The Alea Journal November 2020

NOVEMBER 2020

THE JOURNAL

BUSINESS // TRAVEL // POLITICS // CULTURE // LIFE PRODUCED BY

ALEA GLOBAL GROUP Photo by Rich Cooper

Contents FOREWORD WHAT CAN FAMILY OFFICES TEACH THE WORLD RIGHT NOW? RICHARD BROWNING: THE ROCKSTAR OF FLIGHT ALEA ONLINE ROUND TABLES

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TELEMEDICINE: ARE OUR NEW DOCTORS DIGITAL?

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THE MIDDLE EAST AFTER COVID

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DESERT TECHNOLOGIES

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ONLINE TRAINING WITH FABIO POZZETTO

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TEAM8: A CHILDREN'S HEALTH REVOLUTION

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GET YOUR DAILY DOSE OF NATURE

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SPOTLIGHT ON SVALBARD

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HOW COULD WE SAVE OUR CITIES?

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INNOVATION AND CRISIS

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BUILD BETTER IMMUNITY

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HOME SPA GADGETS

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Paying tribute to a new school humanitarian: Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah We were extremely saddened to hear of the passing of Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

Al Jaber Al Sabah, and his skills and character were likewise appreciated around the world.

An inspiring mediator who sought peace and understanding first and foremost, he was a beloved and diplomatic politician and a global humanitarian leader.

President Donald Trump awarded him with the U.S. Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander for being an "unwavering friend and partner to the United States" giving "indispensable support to the United States throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and the Defeat-ISIS campaign."

As vital to the Qatar diplomatic crisis as he has been to Palestine, his rational problem-solving methods came from a place of great love for humanity.

This was recognised by all, and not least by the United Nations who bestowed him with a Humanitarian Leadership award in 2014.

Kuwait was unified in our love and respect for Humanitarian Amir, Sabah Al Ahmad

World leaders and the press have shared their condolences publicly, and we would like to join them in expressing our sympathy to the friends and family of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, may he rest in peace.

WELCOME

NOVEMBER 2020

The alea journal FOREWORD BY MOHAMMAD AL DUAIJ CEO OF ALEA GLOBAL GROUP Welcome to the latest issue of The Alea Journal.

As we move towards the end of 2020, it is time to start thinking about what we want to take from our experience of this year and how we want it to shape us as we move into 2021.

We have to believe that things will improve for humanity and that we will learn vital lessons from our collective experience. Those lessons may be about how much we value our freedom, family and friends.

It may also be about what we want to do with our lives should we find ourselves facing new circumstances. Perhaps this temporary stop can serve as a reminder that things can change drastically.

Yes, that may be for the worse at present, but it can also be for the better with our focused attention on improving our lives in the future.

There are some important lessons that have emerged from this time, not only for individuals but for entire nations.

We are all learning that our supply chains are more fragile than we imagined, that we rely very heavily on digital services, and during this time of chaos we are discovering just how much control we have over our own resources – or not.

It is my hope that we will all develop greater self sufficiency in some way – both as countries and as individuals – whether that means growing our own food or boosting our own healthcare.

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In this issue we touch only lightly on the heavier topics of this year so far.

Instead, we have chosen to highlight some of our favourite discoveries, innovations, places and ideas that can help propel us forward more happily (in small and large ways) into a better future.

In this vein we are also preparing an online festival to promote hope and raise money for charity, visit BigFutureFestival.com for further information To contact us with news and ideas for future issues, email info@aleaglobalgroup.com

WHAT CAN FAMILY OFFICES TEACH THE WORLD RIGHT NOW?

This is how representatives from warring nations come together in business, and how family offices build their legacies – often as the leaders in healing international rifts.

The ongoing violence in America which has come to

Here at Alea Global Group we are honoured to be part

characterise the race relations crisis; a crisis which was

of a worldwide network of family offices. These family

sparked initially by the rejection of such violence.

offices are spread across different parts of the world,

In the chaos that has ensued, all those who care deeply

with very different business interests, and on very

about truth and justice are being mobilised and

different scales, but we share a common experience.

encouraged to choose one political party or another, and

That experience is one of building relationships in a

to fight each other on behalf of those parties as they head

modern international business arena, in a way which

into an election.

honours and builds on one’s own family legacy and

This is short term politics, not long term humanity. We

national identity. Sometimes this legacy goes back so

believe that there is a bigger battle to fight – a battle

many generations that its origins are far from living

against any attempts to divide us by race, religion, gender,

memory. When compared with many other kinds of

sexual orientation or nationality.

corporate entities, family offices have elements of

We believe that family offices around the world already

history, personality and purpose which are entirely

understand the best way to do this, which is through

unique, and have nothing to do with monetary gain.

kindness, mutual respect, and working together towards

This means that our decisions don’t always make good

the common good.

business sense, because they are really about

Family offices are very accustomed to treading the line

something deeper. It has always brought us great

between honouring one’s own cultural customs, personal

satisfaction at Alea to work with people who have a very

principles, business ethos and family legacy, and also

different experience of the world, to collaborate on

respecting the customs, principles, ethos and legacy of

projects which have a common good. We have had the

every other family office member we meet.

uplifting experience of hosting and being present at

These relationships are deeper than business. We must act

events where people who should – according to their

honourably and appeal to the honour in the other person

backgrounds – be enemies, but who enter the room in a

so that – even if we walk away without reaching an

spirit of collaboration and go on to do great things

agreement – we are still able to speak fruitfully again in the

together.

future.

