comics in 1968, was created by Hank Pym, also known as the Ant Man who happens to have his own feature coming up. Notes on the plot mentions Tony Stark jumpstarting a dormant peacekeeping program. So while the second Avengers is busy stopping Ultron, it will also serve as launching pad for upcoming features as well as story lines that will eventually flow in the next installments of each Avenger, particularly Captain America. Indeed, a sound move from the studio which is creating coherence in its cinematic universe.

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movie The released footage of Iron Man and the Hulk trading punches and more, certainly created excitement for hard core action comic fans and superhero movie lovers alike. While most of the world may have seen the feature already, other parts are still heavily anticipating its arrival.

Spectre

Come November 6, the twenty-fourth film featuring Ian Fleming’s James Bond, Spectre, comes to the screen with the formulaic heart-pumping opening chase sequence recently reported as filming in Mexico City. Daniel Craig, originally castigated as “Blond Bond” in his first appearance, is now on Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation his fourth with director Sam Mendes returning after Skyfall Tom Cruise is at it again attempting to top his impossible – reported to be 14th film to gross over $1 B worldwide, the stunts in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in 2011’s Mission: Impossible – first Bond film to do so, the highest-grossing film in the UK, Ghost Protocol. While the 2011 feature showed him swinging and the highest-grossing film in the Bond franchise history. and dangling around the Burj Khalifa skyscraper, early trailer for the fifth installment in Cruise’s Ethan Hunt outing which While the 23rd marked the demise of Judi Dench as M after started a year shy of two decades shows Cruise holding on for inhabiting the role for seven installments, it also marked the dear life on the side of a plane “with only a harness attached plot to revisit the origin of James Bond character. The upcoming feature shall continue with that plot and hopefully to the aircraft’s door.” entice the same audience that made the 23 most successful.

With the feature promising a better form than its predecessor, it remains to be seen if the movie can deliver better box office earnings. Ghost Protocol earned a whopping $694.7 million worldwide and signaled the return of the franchise to the box office even surpassing Cruise’s previous highest grossing film, War of the Worlds.

The premise of the story revolves around the IMF agency under threat from the Syndicate, an anti-IMF organization of assassins and rogue operatives. Saddled with IMF’s disbandment issues, Hunt must assemble his team for his most difficult mission, probably their last, to prove that the Syndicate exist and bring it down by any means. If the plot rings a bell, it’s because we think it shares similar lines with the next one in this entry.

The Mission hits theaters in July.

Matching Craig’s on screen presence is multi-awarded Christoph Waltz who won an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor. Additionally, he received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Quentin Tarantino’s Landa, and who scored more for another Tarantino character Dr. King Schultz.

And while the internet is abuzz with talks that Waltz character is actually Ernst Stavro Blofeld – the man possibly shrouded in shadow in the latest footage and runs the criminal organization SPECTRE, a shorthand for “Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion”, which happens to be the title of the feature, Bond No. 24 notes to uncover just that, like the cryptic message from Bond’s past leading him on a trail that will bring to surface that sinister organization.

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a ride on the wild side

Is Jaguar’s new sport offering a worthy successor to the cars whose posters lined our childhood bedroom? We drove the F-Type V6 S coupe to find out.

here are only two kinds of people in the world.

Those who think of Jaguar as an old man’s car, and those who respect the British marque’s racing pedigree. Sure, the brand did come up with cars like the remarkably geriatric S-Type, but it’s the same automaker who gave petrol heads such as myself great sports cars to drool over, like the svelte XJ220 and the sexy E-Type.

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Now the F-Type, in its various iterations, has been released in the GCC market. There are two questions that beg to be asked.

First, is it a worthy successor to the E-Type? And more importantly, which side of the bipolar Jaguar brand do I classify the car in? I took out the F-Type V6 S for a spin to find out.

Exterior Text: Jim Joquico, Founder of menswear and lifestyle blog www.fashionchameleon.ae Photography: Belle Villanueva

Following Jaguar’s youthful rebranding in recent years, the F-Type is a sleek sports car that stays true to the brand’s wild feline roots. Its powerful shape, together with linear arrays of LEDs that remind you of TRON, resembles a speeding bullet the commands attention – regardless of whether you’re going fast on Sheikh Zayed Road, cruising all over Jumeirah, or sitting pretty at a mall parking lot. In fact, from a head-on POV, the F looks like it’s just waiting for the right moment to pounce. And from behind, it has a wide stance that gives the impression of stability and the power that necessitates it.

The curvy profile is the result of an aerodynamic design, and while it’s not ridiculously low like most sports cars of this class and price point, it gets the job done.

