Nr. 105 - May 2011
Insight
SEKEM‘s Journal for Economy, Culture, and Society in Egypt
Editorial
Revolution
Science
Eurythmy
SEKEM’s Firms and Institutions Today
Global Projects with SEKEM’s University
Artistic Work After the Revolution
Dear Readers,
Times of Change and Challenge this issue of SEKEM Insight is published a few days late and that for good reason. Helmy Abouleish‘s arrest on remand had been extended after the initial 15 days. A first trial date had then been announced for 4 June. For organisational reasons these news could not be published in the past issue of our journal.
SEKEM’s businesses and institutions are facing new challenges. Co-workers explain how they feel about the impact of the revolution on their work.
On 4 June eventually Helmy Abouleish received the first chance to personally comment on the case at an initial trial hearing. The event was perceived by participants to having been fairly and openly conducted had primarily been convened to establish the facts of the case. It will be continued on 8 June. As is obvious in the case of SEKEM, it is not only individuals but also firms and institutions that are currently passing through a time of all-encompassing and fundamental change. In this issue co-workers at some of SEKEM’s businesses and social institutions will let you catch a glimpse of how they feel about the situation at their place of work and life.
Your Team of Editors Find SEKEM also on the Internet at:
SEKEM products are still in high demand. But Egyptian consumers have become more price-conscious shoppers after the revolution and less often decide to purchase organic products such as ISIS‘ juices.
E
ven though its firms and institutions are scattered over many places in Egypt, for most visitors SEKEM still is almost synonymous with “the farm”. Situated almost 60 kilometres outside of Cairo the area that covers just 3 square kilometres certainly is a rural place. But the consequences of the revolutionary upheavals that emanated from the urban centres such as Cairo and Suez also quickly spread to the firms on the farm and their co-workers. Too interconnected
is the initiative in the country and on a worldwide level to not be affected by the developments of the first three months of 2011. To be sure, the revolution has kicked off important societal change the realisation of which had also been at the heart of SEKEM’s work for many decades. As desirable as they are though, in the short term it is the economic and organisational challenges that dominate the minds of many among SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 1
Economy
the executive staff and workers at the SEKEM Group. They are affected in very diverse and different ways. Persistent Anxiety Since the January days Egypt has not yet come to rest. This diagnosis applies to politics and society just as to the world of private business. The disquietness is tangible among the people, specifically the inhabitants of Cairo. Countless firms could not stay in business during the days of the demonstrations or had to close shop later. SEKEM’s firms did not have to close down due to the solidarity of its co-workers, but they will for long feel the repercussions of the recent developments. Less Purchasing Power ISIS, SEKEM’s biggest commercial enterprise in terms of sales, that produces fresh products such as vegetables but also juices and dairy articles, is going through a phase of significant self-evaluation. „During the revolution many businesses were forced to lay off employees. This caused the purchasing power of customers to shrink. They now carefully evaluate if they should continue buying organic products or go for cheaper goods.“, explains Dr. Mamdouh
„We are very optimistic concerning the development of ISIS in the near future.“ Aboueleish, General Manager of ISIS. Unemployment caused by firms going bankrupt threatens many from the middle class who are traditionally most interested in organic products (see SEKEM Insight 04.11). Lower living standards often have a severe impact on the foodstuffs market. Additional challenges for ISIS stem from changes in their clients’ shopping preferences. It is currently shifting to more elementary products, so-called commodity goods such as bread. In turn many spend less on more exclusive products from the „premium
portfolios“. ISIS intends to react to these changes with a re-arranged product portfolio that places its emphasis on now preferred products. Experts see the foodstuffs market picking up again only in the course of the year 2011. „However, I am very optimistic for ISIS. We have developed a comprehensive consolidation programme together with our partners. Moreover, we have some very strong products on the local markets.“, says Aboueleish. Need for Dialogue at Naturetex At Naturetex, SEKEM’s business for organic textiles, many co-workers have sought closer dialogue with executive staff. „It is understandable that many co-workers are agitated by the developments of the past months. This could clearly be felt at Naturetex, too.“, Konstanze Abouleish explains. She holds the position of commercial manager at the firm. Naturally a revolution may temporarily bring more egoistic sentiment to the fore. However, in all cases careful negotiations allowed for solutions to issues that proved acceptable to everyone involved. The structures provided by the Cooperative of SEKEM Employees (CSE) that give all co-workers the opportunity to express their wishes and critique to executive staff have proven their effectiveness during these days. These days work at Naturetex is also strongly impacted by global macroeconomic changes. Flooding in Pakistan and global mismanagement of cotton stocks caused the prices for organic cotton to rise to a historic high. That also forced Naturetex to adjust prices and become more competitive. Pros and Cons of Exports Many of SEKEM’s firms which export their products like Naturetex often face additional challenges. Currency differences that lead to losses from exchange rate fluctuations may also force businesses to implement price adjustments. What is good for tourists
