AbuDhabi is planning to build three new cities to shelter foreign low-income laborers and workers of the construction industry. The plan to build enough houses to accommodate 400,00 people and are geared at single and double room occupancy.
Will these cities help accommodate low-income housing, which has far greater demand than supply in this region, or is it masked at segregating workers from the rest of society in areas far from the city? Furthermore, homogenous cities comprised of only low-income, male single foreign laborers sounds more like apartheid enclaves than a city. According to Arabian Business:
The cities have been constructed according to the highest international standards, the director of facilities management at AbuDhabi’s Higher Corporation for Specialised Economic Zones (ZonesCorp) told UAE daily Al Bayan.
The cities will be comprised of single and double rooms that will accommodate workers, technicians, supervisors and engineers working in the industrial and construction sectors in the emirate of AbuDhabi.
Yes, you heard it! That happened in Virginia, reports United Press International, where a slumlord was forced by law to serve 70 days of his 100 day sentence on property maintenance violations living in a small house owned by his own company. Wouldn't it be great if slumlords here in Kuwait were made to do the same?
RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 10 (UPI) -- A Virginia slumlord was sentenced to jail time and house arrest in one of his properties where he had ignored property maintenance violations, officials said.
Oliver C. Lawrence, of Richmond will serve the first 30 days of his sentence in jail, and will spend the remainder of his 70-day sentence with electronic monitoring in a small house owned by Bayou Properties, his company, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Tuesday.
Home incarceration is desirable because it means there will be one less vacant property that could attract drug activity and other crime, the report said. Further, if other slumlords face the prospect of being compelled to live in their properties someday, it may induce them to make improvements, Greg Lukanuski, an assistant city attorney who prosecuted the case, said.
Lawrence will also be required to work on a sheriff's crew that cleans up neglected properties.
Lawrence owns 150 to 300 properties, the city said, adding that he owes fines of more than $177,000.
"As long as (Lawrence) still owns property and they're not up to code, we will still continue to issue notices of violation on them," John Whealton, a city property inspector, said. (link here)
I am very excited about this. I really enjoyed the REUSE 2.0 and thought it was great, plus env is my favorite magazine coming out of the region...but the Avenues? seriously?!
Building on the success of last year’s REUSE 2.0 event, en.v announces a third and more elaborate installment of ‘REUSE’, under the patronage of Zain Telecommunications Company, Kuwait’s leading mobile telecommunications provider.
REUSE 3.0 will be hosted at The Avenues, Parking Lot D9, from the 7th to the 9th of December and will feature a dynamic mix of original artistic works by professionals, artists, students, and youth in general. The exhibition will be open to the public from 6pm to 9pm in addition to an allocated time for primary school student trips during the hours of 9am to 1pm.
About REUSE REUSE is a 3-day exhibition whereby community members come together to recreate innovative design solutions in the realms of shelters, furniture, sculpture, artwork and more from scrap found around and about Kuwait.
OBJECTIVES
Culture & Youth To incorporate the various roles that different sectors of society play in recycling and sustainable living and give youth ready access to information regarding environmental sustainability and its importance in daily life.
Social Responsibility To raise awareness, serving as a means for dialogue and action amongst the private sector and the community.
Environment In accordance with en.v’s ethos towards environmental responsibility, Reuse will be devised, executed and introduced as a “carbon neutral” event. Ensuring environmental concerns are addressed during every phase of the initiative as well as offsetting all damage done to the environment through investing in “green” projects after a carbon footprint audit is completed.
The American Civil Liberties Union has compiled a video of several different former Guantanamo inmates-all of whom entered without a real charge and left years later without a charge, still trying to piece together why this happened to them and now dealing with lost time from their lives and loved ones that they must now recuperate. Very powerful testimonies.
While we walked along the creek in downtown Dubai we came across this gem of corner in Bastakiya. It is a cafe/art gallery/hotel and it is combined effortlessly by XVA. I believe it must be a great destination for the winter months between Dec.-Jan. Very cozy, traditional, yet modern and discreet. WARM.
