OPINION LEADERS ISSUE 10

ISSUE 10 | JULY - AUGUST 2017 | FREE PRESS NEWSPAPER 

LONDON GENEVA BRUSSELS MONACO 

Elena 

KOUNTOURA 

''Tourism unites people and nations, and 

Greece has a significant role in the efforts 

in the wider region to open new roads for 

stability and growth, peace and prosperity'' 

Read 

also 

Interview with Layla Ramezan: Piano performer and 

president of the Geneva based Matka Contemporary Ensemble

EDITORIAL 

LIFE & STYLE 

Dearest Readers, 

I am so happy that I 

am back to you with this 

overwhelming summer 

issue of the “Opinion 

Leaders”! 

We are already at 

mid-summer and as the 

temperatures rise high 

so is the excitement in 

the air for prospective 

holidays! 

Dear Readers, we 

didn’t have much of a 

choice for this issue, other than presenting to you the person that 

is responsible for Greece’s come back to the world’s touristic “top 

choice” destinations. This dynamic mother and politician and 

beautiful woman (do not forget she is an ex top model!) holds in 

her hands this magnificent landscape, the sea, the sun and the 

magic of the Greek islands, together with the monuments that 

characterise this wonderful country as a “living Myth”; Ladies 

and gentelemen the Greek Minister of Tourism, Elena Kountoura 

opens her heart but her “playing cards” too exclusively for the 

“Opinion Leaders”. 

In this issue, we also host an exclusive interview with an 

amazing personality that lives through music but also enjoys 

sharing her thoughts through the same path, the Persian-rooted 

pianist Layla Ramezan! You will also have the opportunity, dear 

all, to go through the most important events and happenings of 

the last few months and may be you will find yourselves somewhere 

in there, Brussels, Geneva, Monaco or London! 

Dear Readers, I need to thank you all from the bottom of 

my heart for your kind support through these fascinating past 

months and I can ensure you that from the forthcoming fall our 

new re-designed and improvised “Opinion Leaders Platform” will 

captivate you to particularly interesting paths, carefully selected 

for each and every one of you. Stay tuned, enjoy the Summer and 

love each other to the maximum!!! 

6 

8. 

14. 

18. 

20. 

28. 

Geneva Motor Show 

( Car of the Year) 

International treaties at 

stake - a legal perspective 

Hatem Attari 

Elena Kountoura, 

Interview 

Carolina Mavrou 

Layla Ramezan, 

Interview 


Living La “Dolce Vita” 

Patricia Gozlan 

Jordan on the Wild side 

Ramy Salameh 

JULY - AUGUST 2017 

MAVROS MEDIA GROUP 

Legal advisor for the Group 

Original Law offices 

Editor-in-chief 


cmavrou@mmgroup.media 

Marketing 

Theodora Papadimitriou 

marketing@mmgroup.media 

Art Director 

Lugermedia 

www.lugermedia.com 

Offices 

Mavros Media Group 

14 Village Way East Harrow, 

London HA2 7LU 

info@mmgroup.media 

+44 (0) 7788896214 

opinionleaders.co.uk 

All rights reserved 

On the occasion of the 70th Cannes Film Festival, Uma Thurman, Lolita Chammah, Marina 

Hands, Hafsia Herzi, Laetitia Casta, Salma Hayek, Kristin Scott Thomas, Laura Morante, Emilie 

Dequenne, Marina Foïs and Céline Sallette chose to wear creations of the Maison Boucheron. The 

actress Uma Thurman wore the Pompon pendant earrings in pink gold, and the Quatre Radiant Edition cuff 

and ring in pink gold. The actress Lolita Chammah was adorned with the Lierre de Paris secret watch and 

earrings, in white gold and diamonds. The actress Marina Hands chose to wear the Ricochet pendant earrings 

and a Lierre de Paris ring in white gold and diamonds. The actress Hafsia Herzi wore the Cypris stud 

earrings in white gold, set with diamonds and rubies. The French actress Laetitia Casta was adorned with 

the Kokochnik necklace, from the new High Jewelry Collection Hiver Impérial, in white gold, set with a 

7,54 carats Burmese Royal Blue cushion sapphire and rock crystal, paved with diamonds. The actress Salma 

Hayek chose the Baïkal earrings, from the new High Jewelry Collection Hiver Impérial, set with two Santa 

Maria pear aquamarines and cultured pearls, paved with diamonds, on white gold. She also wore the Nœud 

ring, from the new High Jewelry Collection Hiver Impérial, set with Ayoka cultured pearls, paved with diamonds. 

