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TO BREAK THE RULES, YOU MUST FIRST MASTER THEM. THE WATCH THAT BROKE ALL THE RULES, REBORN. IN 1972, THE ORIGINAL ROYAL OAK SHOCKED THE WAT C H M A K I N G W O R L D A S T H E F I R S T H A U T E HOROLOGY SPORTS WATCH TO TREAT STEEL AS A PRECIOUS METAL. TODAY THE NEW ROYAL OAK COLLECTION STAYS TRUE TO THE SAME PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN LE BRASSUS ALL THOSE YEARS AGO: “BODY OF STEEL, HEART OF GOLD”. OVER 130 YEARS OF HOROLOGICAL CRAFT, MASTERY AND FINE DETAILING LIE INSIDE THIS ICONIC MODERN E X T E R I O R ; T H E P U R P O S E F U L R O YA L O A K ARCHITECTURE NOW EXPRESSED IN 41MM DIAMETER. FROM AVANT-GARDE TO ICON.
ROYAL OAK
IN STAINLESS STEEL. ACTURE SELFWINDING MANUFACTURE MOVEMENT.
Contents Business 14 FIRST WORD
Leaders in development
38
16 Investment Destination Libya turns dust to gold
18 Family Business
Adler Swiss Haute jewellery
Special Report 21 Cover Story
26
22
Faces of Philanthropy
22 Steve Sosebee
Championing Children
26 Princess Ameerah Al Taweel Empowering women
30 Masood Razaq A Platform for Giving
32 Tom Woolf
Extreme fundraising
36 Naguib Sawiris
Billionaire community crusader
38 Visualizing Palestine
32
Communicating conflict through infographics
42 Tariq Al Gurg
Showing the world Dubai Cares
46 Global Citizenship
Pathway to Canadian citizenship
48 Global Citizenship
Hungary offers citizenship programs
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6 GC July / August 2013
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68
lifestyle 50 gizmos and gadgets
A sneak peek at the hottest gadgets
52 Design
Homeware for discerning men
54 Auto Test Drive Porsche 911 Carrera 4S
56 Yachts
Sunreef’s 60 Power
58 Café Culture
Dubai’s newest offerings
60 Profile
Dinner Club by No. 57
62 ART
Philip Mueller comes to Dubai
64 Travel
64
Prague’s medieval charm
68 Little Black Book Los Angeles
70 Hotels
New York City’s finest
76 Wellness
Ramadan nutrition tips
78 Fashion
Do it with colour
50
80 Horology
Statement watches
52
79
70 2013 July / August GC 7
GLOBAL CITIZEN editorial DIRECTOR Ritu Upadhyay - rupadhyay@reachmedia.ae Senior editor Natasha Tourish - ntourish@reachmedia.ae
On Giving
Lifestyle Editor Aysha Majid - amajid@reachmedia.ae ART DIRECTOR Omid Khadem - okhadem@reachmedia.ae CONTRIBUTORS Tahira Yaqoob, Nausheen Noor, Sandra Tinari, Mona Alami, Dania Saadi, Pia Aung, Matt Hamilton, Heba Hashem, Shane Philips Printed by Masar Printing and Publishing
ne of the defining hallmarks of global citizenry is a sense of responsibility for the greater wellbeing of humanity, transcending borders and cultures. As we begin this holy month of Ramadan, a time of reflection, these ideals are top of mind. In our special report, Faces of Philanthropy, we celebrate the work of some of the region’s most inspiring global citizens. Meet eight humanitarians, activists and philanthropists who are working tirelessly to elevate human welfare in the region and beyond. They are not just giving their money to those in need, but actively working with the recipients of that aid, ensuring their initiatives are sustainable in the long term. Our choice of philanthropists is far from comprehensive, as there are so many people doing great work in this region, but we aim to shed light on the different ways individuals are contributing. From giving a powerful voice to women’s rights, as does Princess Ameerah of Saudi Arabia, to Steve Sosebee’s mission to alleviate the suffering of children injured by war in Palestine, we hope these stories will inspire you. From the entire team at Global Citizen, we wish you peace, health and happiness. Ramadan Kareem!
!
RITU UPADHYAY Editorial Director
8 GC July / August 2013
www.global-citizen.com www.facebook.com/GlobalCitizenMag MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE Fierce International Dubai Internet City Business Central Tower A | Office 2803 T: +971 4 421 5455 | F: +971 4 421 0208 tarek@fierce-international.com
REACH MEDIA FZ LLC publisher Armand Peponnet Advertising sales@reachmedia.ae SUBSCRIPTION subscription@reachmedia.ae Dubai Media City, Building 8, Ground Floor, Office 87, PO Box 502068, Dubai, UAE T: +971 4 385 5485 Email: info@reachmedia.ae Copyright 2013 Reach Media. 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 Reach Media. Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of the publisher or Global Citizen. All information in Global Citizen 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.
Rashid My occupa tion: A r chitect My dream : To a d sign ature d my t of my hom o the skyline etown My private bank: J u because I lius Baer, upon thei can build r wealth ma exper tise in n agement My name:
The leading Swiss private banking group. Since 1890. www.juliusbaer.com Julius Baer is present in over 40 locations worldwide. From Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Istanbul, Hong Kong, Singapore, Moscow, Milan, Monaco, Frankfurt, London, Guernsey, Nassau and Montevideo to Geneva, Lugano, St. Moritz and Zurich (head office).
Shane Phillips
is a leading Executive Search Consultant in the region and Managing Director of Shane Phillips Consultants, a local boutique search firm. Shane hosts his own show on Dubai Eye 103.8 every Thursday at 8pm called “Eye On Careers.”
Nausheen Noor
Mona Alami
is a French journalist based in Beirut. She travels around the region reporting on business and political affairs from Jordan, the UAE and Syria. She regularly reports in both English and French for IPS (an international newswire), USA Today, Arabian Business, Now Lebanon magazine, L’Expansion, as well as produces documentaries for Al Aan TV.
is a freelance journalist based in Dubai. She is the author of the blog, Dubai Bites and is a frequent contributor to The National, BBC Good Food, Esquire, and Ahlan! Gourmet. Prior to moving to Dubai, she worked in nonprofit management in New York. She has a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.A. in Anthropology and Development.
Matthew Hamilton
is an American writer based in LA. His writing has appeared in The Christian Science Monitor, The National, and Monocle, among other publications. He first came to the Middle East fresh out of college to teach Iraqi refugee children in Jordan before returning to the US to pursue a career in journalism.
10 GC July / August 2013
Tahira Yaqoob
Heba Hashem
is a freelance journalist based between Abu Dhabi and Cairo. She reports regularly on the solar and nuclear power sectors for CSP Today and Nuclear Energy Insider. She has a B.A. in Communications and Media Studies from Middlesex University.
is a freelance journalist with 18 years experience in newspapers and magazines. She spent seven years at the Daily Mail as a news reporter and served as deputy showbusiness editor before moving to the UAE in 2008. She worked as a senior features writer at The National for four years before freelancing full time.
Sandra Tinari
is an Australian business and luxury lifestyle journalist. With 19 years media experience, she regularly contributes to newspapers and magazines in Australia, Europe, the UK and US, including The Financial Times and Sunday Times. Sandra has also worked as an editorial consultant in London for leading corporate firms, such as HSBC, Savills Plc and Four Seasons.
Dania Saadi
Pia Aung
is a marketing and communications manager with eight years experience working within the luxury sector in London, New York and Dubai. With a background in Art History from the University of Edinburgh and an MA in design studies from Central Saint Martins, she now writes freelance for art galleries in Dubai.
is a bilingual journalist with a decade of experience in journalism in the Middle East. As a business reporter for Lebanon’s Daily Star newspaper, she has covered all aspects of the Lebanese economy and financial markets. She also contributes to various news agencies in the UAE, Iraq, Egypt and Syria.
2013 July / August GC 11
the Big Picture
h i s to r i c a l v i s i o n a ry
N e l s o n M a n d e l a ’s v i s i o n f o r a better tomorrow—one that affords justice and equal opportunities for all, will forever be regarded as one of the greatest achievements of our time.
word
P e r s p e c t i v e s f r o m t h e to p
creating a culture of volunteerism How has the NGO community evolved in the UAE in the last few years? GC asks leaders from the development world in Dubai. By shane phillips
Dr. Eman Gaad
Founder, Down Syndrome Association of UAE
"I run one of the largest NGOs in the country, and we have moved from a small volunteer group to a large institution that is managing multi million dollar community projects. Today corporations look to partner with NGOs because they can see the huge value they provide to the community."
Tariq Al Gurg
Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Cares
Diverse social causes are now being championed across the NGO sector in the UAE. The most important shift is the youth have become more involved in philanthropic initiatives and volunteerism. This is where organizations such as Dubai Cares stand to benefit for years to come, as this will transcend generations.
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first word
Hala Badri
Executive Vice President Brand & Communications, DU
“As the levels of familiarity with Corporate Sustainability grows, we have seen increasingly more collaborations and support of NGOs. This drives volunteerism and fosters a spirit of cooperation, bringing UAE nationals and expatriates alike together in a common cause.�
Dr. Ayesha Husani
Founder, Manzil School for Children with Special Needs
"CSR is now part of the corporate culture and has had a cascading effect down to the individual level, with employees volunteering at centres like Manzil and getting front line experience. the future of the NGO landscape is quite vibrant."
Nadia Al Sayegh
Founder, Senses Care Center for Special Needs Children
"NGOs are more organized and services much more focused on the segments of the community which need to be served. The government is also more supportive, making it easier to be licensed and providing financial support."
2013 July / August GC 15
Investment Destination
Turning Dust to Gold
Rising out of the ashes, Libya is using its greatest asset, a forward-thinking mentality, to revamp its economy and rebuild the nation.
ibya is re-opening its doors to the world. The country’s economy is forecast to expand by 16.7% this year after surging 121.9% in 2012, and the Libyan Investment Authority, said to have assets of around $60 billion, successfully sought the release of frozen stakes in Unicredit, Finmeccania SpA and Eni SpA. Refusing to become another Iraq, the country is actively reinvigorating partnership talks in every sector, from oil and telecom to tourism. The UAE, which has $2 billion of investments in Libya, was one of the first to send a business delegation within months of Gaddafi’s death. But to Libya, the UAE represents more than just a business partner. “We do not need financial support, as we have resources from the 1.6 million barrels per day (bpd) that we produce.