I don't know how I might label this kind of blog, but something seems like a new genre is starting in Kuwait and it is a GREAT way to engage people with positive and encouraging messages, and also to garner attention from kids.
Meet Teddy B and Turtle T: two stuffed animals out to save the world, starting in Kuwait. Yes thats right! While Teddy B has taken a more heterogenous, whimsical approach, a newer spin-off, Turtle T is taking the marine environment as its clause du jour.
This is great in light of the December Climate Change Conference. Teddy B, the inspiration and initiator of this new genre of social awareness blogging, is going to delight us with his presence at Pecha Kucha Night and even had a spot in Bazaar this issue!
Their followership is really growing huge and I hope it inspires a wave of felt-fur model citizens! Please check out these blogs, you really will not regret it!
Here is an article by the BBC on mosques' efforts in Switzerland to work on a public relations campaign in preparation for an important vote that will decide whether to ban the construction of minarets or not. Switzlerland, where I used to live, is a curious place.
On one hand, you have international cities like Geneva that have a host of different peoples well-integrated and living more or less in social harmony (one-third of the population is foreign in this city).
On the other hand you have some conservative cantons where you still need a sword to vote in domestic politics, if I am not mistaken as one of my Swiss friends from Appenzell told me once, and where women did not get the right to vote until the 1990s.
As someone who has repeatedly been woken up from my nice Sunday late morning dozing by church bells, I do not see why minarets would cause such a calamity. In fact, it is utter hypocracy not to allow them. However, mind you, while Swiss political parties may disagree in their religious in/tolerance, one thing all Swiss have in common is their disdain for loud noises. I once got a dirty note from my land lady for beating eggs too loud and too early in the morning. You can potentially get fined for flushing your toilet after ten pm there. Minarets Kuwaiti-style, aka, with mega-blast mega-phones and broadcast sermons, I do not think would thus fly. Here is the article.
Muslims in many parts of Switzerland have invited the public into mosques - three weeks before a vote on whether to ban the construction of minarets.
Muslim organisations say they hope their open day will counter what they say are fears and prejudices. The conservative group that initiated the vote - the largest party in the Swiss parliament - says minarets are a symbol of Muslim political power. Opinion polls suggest the proposed ban will be rejected by voters. A Muslim community leader in Zurich, TamirHadjipolu, said the proposal - launched by the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) - was "open discrimination".
Preaching to the converted?
Switzerland is home to 400,000 Muslims, who have about 200 places of worship. Only four have a minaret, local media say. The open day was held on Saturday in 12 cantons, including Geneva, Vaud and Freiburg. "We hope these meetings will build a dialogue and better understanding," said HishamMaizar, a senior Muslim representative in eastern Switzerland.
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes, who visited a mosque in Zurich, says the many non-Muslims who came enjoyed themselves. But the debate is raging outside the building, our correspondent says, and the Muslims inside were likely to be preaching to the converted.
You might recall one of my rant and raves posts about the visa services in the airport. I gave a vehement, scorching, terible, horrible, no good very bad critique of the visa counter and the officers working there.
My main points of criticism were that there was no information to guide applicants on procedures, that officers were so slow or so few present that the process creates a complete bottleneck resulting in unattended luggage downstairs, and that the officers themselves were highly unprofessional and that they needed gender training.
Well, yesterday, coming back from Dubai where I had been for the Dubai Sound City Music Festival (I will be writing a review and posting pictures on this one shortly as well), I went through the visa line and was taken aback by the changes.
1. Clear instructions are now made available upon getting a number at the ticket machine.
2. There are now women working at the desk and they seem to get along well and be integrated with their male counterparts
3. There are officers filling each seat so the employees are at full capacity
4. The turnover rate is much faster, from perhaps one person being attended to every 3-4 minutes to now 1 every 30 seconds. That is an incredible difference.
5. The officers are amicable but professional, no mind-games. They seemed helpful, courteous and, in short, taking pride in their job.