Therefore it saddens us to see such division as has been

Our business as family offices is deeply personal, and

caused by the reprinting of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons

deeply rooted in the places generations of our family have

depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Not simply because

called home. We are part of a lineage which we hope will

our own family office is of Muslim faith and heritage, but

extend beyond our own lifetimes and make our great great

because this kind of gesture does nothing but create

grandchildren proud. And so to climate change, again an

needless division between faiths, cultures and countries

instance in which family offices are uniquely placed to do

which ultimately sets us all back. It causes great offence

good.

to so many people – offence which we believe should

Not only do we invest heavily in a future much more long

never be answered with violence. A free press and free

term than our corporate counterparts, but we do so with a

speech are essential, and so too is respect for other

love for our own countries that defies all business sense. It

people’s beliefs, experiences and perspectives. Where

is our great wish to see our own country flourish, wherever

difficult issues arise, we must be able to address these

we are in the world, and we recognise that taking care of it

with respectful debate. It is our belief that initially

means investing in sustainability for sustainability’s sake.

printing the images was an unkindness to all real

This is not corporate social responsibility, it is

Muslims, and it is also our belief that those who respond

responsibility. With these three principles – a respect for

with violence are not real Muslims and committed a

our differences, an attempt to reach unity, and a

terrible and unjustified act. To answer this act with a

responsibility for our own homes – we believe we could all

further unkindness to all real Muslims has little

navigate to a better place. You perhaps may disagree, and

justification and makes little sense.

we (of course) respect that.

richard browning:

the rockstar of flight

Richard Browning is a remarkably balanced individual. Whether discussing his background, his ambitions or his considerable achievements, he has a rare mixture of realism and romanticism which explains so much about his career to date.

He’s also extremely well balanced when he’s hovering above the ground in a 1000 horsepower jetsuit, carefully drinking a cup of tea.

Richard Browning is the man behind Gravity Industries, the company who build the flying suits that turn ordinary humans into superhero-like figures who can propel themselves through the air with precision.

Beginning as a pet project, becoming a professional performance, and expanding into the territory of life-saving technology, Richard’s invention continues to capture imaginations the world over.

One of his most recent bookings, for example, has taken him to Iceland to fly around for Bear Grylls as part of a soon-to-be-broadcast project.

So how did it begin?

“I came from a family of engineers”, explains Richard. “My late father, he was an aeronautical engineer, a maverick inventor and designer.

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"I grew up building stuff in his workshop. His father was a wartime pilot and civil pilot, and my other grandfather on my mother’s side was Sir Basil Blackwell who used to run Westland Helicopters, probably Britain’s biggest helicopter manufacturer.”

Going into a job with BP via an exploration geology degree, Richard has also been involved with the military in one way or another since his youth, joining the Royal Marines reserve alongside his oil industry day job.

But none of this was quite fulfilling his need to explore. “I’m one of those people who enjoys being on the edge of a crowd wondering why we can’t do all the things the crowd thinks is impossible. As soon as a load of people are doing something I’m not so interested, I’m more interested in stuff that hasn’t been done before.”

This inclination towards doing the seemingly impossible might not have been quite enough to motivate such an astounding career, were it not for the legacy of Richard’s father, who died when Richard was 15. “He took his own life unfortunately because of a failed business venture, and I can’t deny that a large part of the subconscious motivation must be taking on audacious challenges like I saw him do.

“He gave up his day job and threw everything at this business that just didn’t work out, so undeniably I lived that and never saw that get over the line, so I think part of what drives me, without thinking about it, is this desire to keep taking on unusual challenges and get them over the line as a sort of way of making up for what I saw not work when I was a kid.”

Richard’s self-set unusual challenge was the creation of a functional way to fly, without the need to be inside a helicopter or plane. With his familial predisposition towards aeronautics, and a knack for pushing himself to his own physical limits through triathlons and calisthenics, tackling this problem came naturally to Richard.

“I had this idea that, wouldn’t it be cool, no real business reason at all, if you could add to the human mind and body just enough technology to be able to fly.”

A natural engineer, Richard began work on this problem in true DIY fashion. “I started in February / March 2016 and I just got hold of the first small jet engine, tiny little one, and started experimenting with them, and realised that yes they’re quite terrifying little things but once you get your head around them they’re ok.

“I built this little arm belt where I could stick one on my arm, and you can see me standing in a country lane with this engine on my arm and just kind of trying it gingerly and wondering does it rip my arm off or not and actually it was fine.

“Then I got two and I started jumping around a field with them, for so many months alongside my day job. And it escalated until I had six, two on each arm and one on the back of each leg, and then I learned to fly that. All without telling anybody, I didn’t put this online, it can all get very embarrassing if you’re not careful.

“I did the first flight in November 2016 and the small number of people who came to see it kind of lost their minds. Me and the guy who did some of the electronics for me were very bemused by this. My mother-in-law, she’s lovely but she’s the last person in the world to get excited over noisy horsepowery flying things and she did, she just walked up to me teary-eyed and just gave me a hug after seeing this for the first time, and the effect on people has not really diminished from there.”

In 2017, Gravity Industries launched as a company. A TedX invitation followed, along with an invitation to demonstrate the suit in a parking lot in front of some San Francisco-based VCs. “Two of them turned out to be two of the most famous VCs in the Valley, I didn’t even know who they were, wrote me a $640,00 deal on a banknote I’ve still got stuck in my lab, and that was my only real VC investment.”