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What we’re looking for from the UAE is their experience and lessons learnt,” Prime Minister Ali Zeidan told Global Citizen during a visit to the UAE. Oil Economy As of June 2012, Libya’s hydrocarbon output soared to more than 1.52 million bpd from a low of 166,000 bpd in 2011, and is expected to increase to pre-conflict levels this year. Talks on oil exploration have already begun with the Sudanese Government, Total SA, and Russia’s Tafneft. Newcomers to Libya, such as the UAE’s biggest builder, Arabtec, are also looking at oil and gas projects. “Libya is a medium-term market for us on the residential side, but immediate for oil and gas. Our subsidiary Target Engineering is already looking at some projects in the
sector,” Ziad Makhzoumi, Arabtec’s chief financial officer, told Reuters. Similarly, General Electric expects to make considerable profit in this market, as much as $10 billion according to CEO Nabil Habayeb, as the firm investigates multiple sectors. Libya’s dependency on hydrocarbon earnings, however, makes its vulnerable to oil shocks, as hydrocarbons account for 60% of the country’s GDP and 95% of its revenue. “In relation to the oil industry, we would like to expand as much as possible. We haven’t yet started discovering other mines in Libya, and this field is very promising as we’re diversifying our economy. I think commerce and trade will be a major opportunity, and in the development of our airports, seaports, highways, means of communications, desalination, and renewable energy, there
Image courtesy of Corbis
By Heba Hashem
Investment Destination
are many opportunities,” Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel Aziz told GC. Infrastructure One of the biggest projects approved for resumption is the Sirte-Benghazi railway project, a $12 billion scheme that was split between Russian Railways and China Railways Construction. Despite wanting to revive it, Libya warned the Russians and Chinese not to raise their original contract prices by claiming compensation for the two-year delay, during which costs of construction materials significantly increased. Libya’s ICT and telecommunications are also attracting investors. According to UKTI technology adviser Nitin Dahad the country particularly needs “technology know-how and skillstraining for everything from network architecture and e-government to regulatory law.” Libya recently halted a tender to manage LIPTIC, the country’s monopoly telecom operator, which UAE’s Etisalat is keen on winning. A 2012 report by Sydney-based consultants BuddeComm says, “Libya’s telecommunications infrastructure is superior to those in most other African
countries and services are available at some of the lowest prices on the continent.” Leading financial institutions, such as Arab Bank, are also eyeing Libya. Others, like Dubai-based Arqaam, took the plunge and acquired Libya’s Al Rashid Finance, enabling it to buy and sell securities there, while Qatar’s Masraf Al Rayan acquired an additional share in an unidentified Libyan bank, poised for conversion into an Islamic one.
"We do not need financial support, as we have resources from the 1.6 million barrels per day that we produce. What we’re looking for from the UAE is their experience and lessons learnt..."
Potential for Tourism Ambitions that Libya could become a tourist hotspot are not far from reality, given its unspoilt coastline on the Mediterranean Sea, its Roman Empire heritage, and proximity to Europe. British Airways, Lufthansa, and Afriqiyah now fly direct from London to Tripoli, while Qatar Airways, Emirates, Austrian Airlines and Alitalia are among others operating regular services. Libya’s airport sector recently attracted 10 leading UK companies in the aviation field. “All are eager to be part of the exciting Libyan airports sector and to
Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan
Image courtesy of Gettyimages
Rebuilding is underway in Tripoli
develop relationships and partnerships with suitable Libyan companies,” said Peter Budd, chairman of UKTI Airports Advisory Council. “It’s a competitive process at the moment. We use tenders, and any country or company that provides quality and the best price…SMEs are especially attractive for freedom fighters; many of them are interested in small-scale projects,” said Aziz. Although it might take a while before Libya is back on travellers’ agendas, for now it appears to be headed in the right direction.
2013 July / August GC 17
Family bUSINESS
Family Jewels Born on the banks of the Bosphorus, the Adler Family’s Fine Jewelry business is a story of multigenerational success crossing east and west. By Sandra Tinari
Family Portrait - Franklin and his wife Leyla and their son Allen along with Franklin’s brother Carlo run the company they inherited from their grandfather.
My grandfather used to bribe me with the most wonderful cake,” says Franklin Adler of his early and unusual introduction to the world of fine jewelry. “He would buy me a piece of chocolate cake. Then give me gold, pearls and beads to play with while he worked. Other five or six-year-olds have lego...I played with jewels,” says the man who along with his brother Carlo, sits at the helm of his family’s jewelry business.
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Franklin’s grandfather was Jacques Adler, the master jeweler and founding father of the business that still bears his name. The Swiss-based celebrity red carpet favourite built its international reputation early on through its ability to artfully blend the sensuality and colour of the east with the techniques of the west. “We were the first when it comes to fusion!” Franklin laughs. While Jacques had the determination and looks of a Prussian General he was an artist with precious stones and metals,
Franklin reminisces. The jeweler trained in Vienna prior to returning to his home in Istanbul in 1886 to open the first Adler atelier and boutique. “The Ottoman Empire of the time was full of splendor, brocades and jewelry— the warm sensuality and colours of the Orient. As a young man my grandfather was attracted to that,” Franklin recalls. “At the same time Vienna was the centre of Europe’s arts and music scene. When he returned to Istanbul he brought back the techniques, innovations and style of
Family bUSINESS
Western Europe and was the first to try fusion - the fusion of two cultures. It was a fabulous, wonderful blend and he was very successful very quickly.” Originally from Eastern Europe, Jacques’ father had found inspiration and favour in the Ottoman Empire enroute to a new life in New York. The renowned ‘horse whisperer’ had impressed the Sultan with his understanding of the animals and promptly hired him to work in his stables. All thoughts of New York were subsequently thrown to the wind and more than 100-year Adler association with Turkey began. However, as younger
Founder Jacques Adler
"Customers from Russia and Asia like our jewelry because they can see a little bit of their culture and a little bit of Europe in each piece. It is the fusion."
generations of Adlers were schooled abroad, the lure of Europe again beheld the family and in 1972 Franklin and his brother Carlos relocated the house of Alder to Geneva in Switzerland. Stores in premier locations, such as Gstaad, London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Dubai have since followed. To this day the philosophy and style of Adler is very much rooted in its east meets west history and in Jacques’ founding passion of innovation. “We have a tendency to remain open to ideas and cultures, because of our mixed origins...we are inspired by so many things,” Franklin says. Adler is guided by the passion of creating beautiful pieces that are different.
Franklin Adler at the store in Istanbul
Adler’s London Store on Bond Street
But, as Franklin remarks, continually creating can be a difficult process. New ideas and designs do not stay fresh for long in the age of globalisation and the internet. It is this quest for creativity and uniqueness, married with a commitment to exceptional quality, that sees the house produce only about five percent of what its in-house team designs, which incidentally in the family way is overseen by Franklin’s wife, Leyla. “We love innovating and we were the first to use titanium. It is a very solid metal but light, which is very useful for big earrings and pins as it is half the weight of gold. It was a very interesting process; we had to invent new tools for the setting of the stones because the traditional tools would break when used with titanium. We have also used wood, agate and now carbon.” “Some of the big houses have copied us - the same principle, the same idea they say you should be proud that you’re copied but I’m not sure that is a good consolation. However, it is better to be copied than copy yourself.” Now, Franklin says the independent family firm sees great opportunity in the growing dominance of eastern buyers, given Adler’s roots in the orient. The management team, including Franklin’s son, Allen, has a full schedule throughout 2013 and 2014 with exhibitions and events in the Middle East and Asia. Trips to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Hong Kong will follow on from a recent successful exhibition in Thailand. “Customers from Russia and Asia like our jewelry because they can see a little bit of their culture and a little bit of Europe in each piece. It is the fusion.” Franklin believes that it is the growth in these markets, which will also help to see jewelry evolve and endure. “I think jewelry has been around for a long time and it has evolved. It used to exemplify power and now it is about beauty. It adds that final touch to the way a woman dresses, it is the signature. Jewelry has become an art form.”
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Special Report
faces of Philanthropy From royalty to billionaire philanthropists and expat humanitarians, meet some of the most inspiring Global Citizens in the Middle East.
2013 July / August GC 21
faces of Philanthropy
"if Americans knew what was going on from the human side...they’d be more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause." Steve Sosebee in Ramallah with his daughter Jenna
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Special Report
Championing Children Steve Sosebee, an American living in Palestine, is transforming the lives of thousands of sick and injured children through the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. By Nausheen Noor
he leafy suburbs of Kent, Ohio in Midwest America have little in common with the rocky terrain of Palestine. But it was while attending university in this small town that a teenage Steve Sosebee would form a connection to the Middle East that would lead to a lifelong dedication to humanitarian causes and the establishment of the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), a non profit organization providing medical treatment to injured children in the Middle East. Steve, who counts Malcolm X and John Lennon as childhood heroes, was imbued at an early age with a strong sense of social justice. His parents, George, a high school teacher and Janet, a nurse, were champions of de-segregation. Despite being a Northern state in the 1970s, it was still not possible for African Americans to own property in their county. His parents’ activism
proved so incendiary that an angry town resident once shot at their home. In 1986, he enrolled as a freshman at Kent State University. Just 16 years earlier the campus was the site of a peaceful student demonstration against President Nixon’s Cambodian Campaign that climaxed in the shooting of students, 4 of whom were killed, by the Ohio National Guard. When the first Palestinian uprising broke out in December 1987, Steve, a political science student, saw parallels between the tragedy in his hometown and what was happening in the Middle East—unarmed students being killed by soldiers for protesting. He became increasingly intrigued by the conflict between Palestine and Israel, and took it upon himself to educate his peers, sometimes even his professors, on the subject.
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faces of Philanthropy
"our job is to be the most effective, professional, caring, loving organization that can come into these areas of destruction, hatred, warfare and intolerance..."
“Today there’s a more open discussion. People who are progressive, connected to causes and issues of social justice know what’s going on in Palestine. I don’t think there’s too much confusion. Of course, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still prejudice. But back then, it was just total ignorance.” In 1988, Steve travelled to Palestine with a student delegation of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee. Coinciding with beginnings of the first intifada, it was his first experience witnessing what was happening on the ground. “The occupation, the harshness of what everyday life was like there was shocking,” he says. “But the spirit and the determination of the people to resist and to keep their humor, humanity and compassion—that was inspiring.” That trip proved to be a transformative experience. Upon graduation, Steve embarked on a career as a journalist. “I wanted to tell the human stories that I had experienced. People who had had their homes destroyed without trial, children who’d been injured while walking home from school…I felt if Americans knew what was going on from the human side, they’d be more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause.” It was while researching a story that Steve met Mansour Abu Sneineh, a 10-year-old Palestinian boy who had been injured after an Israeli soldier threw an anti-tank grenade at his family while they were eating lunch. Mansour was a triple amputee.