This week, a lot is going down in Kuwait. Here are some of the events (that I know of) that you might be interested in taking a look at...you're welcome!
1. Festival of India
The “Festival of India in Kuwait” is being organized from November 8-14, 2009, under the ambit of the India-Kuwait Cultural Exchange Programme 2009-2011 that was signed in April 2009 during the visit to Kuwait by Hon’ble M. Hamid Ansari, Vice President of India. The Festival is being co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL), State of Kuwait.
It looks nothing short of amazing and you can check out the line up of performers, dancers, artists, cultural exhibitions, etc at this link with the schedule that Al-Watan Daily has kindly provided:
Personally, I am very excited to see the Odissi dance, which has always been one of my favorite Indian folk dances. Just check this video out if you are not convinced!
2. Lecture by Thomas Modeen
Thomas Modeen will present a lecture on "Kuwait School Manifesto ـ 8 Maxims & Designs" on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Al-Maidan Cultural Center. Thomas Modeen is currently teaching at Kuwait University, Department of Architecture and Department of Art and Design, and he is a fellow blogger that can be found at http://smarchitecture.blogspot.com/
3. PechaKucha Night No. 3!
This is the third volumeof the successful concept devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide.
Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. It's a format that makes presentations concise, and keeps things moving at a rapid pace.
Check out previous videos by presenters from Volume 1 and 2 at KASA Kuwait's youtube account. Here is information on Volume 3: Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 7:30pm - 9:30pm, Mövenpick Hotel & Resort @ Bida'
PKN #3 Presenters: Farah Behbehani, Ismael Abedin, Dana Al-Hasan, FareedAbdal, Loaay Ahmed, Teddy B, Abd Al-rahman Al-Terkait
4. Cinemagic Opening
Its that time of the year where we can all slowly peek from our air-conditioned cocoons and enjoy the bright selection of critically acclaimed and assorted movies that the fabulous Mr. Michael Habre delights us with at Cinemagic Productions. Did I mention admission is FREE and free popcorn and refreshments are provided??
The film on Saturday, November 14th is entitled Banishment from Russia (2007), directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev, and here is the following description:
A husband, wife and two children come from an industrial city to the countryside, to the husband’s birthplace, to stay in his father’s old house. In contrast to the old setting, the new setting is Nature. It is a setting of breathtaking rolling hills, the bottom of a prehistoric sea, and fertile land, all lying in the ruins of dislike. It is sad even though it is proud. It doesn’t let on. It will demand great sacrifice. And no one will hold back the hand the father raises against his son. The voice crying out will not be heard. The lamb will not replace the son. For the one who rises the knife has ears that cannot hear, eyes that can not see, and a heart that can not feel. Yet his belief in the “law” of human pride is vehement and inexhaustible, as vehement as his remorse.
Here is some coverage from Al-Jazeera on the recent Doha Tribeca Film Festival that just rapped up, as well as a quick survey of the merging art capitals in the region and how artists are striving to find their identity to flourish on an international level.
I'm a big Mike Davis fan, having read both City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles (done in 1990 and which predicted many of the inherent tensions of LA that would result in the 1992 riots) and LOVING it, as well as the more recent Planet of Slums, a look at the slumming up of urbanization in many developing country cities in the world, which is a passionate issue for me that I think he highlights on extremely well. I just happened to find out that he is at it again with a new book deliciously titled Evil Paradises: Dreamworlds of Neoliberalism. I am dying to get my hands on a copy. Some brand him as too apocalyptic but he is a wonderful critic of some of the human dangers in current urban ecologies of unfettered capitalistic development and whim. How can I get a copy!?
I had the honor of attending The Green Caravan Film Festival this past week, and one movie that I strongly recommend from the screening I saw at the event is Manufactured Landscapes, which presents us with a series of visual/industrial nightmarescapes from the bowels of China's entry into (the back end) of globalization processes.