The English actress Kristin Scott Thomas wore the Serpent Bohème ear studs in yellow gold and 

diamonds. The Italian actress Laura Morante wore the Plume de Paon earrings in white gold and the Lierre 

de Paris secret watch, in white gold paved with diamonds. The French actress Emilie Dequenne was adorned 

with the Angélique necklace in white gold paved with diamonds. The French actress Marina Foïs chose to 

wear the Serpent Bohème ear studs in white gold and diamonds. The French actress Céline Sallette wore the 

Ispahan pendant earrings in white gold, hematites and diamonds. 

And so the curtain has finally fallen on this 70th anniversary edition – rich in screenings and events – 

which brought together the cream of the film world in Cannes over 12 days. The event came to an end on the 

stage of the Grand Théâtre Lumière, where Mistress of Ceremonies Monica Bellucci welcomed the Feature 

Film Jury presided by Pedro Almodóvar to announce the 2017 prize-winners. This year’s Palme d’or was 

screened at the end of the prize-giving ceremony to close the Festival. 

FEATURE FILMS - COMPETITION 

PALME D'OR 

THE SQUARE directed by Ruben ÖSTLUND 

70th ANNIVERSARY AWARD 

Nicole KIDMAN 

UN CERTAIN REGARD PRIZE 

LERD (A Man of Integrity) directed by Mohammad 

RASOULOF 

PRIZE FOR BEST ACTRESS 

JASMINE TRINCA for FORTUNATA directed by Sergio 

CASTELLITTO 

PRIZE FOR THE BEST POETIC NARRATIVE 

BARBARA directed by Mathieu AMALRIC 

Carolina Papadimitriou-Mavrou. 

GRAND PRIX 

120 BATTEMENTS PAR MINUTE (BPM – Beats Per 

Minute) directed by Robin CAMPILLO 

BEST DIRECTOR PRIZE 

Sofia COPPOLA for THE BEGUILED 

PRIZE FOR BEST DIRECTION 

Taylor SHERIDAN for WIND RIVER 

JURY PRIZE 

LAS HIJAS DE ABRIL (April’s Daughter) directed by 

Michel FRANCO 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR 

Joaquin PHOENIX in YOU WERE NEVER REALLY 

HERE directed by Lynne RAMSAY 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS 

Diane KRUGER in AUS DEM NICHTS (In The Fade) 

directed by Fatih AKIN 

CAMÉRA D’OR 

JEUNE FEMME (Montparnasse Bienvenüe) directed 

by Léonor SERRAILLE presented as part of UN CERTAIN 

REGARD 

The Caméra d’or Prize was awarded by Sandrine 

Kiberlain, President of the Caméra d’or Jury. 

Konstantinos 

Lazarakis MW 


Hatem Attari 

Konstantinos 

Arapostathis 

Atousa Jam 

Anna Magee 

JURY PRIZE 

NELYUBOV (Loveless) directed by Andrey ZVY- 

AGINTSEV 

BEST SCREENPLAY EX-ÆQUO 

Yorgos LANTHIMOS and Efthimis FILIPPOU for THE 

KILLING OF A SACRED DEER 

Lynne RAMSAY for YOU WERE NEVER REALLY 

HERE 

SHORT FILMS - COMPETITION 

CINEFONDATION 

FIRST PRIZE 

PAUL EST LÀ (Paul Is Here) directed by Valentina 

MAUREL 

INSAS, Belgium 

SECOND PRIZE 

HEYVAN (AniMal) directed by Bahram & Bahman 

ARK 

Iranian National School of Cinema, Iran 

Yianni Melas 

Riccardo Wolfgang 

Gay Luger 

Dr. Nikos Voudouris 

Ramy Salameh 

Michel 

Muyldermans 

Paolina Antognetti 

PALME D’OR 

XIAO CHENG ER YUE (A Gentle Night) directed by 

QIU Yang 

SPECIAL DISTINCTION BY THE JURY 

KATTO (The Ceiling) directed by Teppo AIRAKSINEN 

UN CERTAIN REGARD 

THIRD PRIZE 

DEUX ÉGARÉS SONT MORTS (Two Youths Died) directed 

by Tommaso USBERTI 

La Fémis, France 

The CST Jury decided to award the VULCAIN PRIZE FOR 

ARTIST-TECHNICIAN to: Josefin ASBERG for her remarkable 

artistic contribution to match the inventiveness of the film THE 

SQUARE 

2 

3

EVENTS 

BASELWORLD 2017 

A CENTURY OF PLACING PASSION, PRECISION AND 

PERFECTION ON A PEDESTAL 

Baselworld 2017 - The 100th anniversary of the most important show and 

premier event for the world’s watch and jewellery industry reaffirmed its status 

as the global trendsetting show. This unrivalled premier platform celebrated the 

convention of the creme de la creme of the entire industry who united once again 

to take the pulse of the market, marvel at the new collections and witness the 

start of a new trendsetting cycle 

Baselworld 2017 was the focal point for more than 106.000 buyers (-4% 

vs 2016) from over 100 countries. With the world’s best-known and most celebrated 

brands from every sector revealing their newest collections, Baselworld 

2017 lived up to its reputation as the hub of the global industry. Attendees 

benefited from the unique opportunity to feel the mood of the market, discover 

those new trendsetting collections that will prevail for the following 12 months, 

and equally importantly, to capitalise on the enormous business opportunities 

that are available at Baselworld. 