is actually a downside of international trade for SEKEM’s businesses. Such losses often make up the otherwise positive effects of international trade. Restructuring at Atos Atos‘ development, too, shows how sometimes minor changes can quickly lead to substantial disadvantages if coming into effect at the wrong time. The firm that produces phyto-pharmaceuticals and markets them mainly in Egypt does not directly suffer from the revolution. Other than foodstuffs Atos’ products are far less affected by its consequences. „However, at the beginning of this year, at Atos we were right in the middle of wide-ranging restructuring measures.“, explains Christophe Floride, member of the board at the firm. „We had prepared for another successful year and had begun substantial refurbishments.“ It was exactly during these days when many production lines were unavailable when social change in the country picked up speed. Together Through the Revolution While SEKEM’s firms have to cope primarily with macroeconomic and managerial challenges the social initiatives of SEKEM are in direct contact with many directly affected by the upheavals, for instance parents of pupils. „I am very happy that we have not seen our relationship to the people deteriorate in any way.“, says Rafik Costandi who oversees management at the SEKEM School. Interest in the offerings of the kindergarten, the school, or the vocational training centre remains high. Specifically in the social sphere existential anxiety and nervousness naturally become particularly apparent. During the revolution days some teachers at the SEKEM School sought contact with executive staff. They also desired to talk about matters of income and interpersonal conduct. Extensive and at times difficult consultations eventually paved the way for solutions that aimed to accommodate everyone’s needs while still putting Continued on page 3
SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 2
Culture
Sustainable Development Must Encompass Education for Young and Old Practical sustainability can only take root in the long term if it already begins in school. SEKEM‘s education projects create awareness early on.
500 different activities, experiments and games that serve to teach complex topics like biodiversity, energy, water, and agriculture in a playful and illustrative way. The Heliopolis University develops the material for the agriculture kits, thus integrating SEKEM’s experience and expertise in this field.
The Heliopolis Academy develops applicable solutions to developmental challenges.
E
ducation is the key to sustainable development; therefore SEKEM has been active in this field for many years. The Kindergarten, the SEKEM School, the Vocational Training Center, and the many educational programs for employees are integral parts of the SEKEM initiative. The Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development will supplement the educational program.
The RUCAS project (Reorienting University Curricula to Address Sustainability) examines the university curricula themselves more closely and assesses how sustainable development is integrated in the curricula. The exchange between the partner universities from Ireland, Sweden, France and Italy is a crucial aspect for this project. The goal is to strengthen the awareness for sustainability issues within the curricula of six Middle Eastern universities and to promote them as role models in the region. The Heliopolis University is one of these six universities. Closer Links with Businesses
Sustainability Education at SEKEM However, it is important to integrate university teaching into a comprehensive approach towards education that embraces school education, university education and applied research. The Heliopolis University and the SEKEM Development Foundation (SDF) are partners in three international educational projects. The projects are cofinanced by the European Commission. Greater Sustainability Through Partnerships The first project aims at making school lessons more interactive and hands-on. Therefore 20 partner institutions are engaged in developing over
A closer connection between the research of universities and research needs of industries is the focus of the UNCHAIN project. Currently, research in Middle Eastern universities does not often address actual industry problems, yet this link has to be strengthened. Therefore so called University Chairs of Innovations are established in the universities. Their role is to approach firms, identify their problems, and solve them with a consortium of students and experts. Currently a student from Cairo University and a student from the Technical University in Graz are working together at SEKEM within the framework of the project.