The film takes us through a variety of scenes: an assembly plant of hyper-controled workers, to a village that disassembles imported e-waste, to displaced villagers from the Three Gorges Dam project who have been hired by the Chinese government to tear down their own villages with their own hands, to the rapid "modernization of Shanghai.
The whole movie is breathtaking, and although the photographer strives to not place judgement on that which he captures, these stark "manufactored landscapes" present us with some uncomfortable images. THis is not because the photographer attempts to lace any messages or protest in his photographs, but because the scale and dismal nature of the subjects and landscapes remind us of that thing we knew all along int he back of our minds: the rapid modernization witnessed in many parts of the world...ahem...including the Gulf...is just plain creepy at points. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in the morality of globalization.
MANUFACTURED LANDSCAPES is a feature length documentary on the world and work of renowned artist Edward Burtynsky. Burtynsky makes large-scale photographs of ‘manufactured landscapes’ – quarries, recycling yards, factories, mines, dams. He photographs civilization’s materials and debris, but in a way people describe as “stunning” or “beautiful,” and so raises all kinds of questions about ethics and aesthetics without trying to easily answer them.
The film follows Burtynsky to China as he travels the country photographing the evidence and effects of that country’s massive industrial revolution. Sites such as the Three Gorges Dam, which is bigger by 50% than any other dam in the world and displaced over a million people, factory floors over a kilometre long, and the breathtaking scale of Shanghai’s urban renewal are subjects for his lens and our motion picture camera.
Shot in Super-16mm film, Manufactured Landscapes extends the narrative streams of Burtynsky’s photographs, allowing us to meditate on our profound impact on the planet and witness both the epicentres of industrial endeavour and the dumping grounds of its waste. What makes the photographs so powerful is his refusal in them to be didactic. We are all implicated here, they tell us: there are no easy answers. The film continues this approach of presenting complexity, without trying to reach simplistic judgements or reductive resolutions. In the process, it tries to shift our consciousness about the world and the way we live in it.
A report by through joint sponsorship and support of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) and the United Nations Development Programme/ Regional Bureau for Arab States (UNDP/RBAS) aimed at:
The Arab Knowledge Report 2009 examines the current state of Arab knowledge. It derives its legitimacy from the pressing need for information about knowledge performance in the region at a time when the importance of knowledge for the realisation of the many new prospects it has opened up for all areas of society is increasing
Still a bit confused? So am I, and I have not read it yet, join me in reading it here.
Piece by Brian Whitaker, for the full link click here
"Women, bloggers and gays lead change in the Arab world." That is the headline of an article by Octavia Nasr for CNN's blog AC360°. "Several new lines are being drawn in the Middle East's desert sand simultaneously," she writes. "If they continue to be drawn at this rate longer and thicker, it's hard to foresee any governments, censors or jails being able to stop them."
Though Nasr sounds a bit overexcited about the existence of a feminist mag in Arabic in which "no one dares to advertise" and a few other developments which are interesting straws in the wind but scarcely signs of an imminent revolution, I think she has a point. If asked where change is likely to come from in the Arab countries, I would not put much faith in "reformist" politicians and opposition parties – they're mostly no-hopers – but I would definitely put feminists, gay men, lesbians and bloggers very high on my list.
It's important not to exaggerate what they are actually achieving at the moment, but let's consider their potential as challengers of the status quo and drivers of change. The "Arab problem" is mostly perceived in terms of the regimes: the lack of democracy, authoritarian rulers who trample over people's rights, and so on. That was the perception of the Bush administration in particular and it led to the simplistic idea that regime change was the solution.
It's now very clear (as I explain in my new book, What's Really Wrong With the Middle East) that this was a mistake. You can overthrow dictators, you can force countries to have elections and you can even insist on voting procedures that are reasonably fair, but that doesn't bring freedom unless it forms part of a much bigger social transformation.