A DYNAMIC AND INNOVATIVE INDUSTRY WITH AN 

ENDURING SPIRIT OF SUSTAINABILITY 

Passion, precision and perfection presided once again as the world’s best 

brands showcased their innovations and newest collections for all the world to 

discover. 

Eric Bertrand, President of the Baselworld Exhibitors’ Committee, underlined 

the significance of Baselworld for the watch and jewellery industry. “In 

the last week, we have experienced the value of this show for the entire industry 

especially in difficult times, which makes the show’s role as the global platform 

even more compelling at a time when all players are looking for secure values 

and stability. We know from experience, our new collections and creations will 

be all the talk in the coming 12 months thanks especially to the immense press 

coverage of the show and the global interest we have observed.” 

François Thiébaud, President of the Swiss Exhibitors’ Committee, 

concurred and was full of praise for this anniversary of Baselworld. 

For him, taking a show from a small event with just 29 brands in 1917, 

and transforming it into the unparalleled global leader is “thanks to 

Baselworld being the only show that fully reflects the excellence of the industry 

by uniting everyone, representing every sector and putting each 

and every player on a pedestal to present themselves in the best light.“ 

Regarding the outcome of this year’s show, Mr Thiébaud said that: “Although 

it has been a challenging year, Baselworld 2017 dispelled any concerns about 

the market as the event has fuelled a renewed spirit of creativity and innovation. 

The show confirmed that the innovation and passion that epitomise our 

industry, continue to hold centre stage. “ 

Regarding his estimation of the 2017 edition, Thierry Stern, President 

of Patek Philippe, found that “the organisation of the show was 

good as were the number of visitors, our retailers and the press.”He added 

that there was a “good general reception of our novelties.”Mr Stern 

also listed a number of reasons why Baselworld is an important platform: 

“lmportant in terms of an annual meeting with our network of retailers and 

partners from all over the world. lmportant in terms of public visibility and 

especially in terms of world press resonance. A very important communication 

platform.” 

For Jean-Claude Biver, President of the LVMH Watch Division , CEO TAG 

Heuer and CEO Zenith, “Baselworld is not just a show of the best Swiss watch 

brands, but more importantly the showcase of the entire Swiss and international 

industry. During eight days, people do not only enter into the heart of the 

industry, but also feel the pulse of it, getting a vision of the future”. 

Commenting on the essential nature of the show, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, 

Co-President of Chopard, stated that: “Baselworld continues to be the most important 

event for the watchmaking and jewellery industry. lt is also a unique 

networking opportunity in terms of brand communication”. He added that at 

this year’s show, “the overall mood was positive and the level of business conducted 

satisfactory”. 

This sentiment was shared by Frédéric Grangié, President of CHANEL 

Watches and Fine Jewelry , who concurred saying: “Baselworld is essential to 

the watch industry, it enables us year on year to display our creativity and 

know-how to the most important opinion leaders, journalists and watch retailers.” 

ESSENTIAL ANNUAL EVENT FOR EMINENT INTERNATIONAL 

RETAILERS 

Baselworld is an essential date in the calendars of internationally renowned 

retailers and buyers because it offers them the opportunity to discover and explore 

the innovations, creations and new collections that are unveiled here. 

What makes Baselworld additionally indispensable is the show’s renown as a 

market mood and trend baro meter. 

Willie Hamilton, Chief Executive of the Company of Master Jewellers, UK, 

clearly states that “Baselworld is the most important show of the year for anyone 

who is serious about buying and selling timepieces. For the UK independent 

retailer it is not only a chance to see and buy the latest watch trends, view 

new jewellery brands and buy precious gemstones, but it offers a chance to 

network with the most important players in our industry and catch up with our 

peers both in the UK and across the globe.” 

“Nowhere else in the world does so much expertise and know-how come 

together as at Baselworld,”said Kim Eva Wempe, Managing Director Juwelier 

Wempe, Gerhard D. Wempe KG, Germany. She added that: “It’s important for us 

to have the greatest possible number of our employees here”. 

Greg Simonian, President, Westime, USA, is of the opinion that “Baselworld 

is truly unique, it’s the only chance I have every year to see virtually everyone 

from the industry”. 

