by Anita Mendiratta | Nov 7, 2012
November 07th, 2012. Depending on their locations, their times zones, and their levels of excitement, millions of people across the world chose to forfeit sleep the night before to be able to stay awake into the early hours of this new day, whist others were waking up early as the new dawn broke. A new day, and a new time.
Why the lack of sleep? What could possibly draw such global attention?
As the 07th of November tick-tocked into its first minutes and hours across the eastern regions of the world map, polls were closing and ballots were being counted across the map of the USA. It was the morning after the US Presidential Election Day of 2012.
Who would it be? Who would be the leader of people of the US for the next four years? Who, therefore, would be the greatest individual source of influence on the rest of the world?
Who would it be occupying the White House?
And what would be the global implications in homes across the globe?
Throughout the presidential race, the world has watched, and watched, and watched, with unprecedented interest. Positions were learnt, personalities were analysed. Why? Why all of the personal investment in leadership choices when the leader was not to be one’s own?
One simple reason: borders and ballot boxes no longer separate people. While an event of north American geography, the far reaching implications of this one nation’s political leadership race was clear. If the choice was red, a new path would be taken – dramatic policy positions would shift, relationships with global leaders be altered, and international markets would recalibrate. If the choice was blue, the four years ahead would be continued careful journey on a path of known direction, with the destination a continued source of hope and faith – for Americans and the rest of the world.
Aside from the remarkable, often shameful levels of attacking campaign commentary and rhetoric, and of course funds, what has been astounding to see has been the levels of global interest in how America casts its vote – global interest wide and deep enough that the watching world spent the day hiding yawns from sleep deficit. From well known world leaders to unknown nations from regions beyond America’s borders, the final count brought a cheer of victory as though these foreign hands had themselves ticked the box for their preferred candidate.
America has cast its vote, the people of the USA have chosen, the Empire State Building is illuminated in blue, global headlines are expressing excited announcement of President Obama’s four more years, and the people of the world are now ready to walk with America into the next stage of shaping a collective, interdependent future.
With a sense of relief in the minds and hearts of millions across the world, it is safe to, for the moment, shut their eyes and get some sleep. Hope endures.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2012
by Anita Mendiratta | Oct 19, 2012
As occurs every year, on the mid-October day of the announcement of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Peace, audible speculation occurs around the globe. Who will it be? Who would be called out as the exemplary manifestation of all that the concept of peace represents. Who, or what? And why?
How does one decide? How does one possibly identify a single individual or entity that can be praised for peace?
Since 1901, on an annual basis this question has been posed by the Norwegian Nobel Committee as they judge nominations from across the globe for those deemed to have “done the most or the best work for the fraternity between nations.” (Nobelprize.org)
The winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Peace, announced on October 12th, was in the end more reason for pause and appreciation than actual celebration.
Why? Because the winner – the European Union – acts as a powerful reminder of what so many across the globe have forgotten – that peace is a process of continuous commitment and effort, not an assumption.
As eloquently expressed by CNN’s Jonathan Mann, who has covered the Nobel Peace Prize for 17 years, when asked in an interview minutes after the announcement by the Nobel Committee what the Nobel Committee was thinking when awarding the EU the prize for peace?
“Peace“.
60 years of peace through tireless efforts for unification across European nations.
In these times of aggressive economic, social and political change, times that see:
- a young Pakistani girl fighting for her life as a result of a gunshot wound to punish her for her quest to allow girls to be educated;
- the endless horror as Syria’s leaders seemingly defy all sense of civility against its own people, sending refugees fleeing to neighbouring nations facing their own challenges;
- two powerful Asian nations flexing their political muscles and verbal threats of war over one disputed island;
- iconic sports heroes falling from well engineered and embedded pedestals;
and
- presidential candidates in the US intellectually fighting it out in town hall debates and investing an estimated US$ 2 billion in the quest to secure the nomination for president of the United States of America in 2013,
the connections of our world today – Damascus a mere 9187 km away from Washington DC where global Ambassadors to the UN struggle to secure a lasting peace, Karachi a mere 8499 km from Birmingham where young Malala now fights for her life, Senkaku island and Diaoyu island the exact same coordinates – often reveal the sadness of how far apart we can be, despite being just a flight, boat trip, or thought away. Hot spots remain, fear remains. the risk of life being taken, unjustly, unfairly, and unexpectedly, remain.