In SEKEM applied research has a long history and is an integral part of the economic life. Besides of that active and playful learning is practiced in the SEKEM Kindergarten and SEKEM School. The three TEMPUS projects aim to spread this impulse and to extend the impact of SEKEM’s extensive experience in educational projects. Together with partners from the region as well as with European partners the projects strive to give new and creative impulses for education in Egypt. Bianca Fliss In SEKEM Bianca Fliss supports education and academic development projects at the Heliopolis University.
Continued from page 2
the solidarity of the SEKEM community first. „It remains something special to work at SEKEM, also after the revolution.“, confirms Dalia Abdou who works on the „Soil & More“ project in the framework of which SEKEM markets organic compost to firms to boost the adoption of sustainable agriculture. It is this kind of solidarity all executive staff speak of with respect and deep admiration. While initially directed at Helmy and Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish it also frequently addressed colleagues. The pupils of the SEKEM School who collected signatures for Helmy and Dr. Abouleish (see SEKEM 04.11) perhaps best demonstrated this special human quality of SEKEM’s community: to tackle challenges together and to reemerge stronger from them. Bijan Kafi Bijan Kafi is in charge of press and public relations for the SEKEM Initiative in Europe.
SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 3
Culture
Understanding the Revolution Through the Arts On the occasion of the birthday of Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish the eurythmy ensemble of SEKEM made the attempt to deal with the revolution through art.
easily be integrated into the eurythmy ensemble’s working group and later actual performance. 800 years ago the great Persian poet and philosopher Djalal Muhammad Rumi coined a sentence that has kept its distinctive resonance until this day, specifically in situations of radical social change: „Do not fall asleep again.“ The eurythmy ensemble of SEKEM during rehearsals.
A
t the end of March the eurythmy ensemble of the SEKEM Initiative took the opportunity of Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish’s birthday to bring to the stage a very special artistic performance. It aimed to tackle the core question „I – who am I in this life?“. The performance was also supposed to be a contribution to an artistic understanding of the changes brought about by the Egyptian January revolution und to develop positive impulses out of them to shape a brighter future. Working on the Revolution A process of democratisation is always intimately connected to a cultural impulse still in the making. Cultural expressions in general are often strong predecessors of actual processes of social renewal. Because of this poets and musicians are in many cases forerunners of such leaps in the development of societies and, eventually, man. A group of students from the vocational training centre had recently decided to come together before the aforementioned occasion to practice eurythmy together. This group could
In the associated narrative Rumi speaks about two worlds man inhabits in his view: the material world of our day to day lives, when we are awake, and the spiritual world when we are asleep. The author himself is standing right between earth and heaven and calls upon us: „The door is open, if you remain awake you may pass.“ Without the experience expressed in these lines that man is always inhabiting two worlds - in one being awake, sentient, mindful, and active while asleep in the other - his human development would be impossible. Rumi continues: „Ask for what you really need, what you really need“. Rumi is not only talking about the material requirements of life. He is also considering the great values and virtues that make man what he is: the ethical qualities we strive to attain. Only while we are doing so, thinks Rumi, will the door to paradise stay open. Eurythmic Emancipation of the I The eurythmic performers proceeded by choosing four steps in which to visualise the process of emancipation of man in the Arab world, demonstrating how the I gradually shifts its focus of perception from the world to the self-conscious experience of itself.