“I attend for the innovations that are introduced, but also to participate in 

the single most important gathering of the world’s watch community”, says 

long-term attendee Michael Tay, Group Managing Director of leading luxury 

watch retail group, The Hour Glass Ltd., Singapore, who is convinced that “the 

opportunities for week-long engagement, exchange and learning are second to 

none”. 

A LIVE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION FOR THE WORLD´S PRESS 

An impressive number of accredited journalists and those following from 

afar are a clear indicator of the immense interest generated by the show internationally. 

News of the novelties and latest collections from Baselworld are 

relayed instantly to every comer of the planet creating a singular global impact 

with repercussions that last for a whole year. More than 4,400 representatives 

of the press from print, television, radio and digital from over 70 countries 

attended the show underlining the unmissable character of Baselworld. Paying 

further tribute to the global reach and significance of this show, an overwhelming 

86,000! (vs 11,000 in 2016) viewers around the world followed the 

Baselworld 2017 press conference in real time. 

Rachael Taylor, Contributing Journalist, Financial Times: “Baselworld is an 

invaluable barometer of the year ahead, both in terms of design innovation and 

direction, and also how the marketing is reacting to current opportunities. Attending 

the show this year has given me a snapshot of the global industry and 

I’ll be leaving armed with fresh story ideas, new contacts and an Instagram feed 

bursting with some of the most inspiring new products the market has to offer”. 

Karan Karer, Editor/ Associate Director, Hours & Minutes Australia: 

“Baselworld is an institution, rather than just a show; it’s THE place to be for 

all the watch and jewellery manufacturers. A show of this scale has never been 

done before”. 

Karishma Karer, Editor, Hands on Time: “I think Baselworld sets the trend 

and the mood for the year; it sets the benchmark for how the year is going to 

pan out, both in terms of the tone and the products”. 

“Golden editorial opportunities”, says Maria Doulton, Editor-in-Chief of 

The Jewellery Editor, explaining why she travels to Basel. “Baselworld offers 

a great overview of what is really happening. We get months’ worth editorial, 

insight, great interviews and fantastic content for social media - this is exactly 

what we’re looking for”. 

For Ariel Adams, Founding Owner and Editor, aBlogtoWatch: “Baselworld 

is a pivotal moment for our business as we get more traffic to aBlogtoWatch 

than at any other time of year.” 

BASELWORLD 2017 - THE PEDESTAL FOR THE GLOBAL 

INDUSTRY 

Baselworld 2017 was once more the global point of convergence where 

the leading players in the watch and jewellery industry shone in the spotlight 

for a full eight days. Reflecting on the show that has such a rich and illustrious 

history, Sylvie Ritter, Managing Director of Baselworld, said: “Baselworld once 

again gave the sector a positive impulse by putting it on a pedestal to shine. The 

passion behind the innovative spirit that distinguishes the industry has been 

reaffirmed which will undoubtedly drive them forward with renewed vitality”. 

OUTLOOK FOR BASELWORLD 2018 

Commenting on the outcome of this year’s show, Sylvie Ritter, Managing 

Director of Baselworld, said that the industry is currently going through a challenging 

phase, which particularly affects smaller companies. Listening to our 

exhibitors and in agreement with the members of the different Committees, 

we have decided to reduce the duration of the show and adjust the prices accordingly. 

Thus, Baselworld 2018 will be held from Thursday 22 to Tuesday 27 

March 2018, with the traditional press day on Wednesday, March 21. Ms Ritter 

emphasised that: “Baselworld will maintain the attractiveness of the show and 

its global impact by remaining faithful to our strategy which favours quality 

and leverages diversity in all sectors.” 

Mattia Cielo’s creations have a striking and 

immediately recognisable personality. They are 

designed by thinking ahead of the curve and the 

technology they contain can be seen in their movement 

and signature style. Ergonomics, dynamism 

and sparkle are the key words of a revolutionary 

style, in which the finest Italian artisan tradition is 

at one with the energy of industrial design. These 

magical masterpieces have met with great favour 

on international markets. 

BOHÈME 

Fancy. Casual. Feminine. 

The BOHÈME diamond necklace from GELLNER 

embodies everything that today‘s confident woman could 

wish for. 

With attention to detail and casual elegance the 

unconventional loop chain in 750 rose gold ensures an 

impressive appearance. The detailed decoration with 

numerous, delicate diamond roses and finely-faceted 

diamond briolettes lends an air of colorful playfulness to 

the voluminous necklace. BOHÈME – exciting design of 

the highest standard. 

Among the new creations, 

the AURA collection, 

holds a special place: 

it stays true to the creative 

concept between the colours 

of gold and ceramic, 

and it dares with new chromatic 

experimentations, 

creating the ultimate fashion jewel. 

Baby pink, red, electric blue and brown are the shades that 

interpret this new era of contemporary jewellery, made to add 

a bit of preciousness to a playful and joyous femininity, which 

can be gutty and delicate at the same time, always maintaining 

its charme. 