And yet, through the noise, peace is able to prevail.
Because of efforts – often intense efforts – to sustain prevent outbreak of war during times of potential clashes within or across borders, as a result of economic crisis, lack of natural resources, political clashes or other threats to stability of psyche and nations, billions are able to look on, safe and secure in their corners of the world, viewing conflict through the screen of a television, computer or mobile phone.
In many parts of the world peace, living within a peaceful society, has become an assumption.
Such is the case in the EU.
As expressed in the official announcement of winner of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize:
“The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2012 is to be awarded to the European Union (EU). The union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.
“The EU is currently undergoing grave economic difficulties and considerable social unrest. The Norwegian Nobel Committee wishes to focus on what it sees as the EU’s most important result: the successful struggle for peace and reconciliation and for democracy and human rights. The stabilizing part played by the EU has helped to transform most of Europe from a continent of war to a continent of peace.
The work of the EU represents “fraternity between nations”, and amounts to a form of the “peace congresses” to which Alfred Nobel refers as criteria for the Peace Prize in his 1895 will.” http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2012/press.html
The Nobel Peace Prize has always been awarded on the basis of the bigger picture. Standing back, looking at the world map as it appears today, there are clear, constant conflict zones which continue to ache. And then there are those that, through a shared quest for peace, remain connected as communities.
As was expressed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu during different times yet with enduring sentiment: “When God looks at —, he shakes his head and cries. And then he looks at (the EU), and he smiles…“
During these ever-changing times – times of crisis at natural, political, economic, environmental and social levels – ‘peace‘ should be seen and appreciated as a verb, not a noun.
And a blessing to be able to feel when we shut our eyes at bedtime.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2012
by Anita Mendiratta | Sep 19, 2012
September 11th, 2012. Eleven years on, the world pauses to remember, ritualistically, a day that changed the world we know. The terrifying acts of a few changed the lives of all. Losses of lives stand as legacies of conscience, and conviction. Borders remain erased as it is clear that we are all united, regardless of passports and policies.
One day on, flags fly at half mast on US embassies and on the lawn of the White House as, once again, remembrance of loss dominates thought and ache of heart. The loss is not over a decade old, however. It is just hours old. It occurred not on US soil, but in a US-supported nation half way across the world. Libya, a nation recently liberated with the courage of its revolutionaries, has lost one of its greatest allies – the Ambassador of the USA to Libya. Though the rebel attacks that shook the US consulate and took the life of its highest diplomat, three other Americans and numerous Libyans, have ended, the ground is still shaking. The vibrations are felt in Afghanistan, Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world.
To defuse the shaking and limit the spread of the flames, YouTube has begun to block access to a particular piece of content. The video? A low-budget, independent film produced in the US, carrying a distinctly anti-Islamic message, provoking anti-American sentiment.
As time passes and details emerge, the role of this poor quality, poor taste film is deemed not to the primary spark that has ignited flames of anti-American protests, and possibly even actual attacks. Still, the movie is out there. It was produced. And its fire is spreading, widely and wildly. From Tunisia to Yemen, American flags burn, alerts on foreign embassies continue, fear of further spread of the fire grows. Lives lost. Foreign relations inflamed.
And now, one week on, a week filled with widespread, often deadly protests regarding the anti-Islamic, indy film, a French magazine – Charlie Hebdo – has taken a decision to take a bold step in publishing cartoons depicting, in various provocative ways, the Prophet Mohammed. Its overtly stated desire in publishing the cartoons? To be outrageous.
The response of French officials? Condemning the publication, the French Foreign Ministry closing embassies and schools in as many as twenty nations countries this Friday, the main Muslim day of prayer, as a precautionary measure. The ground is starting to shake again…
Immediately, sharply, the thought emerges: why? Why provoke further fury? Why invite further spread of the flames?
The argument of both the filmmaker and the cartoonist: ‘free speech’. We live in democratic times – freedom of expression is a right.
http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/19/french-cartoonist-defends-mohammed-drawings/
Indeed. Freedom of expression is a part of our society.