Photo: Wilkin Chapman / Andy Weekes

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The last three years have seen Gravity demonstrate the flying suit at 105 events in 31 countries. Small enough to pack into a couple of suitcases, the jetsuit is nevertheless impressive enough to captivate stadiums full of people anywhere in the world. After each event at which they appear, the photos and video shared on social media are enough to generate enough publicity to power even more bookings. It’s a spectacle that sells itself.

"There’s something innate in the human psyche that has been passed on through generations and I guess everybody when they’re a kid has looked up and seen the birds and thought wouldn’t it be cool to be that free. There seems to be something tremendously exciting to people when they see a human moving and it’s the most minimalist equipment you can get away with in order to move in this way. It does seem to tap into this exuberant, dreamlike kind of spirit that people have about flight over and above technology.”

So much so, that others inevitably want to try it, which is why Gravity now have several training grounds. “We just started training people, we’ve got a training site in LA, we used to have one in the UK and now we’ve got two, and we train people to come and fly these as well, so you can just have a great experience or you can learn to fly them for events.

“The lighter and fitter and stronger you are, like with any sport, the quicker you’ll learn it and the easier it’ll be. Generally if you’re less than 100 kilos or so then anybody can come along and do it. Most of the people we have are men and women, almost 50/50 actually, who are typically pilots or more extreme sports enthusiasts. We’ve had old guys who were stunt plane people or retired helicopter pilots, or rock climbers or canoists or skiers or men and women who like racing cars, people who get excited over speed and horsepower and pushing their own boundaries in sport, we’ve had quite a wide variety of people here and in LA.” One thing the jetsuit isn’t, insists Richard, is the future of transport. “We never set out to revolutionise human transport, I’ve stood on lots of stages around the world and had lots of audiences very enthusiastically claim that this is the first step in a whole revolution in how human beings can travel around, and no.

"Each one of those suits is louder than a 747 taking off, each one is 1000 horsepower. You’re not going to take the kids to school in one of these things, you’re not going to pop down the postbox in one of these things.

"Now maybe with the electric version we’ve built as energy storage gets better then maybe, conceivably, as that advances then that could be an interesting form of transport but we’re not going to get hung up on that.

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Photo by Rich Cooper

“it’s more like a Formula 1 car in that it’s a highly impractical device that is only any good for impressing people, entertaining people, I suppose it’s an advertising platform.”

That said, search and rescue teams in the UK’s Lake District have just begun trialling the suits to find stranded hikers.

Shared by news outlets on social media worldwide, the experiments in September were a huge success, showing rescuers wearing the suits reaching staged casualties within just 90 seconds, versus 25 minutes on foot or the deployment of expensive and often difficult helicopter rescues. The suits could, therefore, save lives.

Richard does have another use in his sights too; turning jetsuit racing into a sport. Citing Formula 1 and the Red Bull air races as examples, Richard sees much potential for a new sport in the same vein, with perceived but managed risk, a lot of noise and excitement, but ultimately a safe and skilled form of entertainment.

In his visions, superhero-like figures, drawn from all areas of sport, fly waterfront obstacle courses all over the world in a bid to beat each other’s times.

“The near term goal is building a race series, at least seeing how that works out. It’s very hard to build a new sport but when you think about Red Bull with the planes flying around, because our pilots look a little bit like Marvel superheroes in some way which is no bad thing for us from a marketing point of view when you think about the glossy excitement of overtaking that used to happen with Formula 1, we could have all of that. We think racing is a really quite nice natural direction.”

The racing was about to begin when covid hit, and the equipment is currently sitting in a shipping container in Bermuda waiting for an event that has yet to be rescheduled (“We were three weeks away from the team getting on a plane.

There was nothing left to do apart from go there”).

Meanwhile, Richard has been using lockdown to tinker and further perfect the jetsuit, now looking to add wings for even greater speed and lift. “I’m really fascinated by reverse engineering wings and it’s a fascinating journey because not many people have been flying and then added wings as a nice to have. It’s a bizarre way of approaching the challenge.”

Bizarre perhaps by anyone else's standards, but in Richard Browning's world it seems to make gloriously perfect sense.

Find out more about Gravity Industries at Gravity.co

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Photo by Rich Cooper

Alea Global Group online round tables

When we gather great minds and discuss important topics at our Family Office Summit events, particularly as part of our round table discussions, we are often stunned by the insight and progress that can be made.

During this time when we have been unable to travel and attend events in person, Alea Global Group wanted to continue in some form the work we have done to bring people together.

That’s when we decided to take our round tables online, and created focused conversations with experts from the family office world, to address important topics of the moment.

You can see all round table discussions on our YouTube channel

Round Table Sessions: Urgent action for long term success How can family offices survive and even thrive through global disruption?

Our first two roundtables each condensed generations of learning into one hour of practical wisdom. The first session featured expert insight from H.E Khalid Al Zayani, Talal Al Ajou, Huda Al Lawatai, Hessa Jamal Al Ghurair, Hanine Younes, and Alea Global CEO Mohammad Alduaij.

Our second expert panel of family offices discussed the current global crisis with special guests Sandro Salsano, Bernardo Asuaje Rosenblatt, Leonardo Wengrover, German Aldana, Baldwin Berges, Alberto Pagan-Matos, CFA, and Alea Global CEO Mohammad Al Duaij

Counting the Cost of Lebanon’s Tragedy We spoke to three family office members, based in Lebanon, about how the country can rebuild after the Beirut explosion and the practical part family offices can play in positive change.