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Steve was able to secure medical treatment for him in Akron, Ohio, where he received an artificial hand, two artificial legs and surgery on his eye. The response in the U.S. media was overwhelmingly positive. The visual of an injured Palestinian child humanized the conflict in a faraway land. This led Steve to re-evaluate his career choice. “I realized that the things I wanted to do as a journalist, I was now doing as a humanitarian. I was accomplishing my mission and objective.” He returned to Palestine to see if he could similarly help other children. It was there he met Huda Al-Masri, a Palestinian social worker tending to injured kids. They fell in love, started PCRF together in 1991, and married in the West Bank two years later. The success of PCRF is very much a reflection of their teamwork and compatibility. Huda tended to the social welfare of the children, who were not only ill, but also petrified at the thought of travelling abroad for treatment often without their parents. Steve managed the arrangement of medical care, secured the financing, and coordinated with doctors. The couple have two daughters Deema, 16, and Jenna, 6. Huda sadly passed away from a battle with leukemia in 2009, but Steve continues their work with his team in Ramallah and a passionate group of volunteers throughout the world. To date, PCRF has helped over 10,000 children receive medical care in Palestine and Lebanon and has sent over 1000
Special Report
children from the Middle East abroad for free treatment. Thousands more have received medicine, wheelchairs, and other humanitarian aid. While earning the endorsement of Nobel Laureates Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter, the organization’s mandate has evolved to include emergency relief and women’s empowerment programs. Although the organization’s accomplishments are manifold; Steve counts as his proudest professional moment the opening last year of the Huda Al-Masri Pediatric Cancer department at Al Hussein Hospital in Palestine’s Beit Jala, built in memory of his late wife. Despite the intractable political situation between Palestine and Israel, Steve chooses to focus on the task at hand. His daughters are enrolled in school in Ramallah, where they spend 9 months of the year. In the summers, he runs the operation from the U.S.- travelling often, dividing his time between fundraising, speaking engagements, and continually trying
to secure medical care for children. “If I look at it from a larger political perspective and imagine that Palestine may still be under occupation in 20–30 years, then I’m not going to be able to do my job. Our job is to build an organization to help as many kids as possible, to be the most effective, professional, caring, loving organization that can come into these areas of destruction, hatred, warfare and intolerance and to apply our values and make a change in the lives of people. We’re doing that.”
PCRF volunteer doctors and nurses from Chile prepare a child for surgery in Gaza.
Sosebee with daughters Deema and Jenna
PCRF brought 12-year-old Qusay Suleiman from the West Bank to Shriners Hospital in Chicago to have club foot surgery on both legs.
Sosebee leads his final team meeting in Ramallah in June before heading to the US where he will spend the summer fundraising.
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faces of Philanthropy
Empowering Women Saudi Arabia’s Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel has pushed the boundaries for change inside her own conservative country. By Natasha Tourish
t just 29, Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel is recognized internationally as a philanthropist and champion of women’s rights within Saudi Arabia, a remarkable feat for a young women who came from a middle class family with divorced parents and witnessed her mother’s battle for custody simply because she had no rights under Saudi law. Since her marriage to Prince Alwaleed, a multibillionaire businessman and nephew of Saudi’s King Abdullah, Princess Ameerah has become an outspoken advocate for women’s rights—a bold step given that Saudi Arabia is one of the most restrictive countries in the world for women and remains the only country where women are not permitted to drive. Ameerah, which means ‘princess’ in Arabic, also serves as Secretary General of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation, a non profit organization financed by her husband’s personal wealth. Through this, the couple give away at least $70 million a year to projects in over 70 countries to help alleviate poverty, disaster relief and to promote East-West dialogue. Her extensive travel with the foundation has helped her broaden her perceptions of different faiths and cultures, she says. “It has taught me to
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build bridges. I think it opens people’s eyes when you educate yourself and be open to people’s cultures. I consider myself a globalized citizen,” she told the WSJ. The young royal who holds a degree in Business Administration from The University of New Haven in Connecticut has witnessed first hand the changes that an education can make in her own country since King Abdullah lifted the ban on women being educated. “Saudi is among the top countries in the MENA region in education. It has the highest percentage of female entrepreneurs. A lot of women now go abroad on scholarships and then come back to start their own businesses,” she told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour last year. Her philanthropic work to support entrepreneurship programs for Saudi women continues despite her facing personal criticism from clerics and conservatives from within Saudi, as well other women. But the young royal remains steadfast. “I’m not fighting the battle alone. It’s a movement (of women) that’s happening in my country so I’m not scared of that at all,” she told the WSJ. After the government began to enforce a law permitting women to work in lingerie shops—over opposition from conservative clerics, she created a course to train women
Image courtesy of Gettyimages
Special Report
2013 July / August GC 27
faces of Philanthropy
"Rights are not given, they are taken. The government is moving and making reforms, but it’s up to us as civil society and NGO’s."
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Princess Ameerah has received numerous awards for her advocacy of women’s issues in the region.
She disputes the idea that change can only happen from the top down. “The change comes bottom up, and this is what we’ve seen in the Arab revolutions.” “Saudi women have been quiet for a long, long time, and it’s about time we spoke up,” she said at the Clinton summit in New York.
Image from alwaleedfoundations
in retail work. Meanwhile, the Saudi government announced several programs to help women enter the workforce for the first time in recent years and last year more than 160,000 Saudi women were employed—a record for the country. But the Princess told the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Jordan in May this year that this was “not far enough” as 85% of those unemployed in KSA are female. “It’s been 3 decades that we’ve been trying to acquire our rights. You’re not only talking about government and policies, it’s a culture. It’s about changing a mindset, and it’s not going to be easy,” she told CNN’s Amanpour. She added, “I don’t represent all Saudi women; some women may be against such a movement. I represent a sector of young Saudi women—60% of Saudi women are under 30. They are used to technology and they are globalized and they want things to happen quickly and happen now.” However, she conceded that “the most daunting challenge is not only the legislation but it is the concept, the mentality [of Saudis] because we know our society is very conservative and is very private and it’s very difficult to change concepts in Saudi Arabia to support women in the work place or to have a larger contribution [in society],” she said during the WEF. There are no written civil rights for women in KSA but the Princess has publicly stated that the ministry says they are working on it. “Rights are not given, they are taken. “The government is moving and making reforms, but it’s up to us as civil society and NGO’s,” she said.
faces of Philanthropy
A Platform for Giving Masood Razaq is revolutionizing the way Muslims give Zakat during Ramadan By Dania Saadi
s businessman Masood Razaq was leaving a mosque in London after finishing prayers a few years back, he saw donation boxes marked with names of individual countries such as Palestine. He was unsettled by the idea of people giving charity to a box, without knowing who will benefit from it and whether it would be misused in the name of Islam. The incident inspired the Pakistani-German turn a 15-year old yearning into a reality. In 2010 he set up Goodgate, or ‘Bab al Khair’ in Arabic, an online platform that connects Muslims with charities. The organization, created with $250,000 of his own money, grew out of a desire to give himself and other practicing Muslims the ability to make informed choices about giving Zakat, one of the five pillars of Islam. “My biggest worry was where that money is going. I thought there has to be a better way to learn about what is out there and connect with good causes and good organizations,’’ said 38-year old Razaq, who heads his own advisory, Verdacore.
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Special Report
“When it comes to giving, especially if you are interested in causes that are further away from where you are, it is very hard to get good information—like who is doing what, what’s the reputation of different charities, and so on.’’ Goodgate has a database of over 1,400 charities operating in over 50 Muslim countries, home to over 1.6 billion Muslims. Razaq compiles information on both secular and religious charities in Muslim countries, also Muslim charities serving Muslim communities in Western countries. The charities are categorized according to countries and causes and themes, such as education, health, and schools. His choice to focus on Muslim philanthropy stems from the dearth of a credible information source on Muslim charities that is available to the public for free. Each charity is vetted to make sure it is not a front for terrorism or any unlawful or political cause. “Militant financing is a concern as well,” he says “everyone has the obligation to make sure their money is used in an appropriate way.” “I wanted to enable as many people as possible, but still I want to protect ourselves from any liability. That’s why we do not enable any fund flows.” Masood, a former strategy consultant at the office of Microsoft’s Bill Gates, does not just want to connect charities to Muslims around the world. He would like to revolutionize the way Muslims look at Zakat and practice philanthropy at large. Razaq estimates that about $80 to $100 billion in Zakat and Sadaqa are distributed to needy Muslims each year, but the impact on communities is often not felt. He believes Muslim philanthropy has to empower as many small charities are possible, who often don’t have resources or even websites, rather than only focusing on big organizations connected to rich donors. “Charities is one of those fields where the winner takes all, where a few big names get all the funding, therefore they have more marketing muscle and they can promote themselves more. The money today probably spent on Zakat would be more than enough to have every child in school, everyone well fed,’’ he explains. “Philanthropy does not have to be something flashy or highly personalized around an individual. It can be just a group of people or even an individual doing something in a very low key kind of way. There is more impact to be had from a 100 million people doing better philanthropy, than one high net
worth individual giving a $100 million dollars.” Razaq’s wants to implement this philosophy in the development of Goodgate. “Most people’s perception of Islam is very doctrinal and political and I personally think we need to do more in arts and culture,’’ said Razaq. “So that’s one theme we would need to develop more, because people making movies, people making documentaries, people building a cool structure, they will need funds.’’ As a next step, he would also like to start producing reports and reviews of charities, with the help of the public, who can contribute information about their work, along the lines of a Wikipedia-style portal. Also he would like to create a Zakat calculator to enable Muslims to better assess how much they should donate. “There are a lot of charities which may not be efficiently run or don’t have a clear sense of their mission or a way to measure their progress against goals. We would like to bring more accountability and transparency to charitable organizations in the Muslim world, and that’s a longterm goal,’’ he says. “No one is going to change the way we do prayer, the way we do haj or the way we do fasting, but with Zakat we can actually do something to make it more informed, more effective, easier and more convenient.’’
Goodgate connects Muslims giving Zakat with charities around the world.
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faces of Philanthropy
Woolf entertains children at the Mamohato Centre for HIV+ orphans in Lesotho.
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Special Report
Extreme fundraising Dubai expat Tom Woolf has pledged to raise $1 billion for charities by 2020. His latest challenge is to cycle from London to Dubai.