However, does freedom give people the right to consciously offend other people, cultures, communities, without consideration of impact, implications?
Does freedom make recreational journalistic culture-mocking an acceptable course of action? Does freedom allow us to think only of our pleasure, regardless of another’s pain?
What ever happened to the principle of “what good will come of this?“
What we must never, ever forget is that with freedom comes responsibility of freedom. Responsibility for actions. And, in cases such as these, reactions.
Being part of the global community brings with it remarkable strength, access and opportunity. The blessings are far too many to count.
In our uber-connected, fast moving, world – a world with ever increasing understanding of differences and yet inter-connectedness, global citizenry should,
one would hope, increase our sensitivity towards the wellbeing of others. We need to be able to count on one another.
Does “because I can” have the right to step on, and over, others?
There is so much more to be gained through stepping up, and reaching out.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2012
by Anita Mendiratta | Aug 18, 2012
It seems impossible to imagine – the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games are gone. Quite remarkable. Especially considering how impossible the idea of a success Games was for so many, for so long.
The questioning started with the initial speculation of viability of the bid itself: “Will London get it?“…”Should London Get It??” Once host city status was secured, then it moved onto the more practical questioning: “Will London Be Ready?” From security to east London regeneration sensibility, and let’s not forget the matter of legacy, the list of questions was as long as, if not longer, that the IOC’s local project team’s to-do list. With initial teething worked through in pre-Games major events (a royal wedding also acting as a mega-event dry run fit for a queen), and the poorly times and poorly articulated comments of a presidential candidate providing an 11th hour spark to the spirit of the Games, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were underway.
With each passing day, each successful event, and each astonishing gold by Team GB, the awe became more audible. “Oh my goodness, we’ve done it!” Soon, very soon, the awe turned to attitude. “Is this not the greatest Games ever?!”
Unique? Not at all. Ask anyone in South Africa pre-, during and post the 2010 FIFA World Cup. And other mega-events in cities around the globe that were under the international, and local, microscope of speculation, scrutiny and doubt. The questions of “Will it be worth it?” that burdened event execution efforts lifted as, and with, the spirits of host city residents. Pride replaced pessimism. Participation replaced passivity. Sport became secondary to citizen activation.
And then the closing ceremony came, and went. Returning to the scene of 2012 Olympics celebrations, walking the once-decorated streets and travelling the once-packed transport lines, feels like walking back into the room the morning after Christmas. Excitedly removed gift wrap litters the floor. The good stuff is all gone – all that is left is the packaging.
And the memories.
And the looming question of “Now what do we do?”
This is one of the greatest misunderstandings, and miscalculations, of mega-events. The 2012 Olympics were always about so much more than sport for London and the UK. The 2012 FWC was always about so much more than football for South Africa. The end goal is always about so much more than the competition. The business case behind taking on a mega-event is always about an R.O.I. stretches far beyond the final day of the event itself. The bottom line: the event is actually the start of its impact.
While many across London and the UK complain of the Olympics hangover, those who took their vitamin C before the Games, VisitBritain for example, now stand strong and fit, ready to work to achieve the real metrics that matter. The 2012 Olympics are about:
- step-change tourism growth in 2013, 2014, and 2015;
- refreshed destination brand equity;
- increased destination competitiveness;
- maximum leverage of 2012 destination promotion and profile;
- investment into tourism sector alignment, inclusivity, dispersion of benefits and upliftment of offerings;
- etc.
Will there be immediate declines in post-Games hotel occupancy, summer season retail revenues, and earnings from attractions? Yes, that is a given. As was the case in other major events host cities and nations, be they hosts of the Olympics, Expo, the World Cup or other mega-events.
There are thousands of questions that can be asked, that can challenge the logic of mega-event execution.
But there is one that is the real litmus test: “What if we hadn’t?”
What if, in the case of the 2012 Olympics, London had not bid as host city? What would the airports look like? What would the city centre look like? What would east London look like? What would the spirit of the people, the faces of Brits, look like?
What if they hadn’t??