Thanks to Hagop Dantziguian, Riccardo HOSRI and Fares Abi Nader for their time and thoughts during the online discussion.

telemedicine ARE OUR NEW DOCTORS DIGITAL? So what is telemedicine? And why is everyone talking about it?

For medical professionals, it could mean a revolution in managing workloads and the amount of people that can be helped. For patients, it could make receiving treatment even easier, particularly for the elderly or disabled.

But how does it work? Here is a short guide on the phenomenon of telemedicine.

What exactly is it? To simplify telemedicine, it’s a way of providing medical care to people remotely, using digital technology.

This means it can be provided on smart phones or computers - devices which most adults in the developed world already have at least one of.

Care can come in the form of video chats with healthcare professionals, data collected from wearable technology such as smart watches, and the storing and analysing of our personal health data on a cloud database easily accessed when we or our doctors need it.

While remote care obviously can’t be used to carry out complex surgical procedures,

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areas such as early consultations with your doctor, psychotherapy and basic physical therapy can easily be carried out.

Doctors and patients can also use it to write or renew prescriptions, as well as assessments to decide whether a patient should be seen in person.

What are the benefits for patients? An obvious advantage is for patients with disabilities as it would improve their access to care, as well as those who may live in remote areas - if you have a smartphone and an internet connection, you can pretty much have a consultation from anywhere.

More generally, its convenience and the comfort of accessing the services from one’s own home could lead to more preventative treatment - as patients may be more willing to come forward with an ailment before it becomes more severe and difficult to treat.

In case you haven’t noticed, we are also living in the middle of a worldwide pandemic - meaning we must all be careful about visiting places with large groups of people.

This is particularly important when coming into contact with people who visit a doctor, who may have weak immune systems.

telemedicine Telemedicine would take away any risk of picking up an infection at the doctor’s office.

What are the benefits for healthcare providers?

One of the obvious ways telemedicine benefits healthcare providers is the possibility for lower costs.

If patients spend less time in hospitals, this can lead to savings, while patients could save money and time themselves, through not having to travel to meet their doctor.

It also reduces overheads, as doctors would not have to invest in as many examination rooms and spaces to see patients, while also creating additional revenue, as they would be able to see more patients.

Patients may also be happier and more at ease if they can access services from a comfortable, familiar space. Sounds great...

Maybe, but the service does have some drawbacks.

A clear flaw could be vulnerability to

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hackers and cybercriminals who may find it easier to access a patient’s medical data - particularly if users were accessing services via an unsecured network.

Also, such a mechanism could delay urgent, lifesaving treatment, should a patient need it.

Anyone who has used video conferencing software will also know that a conversation is often only as good as the internet connection you are using.

If there are connection problems or low bandwidth, it can lead to problems, particularly for calls as important as doctor consultations.

So when should it be used?

Many have anxieties about leaving the house during Covid-19, while others suffer from disabilities which make it difficult to travel.

In both cases, telemedicine may suit patients for check-ups or psychological therapies.

So long as patients provide as much information as possible about their ailments, telemedicine can be a convenient and effective way forward for medicine.

The Middle East After covid

sponsored French football club Olympique Lyonnais

The Middle East has stepped up a range of sectors in response to the Covid crisis, with some surprising moves.

Qatar Airways maintained their flights while others have been cutting, ensuring they keep their cusomters and routes.

New investment is focused on practical Covid protection measures but also a need to diversify economies.

Bahrain’s $32billion infrastructure investment covers a cargo area at Bahrain International Airport and a new light railway network, to cement it as a Middle East business hub

Family offices are key to many developments, offering knowledge and loyalty for the betterment of their home countries.

Highlights include: Saudi Arabia’s new $4bn tourism investment as a move away from a reliance on oil

Our home, Kuwait, called for plans to make the country more self-sufficient in areas highlighted by the Covid crisis; areas as diverse as food waste and cybersecurity.

Dubai, reliant on international visitors for 35% of their income, has invested in safety measures that have led the WHO to declare it a safe destination. ‘Dubai Is Open’ shirts even adorn Emirates-

Like family offices around the world, we will do what we can to assist our home country, while collaborating with the best international minds.

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Desert technologies POWER TO THE PEOPLE

In the same way that air conditioning changed civilization as we know it, could the SAHARA enable us to live and work to our full capacity off-grid anywhere with sunlight?

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Based in Saudi Arabia, desert technologies have created a game-changing piece of technology that has wideranging implications for humanity.

Not only does the SAHARA solar power unit make it fast and easy to start generating electricity in even the most remote and inhospitable places, but by doing so it opens up possibilities for events, settlements, military operations, disaster relief and more.

What is the SAHARA? The SAHARA is a ‘plug and play’ solar generator within its own compact self-contained unit.

Prefabricated and ready to go, it has solar modules, inverters, batteries and a controller. It operates silently and runs 24/7, providing power during the day directly from the solar system, while during the night it provides electricity through a battery pack.

Because deployment, build and maintenance are minimal, the prospect of efficient, cost effective and reliable power almost instantly – almost anywhere in the world – is a reality.

real world uses Military posts

Military deployment of any kind can be fast, unpredictable, and necessary in very remote locations for strategic purposes.

SAHARA is in keeping with the agility and sleek operation of all other military equipment, meaning mobile posts can be set up just about anywhere and powered just as though they were a permanent base.

An added bonus is the lack of transporting or storing potentially highly dangerous fossil fuels.

Outdoor events

Festivals and other large outdoor events usually take place in remote locations where there is plenty of open space to assemble infrastructure from scratch, and to host large crowds.