Images courtesy of Chris Jackson, Getty & Sentebale
By Natasha Tourish
fter making a personal commitment to raise $1 billion for charities by 2020, former British rugby player and Dubai based entrepreneur Tom Woolf is preparing to push himself to ‘breaking point’ and spend eight hours a day riding solo through some of the harshest terrain on earth to complete his 40-day One Ride challenge this September from London to Dubai. With this ride Woolf aims to raise $1 million for Sentebale, a charity founded by Prince Harry that helps 500,000 orphans in Lesotho—where 40% of the population lives below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. Woolf will raise the funds through the online portal JustGiving, which he actively promotes within the region as a method of fund raising. JustGiving enables people like Woolf to fundraise online. “As a Middle East based entrepreneur who has always striven to be socially responsible, I felt that we were behind the curve from a fundraising perspective in the Middle East and Africa. In 2011, I partnered with JustGiving to lead the roll out of the
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faces of Philanthropy
terms, they take $1 billion of donations and in my opinion turn it into $10 of value to the communities that they support.” “The Herd Boys program particularly resonated with me as they took the schools to the nomadic herd boy tribes (who would normally have to forgo an education from the age of 5 to support their families) and host schools where the boys live from 5pm to 9pm each day, ensuring that they can still work and get an education,” said Woolf. Woolf who is also the head coach and regional ambassador for Nike, will be covering 9000km in 40 days through France, Germany, Hungary, Serbia and into Turkey where they will see the dramatic transition in landscape from Europe to the Middle East. After traversing the wild mountain ranges of Eastern Turkey he will travel through Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and into the UAE. “I have done many endurance and charity challenges, but nothing on this scale. I am not a cyclist, so I wanted to take on a challenge where I was able to master a new sport and push myself to my physical and mental limits.” The Former Harlequins player will be cycling solo, with a support crew who will be aiding him throughout the journey. Each day will be broken into 4 legs of 60kms each, with food breaks in between. He will consume around 8,000 calories per day. Woolf, a former rugby player, is the founder of PTX fitness and training in Dubai.
"I hope my philanthropic work can leave a legacy that is sustainable."
Woolf with volunteers in Lesotho
platform across the region, with the goal of raising $1billion by 2020,” Woolf told Global Citizen. Woolf, who is the founder of PTX, a Fitness and Performance Training enterprise in Dubai, visited Lesotho and witnessed first hand the impact Sentebale’s fund raising has on the local children’s lives. “Sentebale punches well above their weight,” he says. “I was incredibly impressed by the value that they create. In business
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Woolf says he will be camping for the majority of the trip, so that “we can strike camp where, and whenever is convenient.” Woolf’s greatest concern about the challenge isn’t about his own wellbeing but rather that of his team. “The security of the team is my greatest worry as we are travelling through some politically instable territories, after that it’s about making sure that I keep my nutrition and hydration levels up.” In preparation Woolf has been covering about 500-600 km
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Images courtesy of Chris Jackson, Getty, Sentebale and Nike
a week over the last 6 weeks in the build up to the ride. “This involves 4am starts every day and balancing my bike training with rehab work, and also my business interests. It has been challenging to fit everything in, and very isolating,” he said. The young philanthropist credits his mother and brother as the driving force behind everything he does and says that he only gets to see his girlfriend once a month as she lives in the UK, but it has been their “unflinching support ” that encourages him to carry on with his grueling training schedule. “In life anything that is really worth having involves sacrifice. I hope that my philanthropic work will leave a legacy that is sustainable and scalable.”
Woolf will host a fundraising gala dinner on behalf of JustGiving and in partnership with Sentebale on October 7th at the Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa in Dubai. For more information or to make a donation go to www.justgiving.com or facebook.com/JustGivingMEA and twitter.com/JustGivingMEA
Woolf’s ride from London to Dubai will benefit Sentebale, a charity for Orphans in Lesotho.
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faces of Philanthropy
Billionaire Community Crusader Egyptian businessman and philanthropist Naguib Sawiris is using his personal wealth to help rebuild his country through community based development programs. By Mona Alami
ith an aggregated wealth estimate of $4.2 billion according to Venture Magazine, the Sawiris family have amassed one of Egypt’s most successful business empires. The three Sawiris brothers, Naguib, Nassef and Samih who lead the Orascom conglomerate encompassing telecommunications, construction, real estate and hotel and development activities have also offered a helping hand to Egyptians across the country. Global Citizen talks to the scion of the Sawiris clan, Naguib, about the family’s philanthropic activity. Naguib Sawiris is a man of many interests ranging from
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successful business ventures spanning the globe from Korea to Africa, to charity work in his home country. Last year, the tycoon was the recipient of the 2012 award for distinction of civic leadership which was introduced in the wake of the Arab uprising to honor outstanding individual achievements in the realm of democracy promotion and the advancement of good governance. The Coptic Christian businessman who has famously said, “my religion says money is the root of all evil,” has pledged to be known for much more than his money. The telecom mogul has been true to his word. Through the Sawiris Foundation,
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he has contributed to creating sustainable job opportunities and empowering Egyptians. “Philanthropists across the region should act as equal partners with governments. They need to assume their social responsibility by identifying priorities and addressing social grievances caused by government cutbacks and austerity measures, which impact the poorer segments of today’ s Middle East society,” Sawiris told GC. In recent years, the Sawiris Foundation portfolio has branched out in several sectors, articulated around two main programs: Investment in Human Capital and Provision of Social Safety nets for the poor and economically deprived. The first, which has been allocated about 40 percent of the Foundation’s budget, includes training, employment programs and scholarships. The other 60 percent of the Foundation’s total commitments have been earmarked for the second program, Provision of Social Safety, offering microcredit as well as health and community development programs. In a country where women’s issues are at the forefront of the human rights debate, Sawiris has also championed women’s empowerment. To facilitate the reintegration of former female prisoners into their communities, the Foundation has established an aftercare of the female prisoners released from Minya Public Prison project. “Most of the Foundation’s programs aim to improve living conditions for the most disadvantaged members of the community, more specifically women and young people,” he pointed out. In light of the economic slump witnessed in the Land of the Pharaohs, the needs of the population have grown dramatically and more specifically in the fields of jobs creation, education and healthcare stressed the billionaire. “Unfortunately the situation worsened under the Brotherhood fascistic, politically suppressive and economically saggy rule. The whole population is suffering from the severe impact of deteriorating, economic conditions—namely job loss, higher commodity prices and political turbulence,” says Sawiris. In such a challenging economic context, philanthropists are increasingly recognizing the importance of adopting a more
business-like approach to philanthropy to unlock entrepreneurial potential. “The only way to attract the private sector in financing the huge amount of funds required for development, is to create a balanced model between social responsibility and acceptable returns,” advised Sawiris. With this idea in mind, Sawiris set up a company called Reefy with former banker Ahmad El Bardai and the help of a government-backed body called the Social Fund for Development. Since its launch in 2007, the institution has opened 32 branches nationwide, hired a staff of over 600 people and offered 175,000 loans totaling over L.E. 850 million. “The company turned a small amount of profit in its 4th year of operation. The figures are quite promising this year, in spite of the turmoil faced by the country during half of the company’s life,” underscored Sawiris. The telecom billionaire admits nonetheless that the foundation’s activity is being challenged by today’s political situation. Sawiris underscores efforts made during Mubarak’s era to implement domestic economic reforms aimed at attracting foreign investments and supporting the local private sector, which were generally fruitful in spite of bureaucracy and corruption. “ But this is nothing to compare with doing business under Morsi’s religious dictatorial rule that has targeted both the legal system and the business community and led scared investors and investments to flee Egypt,” accused Sawiris. For all these reasons emphasized the business tycoon, philanthropists in the Middle East should let their social conscience lead their efforts to alleviate poverty and eradicate illiteracy , in order to improve living conditions of the underprivileged, regardless of their religious or political orientations. “Governments in the Middle East can’t solve alone the vast majority of our social problems anymore,” he added. A recent tweet sums up the billionaire’s moral philosophy: “Every test in our life makes us bitter or better. Every problem comes to make us or break us. (The) choice is ours (whether to) become victim or victorious.”
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Social Venture
Visualizing Palestine's Conflict Joumana al Jabri and Ramzi Jaber are using infographics to communicate the stark inequities of the ongoing struggle between Israel and Palestine. By Tahira Yaqoob
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t looks like the kind of route map you might pick up to find your way around any major city, be it London, Paris or New York. But the jaunty bright lines marking out Greater Israel’s bus connections and the squiggly white divide running through the middle of the map mask a more sinister truth. “The Israeli government is working in close collaboration with the Palestinian Authority to guarantee freedom of movement of Israelis throughout Greater Israel, ensuring excellent travel times on both sides of the security fence,” reads the faux cheery spiel. On a second glance, it becomes clear the white line of the security fence prevents those living in Ramallah in the West Bank from entering Bethlehem, for example, without passing Israeli security checkpoints. For this is no tourists’ map; it is a stark indicator of where Palestinians cannot go rather than where they should go. It is an eye catching and captivating way of depicting the unimaginable and the incomprehensible, something the graphic design team behind Visualizing Palestine specialise in. Their infographics explaining the impact of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict aim to educate those who struggle to grasp the enormity of daily suffering by Palestinians in a simplified, easy to digest format, focusing on contentious issues such as water, transport and childbirth to depict the everyday reality for those living in the region. “We want to be part of a changing global narrative about Palestine that is closer to the facts and help organisations on the ground get the message across effectively,” says Joumana al Jabri, who co-founded Visualizing Palestine last year with Ramzi Jaber, 26. “There is a lot of information out there but it is not in the right format. International organisations stop at producing a report but those will only
Ramzi Jaber and Joumana al Jabri, co-founders of Visualizing Palestine
"We want to be part of a changing global narrative about Palestine that is closer to the facts."
be read by other researchers or academics. “There is a missing link for an effective communication tool. There needs to be storytelling to make it relevant to someone in the United States, for example.” After a brainstorming session with Jaber, the pair realised they could use a commonly-used design technique in an imaginative, inventive way, drawing up storyboards to tell a narrative anyone could relate to. One poster features three children—
Jason born in a Cleveland Clinic, Camille born in St Vincent de Paul Hospital and Rami born at Qalandia checkpoint, followed by the shocking small print— the fact that of the 67 women forced to give birth at Qalandia between 2000 and 2005, more than half the babies died. “As of June 2012,” the poster tells us in a matter-of-fact format, “there remained 542 obstacles to Palestinian movement in the West Bank, including 61 permanent military checkpoints. “For many Palestinians living there, it is impossible to access a hospital without crossing an Israeli checkpoint.” Starting a national conversation based on facts, not emotion—particularly on a topic, which is so divisive—is far from easy, admits Al Jabri. So to avoid any accusations of bias, her team of 10, who are spread between Ramallah, Beirut, Amman, Paris, Dubai and London, turned to both Israeli and Palestinian fact-based sources. The population data contained in their infographic on the forced exile of Palestinians was painstakingly gathered from both the Palestinian and Israeli central bureaus of statistics; other sources
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faces of Philanthropy
the team uses include the United Nations, World Bank, Amnesty International and the World Health Organisation. Each infographic lists where the information was derived from and when. Their bold aspiration is to target those who are not only ignorant about, but actively biased, against Palestinians. “Our first aim is to speak to an audience which has a clear opinion against Palestine,” says Jabri, a former architect of Saudi and Syrian origin who is based in Beirut. “After the most recent attacks on Gaza, 57 per cent of the population in the US said the attacks were justified [in a CNN poll]. “Our collaborative takes data and facts from international, Israeli and Palestinian organisations and turns them into a visual medium to spread the word. We are shifting the narrative.” Visualizing Palestine was born out of an idea hatched by Jaber, a former structural engineer and the creator of the first TedxRamallah held two years ago to showcase inspiring stories from the region. The event was indicative of the challenges facing him. When his chosen venue was not prepared in time, the conference was eventually split between venues in Bethlehem, Lebanon and Jordan. The year-long build-up to the event taught Jaber that he knew little about his Palestinian roots and the realities on the ground, something he had in common with many Arabs, despite their best intentions. He assembled an eclectic team of architects, graphic designers and researchers with expertise on how to captivate audiences with dramatic visuals. “Our graphics are mainly for a western audience,” says Al Jabri, “but we are aware there are plenty of people who have limited knowledge about what is happening on the ground. This is about social justice, not politics.”