The choice of colour represents a true debut for Roberto 

Demeglio, since the eclectic designer is known for its “black 

and white” creations. 

Inspired by the universal fascination 

of man for the moon, Lebeau-Courally 

reveals its new celestial star 

Phase de Lune. Developed for over 6 

years and handcrafted in our newly 

acquired manufacture d'horlogerie in Le Locle, this new iconic watch 

fuses gold with enamel. It merges the DNA of watchmaking with the 

genes of bespoke arms making. 

Inspired by the universal fascination of man for the moon, Lebeau- 

Courally reveals its new celestial star Phase de Lune. Developed for over 

6 years and handcrafted in our newly acquired manufacture d'horlogerie 

in Le Locle, this new iconic watch fuses gold with enamel. It merges the 

DNA of watchmaking with the genes of bespoke arms making. 

After celebrating its 40th anniversary with The 

Beatles in 2016, Raymond Weil continues its collaboration 

with the world’s most famous rock band. This 

second limited numbered edition of 3,000 watches is 

a symbol of the timelessness of a group whose success 

and history are etched in our minds for eternity. 

Housed in a 39.5mm steel case, the dial of the 

maestro 'The Beatles “Abbey Road” Limited Edition' 

is a copy of a vinyl record engraved with microgrooves. 

At the heart of the dial and on the sapphire crystal 

case-back of the watch, the most iconic logo in the 

music industry beats to the tempo of the mechanical 

self-winding RW200 movement. 

SWING 

Classic beauty with a new impetus 

Sometimes a mere twist is enough to make a classic 

a distinctive eye-catcher. Michael Weggenmann, the new 

Creative Director of the jewellery manufacture GELLNER, 

achieves this masterfully with the new SWING rings. The 

colourful SWING diamond rings are classic beauties – 

with an unusual detail: a small, mobile diamond glitters on 

a fine chain, lending new impetus to the solitaire. Various, 

distinctive colour combinations make the playful SWING 

rings individual treasures. Classic and refreshingly vibrant 

at the same time. 

In 2017, the Elite collection welcomes 

a new model housed within a 

case that is smaller than previously: the 

Elite Lady Moonphase 33 mm, a combination 

of technical excellence and timeless 

distinction. 

It conveys its elegance through 

five variations made of 18K rose gold 

or stainless steel. The ultra-thin 33 

mm-diameter case, water-resistant to 

50 metres, is fitted with a fluted crown 

enabling smooth moon-phase adjustments. 

Its exhibition case-back provides 

a chance to admire its mechanism powered 

by an oscillating weight adorned 

with a “Côtes de Genève” motif. 

Surrounded by a diamond-set or 

polished bezel, the pure mother-of-pearl 

dial is graced with a star-studded deep 

blue moon disc. Slender leaf-shaped 

hands sweep over stylised engraved 

hour-markers, or else slim Roman numerals 

on one of the versions. 

The new version of Classico U-1001 TIT 

is a watch that pays tribute to one of the Italo 

Fontana’s passions, diving. One of the biggest 

watches available today and one of the biggest U- 

BOATs of all time. The watch is water-resistant to 

1001 meters and features, in the event of pressure 

changes, a well hided helium escape valve and a 

double screw-down crown underneath the massive 

signature crown cap. The bezel keeps the 6,4 

mm thick shappire glass locked to the case and 

it is framed by 4 external and prominent screws 

set at 2,4,8,10 meanwhile the back of the case 

consists of one piece only screwed to the case. On 

the side of the case is highly visible the sapphire 

glass pressured by the case and the bezel. 

4 5

Peugeot wins the title 

“Car of the Year 2017” 

EVENTS 

The Geneva 

International 

Motor Show: 

Once again 

an enormous 

success for this 

87th edition! 

The Geneva International 

Motor Show had registered more 

than 690,000 entries as of two 

hours before the official closing 

on Sunday evening. This 87th 

edition was set in motion by the 

election of the Car of the Year, 

won by the Peugeot 3008, then the 

presentation of 175 new models 

and concept cars to a gathering of 

10,700 media representatives from 

all over the world during the two 

Press Days, followed by the opening 

of the Show to the general public 

by the Swiss Federal Counsellor 

Mr. Johann Schneider-Ammann, 

who underlined the importance 

of the automotive sector to the 

Swiss economy. Visitors had the 

pleasure of viewing more than 900 

exciting vehicles on display within 

the framework of what has become 

the largest event for this country. 

The 88th edition of the Geneva 

International Motor Show will 

take place from March 8-18, 2018. 