The 2012 Olympic Games was a massive stimulus package for London and the UK. It provided the host nation with reason to come together to work, to focus, to be productive, to be proud, and to be positive about the future. It is now up to the people of London and the UK – its industries, its communities, its investors, its leaders and its believers – to determine the strength of the R.O.I. of the Games. The spirit of the wider team GB – the people of London and the UK – was what caused the Olympic spirit to burn so brightly in 2012.
Looking back two years to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, the same is true.
Mega-events ignite the bright lights and big ambitions of a destination. Mega-events are a fuel – they spark a shared sense of purpose, pride and enduring promise. The massive investment made into mega-events must reap a return. The question, the opportunity, lies in the WHEN.
When will the benefits be realised? Immediately? 6 months on? 1 year on? 5 years on?
In actual fact, there should never be an end-point.
For London, and the UK, now that the 2012 Games have concluded, it is the people of the host nation who are the torch’s enduring flame. Unity, productivity, pride, purpose, inspiration for a new generation – it is all in place.
There is absolutely no reason that the flame should ever be extinguished.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2012
by Anita Mendiratta | Jul 27, 2012
In a matter of hours, 13 hours, 07 and 26 seconds minutes to be precise – the 2012 OLYMPIC Games will commence in London. The moment has almost arrived – let the games begin! In true British style, the record-breaking sunshine of previous days – Mother Nature’s spotlight on the Olympic torch as it made its way through the streets of London in its final approach – has been swallowed up by cloud. Enter stage right!
As excitement mounts across the UK and world, excitement that continues to take people by surprise, the power of pride once again takes centre stage. Years and years and years of questions, debate, critique and complaint are set aside as the spirit of the moment eclipses the metrics…
It is a natural phenomena. As is always the case with major events, debates unfold around the value of the games – the earnings vs the costs, the projects vs other priorities, the pomp vs the purpose. Why here? Why now? Years of economic impact studies unfold in parallel to development designs. The business case of the games becomes a shield, protecting the team tasked with making the event happen from the attacks.
And then something happens, something completely invisible to the naked eye yet concrete in feeling. It causes even the most hardened of critics to fight the formation of tears when hearing the Olympics anthem fill the air as the torch criss-crosses the streets, waterways, and winding country roads of the host nation. It turns the drabbest of dressers into a bright, bold expression of patriotic colours. It brings complete strangers together in spontaneous embraces when one of their makes their flag, their nation, their people, proud.
National spirit is most powerfully felt, and best celebrated, at major events. The sight of a sea of colour, faces bonded by shared pride and identity, cannot but cause a smile to break on the face of admirerers…and concern on the faces of competitors. The sentiment may, for some, seem simplistic, short-term. Its value, however, goes far beyond the short term spike in retail sales, media coverage, goodwill.
As demonstrated in the city of London over the past 15 months, major events, be they sport, culture, religious, traditions or other, have the ability to unite the hearts and minds of nationals, and nations, beyond all borders, calculations and expectations.
It’s all about pride – the passionate heart of the flame.
Pride is to nations what confidence is to investors: it takes turns ‘maybe, just maybe‘ into ‘just watch us!‘
At a time when the world’s spirit feels bruised from relentless acts of violence and economic ache, the sense of alone-ness growing with little sign of relief, the sight of athletes standing tall in national colours can spark feelings of connection, confidence and compassion. Olympic heroes were not just those taking home medals – they are those able to make the journey as reflections of the heroic quests of their home countries, as showcased by CNN in “Athletes of the Arab Spring” http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/18/sport/olympics-2012-arab-spring-aiming-gold/index.html
At the same time, national pride turns moments of individual wrongdoing into far-reaching shame. Olympians being sent home for drug test failures or racist social media messaging. The colours have been stained. History has already judged these athletes once honoured with wearing the colours of their flags as now undeserving of representing their people’s hopes and dreams.
As simple as the concept of national pride may be, it is a flame which, when allowed to burn brightly with direction, determination and inclusivity, can ignite remarkable achievement.
As the Olympic Games unfold, may the threads of the flags of all nations join together to weave a stronger, more striking canvas of the colour, connection and conscience.
Copyright: ANITA MENDIRATTA 2012