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"When people understand, it translates into action."
While the pair have been funding the initiative from their own pockets, they have been helped by grants amounting to $50,000, although it is a fraction of the $300,000 a year needed to keep producing their evocative messages. Commissions have begun to trickle in, including one from the charity Ewash (Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) in occupied Palestine, which led to an info graphic explaining how water and sanitation are used to control the population. In Gaza, up to 95 per cent of the water supply is unfit for human sanitation. Other commissions have come from a UK parliamentary group and from a group of Jewish Americans protesting against Israeli policy, which led to visuals appearing on several billboards around Washington DC, although funds dried up before the campaign could spread further. The team behind Visualizing Palestine hopes their organisation will eventually attract sponsorship from business leaders and become self-funding. There are also plans to diversify and produce info graphics for campaigns not related to Palestine. “We are interested in data-driven stories that help people to develop an accurate and nuanced understanding of the situation in Palestine and Israel beyond the discredited logic of a clash of civilisations,” says Jaber. “When people understand, it translates into action.”
All infographics are available for download on VisualizingPalestine.org.
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faces of Philanthropy
Showing the World Dubai Cares Dubai Cares ensures millions of children in developing countries can receive their basic human right of a quality primary education. By Natasha Tourish
hen Dubai Cares launched in September 2007, it marked the beginning of a fundraising campaign to provide 1 million children in developing countries with access to quality primary education. Today, Dubai Cares reaches more than 8 million children in 31 developing countries. Spearheading the organization is CEO Tariq Al Gurg, a former banker and founding board member of the UAE Genetic
CEO Tariq Al Gurg with children in Sudan who benefit from Dubai Cares’ SHIELD program
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Diseases Association. Since joining in 2009, Al Gurg has been instrumental in extending the organization’s global agenda. In September last year, Al Gurg and Dubai Cares were selected by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to be a member of the Advisory Group of the UN’s Global Education First Initiative. The initiative aims to enroll every child in school, improve the quality of learning and to foster global citizenship.
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What made you take the leap from the corporate world into non-profit? It was a fairly easy decision once I looked at the overall picture and the deep personal satisfaction that I would gain. I researched the progress of Dubai Cares since inception. I realized that not only will I oversee the design of its programmatic interventions in developing countries, but also utilize my banking skills to manage the hundreds of millions of funds that have been raised. How do you raise hundreds of millions? Our fundraising tactics vary. While the majority of our funding comes from the corporate sector, we also run many fundraising campaigns for small scale donors that may donate an amount as small as 5 AED. These proceeds mainly come from the customers of our strategic partners. No matter how small the amount is, it will surely make a difference.
and national NGOs as well as UN agencies, from which we source feedback that also helps us in country selection, program design and implementation. How do you use your funds to get children in schools? Our mission to increase children’s access to quality primary education is realized through eliminating the underlying obstacles that prevent children from going to school. This is achieved through school feeding, de-worming activities, early childhood education, curriculum development, literacy and numeracy through teacher training, school infrastructure as well as water, sanitation and hygiene in schools.
What has been your most memorable field experience? While on the field we see children expressing their desires and dreams once they have a chance to go to school. This is what Dubai Cares is achieving through our programs, fulfilling dreams and raising the expectations of children who can now look forward to a different future full of promise. Stories like these give me and my team great inspiration and determination to do more for children around the world.
Al Gurg at the launch of Dubai Cares’ program in Ethiopia
Al Gurg with Bill Gates and Nasser Al Budoor at the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi
How do you select which programs to help, whether in Gaza or Bangladesh? Dubai Cares assesses the needs of local communities and designs interventions that generate immediate and long-term impact in the lives of children and their communities. Through desk research, field visits and data from the UNDP, we carry out country assessments to determine how we can most effectively invest in developing countries. Dubai Cares works through an implementing partnership model with multi-lateral international
Do you talk to your own children about poverty? I have many photos of me with children on the field which I share with my daughters, especially the eldest one who is 5 and half years old. I explain to her that there are poor people around the world and that I am one of many people who are trying to secure a better living for these children. She is aware of poverty in developing countries and that is not only due to the stories I tell, but also the school she attends educates her about these issues.
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EMPOWERING GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP September 12, 2013 Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
GLOBALCITIZENFORUM.ORG
Global Citizen Magazine is proud to be a media partner of the Global Citizen Forum.
PURPOSE The Global Citizen Forum is a platform for exchange between all relevant stakeholders in an effort to build awareness, educate and promote Global Citizenship as a way of life. Second residency and citizenship are being sought more and more by high net worth individuals and their families. At the same time, new programs are being offered by an increasing number of countries and thus, the forum serves to examine this trend and its benefits.
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Global Citizenship
Pathway to Canadian Citizenship anada is a melting pot of investors due to its diverse range of industries from aerospace and renewable energy to bio-pharmaceuticals. It’s well established immigrant investor program, which allows wealthy foreigners to gain permanent residency and eventually citizenship in return for investing in government bonds adds to the allure. However for more than a year, Canada’s immigrant investor program has been closed because the cap set by the federal government on the number
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of visa applications was reached. Yet since the demand for permanent residency and citizenship in Canada remained at an all time high amongst foreign high net worth investors, the Quebec government decided to reopen their immigrant investor program on August 1st with a limited number of 1,750 applications. “As long as applicants to the Immigrant investor program show intent to settle in Quebec initially they are then free to live anywhere in Canada and are eventually eligible to apply for Canadian citizenship,” explained Armand Arton,
partner of Arton Investments, the only government approved financial intermediary with a presence in the Middle East. However, to be accepted, all applicants must be able to demonstrate the source of their funds and prove that they legally acquired a net worth of CAD $1.6 million, either individually or with a spouse. When accepted, the applicant will have to invest CAD $800,000 through a government-approved financial institution into government bonds for a period of five years at a zero rate of return.
Image courtesy of Corbis
Quebec reopens its popular Immigrant Investor Program to a limited number of applicants
Global Citizenship
In addition, applicants must have at least two years of management experience within the last five years. However as Arton explains, “the management experience does not have to be in a commercial or industrial enterprise. As long as the experience is managerial in nature, it can be in agriculture, government or in an international organisation.” He adds: “Because the Quebec government stands behind the repayment of capital, financing the required investment with a one time interest and management fee of $180,000 to $200,000 is an available option through Arton Investments.” Due to the new simplified procedure, a limited number of applicants will be accepted, therefore it’s expected that the Quebec program will be filled within a few days to weeks after opening. “I would advise investors to start preparing their
the demand for citizenship in Canada remains at an all time high amongst foreign high net worth investors
Armand Arton
documentation with their immigration lawyers right away as the order of priority for processing applications received will be determined by a random draw. This will be the last time that clients will be able to apply under the old investment requirements,” underscored Arton. Adding, “It’s expected that the government will review the law next year and increase the investment to $2m and the personal net worth to $4m.” Application fees are also set to increase to CAD $10,000 on August 1.
Image courtesy of Corbis
Quebec offers strong investment opportunities for foreigners.
2013 July / August GC 47
Global Citizenship
HUNGARY OPEN to investors
s a EU member state and part of Europe’s openborder Schengen zone, Hungary are offering wealthy foreign investors a fast-track permanent residency status, leading to citizenship, in exchange for the purchase of €250,000 in government bonds. Hungary’s immigrant investor program was established in late 2012 and became operational mid 2013 following initial proposals that were backed by the ruling party and subsequent legislation that specifically targeted wealthy investors, especially from China. Public debt in Hungary is equivalent to about 80 percent of its annual economic output and households are struggling with a mountain of foreign currency debt. By offering wealthy foreigners permanent residency that could lead to citizenship in return for hefty investments in the form of government bonds, these investors from China and the MENA region are propping up the country’s ailing economy. Hungary joins a number of other European states such as Bulgaria and the UK who offer residence and citizenship benefits in return for foreign investment in government bonds. The program evolved from a combination of proven
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practices from around the world and is targeted only at business people who are not residents or citizens of the EU. Under the program, investors acquire special residency bonds, which are issued and guaranteed by the Government, and have a maturity of at least 5 years.
Hungary are offering wealthy foreign investors a fast track permanent residency status, leading to citizenship...
The subscribed bonds should be for a minimum amount of €250,000, which would qualify the investor and their family to submit residence permit applications and receive preferential treatment. In return, investors and their family first obtain a Temporary Resident permit (estimated 3 months), followed by a Permanent Resident permit (estimated 6 months after issue of TR).
Arton Capital – Hungary, a global advisory firm providing custom tailored services related to investor programs for residence and citizenship serving the needs of government agencies and high net-worth individuals and families from around the world, is the only firm registered in Hungary that has the exclusive rights to clients for the MENA region. Milen Keremedchiev, Vice President, Arton Capital Hungary explained that one of the most unique features of the Hungarian program is that there are no complex qualification requirements. “There is no minimum net worth, nor management experience required for the client. The due-diligence and background verification processes will be performed by the authorized financial intermediaries.” However, “The government may choose to call applicants for an interview on a random basis,” he explained. Hungary, categorized by the World Bank as a high-income economy, is one of the thirty most popular tourist destinations in the world, having attracted in excess of 10 million tourists in 2011 alone. Foreigners with a Temporary Resident permit can travel freely within the Schengen Zone.