“This 87th edition has been a great 

success! Our invitation to come and 

visit the Motor Show on weekdays 

has borne fruit.” Said Mr. Maurice 

Turrettini, President of the Motor 

Show. Mr. Andre Hefti, General 

Manager, explained: “We have registered 

more entries during the week 

compared to last year and a few less 

during the last weekend. The total 

number of entries is practically the 

same, but with a better quality of visit 

and with less crowding. The reducedprice 

entries after 4:00 pm also proved 

to be very successful as well.” 

The final results for this 87th 

edition have also been considered 

to be very positive by the 180 exhibitors 

who expressed a high level 

of satisfaction during a survey 

taken to evaluate the organization 

and the functioning of the event. 

“The Geneva International 

Motor Show offers an irreplaceable 

communication platform for the 

major manufacturers and a not-tobe-missed 

rendez-vous for potential 

“buyers and everyone who appreciates 

exceptional car” concluded Mr. 

Maurice Turrettini. 

The winner of the “Car of the 

Year”-Award 2017 is the Peugeot 

3008. The Jury is made up of 58 

journalists from 22 European countries. 

The final vote took place this 

afternoon, live from the Geneva International 

Motor, in the presence 

of international journalists. Jean- 

Philippe Imparato, Peugeot CEO 

received the award. 

The Peugeot 3008 made the 

difference during the last tests 

and thus won, in front of its six 

competitors, the prestigious and 

very coveted award. The finalists 

of this year were: Alfa Romeo 

Giulia, Citroën C3, Mercedes-Benz 

E-Class, Nissan Micra, Peugeot 

3008, Toyota C-HR, Volvo S90/V90. 

The President of the Jury, Hakan 

Matson, automobile expert from 

the Swedish economic magazine 

Dagens Industri, justified the vote 

as follows: „The jury recognizes that 

the market share of SUVs and Crossover 

cars has been steadily increasing. 

The Peugeot is a worthy winner.“ 

Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of 

Peugeot since September 1st, 2016 

was visibly very touched:” We are 

so happy. It is a great moment and I 

am very proud to receive this prize for 

our Peugeot 3008.” 

The criteria taken into consideration 

for the award are, in addition 

to the innovation and the security, 

the design and the value for 

money. 

Results of the vote 2017: 

Peugeot 3008: 319 points 

Alfa Romeo Giulia: 296 points 

Mercedes-Benz E-Class: 197 

points 

Volvo S90/V90: 172 points 

Citroën C3: 166 points 

Toyota C-HR: 165 points 

Nissan Micra: 135 points 

About “Car of the Year”: 

The “Car of the Year” trophy is 

considered as the most prestigious 

and conveted award in the automobile 

world. Currently, 58 journalists 

from 22 countries are members 

of the jury. The Car of the Year 

was created by STERN and it has 

been awarded since 1964. It was 

established by seven European magazines 

from seven countries: Germany 

(Stern), Italy (Auto), France 

(L’Automobile), 

Spain (Autopista), United Kingdom 

(Autocar), The Netherlands 

(Autovisie) and Sweden (Vi Bilägare).■ 

6 7

SOCIETY 

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES AT STAKE 

A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE 

Dear readers, welcome to our summer 

edition of Opinion Leaders. In this 

month's article and due to the ongoing 

political turbulences around the globe, 

we will take a brief look at some recent examples 

of how International law may be 

breached due to some political decisions. 

This January, Donald Trump won the US 

presidential elections and was announced 

President of the United States of America. 

Losing no time, Trump signed an executive 

order on January the 27th, regarding 

his most discussed and debated part of the 

electoral agenda-the immigration ban. This 

executive order that he signed, temporarily 

bans the majority of refugees from coming 

to the U.S. and suspends visas for those from 

seven, mainly Muslim, countries. Immediately, 

a discussion around the world began 

on whether this order breaches parts of international 

law and quite frankly, the answer 

to this question would certainly be a yes. 

Under international law, the U.S. cannot ban 

asylum seekers from certain countries. The 

U.S. has signed and ratified a number of international 

treaties that prohibit religious 

and race discrimination in the operation of 

legal systems, and this extends to operating 

a migration system in line with international 

non-discrimination protections. Keeping this 

in mind, one would immediately believe that 

a nation acting in this manner, would be subject 

to some sort of punishment by the international 

community. However, a country 

as powerful as the U.S. can easily set aside 

international legal obligations to which they 

had previously adhered. Therefore, it would 

be quite surprising to see any “punishment” 

from the international community. 