These kinds of spaces are not normally served by any form of power, and yet these loud and bright events need to entertain, feed and support the temporary housing of often tens of thousands of people at a time.

With the SAHARA, large scale outdoor events can power food, phones and fairgrounds by day, and stages, lights and bars by night – all within a weatherproof system.

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Remote escapes

The best thing about getting away to a far flung resort in untouched natural beauty is that it’s completely remote. That’s also the worst thing too, without a source of power to provide the comfort and basic requirements of a relaxing stay.

Costly fossil fuels can be difficult to ship, while thermal power isn’t always possible. By installing SAHARA, these types of resorts can fuel their accommodation as well as their kitchens and agriculture.

Refugee camps

Sadly often housing more people than they can reasonably accommodate, and with a range of complex needs, refugee camps need access to reliable power at a low cost and with minimal installation time and labour.

SAHARA can be deployed in times of crisis to provide power for a multitude of functions needed within these camps, from food to heating, lighting, communications and medical facilities.

For more information visit desert-technologies.com 19

fabio pozzetto

Introducing your new online training guru

While many gyms have been closed, personal trainer Fabio Pozzetto has taken his training business online.

It's proving to be a hit, with clients logging in from all over the world to train with Fabio.

Among the key advantages are the flexibility of scheduling, with no travel involved, and the preferential rates Fabio is able to offer for online only sessions.

We caught up with Fabio to see what he can offer through online training.

Has your business changed because of the pandemic? If so, how has it changed It changed massively during the lockdown when I was considering to shift fully to online. Now that the lockdown measures have eased, I am going back to normal with face to face sessions and some online ones.

What kind of results are you able to get for clients?

Getting results demand commitment and perseverance. If these two are in place, my clients tend to achieve the most amazing results, they become fitter, stronger, healthier and happier. One client for example lost 20kg in 11 months and now looks very athletic, while another became very fit & muscly from being very thin.

What are some of the non-physical things you teach people as part of their training with you?

Perseverance, discipline and moderation are key factors of success.

For online training with fabio, visit FabioPozzetto.com or get in touch by phone on 0044 7472297738 20

A children's health revolution Children’s health has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent decades, with new knowledge about nutrition and child development, and better standards of living across much of the world.

Yet even with all the knowledge and resources we have today, childhood obesity and mental health issues are a growing problem.

Why? Because alongside any advances in expertise, there are also advances in affordable digital entertainment, games and gadgets that have made an art of keeping kids indoors and glued to their screens.

Team8 have a neat solution that uses this same digital technology to gamify exercise, making it as social as a multiplayer video game and just as much fun.

The health platform Team 8 have created is one in which every child is a superhero, playing games via their own smart watch without the need for a smartphone to go along with it (although an app is on the cards for those who want the option).

By moving around while wearing the watch, children can power up their own customised superhero.

They can also play games that improve their cognitive skills and physical health, and if they join a team with seven other friends who also have a watch, they can unlock extra features to play together.

The watch shoots photos and video that can be viewed later, and parents can use it to stay in touch with their kids via SMS, video call and voice call, and to keep an eye on them via geolocation.

Kids’ schedules can be diarised using the watch, and their health milestones tracked. There’s also the option to keep a photo diary of daily diet, or scan product barcodes.

For more information about Team8, visit team8.tv

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GET YOUR DAILY DOSE OF NATURE For many of us, the idea that something as

In fact, recent studies have even found

simple as exposure to nature can have any

that simply watching nature programmes

effect on the stresses that punctuate our

on TV can have a beneficial effect on our

daily life may seem far-fetched and

mental health.

fanciful.

Digital nature has been found to have The notion that plants, animals and

similar benefits to the real thing, so

landscapes can somehow create real and

watching videos and looking at pictures

measurable healing seems a little too

of natural scenes can help too.

unrealistic to be true. And yet this is exactly what researchers continue to find,

There are even apps that can deliver the

with astounding implications.

health and wellbeing benefits of nature via your smartphone, such as Noisli,

Study after study has found that those who

which has a range of nature sounds for

spend time in nature report improved

relaxation and focus, and Head Holiday,

mental health, reduced stress levels and

which turns your phone into a VR view so

elevated mood.

you can experience 360 degree nature videos as though you’re actually there.

Mental health charities and medical professionals are increasingly prescribing

So don’t wait until you’re already down,

nature as a partial treatment for depression

or unwell, start incorporating nature into

and anxiety.

your daily life today. If you’re fortunate enough to live close to green spaces,

But the benefits don’t stop at our mental

canals, rivers or coastline, schedule some

health. Our stress levels have a profound

walks as regularly as you can.

effect on our physical health too, changing the way our bodies function when it comes

If you have a garden or outdoor space,

to physical healing and fighting illness.

make it a daily ritual to spend some time outside doing nothing in particular other

Access to nature has also been found to

than relaxing. And if you don’t have any

increase longevity, produce healthier

outdoor space, get a few house plants and

babies in pregnant women, lower blood

make them prominent in your living

pressure, and fight obesity.

space.

You don’t even need to be deep in a forest

This concept seems so simplistic that you

or sitting on a beach to reap the benefits,

may feel it can’t possibly hold any value,

simply looking out of the window at trees

but when poets and scientists agree on a

has been found to decrease the number of

single concept such as the healing power

days patients stay in hospital before being

of nature, it’s safe to say there may be

discharged.

something in it.

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spotlight on Svalbard If you really want to get away from it all, then few places on the planet capture the imagination quite like the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.