Firstly, the poet Elija Aboumadi, illustrates how he perceives himself and his I: as a drop of dew, a melody, a running individual, a wave. He is obviously still fully connected to the material world. The poet Mahmoud Hassan Ismail experiences himself as a flute (an image of the I in Arab poetry) hiding itself in the folds of the veil of his soul. The female poet Nazik el Malaika asks the night, the wind and eventually the spirit „Who am I?“. She is also searching for an answer in the physical realm. The poet Adonis finally replies: „I have destroyed my realm, I have destroyed my throne – but I have found my own language to shine a light on the ruins I have myself created.“
„In the arts – in poetry – we often find early indications of what may later unfold in different ways in the social sphere.“ Internalization of the I As the works of these contemporary poets exhibit, the last decades have seen a process of gradual internalization of the concept of the I. The focus has shifted from a perception of a physical individual to an inner experience. This view may just have contributed to the development of this year in a hidden, less obvious fashion. It is in the arts, specifically poetry, that we often find early indications of what may later unfold under different circumstances and in different ways in the social world. An early concept of an individual can easily turn into the movement of a people. Christoph Graf Christoph Graf is artistic director of the SEKEM Eurythmy Ensemble and supervises the professional eurythmic training programmes.
SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 4
Call for Donations by the International SEKEM Support Associations
Dear Friends, Full of hope, all of us have been following the peaceful revolution in Egypt. However, there is still a long way to go to reach political stability and true democracy. Following the revolution, now also the Egyptian economy is facing a deep crisis. Tourism, the country’s main asset, has broken down, and the people and businesses are avoiding investments and trying to cope with a high inflation rate. For example, the Egyptian food industry is experiencing about 40% reduction in sales. All of this is also affecting the SEKEM companies of course. Thanks to rising demand, the SEKEM companies have been growing dynamically in recent years. We have been investing heavily in production facilities and our new farmlands. Today, we are facing dramatic reductions in sales on the Egyptian market and it is hardly possible to make reliable forecasts for the future. We have stopped most investment and are trying hard to save cost without reducing our number of employees. The running costs of the Medical Center and SEKEM Schools need to be covered by the SEKEM companies. Due to high losses in our companies, however, it is very hard to make the necessary donations for this to the SEKEM Development Foundation (SDF). We would be most grateful for any support in trying to keep up the work of the SDF, especially in these hard times for the country. Please contact your nearest SEKEM support association to find out how best you may help us. Thank you very much for your support.
Germany
Scandinavia
Verein zur Förderung kultureller Entwicklung in Ägypten e.V.
SEKEM Scandinavia info@sekemscandinavia.com
www.sekem-freunde.de The Netherlands Austria
Vriendenkring SEKEM
Gemeinnütziger Verein zur Förderung des SEKEM-Impulses in Ägypten und Österreich
www.sekemvrienden.nl info@sekemvrienden.nl
www.sekemoesterreich.at Switzerland Förderverein SEKEM Schweiz Daniel Baumgartner [danba@hermaion.ch] oder Ernst Bürgin [e.buergin@swissonline.ch]
SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 5
Impressions
Impressions from SEKEM
A
n executive co-worker at SEKEM Sinai explains Rafik Costandi the way in which the Egyptian desert is being transformed using compost to create fertile and pest-resistant soil. They are standing on an acre belonging to SEKEM’s new farm on the Sinai peninsula. It is situated almost adjacent to the Suez canal allowing for a direct view of the ships passing through it. This year and for the first time potatoes of the new, high-quality variety Innova could be harvested on the grounds claimed since 2008. You can find them also in European organic food stores. Overall in the past 34 years the SEKEM Initiative has reclaimed approximately 11.000 hectares of desert soil through composting and other bio-dynamic farming methods. Around 4.500 hectares are being farmed today by 450 small-holding farmers all over Egypt - using organic methods. All farmers profit from professional education measures offered by SEKEM to help spread organic agriculture in Egypt. SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 6
News in Brief
Global Soil Erosion worse than Fukushima?