Another well debated subject over the 

past year has been the Turkey-EU agreement 

concerning the refugee crisis. Under 

the Deal, for every Syrian refugee Turkey 

admits from the Greek islands, the EU has 

agreed to take back a Syrian from Turkeythis 

was named “the 1:1 scheme”. However, 

various international bodies expressed their 

concern, which stems from EU’s presumption 

that Turkey is a “safe third country”, as 

well as the fact that Turkey is not a member 

of the EU- the implications of this being 

that Turkey is not bound by EU legislation 

or directives, which offer procedural protections 

for third country nationals including 

asylum claimants and refugees. But did this 

deal itself violate international law? It could 

be said by critics that the deal violates International 

Law in a number of ways. First off, 

the European Union presumes Turkey to be 

a “safe third country”, where it is assumed 

that asylum claimants and refugees are able 

to apply for international protection as guaranteed 

under the Refugee Convention from 

the “safe third country” rule. In addition to 

this, Turkey is not part of the EU. This automatically 

means that any EU law does not 

apply to Turkey, making it difficult to monitor 

and justify the rights and needs of asylum-seekers 

and refugees during their stay 

in the country. 

The third example we choose to examine 

on this matter, could be no other than the 

biggest turbulence in European Politics recently- 

the Brexit. As the UK Supreme Court 

weighs arguments over whether an Act of 

Parliament is needed for the UK to trigger 

Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union 

(TEU) and begin its exit from the EU, the 

justices will have to rule on a fundamental 

question of the respective roles of the executive 

and the legislature and the relationship 

between international and domestic law. 

However, the reader may ask- is it VITAL for 

Article 50 to be invoked in order for Brexit to 

occur? The answer is pretty categorimatic, 

as unless the United Kingdom chooses to 

violate European Union and International 

law, there is only Article 

50 as a valid exit 

from the EU treaties. 

Another point is that 

the referendum could 

possibly be considered 

as “non-legally 

binding”. Politically 

however this would 

be a very bold step 

and decision, which by Hatem Attari 

could trigger turbulences 

within the UK, 

and is therefore not seen as a truly viable option. 

A third non-international law violating 

option would be a “cosmetic Brexit”. Here 

the UK could formally leave the European 

Union but remain a participating country in 

the single market. 

In all the above cases, one can see that 

International law is a very thin matter, which 

could clash with domestic law on several occasions. 

One can safely say that in the last 

few years, international or European law 

have been triggered or have been on the thin 

line between violation and non-violation. In 

an everchanging political system both within 

and outside Europe, it will be very interesting 

to observe the chess game between 

countries and international institutions, 

while they try to safeguard themselves and 

even “impose” their power over each othereither 

by implementing, or by breaching International 

laws. With all this being said, we 

wish you dear readers a great summer. Till 

next time! ■ 

A truly international event, the London 

Wine Fair 2017 celebrated over 10,000 wines 

produced in over 40 countries. 

Wine trade professionals from across the 

globe travelled to London to be immersed in 

the world of wine, to sample across the continents 

and discover tastes unknown. 

Nearly 5,000 wines had registered for 

this year’s LWF online directory, providing 

vital information for buyers across all 

sectors. 70% of wines had tasting notes, 

66% had bottles shots, 61% showed ABV 

and 40% had more detailed analytics, such 

as residual sugar values. Data showed that 

60% of wines at this year’s Fair were “Retail 

Ready”, giving visiting buyers a head start 

on all the resources required to list a wine or 

build technical sheets, such as analytics and, 

in particular, photography. Although the information 

were specifically for wines at this 

year’s Fair, the information can be accessed 

year-round, providing a vital resource platform 

for all wine trade professionals. 

England comes of age at London 

Wine Fair 

English wine was set to be one of the 

most visited categories at this year’s London 

Wine Fair. Visitors surveyed at registration 

had been asked to stipulate which country 

they would be most interested in investigating, 

and the United Kingdom was in the top 

five. France came out top, followed by Italy, 

Spain, Australia and the U.K. Combined, 

France and Italy were set to dominate with 

over 42% of visitors expressing interest. The 

U.K. came above those with a far great presence 

in the U.K. and globally, namely South 

Africa, Argentina, Chile, and New Zealand. 

London Wine Fair brings Brexit 

centre stage 

The organisers of the London Wine Fair 

put the most important economic and political 

issue impacting the UK wine industry, 

the implications of Brexit. The effects on the 

UK wine market, any positives that can be 

gained and how the UK wine industry can 

plan effectively. The debate featured a panel 

of leading experts on the subject: Dr Swati 

Dhingra, from the London School of Economics 

(LSE); Dr Abel D. Alonso, from Liverpool 

Business School; Guy Harvey, a partner 

at City law firm, Shepherd and Wedderburn, 

which specialises in Brexit; and Miles Beale, 

Chief Executive at the Wine & Spirit Trade 

Association (WSTA). The debate was chaired 

by Richard Siddle. 

8 9

HUMANITY 

DIABETES 

MELLITUS 

and the child 

Diabetes is a condition that plagues many children and adolescents, and is 

characterized by the body's inability to produce insulin or a small production 

of it. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to transport glucose, 

i.e., the energy acquired by the consumption of food, in all body cells. 