Interior

The first thing I noticed when I hopped in the cabin was how intuitive all the controls were. I didn’t go around poking all kinds of buttons, knobs and switches, because without reading a gargantuan manual, I kind of had an idea how to do what I wanted to do. It’s not one of those supercars whose interiors look like the inside of a Soyuz capsule, with everything in Russian, and you haven’t a clue how to turn the AC on. And speaking of the AC, those cooling vents only reveal themselves when they’re needed, which reflects the entire F-Type philosophy of incorporating elements that are only needed to create a truly beautiful and soulful machine.

The F-Type’s controls are beautifully and intelligently laid out from the center console to the steering wheel. The 8-inch color touch-screen provides intuitive control of many features, including navigation and infotainment systems such as Jaguar InControl® and the 770W Meridian™ Sound System.

Material quality is what you would expect of Jaguar. No clunky plastics or fake carbon fiber pieces, just supple leather, high-quality soft-touch plastic and metal trims all around. I just wish the seats had more padding, because sometimes it felt like I was sitting on a calfskin-wrapped wooden seat (with a great driving position and excellent support, by the way).

However, I did love the configurable lighting system that lets you control the mood lighting onboard. For example, Activat-

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ing Dynamic Mode automatically switches the lights to vibrant red so you can get in the mood for some spirited driving ahead.

Powertrain and handling Equipped with a 380hp supercharged 3.0-liter V6 mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the F-Type is quick on its feet and has just enough power to keep your morning drive to work that much more enjoyable.

Coming from a V8 stick shift daily driver, however, I wasn’t that thrilled with how strong the F-Type pulled, but only because I was foolishly expecting large-displacement muscle car torque from a V6 engine. Having said that, the Jag is still quite fast, but there’s a sense of control and safeness to it. It doesn’t feel like the car wants to kills you, like most rear-drive V8s do.

Instead, it’s a sports car that wants to be driven to its limits, and that’s something you can do a lot of without fearing for your life because the car handles so well. It might be outrun in a straight line, but a track race is a whole other ball game. Point the F-Type in one direction and there it goes. The suspension works to keep the car flat to the ground so you can take your turns with speed and confidence. And in the end, clock in faster lap times than those dragster boys who can’t steer.

Verdict

Overall, the F-Type is Jaguar’s most exciting sports offering in a very long time, and it does not disappoint. There are some minor drawbacks with engine power (I firmly believe V6s belong in soccer mom minivans), but I’m sure my thoughts on the powertrain would be several universes different if I had taken the eight-cylinder R model instead. It’s a great looking machine with a capable engine, impressive handling and the renowned sophistication and luxury of the Jaguar name. 4/5

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Fact box Engine: 3.0L Supercharged V6 Power: 380 hp @ 6,500 rpm Torque: 460 nM @ 3,500-5,000 rpm Transmission: 8-speed automatic 0-60: 4.9 seconds Price: Starting from AED 329,000

motoring

An evening with Denali

Automotive affair Post witnessed the recent elegant unveiling of safe, secured and sophisticated motor vehicles in the city of Dubai.

GMC Middle East hosted its first ever Denali evening in presence of a number of regional media to give them a first-hand insight into what makes Denali the most expressive interpretation of American luxury.

Matthew Noone, Head of Exterior Design for GMC Global briefed the guests and said: “It’s with great excitement that I present Denali to such an influential crowd. Denali is for our most discerning customers, those that want a GMC with the highest level of execution, use of material and attention to detail.” He added; “This is the first time ever that we present GMC Denali in such an intimate and exclusive setting as we were truly excited by the level of interest and uptake Denali has achieved in this market.”

Denali is the GMC brand’s most premium trim and includes exterior accents that supplement the line-up’s assertive design.

Denali models also include GMC’s most prolific integration of in-car technology, including preventive safety features and GMC’s IntelliLink infotainment system.

Built on the philosophy of ‘Commands Respect’, GMC has built pickups since 1902. With a rich heritage in the Middle East and an impressive 111 years of presence, innovation and engineering excellence is built into all GMC vehicles. The brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient pickups, crossovers and SUVs. The GMC portfolio in the Middle East features Terrain and Acadia crossovers. The Sierra half-ton pickup is the most powerful light duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Every GMC model, including Yukon and Yukon XL full-size SUVs, is available in Denali luxury trim. GMC also offers customers a high-level aftersales service experience.

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Safety Breakfast Gathering

Chevrolet held its first-ever Chevrolet 360° Safety breakfast at the Four Seasons Resort in Dubai. The event served as an ideal platform to showcase the pillars of Chevrolet’s 360° Safety philosophy. Keynote speakers included professional racecar driver Anna Walewska and Chevrolet Regional Brand Manager Ahmed Soudodi.

