Travel in the real world helps combat stereotypes. Rosemary Behan
Travel in the real world helps combat stereotypes. Rosemary Behan
Travel in the real world helps combat stereotypes. Rosemary Behan
Travel in the real world helps combat stereotypes. Rosemary Behan

On the move: the importance of real travel in the digital age


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  • Arabic

This week, the Ukrainian chess player Anna Muzychuk hit the headlines after she refused to attend a tournament taking place this weekend in Saudi Arabia. In a statement painting herself as a martyr to women's rights, she instead revealed herself to be ignorant, close-minded and unwilling to learn. Worse, she was lauded as a "hero" to many.

Looking back on this year, in which people seem to have been whipped into an ever-increasing, Internet-enabled frenzy of reaction and commentary on events both local and global, the need for travel is clearer than ever.

Unfortunately, many of the people leading attacks on real understanding - from all sides of the political and social spectrum - see themselves as arbiters of right and wrong, good and bad, progressive or regressive. Too many “educated” people have only polarised opinion with their partial and distorted views, encouraging the spewing of hate and discontent across as many platforms as possible.

This process only seems to make people more ignorant and the discourse more tense and is, in many cases, pointless and counterproductive. Perversely, this whole process is actually an attractive option for many as it’s easy: you can spout off before retreating back into your own little world, convinced of your own correctness. But if only such people would take the time to travel in order to, if not quite achieve enlightenment, at least to understand in a meaningful way why some people think and understand the world differently. Never before has a truly global understanding of the world been more important, or so wilfully ignored.

The good news is that in general terms, travel is now easier and cheaper than ever, workplaces and economies are more flexible and the skills gained from travel are starting to be tangibly appreciated. Opening yourself up to the world is a scary, impossible thing for many, as it involves confronting the reality that the image any of us is born with - our “factory setting” if you like, moulded in childhood - of what the world is and our place in it - is an illusion.

People who travel in their early 20s or even 30s report on the transformational power of travel, in which the images we have spent so many years receiving, cultivating and reproducing - about other people, other countries and ways of living and believing - are replaced with very different, tangible and often positive impressions. Because we are actually experiencing these changes rather than hearing about them from our friends, family or a computer screen, they are extremely powerful and effective. Yet one of the things that continues to intrigue me is that it’s usually the most mobile, “free” and often Western individuals among us, those who are not generally subject to travel bans and can travel visa-free to dozens of countries, who need to travel the most.

Watching the ongoing self-combustion of the United Kingdom over Brexit serves as an illustration of how a misunderstanding of our place in the world can lead to catastrophic consequences. In the irony of ironies, one of the biggest “kerfuffles”, to quote a perjorative Sky News presenter - has been over the proposed new colour of the British passport. If only those who voted for Brexit had used their passports more, to develop themselves into useful, appropriately-skilled global citizens. In the year ahead, before you criticise another country, culture or religion, or listen to someone or something else sounding off about it, ask yourself this question. Have I been there? Have they been there? Do you really know what you are talking about? If the answer is no, I suggest you hit the road.

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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Results

3pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m, Winner: Lancienegaboulevard, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Fawzi Nass (trainer).

3.35pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Turf) 1,600m, Winner: Al Mukhtar Star, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.

4.10pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.

4.45pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Speedy Move, Sean Kirrane, Satish Seemar.

5.20pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Moqarrar, Dane O’Neill, Erwan Charpy.

5.55pm: Handicap Dh175,000 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Dolman, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright

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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index

Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.

The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.

“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.

“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”

Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.

Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.

“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.