Its breathtaking fjords, dramatic glaciers and rugged wildlife make it a truly once-in-a-lifetime destination.

Light phases Svalbard is perhaps most famous for its long dark winters, and in stark contrast its 24 hour summers. The natural light here has distinctive seasons, each of which will play a huge factor in deciding when to take your trip.

The Polar Night occurs between late November and late January, and plunges the sky into 24/7 darkness, with the only light sources coming from the moon and stars. This makes it a perfect time of year to catch a glimpse of the magical Aurora borealis aka the Northern Lights. No arctic trip is complete without witnessing these fantastical lights at play.

Twilight occurs between both the polar night and midnight sun phases. The light in this period casts a strange blue hue in the sky.

Midnight Sun occurs between mid-April and mid-August, and as the sun never sets in this period, the sky is alight 24/7. This opens up many unique activities that you'd never normally be able to enjoy at nighttime: midnight swimming, fishing, golfing, sledging or kayaking.

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activities It's impossible to not feel awestruck by the magnificent scenery and wildlife that awaits you in Svalbard. The neverending summer days are perfect for boat tours round the many islands including Barentsburg, Pyramiden, and Ny-Aalesund.

Learn the fascinating history of the abandoned Russian settlements, and get to know what life was like outside of the capital. These boat trips also offer you the chance to see whales, walruses and seals all in their natural habitat.

Wintertime brings another popular activity in the form of snowmobile tours and safaris. Snowmobiles allow you to access the more remote parts of the island such as the east coast where you are more likely to see Polar bears, arctic foxes and reindeer.

HIking, cycling and dog-sledding are all popular activities for outdoor enthusiasts who want to explore these stunning surroundings. Pack for polar conditions, but be confident that for any excursion you partake in, you will always be given adequate, comfortable equipment.

For a remote island of fewer than 3000 inhabitants, Svalbard certainly knows how to celebrate.

Three major annual events are the Polar Jazz and Dark Season music festivals, along with the Ski marathon, attracting thousands of skiers from across the globe.

But perhaps the biggest party of all is the week long Solfestuka celebration, when the sun makes its muchanticipated first appearance.

With the warmer climate and melting glaciers, the wonder of Svalbard is to be enjoyed as soon as possible. It's guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience.

For more information go to en.visitsvalbard.com

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How could we save our cities?

By Kate Wellham, immersive events producer and researcher based in the UK As the global response to the pandemic shows no signs of slowing, a huge number of people who are usually accustomed to working in busy office environments are now growing used to working from home.

And as they do so, businesses whose prestigious city centre headquarters have been near empty for months may be questioning whether this form of working could be more of a long-term arrangement, even when a return to the office is once again possible.

Combine this with the number of city-based businesses which are, sadly, unable to bounce back from the pandemic, and we have an unchartered future on our hands. This is a future in which businesses simply do not return to pricey urban office space – or who return only in part – preferring instead to save money on rents and continue with home-working where possible.

So where does this lead? With workers no longer needing to live in cities to work for the companies they desire, the city centre private rental market also looks precarious.

Should people opt to work from home in greener areas with cheaper housing, a whole ecosystem could begin to break down.

Restaurants, bars, theatres, venues, cafes and retail have sprung up in cities where young professionals live and work.

These businesses rely on a constant stream of people going about a daily routine that involves commuting to work, going out for lunch, meeting friends after work, and grabbing some shopping on the way home.

At weekends these businesses serve tourists who come for events or shopping trips, and who visit such cities precisely because of the aspirational cosmopolitan lifestyle and mythology they exude.

Removing office workers from cities would, undoubtedly, have a ripple effect that could completely transform our cities in the coming years.

But what might that look like?

One option, of course, is cities’ total failure to adapt, with these once thriving urban centres falling into decline.

But that’s not the only option.

As much as online services have allowed people to work from home, and to find entertainment and communication at their fingertips, there is still an alternative that simply cannot be delivered digitally.

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The so-called ‘experience economy’ is (covid aside) a thriving one, which the sheer ubiquity of life online is only serving to highlight. In a world where we live and socialise so much online, getting out to do something in the physical world has a special place of its own, and it’s a thrill for which people are increasingly happy to pay.

One only need look at the rise of ‘escape room’ team games to realise there remains a market for real life, real time entertainment.

And while online shopping is the norm now more than ever, the global prevalence of German-style Christmas markets, for example, shows that the ritual of wandering, browsing, entertainment and dining during a day of shopping makes it often far more than a mere purchasing exercise.

The rise of the UK-based company, Secret Cinema, defies all logic without the context of the experience economy. Films that have been available to view online for decades have been screened in purpose-built theatrical environments over the course of several hours, with audiences paying around 60GBP (around six times the cost of a cinema ticket) for entry, with food, drink and merchandise at an additional cost.

Miniature golf courses, a kitsch relic of the pre-digital age, are now back and bigger than ever before, taking group bookings for neon-lit indoor courses.

A shopping centre in Groningen has overhauled its offer completely, no longer selling

products and instead offering dwell time and space.

Clearly the prevalence of digital services has had no detrimental effect on our desire to gather, play and exist in environments outside our own homes.

Could cities take their inspiration from this booming sector?

With the inevitable lowering of commercial rents, new businesses who wish to enter this market have an easier route to trialling new forms of entertainment and in-person services, and landlords would be wise to let them.

Without filling spaces with activity, urban centres will only continue to lose their appeal, and see more and more residents falling out of love with these once booming neighbourhoods.