Events with SEKEM in Berlin and Vienna
Forum for Sustainability in Brixen Successful
The sustainability fair SusCon that takes place from 28-29 June in Nuremberg (Germany) will this year cover the topic of ethical behaviour in economy and consumption as a special focus issue aiming to develop concrete solutions and practical guidelines.
On 25 May the Berlin office of the GLS Bank hosted a parliamentary evening with participation of SEKEM. The evening focused on the manifold successes of practical anthroposophical work worldwide and directly addressed participants from the political parties and representatives of the media. The evening had been organised by the General Association of Practitioners of Anthroposophical Medicine in Germany (DAMID), demeter international and the General Association of Waldorf and Rudolf Steiner Schools.
From 19 to 21 May Brixen (Italiy) saw its first „Days of Sustainability“. Dr. Ibrahim Abouleish participated with a keynote speech. Around 1.400 individuals from the interested public and businessmen participated. The fourday event allowed them to get engaged in workshops at the Forum Brixen, the Monastery of Neustift, Domplatz and Trattengasse and learn on topics on sustainability through speeches and discussions. Its success proved the interest of the public in the topic: the event will be repeated in 2012.
The global “society of risk” does not stop at fertile soils or potable water, the organisers claim. While a nuclear disaster or the explosion of a drilling platform immediately harm man and nature other harmful developments may lead to the slow destruction of the foundations of life only in the long term. The loss of fertile soil, for instance, is considered to be dramatic. Capitalism, prioritising economic growth, has not created applicable corrective measures and thus fails at the challenge of developing an economic model fit for the future. Instead, economic advantages help encourage risky behaviour by all participants in the economic world. From the priceconscious consumer to the enterprise in pursuit of attractive revenue to the state which puts employment opportunities and tax income before everything else. According to the SusCon organisers, a paradigm change can only be brought about by the state, economy, and the consumers together and is desperately needed. The international conference intends to present best practice by businesses tackling these issues in holistic ways and intends to demonstrate innovative technological approaches for instance to the generation of potable water, the recuperation of phosphates, or the revitalisation of eroded soils. Source: Forum nachhaltiges Wirtschaften
Approximately 60 participants from the interested public, representatives from the German Bundestag and from the organisers took part in the event that also featured SEKEM as a model institution. From 27-28 May the Anthroposophical Society of Austria hosted a public conference titled „Inspired by Rudolf Steiner“ at the Technical University Vienna. The event that took place at the very academic institution at which Rudolf Steiner himself had studied, focused on the question how the work of practitioners and scientists worldwide builds upon fundamental anthroposophical insights. Aside from SEKEM numerous renowned speakers had been invited: Peter Daniell Porsche, Prof. Friedrich Glasl, Alfred Strigl, Christine Gruwez, Tobias Richter and Bodo von Plato spoke on topics ranging from freedom, liberal pedagogy, and conflict resolution to sustainable societal development. Bijan Kafi, who is in charge of press and public relations for the SEKEM Initiative in Europe, spoke for Helmy Abouleish on both occasions. Source: SEKEM Insight
The organisers are satisfied with the outcome: „For the first time in South Tyrol a conference covered innovative business ideas through seminars, discussions, and highly renowned participants. We have seen that adults just as children not only have a strong interest in issues such as the common good, health, and justice. These topics have literally had everyone exceptionally excited.“ Responses by participants were entirely positive and through the many opportunities for exchange and networking everyone could take home many new ideas. Source: think more about
Masthead: The editors of SEKEM Insight wish to thank all contributors to this issue. Editors: Bijan Kafi Contact: SEKEM-Insight c/o SEKEM Holding P.O.Box 2834, El Horreya, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt insight@SEKEM.com Pictures: Seiten 1, 6: Bijan Kafi; 3, 4: SEKEM No republication without written consent by the publisher.
!
More information: http://www.suscon.net
You can visit SEKEM yourself: www.SEKEM-reisen.de www.aventerra.de
SEKEM Insight | May 2011 | Page 7