Ever wonder what drives people to buy Hummers? Is there a certain philosophy correlated with Hummer buyers? A Germany study sought to see if so and produced an article in the Journal for Consumer Research with their findings entitled, "Consumer Identity Work as a Moral Protagonism: How Myth and Ideology Animate a Brand-Mediated Moral Conflict". The researchers found that the anti-hummer movement had a clear moral agenda behind their disdain, and wondered if the pro-hummer buyers had a likewise moral imperative.
Americans who believe in rugged individualism and the frontier myth see an H2 as John Wayne on wheels. “As we studied American Hummer owners and their ideological beliefs, we found that they consider Hummer driving a highly moral consumption choice,” the authors wrote. “For Hummer owners it is possible to claim the moral high ground.”
Researchers Marius Luedicke, Craig Thompson, and Markus Giesler interviewed 20 “U.S.-born and raised” Hummer owners who said their vehicles are rolling representations of their beliefs, the same way that environmentalists might be more likely to choose a Prius or Starbucks-haters might be proud to sit at an independent coffee shop...
“Our analysis of the underlying American identity discourses revealed that being under siege by (moral) critics is an historically established feature of being an American,” the authors wrote. “The moralistic critique of their consumption choices readily inspired Hummer owners to adopt the role of the moral protagonist who defends American national ideals.”
Oh if a similiar study were to be conducted in Kuwait on Hummer users here. Why stop there? We should get a cross-section of hummer users everywhere in the world.
This video is an extract from the project Women Are Heroes by JR, taken in Nairobi Kenya in January 2009. The exhibition is from October 3 to November 2 in Paris, France. Here is a link.
You know the world is getting globalized when folk songs start to change their lyrics to talk about mobile phones! Here is a translation one of my friends provided me with:
"Mobili! Someone did unpleasant thing to me! They stole my mobile! My mobile is expensive! How did he do this? I lost all my contact numbers! His heart is 'empty' and he is unperfect! If he knew that what he did is not pretty at all, he would be sincere! Why when I walk in crowded street they steal my mobile!"
Today the law changed to allow Kuwaiti women to obtain their passports without permission from a husband or male guardian. According to Al-Jazeera English:
The highest court in the Gulf Arab nation issued the ruling on Tuesday, abrogating an article in a 1962 law that required women to gain their husband's prior approval before travelling.
RIYADH: A Saudi woman is suing for divorce after she found out that her husband had branded her "Guantanamo" on his cellphone, a report said yesterday. The wife took a look at the phone when her husband of 17 years left it at home, only to discover that his phonebook entry for her came under the name of the notorious US war-on-terror prison in Cuba, the Al-Watan newspaper reported. Outraged, the woman, who was not identified, demanded divorce or, at the least, substantial damages, Al-Watan said.
I will focus on the environment and climate change in the Gulf for October-November in honor of the Environmental Film Festival hosted by Equilibrium later this month, as well as the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP15 in early December. The latest article from today by The Kuwait Times listed in my previous blog is alarming. Kuwait has the financial resources to be a better performer on environment and pollution, so why such a low outlook?
"Kuwait is one of the most polluted countries in the Gulf region, with its marine life, atmosphere and soil degrading to alarming levels, said Dr Hamad Al-Mutar, Head of Kuwait's Green Peace Organization and a Chemistry professor at the Kuwait University....Dr. Al-Mutar pointed out that Umm Al-Haiman area is considered the most-polluted area in the country, noting that the Environment Public Authority (EPA) had previously informed the Cabinet about the area's unsuitability for inhabitation due to it close proximity to oil refineries in Al-Shuaiba...Furthermore, Dr. Al-Mutairi indicated that the 'Umm Al-Qawatti' area, located in the northern part of the country, has been used by the Kuwaiti Army as a 'dumpster' for unloading waste. It is also contaminated with Uranium, which has been responsible for the rising cancer rates in the country..."