A lowering of residential rents, too, could allow young creatives and families to live and work in cities affordably, ensuring they maintain a sense of vibrancy and community.

With empty spaces filled by experimental, independent businesses, cities can lose their homogenous feel, and forge identities that will carry them into a more exciting future.

What we are entering is an experiment in real estate, at its core. But it is an experiment which has knock-on effects for the survival of our historic centres, and the provision of achievable lifestyles that offer more than a digital focus.

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Innovation and Crisis We are currently experiencing a crisis the world has never experienced before. Some people call it World War III. Crisis or war places a burden upon a nation's citizens.

People have to work harder to keep the nation's economy and infrastructure from collapsing.

Resources are scarce, and people have to be innovative to make things work. There is an urgency to resolve problems and make progress.

It is no surprise that the technology we depend upon today began as a kind of military technology or developed to deal with crises.

Sir Robert Watson-Watt built the first radar set in 1935.

The British Air Ministry adopted his design and used it to detect aggressors during the early days of World War II. Now we won't be able to travel anywhere without the help of radar technology.

The Internet began in the 1960s in the US as a military project to develop the technologies and protocols necessary to allow multiple computers to connect directly to one another.

By creating a robust and flexible network, the United States could ensure that access to the nation's supercomputers could remain intact in the event of a catastrophe.

Thanks to Internet, even during the lockdown, we were able to stay connected with family and friends and continue to work. COVID-19 created severe damage to our economy and disrupted our life.

Children are experiencing interrupted childhood, removed from social interaction, and paranoid of hygiene.

But it is also pushing innovation to the extreme. There are so many people working hard to develop innovative solutions to continue or even improve our lives.

Dr. Robert Kremer was born in Ukraine, educated in Russia, and came to the US 40 years ago. He is a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur.

He worked in so many countries worldwide and was involved in projects ranging from cleaning up the nuclear waste to the air filtration system and more.

Static electricity helps absorb infinite tiny particles smaller than 0.1 microns. 6,000V high-voltage static electricity kills microbes, such as virus, bacteria, and clears away pollen, which is all absorbed on the negative grid.

It has low power consumption.He also developed a sanitizing closet to kill viruses and bacteria from our clothing.

As the weather gets cold and we wear coats outside and take them off indoors, these devices are crucial keeping people safe. The application in medical facilities and factories is limitless.

Nitric Oxide gas has been approved by the FDA for over twenty years for the treatment of pulmonary Hypertension. The problem with Nitric Oxide is that it presently uses a large gas tank or a gas-generating machine that is expensive and cumbersome.

Dr. Mel Ehrlich of NMB Therapeutics solves these problems by encapsulating Nitric Oxide into a nanoparticle (a particle size of 20 - 80nm) having a diameter much smaller than that of a hair.

NanoNOx dissolves in the presence of moisture, releasing the gas at a rate that we can control, extending the time to hours that Nitric Oxide is present in the lungs. NanoNOx therapeutic properties are -路 Increasing vasodilation,路 Reducing inflammation路 Increasing oxygen into the blood,路 Reducing viral load augmenting the body's immune system.In plain English, we can use it to treat COVID patients and also as prevention. It can be useful for people living in polluted cities and who have Asthma and other lung illnesses.

COVID pandemic sparked his innovative spirit. He developed an air purification system that kills the virus and bacteria using electrostatic technologies.

It is time to accept our new life as a new normal, accept, and adapt. Innovation will help us to improve our quality of life. Who knows? There was an economic boom after the world war II. With enough innovation, our life could be better than pre-COVID life.

He combined and improved existing technologies to meet today's demands; carbon + electrostatic + HEPA filters.

To get to know more about Electrostatic air purifiers or NanoNox, please contact Dr. Robert Kremer, Robert@fisonic.com

Moskitofree Launches Aeriashield

Fight against the coronavirus: Moskitofree, a French company specializing in the protection of people, has developed the Aeriashield device to fight against the human coronavirus.

The coronavirus is transmitted mainly by postilions and droplets of water propelled by the infected person to those nearby.

However, on July 6, 2020, a group of 239 international scientists called on health authorities around the world and in particular the World Health Organization (WHO) to recognize that the new coronavirus can spread in the air, well beyond two meters.

As specialists in the biological protection of people, by offering solutions that are always innovative, effective and harmless to health (without any use of chemicals), we have tested our Aeriashield device, with its antiviral and antibacterial properties, in collaboration with the Institut Pasteur de Lille, at the forefront of the fight against infectious diseases for over a century.

The service of Doctor Michèle Vialette, Head of Service of the Microbiological Safety Unit, responsible for the High Safety Laboratory at the Pasteur Institute in Lille, supervised the tests on the Aeriashield devices.

The Aeriashield by Moskitofree device, tested by the Institut Pasteur De Lille, eliminates 99% of the human coronavirus HCoV-229E within 5 minutes in the air of a sealed enclosure (1.4 m3).

The human coronavirus HCoV-229E is a different coronavirus but from the same family as the causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoOV2. »Aeriashield by Moskitofree is available in 2 models: individual (portable device) and collective (device to be placed on a table).

Aeriashield by Moskitofree provides an effective complementary response to fight against airborne contamination.

Contacts: Moskitofree Distribution Aline Menin info@moskitofreedistribution.frInstitut Pasteur De Lille usm@pasteur-lille.fr

build better immunity The threat of covid-19 has created much anticipation of a vaccine, but experts have warned that not only might this be some time away, but it is also not guaranteed to be the answer in its entirety. However, there are some precautions we can take for our own health that can not only help to protect us against this virus, but can also help our bodies to overcome different kinds of illnesses we might otherwise suffer from.