Image courtesy of Gettyimages
High net worth investors from China and the MENA region are lining up for permanent residence
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GIZMOS & GADGETS
Prima Cinema
PRIMA Cinema is the latest gadget to come out of Hollywood. For $500 per viewing, PRIMA offers movie lovers with private home theatres the chance to enjoy the latest releases in the comfort of their own home. But this isn’t for your average movie goer. A PRIMA box will set you back a whopping $35,000. Once you have the box, new releases are available for download over the Internet. PRIMA comes with a biometric finger print scanner for security access so no one can watch a movie without your permission, and has built-in support for 3D features. PRIMA will launch in the UAE this winter. www.primacinema.com
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HG ONE Espresso Grinder
Two Canadian espresso enthusiasts who believed the grinder is as important, if not more important, than the espresso machine itself, designed and developed the HG One Grinder. Until now most grinders that deliver the quality that espresso connoisseurs expect have been either too large or simply not suited to a normal household environment. The HG One changes that with its simple, elegant yet functional design. Price $895 / www.hg-one.com
Hasselblad Lunar Camera
This 24 megapixel camera first launched by legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin last year is essentially a rebadged Sony Alpha NEX-7. The model is finally available for retail with a choice of grips: black or brown leather, carbon fiber, as well as wood finishes: either mahogany or olive, to be precise. There are three Hasselblad-branded lenses, all of which are created by Sony—a 16mm pancake and 18-55 and 18-200 zooms. The camera also sports an inbuilt electronic viewfinder (EVF), a 24.3-megapixel APS-C sensor, full HD video recording and a host of different shooting modes which can be tweaked using the futuristic looking dials that sit on top of the camera. Price $6,995 / www.hasselblad-lunar.com
805 Maserati B&W speakers
In their second collaboration, Bowers & Wilkins have combined sound innovation with Maserati’s sleek Italian style to produce a high performance loudspeaker. The 805 is the stand-mounted model in the flagship 800 Series Diamond speaker range, the choice of famous recording studios and revered by serious audio enthusiasts for their stunningly realistic sound quality. This limited edition model reflects the opulent yet understated design of a Maserati car interior, featuring luxury black Maserati leather, birds eye maple real wood veneer and Maserati’s Trident on the integrated stand. P.O.A. www.bowers-wilkins.com
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Design
Sofa in Fabric, Minotti $16,010, special order at Aati stores
In a Man’s
World
GC scopes out desirable homeware for the discerning male.
Arm Chair in Fabric, Kenzo $7,324 special order at Aati stores
Console, Nada Debs $12,497, Bloomingdales
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It’s all about clean and slick lines, with masculine sensibility.
Eastern craftsmanship with contemporary design
Design
High Fashion meets horology
Marble Top Dining Table Minotti, $10,754
The Hermès Atmos Clock by Jaegar-LeCoultre $39,206, Dubai Mall
Table and chair, Haas Brothers for Versace Home (limited edition, P.O.A.)
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auto
Porsche 911 Lighter with better precision and 4 wheel traction
Carrera 4S
By Natasha Tourish
ith 400 horsepower at our disposal and a tremendous roar from the exhaust, the Carrera 4S can only be described as a beast on the road despite its less than bullish appearance. Since our test drive was confined to Dubai, we were restricted by the 120km speed limits, but we still tried our best to push the car’s seven-speed automatic transmission, bearing in mind it has a zeroto-sixty time of 4.3 seconds- you can actually hear the change in pace of the gears as they shift down. Lifting off or braking mid-corner unsettles the 911, but the all-wheel-drive system and sophisticated stability
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programme will ensure that you don’t swap ends. The ride is impressive for a sports car and Porsche’s PASM adaptive damping system (standard on the S models) takes the credit here. The handling of the 911 is smooth, once you get to grips with the anatomy of the car and its rear-biased weight distribution. For us, the noise of the engine became too loud and a bit overwhelming at times when sitting in traffic, but that’s easily dealt with — just deactivate the exhaust and go back to a smooth and more quiet ride. A series of weight-optimization measures has pared the kerb weight to 45kg, bringing the new base weight
auto
down to around 1380kg. Along with being lighter, the grip of the 911 is something to be marveled at, with the wheels sticking to the tarmac like glue. This can even be measured by the ‘G force’ meter displayed in the instrument cluster. The most noticeable aspect of the interior is the greatly improved finish compared to the previous 911.The update follows the new interior style guidelines initiated by the Panamera’s design. Considering we were cruising around in temperatures that soared to 40 degrees the cooled seats made our ride a lot more pleasurable, of course for colder climates they also heat up. For entertainment a Burmester premium stereo delivers one of the most articulate sounds available in a car today. The only remaining problem is space. While front passengers have some newfound space, the 911 Carrera 4S’s pair of rear jump seats still won’t carry adults comfortably for any length of time. But fold them down, and you get a bit more luggage space to complement the Porsche’s 1,251 litres of front trunk room.
Technical Specifications Power: 400 hp at 7,400 rpm Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 4.5s Top speed: 299 km/h Price: Starting $117,452
The Porsche 911 Carrera 4S feels more planted because it has traction at all four wheels.
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yacht
Sunreef’s 60 Power
The 60 foot Sunreef yacht is a stunning power catamaran design.
he 60 Sunreef Power EWHALA yacht was made in response to the growing demand for compact yet highly impressive powerboats. The yacht has all the features of its sister 70 Sunreef Power, except its 27.8 ft / 8.5m beam that makes it more convenient for crowded marinas, especially when it’s docked in the Mediterranean. It’s also an interesting alternative for traditional motor yachts with much lower fuel consumption, long range, superb living space with the best comfort and intimacy for the owner and his guests, customized interior design and stability. Despite being only 60 feet long, Sunreef has succeeded in optimizing the living space to afford the highest levels of stylish comfort. This compact but luxury craft offers palatial accommodation for 6 to 10 guests depending on whether you choose an owner, semi-owner, or charter version.
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yacht
EWHALA was commissioned by a European owner and is laid out in a semi-owner version with two double cabins in the forward section, two double cabins in the starboard hull, and one double, one bunk-bed cabin (for the crew) in the port hull. All cabins have private bathrooms and abundant storage. The interior of the main deck features the galley and a dining area, while a mezzanine floor located in the mid-ship comprises internal helm station and lounge, providing access to the forward guest cabins. The spacious sun deck, Sunreef’s speciality and trademark, is accessible from the cockpit and houses external helm station, wet bar with barbecue, dining area and a huge sun pad, ideal for outdoor lounging in the sun. There is also an option to customize the design and include a Jacuzzi on the flybridge. The innovative JMS boat control system by ZF Marine Electronics Group, which allows the boat to be easily maneuvered with a joystick is a rare feature on large catamaran yachts. The interior design is modern and minimalist, based on wenge and oak contrast, finished with gray and white upholstery and brushed stainless steel details. Only three of these yachts are due to be launched this year, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be cruising in the Mediterranean and see more than one.
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cafe culture
Café Culture
Dubai is brimming with new cafes popping up around the emirate. By NAUSHEEN NOOR
Vogue Café Meandering through the Level Shoe District in Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shoe store, can require quite a bit of energy. Fortunately for luxury shoe-addicts, the ever-so-chic Vogue Café has just opened in the centre of the 96,000 square ft space, to provide the requisite caffeine-fix that one needs when hunting for the perfect footwear. Elegant gilded caging and vintage photos of Vogue fashion spreads adorn this charming oasis. The menu offers reliable fare. The signature club sandwich is a hearty stack of smoked turkey, avocado, fried egg and garlic aioli on ciabbata. While the swoon-inducing sundae, with its layers of dulce de leche, frozen yogurt, carmelised peanuts, brownies and chantilly cream is not for the calorie counter… Vogue Café, Dubai Mall, 04 501 6810.
La Farine La Farine, the striking new café and bakery at the JW Marriot is open 24 hours a day. Designed with spectacularly high ceilings, black walls, and accented with fresh pops of green, the place exudes a masculine sensibility. The menu of bistro classics such as Croque Monsieur, Steak au Pommes Frites and Tartines is strongly French influenced. The extensive selection of homemade breads, pastries, conserves and macaroons are available for takeaway either post power-lunch or for a late-night nosh. La Farine, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, 04 414 3000
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cafe culture
Comptoir 102 Walking into Comptoir 102, you feel as if you’ve just entered the home of an impossibly chic Parisian friend who also happens to be a gourmet cook. The in-store café in Jumeirah sits amidst a curated collection of French furniture and fashion and home accessories. The cheerfully quirky interior opens out onto a sunny Arabian courtyard. The menu changes everyday based on what’s available in the market but focuses on healthy, fresh, whole foods. The vegan chocolate mousse, made with cashews, carob and dates, is so luscious you will not believe it’s made without butter, milk, sugar or eggs. Comptoir 102, 102 Jumeirah Road, 04 385 4555
Urban Bistro The latest casual dining addition to Media City, Urban Bistro’s décor is a hipster’s dream, with slate gray floors, wood veneer accents and a wall-long shelf packed with books and tchotchkes. The terrace with its mismatched colourful chairs is a playful setting for dining while gazing at the Media City Lake. On the menu of upscale café fare, the burgers are an ever-popular lunch item, as is the Asian Chicken Salad. For office workers that have time for dessert, the Nutella tart; a creamy hazelnut chocolate mousse piled into a crisp cookie shell, is the mature iteration of a childhood treat. Urban Bistro, Building No.2, CNN bulding, Media City, 04 362 4330
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Profile
Look Who's Coming to Dinner
From mystery guests to secret locations, a pair of Emirati Entrepreneurs are changing the way we entertain in the UAE.