As part of their presentation, Walewska and Soudodi tackled a list of critical topics related to Chevrolet’s pioneering safety innovations. Chevrolet has the most 2015 models with 5 Star Safety Ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“At Chevrolet, we place safety at the core of everything that we do,” said Soudodi. “We orchestrated this event so that our family-oriented customers could gain a well-rounded understanding of Chevrolet’s latest safety features. We wanted to spark a real dialogue with this particular audience and equip them with the right knowledge needed to truly feel safe on the road.”

Star-Studded Middle East Launch Event

Infiniti unveiled its new Q70 sedan at a star-studded launch event at the specially created Q70 Drive Hub in Dubai’s Studio City. The new 2016 Infiniti Q70 was launched during a fully immersive, acoustic experience and showcased the evocative design, invigorating performance, innovative technology and superior craftsmanship.

Creating a purpose themed event, Infiniti welcomed over 350 local celebrities, social media stars, Infiniti enthusiasts, journalists, and VIPs to help lift the curtain on the new model. They each took their own ‘Journey to the EpiCenter’ through a maze at the entrance, by selecting one of the four Q70 themes; ‘Passion’ ‘Success’ ‘Vision’ and ‘Performance’.

Once inside, guests were met with stage performances, street artists, specially-created mocktails that reflected the four themes of the evening all rounded off with a stunning sound and light show.

Infiniti encouraged guests to participate in a ‘social media reveal’ by getting the hashtag #ForThoseWithDrive trending. As enough tweets and Instagram posts quoted the magic words, the digital displays screening the car started to rise revealing the Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s Q70 in all its glory. largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.8 million cars and trucks a year. Chev- The launch event was hosted by Juergen Schmitz, Managing Dirolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature rector of Infiniti Middle East, senior executives from Arabian Automobiles and media personality, Sheeren Mitwalli. engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a Juergen said: “The Q70 is a special car; it needed a special value. launch. Our core brand offer is that this is a car for those with drive - and this was the genesis for the social media reveal.”

The Chevrolet portfolio for the Middle East features award-winning passenger cars such as the Spark, Sonic, Cruze, Malibu, Im- Infiniti Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in over 50 countries. The Infiniti brand pala, Camaro and Corvette; crossovers such as the Trax, Captiva was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is and Traverse; and, SUVs and pickups including the Tahoe and currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, the United Silverado. Chevrolet also offers customers a high-level aftersales States and China. Production in the UK will start in 2015, bringservice experience through Chevrolet Care. ing with it significant expansion of the brand’s portfolio. Infiniti plans to also expand manufacturing into Mexico by 2017.

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agenda

RELAX AND REJUVENATE AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL, LAS VEGAS Two nights at this triple Forbes Five-Star resort are up for grabs. Learn how to enjoy luxury for free.

et amidst the glitz and glamour of the Strip, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas is a true oasis of calm and relaxation.

Enticing guests to take time to rejuvenate, the one of only nine triple Forbes FiveStar resort in the US has partnered with POST to provide voucher for two nights stay along with dinner for two at Twist by Pierre Gagnaire.

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At Twist by Pierre Gagnaire, guests can delight in a selection of new vegetarian and gluten free options which include pumpkin gnocchi with baby carrot stew, Carnaroli risotto with artichoke and pine nuts and a beet and orange salad with goat cheese, caramelized pecans and a hazelnut vinaigrette.

One can also enjoy breakfast at MOzen Bistro or a snack at the Pool Café as each of the restaurants at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas serve delicious healthy options and seasonal specialties.

In addition, the Tea Lounge offers a selection of loose tea such as Pu-ErhTou Cha, ‘Peace Through Water’ Calming Herbal Tea and Matcha to open the senses and help with digestion and relaxation.

A sophisticated sanctuary of modern elegance, Mandarin Oriental is prominently situated at the entrance of City Center. It has made its mark as the ultimate urban resort destination in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.

Designed entirely by interior designer Adam D. Tihany and architecture firm Kohn Pedersen Fox, Mandarin Oriental brings to Las Vegas a new standard of style with stunning suites, unique restaurant and bar venues, and the legendary hospitality of Mandarin Oriental.

If you fancy the free stay for two at this stellar hotel for two nights, do answer this question: “What is the name of the restaurant that provides healthy dining options at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas?” Send us your answer info@postme.ae.

See you at the strip!

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Stylish homes and offices begin with Smart Mind Tel. # 056 4862023 / 056 4862024 info@smartminduae.com

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