"Kuwait's leading liberal movement has vowed to defy state censorship placed on books by staging a sit-in on Oct 31. This demonstration will mark a protest against any ban on publications during the upcoming book fair. It will be organized by Kuwait later this month. "Burning books is equal to burning people," said Dr. Mohammad Al-Hasan, Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Forum movement during a seminar that was organized by the forum under the title 'Censorship Protects Ignorance,' which was held at the diwaniya of Abdullah Al-Nibari in Dahiyat Abdullah Al-Salem on Tuesday. Al-Hasan held the government accountable for what he described as 'intellectual terrorism' by imposing strict censorship on various kinds of publications, including books.."
The Indonesian Labor Ministry has temporarily suspended deployment of Indonesian housemaids to Kuwait. The decision was implemented in Jakarta by the Indonesian Ministry of Labor at least until the issues of some 600 runaway housemaids are resolved. We are sad to issue this decision, but it is for the greater benefit of our workers," said Indonesian Ambassador to Kuwait and Bahrain, Faisal Ismail, as he spoke with the Kuwait Times yesterday about the new development. " We currently have around 600 runaway housemaids at our embassy. They have issues that need to be resolved, and although the government of Kuwait has been very helpful, until their concerns are resolved we have to temporarily suspend deployment," said ambassador Ismail.
It is quite a rare opportunity to see live music in the Gulf. My experience here in Kuwait is that most "concerts" involve stale hotels and buffet dinners, which completely takes away from the experience!
Dubai is hosting a music festival Nov. 5-7 that has a pretty kickin' line-up, some headlining acts including: Echo and the Bunnymen, De La Soul, The Doves, The Futureheads, Human League...need I say more?
I believe there early bird specials, so take advantage while you can. Here is the event website.
"The wife of Kuwait's Ambassador to Washington, Sheikha Rima Al-Sabah, was named by a prominent Washingtonian magazine as one and the only Arab and foreigner of the 100 most distinctive women in Washington in the field of advocacy and nonprofit work. Rima Al-Sabah is among the top Washington hostesses and had raised over seven million dollars in five years for humanitarian causes she supports.
Al-Sabah said that her mission does not stop here, and that she will continue to find a cause she feels passionate about and will help raise money to help in any way. Asked how she picks her causes, "They pick me," she responded, explaining that coincidences and many other factors are involved.
Every year, Kuwait's Ambassador Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and Rima Al-Sabah hold an Annual Gala Dinner to raise money, each year for a different beneficiary. Since 2005, Rima Al-Sabah, who is the Founder and Chairwoman of the Gala, her efforts included raising USD one million to benefit USA for UNHCR in its efforts to assist Iraqi refugees wishing to return home.
In 2006, over $ 1.2 million was raised to benefit UNICEF in its efforts to improve educational opportunities for children in Afghanistan, especially girls, whereas in 2007, USD 1.4 million went to Project HOPE and the development of the Basrah children's hospital in Iraq, while in 2008, $D 1.6 million was raised for reducing malaria in Africa.
The adopted cause in 2009 was the fight against climate change, with USD 1.8 million raised. As for her 2010 cause, Al-Sabah told KUNA that she plans to raise over U SD two million for the Central Asia Institute to help build schools for girls in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan...." (click here for full article)
There will be an environmental film festival here in Kuwait happening on October 28-29 in Al-Madain Cultural Centre and presented by Equilibrium, and environmental services company based in Kuwait. I am very excited about this!
The program can be found by clicking here. I plan to see both the 6:30 screening on Wednesday and Thursday. You can sign up to be a GCFF volunteer by sending an email to volunteer@thegreencaravan.com. This is a great initiative and I hope to see you there.
I am sorry for the recent disappearance from my blog. I have been completely inundated at my work. But what happens with a deluge? We ride it out, and I am floating down all the way to Jordan for the weekend. I will put pictures. Then I will be back in full glory!
sustainable urbanization - livable cities - international politics - fair trade - ethical and inclusive globalization - international development and cooperation - economic, social and cultural rights - slum housing rights - equal access for all to the arts
The Eternal UN Declaration of Human Rights
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Jeremy Waldron assesses the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' enduring
relevance to establishing the ethics of global responsibility.
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