By Pia Aung
Buthaina Al Mazrui and Alamira Noor Bani Hashim host The Dinner Club by No. 57
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Profile
op-Up Dining was unheard of in the UAE only a year ago, but fast forward nine months and the country has undergone a thorough education on the delights of the ephemeral dining experience, all thanks to a formidable pair of Emirati entrepreneurs. Buthaina Al Mazrui and Alamira Noor Bani Hashim are the masterminds behind The Dinner Club by No. 57 dining experience, which takes place at a new secret location once a month. With no two evenings the same and a strictly invite only guest list, the duo have conjured up what the lucky few who have been fortunate enough to attend describe as a ‘dream-like affair.’
couriered invitations. They do it all while juggling full time jobs—a feat that would test the most talented events team. What is even more astounding is they execute it all themselves. Every element from the food and design to actually serving the guests on the evening and packing it all away, is done solely by the two hostesses. Noor and Buthaina each bring their unique set of capabilities to the table. Noor manages all design elements, from the stylishly printed napkins to the animal themed graphics that adorn invites and are thematically adjusted for each dinner. She studied urban planning at Berkeley University later followed by a Masters at Harvard, however her talents
achieve on a purely logistic level. Serving a three-course meal in a gutted out school bus or an empty swimming pool takes ingenuity and skill. With only twelve guests per dinner and two of the coveted seats going to family and friends, how do they manage to make the selection for the rest? The invitees consist of a mix of requests and recommendations but the selection always features a bevy of heavyweights from various industries (including shoe designer Christian Louboutin), and the only rule is they must not know one other. They want the guests to enjoy meeting each other as much as they do. In view of the success of the Dinner
The June Dinner Club event in an empty apartment at the Burj Khalifa
Serving a three course meal in a gutted out school bus filled with flowers or empty swimming pool takes ingenuity and skill.
The Dinner Club came about as an offshoot from the pair’s original plan to open a café in Abu Dhabi. Faced with the prospect of delays; the young entrepreneur’s eager to get started came up the roaming Dinner Club concept. It takes one month to prepare a menu, design a setting, find a location (which have included abandoned construction sites), and invite guests with formal
are essentially intrinsic and self-taught. As Buthaina happily points out “Noor is so good at DIY and personalizing things, you would be so lucky to get a gift from her.” This pairs well with Buthaina’s remarkable passion for all things epicurean. Her face lights up when talking about cooking and there is a clear pride in what they have been able to
Club over the past nine months the possibilities for the future are boundless. The café plans will still go ahead but instead of dropping the Dinner Club, they now have bigger plans. With invitations to host dinners in cities across the globe and brands scurrying to get in on the action, it comes as little surprise that Dinner Club by No. 57 will not be disappearing.
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ART
An Expression of Heroes and Antiheroes Austrian Artist Philip Mueller showcases in Dubai By Pia Aung
Mueller stands in front of his piece entitled ‘I Ate Myself’ 62 GC July / August 2013
ART
ourosh Nouri, founding director of Carbon 12 gallery in Dubai first met twenty four year old Austrian Artist Philip Mueller in 2008. “I will never forget when we visited his studio for the first time,” recalls Nouri. “He showed us a very large painting of a crocodile on brown shopping bags at least 3 metres wide. That was one of the most incredible emerging artworks I had ever seen in my career.” Mueller’s explorative journey has so far been considerably successful— with over ten international exhibitions, three art fairs and an important museum acquisition under his belt. ‘My Father was Many and I am Happy as a Sailor Part II’ currently showing at Carbon 12 is the third part of a series of artworks by the young artist who has embarked on his own personal voyage— an odyssey through which he shares the many layers of his psyche, personality, history and imagination. The ‘Fathers’ that Mueller refers to describe the multiple characters that we each have within us. He adopts characters from the passages of time, fiction, legend and creation. Contrasting figures such as Che Guevara, Hercules, Beethoven and Grace Jones, each representing a different trait. In the piece ‘Hercules just killed Beethoven’ the artist makes a comment on the absurdity of physical power winning over beauty. In ‘Jonny, Phillis and Mentos’ three figures reveal the different moods of the artist. Sporty Jonny versus the excessive Phillis blighted by an angry Mentos. Ultimately Mueller’s quest is to explore the fundamental questions of life— where are we coming from and where are we going? ‘My Father was Many and I am Happy as a Sailor Part II’ 19th June to 6th September, Carbon 12, Alserkal Avenue, Dubai
Philip Mueller - Vier Tagesstadien (four stages of the day) oil, acrylic, lacquer on canvas - 210x160cm - 2013
Philip Mueller - The Watch #1 - oil, acrylic and spray paint on canvas 120 x 167 cm - 2013
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Travel
Prague’s medieval charm With its Gothic spires that pierce the sky and narrow, winding cobbled streets, Prague exhibits the ghostly beauty of a Medieval city mixed with modern-day psychedelic touches. By Nausheen Noor
wo decades after the fall of Communism, Prague has emerged from its formerly mournful cloak into a city center brimming with life and with much to offer the cultured tourist. Once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, Prague experienced two Golden Ages in the 14th and the 16th centuries each time bringing in power, investment and a cultural prominence that is still visible in the city today with every ornate public building and soaring cathedral. Post WWII, the advent of Communism stifled the artistic scene that once epitomized the city. In 1989 a candlelit student protest just after the fall of the Berlin Wall galvanized the country and brought down the Communist Government within a year. It was dubbed the Velvet Revolution for its relatively non-violent nature. Since then, Prague has emerged as a Top 10 European travel destination with over 5 million visitors a year. Prague’s biggest attraction is the architecture. Walking through the streets is a veritable lesson in art history with Gothic, Renaissance, baroque, neoclassical and art nouveau buildings existing alongside one another. The entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. In the
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Image courtesy of Getty images
Travel
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Travel
last century, the sterile centrally planned structures of the Communist party began to invade classic Prague. An even more recent addition is the dancing “Fred & Ginger” towers designed by Frank Gehry. The city that coined the term “bohemian” still has a flourishing art community that includes everything from modern day masters to street artists that sell their wares on the Charles Bridge. Famous Czech artists include Alfons Mucha, a pioneer in the art nouveau movement, whose 20th century glassworks adorn the very Gothic St Vitus Cathedral. The legacy of the exploding Czech talent in the early
The Frank Gehry designed Fred and Ginger towers stand out against the traditional Baroque, Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings of Prague.
Czech sculptor David Cerny’s piece “London Boosted” made from a traditional London bus with giant arms that move up and down in a push up motion.
20th century Modern period with Cubism and Surrealism can be seen in one of contemporary art’s biggest names, David Cerny. His tongue-in-cheek installations are scattered throughout the city in public buildings, squares and parks. This is also the town that gave the world composer Antonín Dvorák, Franz Kafka and Milan Kundera.
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When it comes to food and drink, Prague, the true home of the “pivo,” or lager, is awash in pubs that serve beer cheaper than water. Post Velvet Revolution restaurants were aimed at foreigners and the formal white gloved service was often out of sync with local customs. But a new wave of chefs have been elevating the local cuisine from the stodge of sausages,
dumplings and sauerkraut. During Easter and Christmas street food stalls abound in the town squares, where one can sip mulled wine and nibble traditional pastries. As you take in the fairy tale-like surroundings while enjoying spitfire roasted prosciutto de Praha, the tear-inducing horseradish sauce will snap you back into reality. Pulchritude with a bit of edge, that is today’s Prague.
Image courtesy of Corbis & Gettyimage
Graffiti art flourishes on the streets of Prague
Travel
WHAT TO DO Charles Bridge
Charles Bridge
Prague’s most familiar monument must be walked across at twilight to take in the unforgettable, panoramic views.
St. Vitus Cathedral
Once the site of a 10th-century chapel where farmers offered up sacrifices to a fertility god, the cathedral has been perpetually in construction until the early 20th century. It’s original medieval stonework contrasts with Art Nouveau stained-glass windows in the nave.
Prague Castle
One of the most popular sites in the city, the buildings enclosed within the castle walls include a palace, an art gallery, three churches, Kafka’s house and a monastery.
Old Town Square
The site of the church of Our Lady before Tyn, the Jan Hus memorial, and the Astronomical Clock is a popular destination year-round. It is particularly charming during the Christmas and Easter markets.
l
St. Vitus Cathedra
Where to stay KEMPINSKI HYBERNSKÁ
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
THE AUGUSTINE
+420 266 266 111
+420 233 088 888
+420 266 112 233
This sophisticated hotel, a short walking distance from the Old Town, boasts a lively collection of contemporary art. Formerly a nobleman’s residence, past guests include modern royalty like Beyonce and Woody Allen. Le Grill is one of the best fine dining restaurants in the city with Chef Marek Fichtner’s creative spin on Czech classics.
Opened in 2006, this converted 14thcentury monastery features a lounge in a Baroque colonnade, limestone bathrooms with underfloor heating creating a unique blend of historic character and contemporary design. Don’t miss a visit to the hotel’s holistic spa which is located in a former Renaissance chapel.
Rocco Forte’s hotel is a conversion of a 13th century monastic complex of seven historic buildings once home to the friars of St. Augustine. The adjacent buildings are still home to several practicing friars. Located around a series of gardens, the hotel still houses a cellar where delicious dark lager from centuries passed is still brewed.
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little black book
Little Black Book LOS ANGELES
nce e Topper Schroeder’s fragra Hollywood’s king of cologn ich he partners with company Gendarme—in wh llywood day spa, LL Cool J—and his West Ho rites among Tinseltown’s top The Gendarmerie, are favou es. rbrushed guide to Los Angel players. He shares his un-ai By matt Hamilton
Urban Retreat “My sanctuary is my spa— the st Gendarmerie. Mo the for ilt bu e spas ar go o wh n me 1% of for to spas, mine is treat the other 99%. I ir the if everyone as so , ne mi is comfort get the moment you a for le tab r ou on lt massage, you me into it.”
Boutique Luxury West Hollywood is my favo urite neighbourhood. It’s only 5 square kilometres but it has 239 restaurants— competition is stiff, so they are all great. Stay at bou tique hotels like L’Petit Ermitage or Le Montrose Suite Hotel and you can walk everywhere.”
Retail Therapy “There’s plenty of shopping in L.A., but I always opt for Robertson Boulevard between Melrose Avenue and Beverly Boulevard, right near Rodeo Drive. Of course, it’s a good place to see stars but you never recognise them— they’re either taller or shorter than you think!” 68 GC July / August 2013
little black book
Culture Vulture
nothing beats “When it comes to art museums, Simon is a on Nort the But . eum the Getty Mus the city. It’s little-known museum just outside of Degas, lot really worth a trip— they have a ction.” colle their Goya and Van Gogh in
Fanciful Foliage “I love the Huntington Library in San Marino. The water lilies in the Japanese Gardens are just blissful.”
A lot of people come to L.A. to see Hollywood, but Hollywood is just a figment of someone’s imagination.
Continental Breakfast
at the corner of breakfast place “There’s a great lled d Nemo Street ca Doheny Drive an ropean Eu all sm a It’s Cafe. La Conversation d lunch. best breakfast an the s ha it t bu bakery than a re mo rning, you’ll spot At 7:30 in the mo g tin few celebrities ea paparazzi).” the of y an t ou (with
The Peninsula “I love the bar at the Peninsula Hotel. It feels like it’s been there for a hundred years, but the service is impeccable. I order a glass of their private label Pinot Noir and they serve it with Yucca chips and home-cured olives, and of course, lobster sliders.”