In relying on medication entirely, we may neglect our bodies’ own defence mechanism - our immune system. This highly efficient system is within our control to maximise, and while it may not be able to protect us entirely, it is certainly a big part of the battle, especially as we get older.So here are some easy ways to boost your immune system, all of which are achievable for most of us during lockdown restrictions.

stay warm

Get enough sleep The right amount of restful sleep allows your immune system to properly rebalance, eliminating unhelpful inflammatory cells and boosting the levels of helpful chemicals in your body, as well as certain cells’ ability to fight diseases.

Breathing in cold air creates the perfect environment for viruses in our upper airways, hence the prevalence of colds and flu in the winter time.

While going outside is a good idea, be sure to wrap up warm when you do, especially around your face and neck with a substantial scarf.

If you’re doing activities outside that mean you can’t wear a scarf, drink hot drinks regularly to keep your temperature steady.

Lift your mood As easy as it can be to sink into lethargy and depressive states at the moment, this can have a negative effect on your physical health.

Whatever you can do to lift your mood, from watching funny TV shows to going for a long walk or chatting with friends on the phone, can also help your body to fight the stress that can otherwise impact your immune system negatively.

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Feel the sunshine Vitamin D is a very important factor in a well functioning immune system, and the most efficient way to absorb it is through your skin in the form of sunshine.

Even if it’s not hot outside, take advantage of any sunny days to try and absorb some sunlight into your skin, and take a vitamin D supplement as well.

Garlic

Recognised for its many health benefits, including those to your cardiovascular system and metabolism, garlic can also improve your immune system function with the compounds it contains. If you don’t like the taste of garlic, you can also find it in supplement form.

Exercise

Regular exercise is, of course, good for your overall health. But for your immune system specifically it has the benefit of helping white blood cells to move around your body so they can fight problems where they’re needed.

Overexercising can place too much stress on the body and can be counterproductive, but regular daily movement to raise your heart rate is highly recommended.

plant-based foods

Probiotic yoghurt

Probiotic yoghurt helps stimulate those vital white blood cells so they can fight infection. A daily dose has also been shown to ward off colds.

Zinc

An essential component in your body’s fight against all kinds of illnesses, zinc can reduce recovery time from colds, fight off pneumonia, and generally activates the enzymes your body uses to break down viruses.

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You don’t need to turn vegetarian or vegan to gain the health benefits of a plant-based diet, but do incorporate plants into your diet as much as you possibly can. They feed your immune system with much of what it needs to function well, helping it to ward off problems.

Healthy fats Foods such as salmon, olive oil and avocados contain healthy fats which have an anti-inflammatory effect. Inflammation can battle your immune system, making it less effective, so these kinds of foods make it easier for your body’s natural defence mechanism to do its job.

home spa gadgets

to see you through lockdown Home spas are becoming increasingly popular, and it's really not surprising that now more than ever we need a sacred space for peace, relaxation and tranquility. In these uncertain times, visits to spas have decreased as more and more people are enjoying similar benefits in the safety and security of their own home.

We've handpicked a selection of luxury high-tech products that give you the same results as any in-spa treatment, until you’re free to get treated by a professional again.

Un air de Diptyque home electric diffuser Creating the right ambiance is paramount to a successful spa session, and scent is a powerful tool when it comes to relaxation.

Which is why it's important to find the perfect diffuser. Perhaps the most stylish ceramic one around is the highly sought after offering from Parisian perfumer Diptyique.

Its luxurious gold and white design emits a bounty of beautiful aromas using specialised scent cartridges as opposed to essential oils.

Genius Light mask This futuristic facial mask uses electrostimulation and light therapy to treat a multitude of skin troubles.

The multi function Genius Light mask has 8 targeted settings. It boosts radiation, smoothes wrinkles, banishes dark spots and blemishes, detoxes the skin and much more.

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Ogawa Smart 3D Massage Chair Every respectable spa experience has to include a massage of some kind. But the best way to enjoy one from your very own home is with the intelligent Ogawa Smart 3D Massage Chair.

There is nothing that this chair doesn't do - its Smart Tablet technology allows you to create individual user profiles, and save your personalised preferences.

Choose from 6 levels of intensity, bask in its colour therapy headrest and entertain system, all whilst enjoy its zero gravity recliner.

It's not the most practical to have an actual sauna at home, but that doesn't mean you can't reap the benefits of one.

Best all-rounder: Sauna blanket

MiHIGH's infrared sauna blanket is a practical, portable and amazing gadget to relax both your body and mind.

The infrared technology has various health benefits, it allows you to detoxify up to 7 times more than a regular sauna, ridding your body of toxins, and creating a more balanced glowing you.

And along with the known calming, relaxing properties the sauna blanket can help you burn up to 600 calories in one half an hour session.

With rave reviews and the beauty of portability, the sauna blanket is definitely high up on the list of home spa must-haves.

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Big Future An online charity event to inspire hope for 2021 and beyond

BigFutureFestival.com

Upcoming Events 4-5 January 2021 Big Future Festival Virtual 28 January 2021 The Alea Sessions: Redesigning the Future (London edition) London, UK 7-8 March 2021 Middle East Family Office Investment Summit Dubai, UAE May 2021 APAC Family Office Investment Summit Hong Kong November 2021 Africa Family Office Investment Summit TBC Latam Family Office Investment Summit Mexico City, Mexico See aleaglobalgroup.com for updates

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