Koreatown
“L.A. is not a city, it’s a bunch of towns glued together. You have a Korean area, a Chinese town and an Indian section. There’s a place in Koreatown called Beverly Soon Tofu and everyone I know loves the place. You can even get lost in Santa Monica’s version of England— it’s truly international, so you always have a rich broth.”
cafe culture
The Best of the Big Apple
From five star luxury to boutique bachelor pads and Belle Époque allure, Lifestyle Editor Aysha Majid brings you New York City’s coolest urban dwellings.
The Bowery Hotel East Village Retro In NYC’s cool East Village is the retro Bowery hotel, clad with moneyed bohemians and sometimes a rock band or two. Interiors are mix and match vintage gothic. This energetic and creative neighbourhood went from real-life junkie chic to…well, fashionable junkie chic, shedding its infamous gritty Lower East Side rep for artistic luxe. Cleverly positioned mirrors and floor-toceiling factory-style windows make up for some of the more ‘cosy’ rooms, but large marble bathrooms offer a fair balance. Gemma, the hotel’s hearty Italian restaurant and Lobby Bar swarm with trendy young hipsters, and if it all gets too much there are complimentary bicycles, if exploration is your thing… 335 Bowery Street Rooms from $325 per night
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hotels
The James New York Polished Scenester This imposing, 18-story concrete tower totes an impressive and forward thinking ethos; from reclaimed wood floors to gluten free toiletries, in-room filtered tap water and an eco-friendly pillow collection. The higher the better here, as Southern or West facing rooms unveil views of all three East River bridges. With a rooftop pool area, fitness centre, one of the leading pioneers of American cooking David Burke honing the cuisine, and Jimmy— a bar and lounge frequented by well-healed scenesters that opens onto the pool deck, with 360-degree views— guests are a little spoiled for choice. 27 Grand Street Rooms from $329 per night
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hotels
Gramercy Park Hotel Belle Époque Decadence With its Belle Epoque allure Gramercy Park Hotel is still going strong. A decadent cave of rich velvets, jet-black wood and tufted leather couches, the hotel displays a rotating collection of 20th century works by artists such as Cy Twombly and Jean-Michel Basquiat, with access to the city’s only private park and stunning rooftop gardens. There’s a spa, gym, enchanting rooftop terrace, Danny Meyer’s Italian trattoria Maialino (a coffee bar by morning, restaurant by day and wine bar serving dinner come night). Popular hangouts Jade Bar and The Rose Bar offer guests artfully concocted cocktails by candlelight, overlooked by a huge stone fireplace and its eerie glow. 2 Lexington Avenue Rooms from $350 per night
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hotels
The Greenwich Hotel Understated Indulgence As Dorothy said, “There’s no place like home” and Robert De Niro’s team have epitomised this famous proverb with their homely urban oasis set in cobblestoned Tribeca. The Greenwich offers cosy, lived-in furnishings and five-star indulgence. With 88 unique rooms, studios and suites, reclaimed oak, fireplaces and hand-loomed rugs, this calm and understated boutique hotel marries vintage and contemporary with film star glamour thrown in for good measure (that’s the celebrities that frequent the place). Restaurant Locanda Verde is at hand to offer urbanites a nostalgic taste of Italy. There’s a gym and the lantern-lit Shibui Spa, pool and lounge are framed by bamboo and wooden beams (a 250 yearold farmhouse flown over from Japan to be precise). It doesn’t get more dedicated than this. 377 Greenwich Street Rooms from $516 per night
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hotels
Hotel on Rivington Lower East Cool An urban refuge with sleek design and impressive Manhattan views, Hotel on Rivington’s modern bedroom interiors created by renowned local architects Grzywinski + Pons showcase unique features including exteriorfacing steam showers, floor-to-ceiling glass walls and their most heavenly asset— Swedish Tempur-Pedic mattresses. Exclusive late-night lounge and popular cocktail den Victor and Spoils, has some of the city’s best bartenders serving up world-class tequilas and mezcals, and clued-up concierge Adam dishes ‘insider’ tips providing guests with curated itineraries. The trendy CO-OP Restaurant offers modern Japanese-American with an emphasis on sharing. Designed by DeVinn Bruce and inspired by 1970s California and Lower East Side grit, the vampish venue features portraits of New York City icons by photographer EJ Camp. 107 Rivington Street Rooms from $225 per night
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hotels
Smyth Tribeca The Bachelor Pad Set in one of downtown’s hippest neighbourhoods Tribeca (which of course is an acronym for Triangle Below Canal Street), Smyth’s sixties style and bachelor pad interior reflects the area’s ad exec history. The half hotel, half luxury apartment block offers generous, modern rooms with a cool contemporary edge. Chef Ed Cotton has developed a market fresh, seasonal menu of comforting Southern French favourites and the simple, rustic brasserie serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends. There’s a fitness centre and a hotel lobby bar perfect for a quick business lunch or intimate drinks. 85 West Broadway Rooms from $269 per night
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wellness
Inger Larsen, nutritionist
&
FASTING Fitness Stay healthy during Ramadan
By Inger Larsen
ou might have heard that eating 5-6 small meals per day is the best way to loose and maintain bodyweight, and that frequent meals are necessary to “stoke the metabolic fire” and control blood sugar levels. If this is true, then what happens during Ramadan? Are we all doomed to gain weight and loose our fitness level? Not necessarily. A growing number of experts actually claim that short fasts can accelerate fat loss and make us healthier. This specific pattern of eating is called intermittent fasting (IF), and simply means
alternating between periods of fasting and non-fasting. The period of fasting can vary depending on which IF-protocol you choose, but 14-20 hours of fasting combined with a 10-4 hour “eating-window” is most common. Many people choose this eating pattern all year round, not only during Ramadan. And the benefits are plenty. Research has shown that, when done properly, IF might help extend life, regulate blood glucose, control blood lipids, manage body weight, gain (or maintain) lean mass, and more.
Training During Ramadan
Despite the normal belief, training in a fasted state (on an empty stomach) does not make you lose muscle mass nor does it decrease performance. In fact, fasted training can actually result in better metabolic adaptions (equals better performance down the line), improved muscle protein synthesis, and a higher anabolic response to the meal after your training. These are just some of the benefits to fasted training; there are many more. A perfect nutrition plan and training regime means nothing if you don’t let your body recover. Therefore, make sure to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If you do not manage to do this, you can break your sleep up in intervals, and nap during the day.
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wellness
Benefits of fasting Reduced -
Blood lipids Blood pressure Markers of inflammation Oxidative stress Risk of cancer
Increased -
Cellular turnover and repair Fat burning Growth hormone release Metabolic rate
Improved -
Appetite control Blood sugar control Cardiovascular function Neurogenesis and neuronal plasticity
What to Eat Regardless of how perfect the portion size, timing and frequency of your food intake, if you do not eat the right kind of food, it’s meaningless. Animal protein: fish, seafood, beef, bison, poultry and eggs. Pasturized, grass-fed and free-range are best. Choose fish- fillets and steaks over fish fingers and sausages. Vegetables: leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, onion, garlic, tomato, asparagus, mushrooms etc. Local, seasonal and organic is best! Healthy fats: coconut oil, avocado, olives, ghee, butter, olive oil (should not be heated) and natural raw nuts Eat fruit in moderation. Local and seasonal is best! Avoid pasta, bread, sugary cereals, cookies, baked goods, sugar and other processed food Drink water. Make sure to get at least 3 litres of water every day.
Image courtesy of Corbis and SHP
Sahour (pre-dawn meal)
Controlling your blood sugar is crucial. To avoid starting your day of fast with low blood sugar, make sure the meal before dawn consists of mostly protein and fat, and has a low carbohydrate content. An eggbased meal, such as an omelet or scrambled eggs and some meat, would be a good alternative.
Iftar (breaking fast)
Break your fast with water. Make sure to get at least 500ml – 1 litre. If you are planning to go to the gym after Iftar, then eat light, and let the biggest meal of the day be consumed after training. Try to limit the intake of desserts and sweets and instead eat plenty of the vegetables and meat served during Iftar.
Inger Larsen is a Scandinavian nutritionist and co-founder of Scandinavian Health & Performance in JLT, Dubai. For more information contact the team at www.shpdubai.com.
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fashion
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Do it with Colour
1 Watch, Uniform Wares 250 Series at mrporter.com, $601 2 Glasses, Calvin Klein, $258 3 Blazer, Lanvin at mrporter.com, $866 4 Sneakers, White Leather, Saint Laurent at mrporter.com,$402 5 Sneakers, Patent Leather, Christian Louboutin at for $678
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Smart casual looks for the summer classic comfort with a modern edge 5
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fashion
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3 7
4 6 5
Salvatore Ferragamo SpringSummer 2013
1 Sneakers, Yellow White Blue, Salvatore Ferragamo at Dubai Mall, $626 2 Sunglasses, Ray-Ban at Harvey Nichols, $189 3 Bag, Blue, Salvatore Ferragamo at Dubai Mall, $2,014 4 Trousers, Blue Slim-fit, Acne Roc at mrporter.com, $204 5 Trousers, Red Cotton, Paul Smith London at mrporter.com, $224 6 Bags, Double Stripe, Tod’s at Dubai Mall, $1,212 7 Shorts, Paul Smith, Dubai Mall, $142 2013 July / August GC 79
watches
Redefining horology Three watches pushing the boundaries of conventional watch making
HYT H2 HYT is continuing its immersion in the world of Haute Horology and pushing the limits of hydro mechanics further with the limited edition H2. www.hytwatches.com $120,000
MB&f MEGAWIND 22K Red Gold Megawind combines a giant 22k gold and titanium winding rotor with highly legible time indication cones rising up from the complex asymmetric case. Ahmed Seddiqi and Sons $89,785
HUBLOT MASTERPIECE MP-05 “LaFerrari” In a tribute to “LaFerrari,” this limited series watch is finely wrought in terms of shape, featuring a complex shaped sapphire crystal clearly reminiscent of the car’s outline. Hublot boutiques $345,000
80 GC July / August 2013
Glashßtte Original – more than 165 years of German watchmaking art. PanoMaticLunar
The PanoMaticLunar. Asymmetrical harmony. The off-centre dial visuals are presented in an elegant manner, embedded within a clear and pure overall design. A characteristic feature of this noble timepiece is a disc, artfully decorated with a moon and stars, indicating the current phase of the moon. For more on the PanoMaticLunar, please visit www.glashuette-original.com. You may also wish to download our iPhone application from the App Store.