There are two types of diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and that of adults. 

The juvenile-diabetes type 1, refers to children and adolescents. In this category 

we have a total lack of insulin. The pancreas produces no insulin leading the body to 

depend on exogenous insulin administration. 

Diabetes mellitus adult-type 2 is characterized by reduced insulin production by 

the body, or in some cases the insulin that is produced does not properly "work". It can 

be treated with a combination of a particular diet and medication. 

In childhood and adolescence, lifestyle and diet does not play an important role, 

as most children that develop it seem to have had a predisposition for its appearance. 

Some of the main symptoms that appear and should worry someone are overeating, 

frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, polydipsia, and tachypnea. Therefore, 

if you notice any of these symptoms in your child, you may want to contact your pediatrician, 

who through a series of blood tests will arrive to a correct diagnosis. 

Dr. Nikos Voudouris 

Paediatrist-Neonatologist 

PhD Medical School University of Athens 

Member of the Board of Directors 

of the Greek Paediatrician Society. 

The Result 

4.7 million athletes in 

170 countries 

1.1 million coaches and volunteers 

108,000 events annually worldwide 

For nearly 50 years, Special 

Olympics has worked to 

empower people with 

intellectual disabilities to 

become accepted and valued 

members of their communities. 

It all starts ... with sports! 

The treatment of juvenile diabetes comprises of combining diet and exogenous 

insulin administration. We try therefore with the appropriate dose of insulin to keep 

the level of insulin in the blood at normal levels. Also, one should periodically undergo 

blood tests to check blood sugar levels, as well as be monitored frequently by a juvenile 

endocrinologist. 

The goal of treatment is to ensure the normal development of the child and a "normal 

life", as well as avoid various complications of this condition. ■ 

BELGIUM 

Au total, 27 médailles pour l’équipe nationale 

(12 or, 6 argent et 9 bronze) 

Aujourd’hui se clôture la 11ème édition 

des Jeux Mondiaux d’Hiver Special Olympics 

en Autriche, le plus gros événement sportif 

d’hiver pour personnes ayant un handicap 

mental. 26 athlètes belges y ont participés 

ensemble avec 2.700 autres sportifs venant de 

105 pays. Nos athlètes ont donné le meilleur 

d’eux-mêmes pendant ces 12 derniers jours 

en ski alpin, ski de fond, snowboard et course 

de raquettes et ont ainsi remporté avec fierté 

pas moins de 27 médailles. Demain, l’équipe 

belge sera accueillie dans la joie et l’émotion 

au Sheraton de Zaventem Airport. 

Les Jeux Mondiaux d’Hiver ont lieu tous les 4 

ans et cette édition s’est tenue en Autriche où 105 

pays participants avec 2.700 athlètes, 1.000 coaches, 

10.000 volontaires et des milliers de supporters 

se s’ont retrouvés principalement dans les villes de 

Graz, Schladming et Ramsau. Même si la participation 

reste plus importante que n’importe quelle 

victoire, nos athlètes sont partis dans l’espoir de 

revenir tous avec des médailles. Au total, ils ont 

remporté pas moins de 27 médailles et rentrent 

tous avec la joie et la fierté d’avoir vécu une telle 

expérience ! 

"C’était une expérience inoubliable et nos athlètes 

ont donné le meilleur d’eux-mêmes. Ils ont été soutenir 

d’autres athlètes et fait connaissance avec les participants 

des 105 autres pays. Nous rentrons fatigués 

mais surtout satisfaits des médailles que nous rapportons 

chez nous !", a partagé Clara Van Laer, chef 

de délégation belge. “J’ai pu tout suivre à distance 

et suis impressionnée des prestations réalisées par 

l’équipe nationale en Autriche. Une fois de plus, ils ont 

montré que les personnes ayant un handicap mental 

sont des sportifs exceptionnels ! Merci de tout cœur 

aux sponsors et aux volontaires pour leur soutien ! », 

dit Zehra Sayin, Co-CEO de Special Olympics Belgium. 

Les Jeux Mondiaux d’Hiver, un événement 

d’exception qui touche aujourd’hui à sa fin avec 

une belle cérémonie de clôture qui se tiendra au 

Mercur Arena à Graz après quoi le bus prendra 

la route vers Bruxelles où nos 26 athlètes seront 

accueillis. Tout le monde est la bienvenue à 

l’accueil et à la réception prévue au Sheraton 

de Zaventem Airport (Brussels National Airport, 

1930 Bruxelles) à 14h45. L’occasion de les célébrer 

et féliciter pour leurs belles prestations et esprit 

d’équipe. Fin prévue pour 16h30. 

Si vous souhaitez vous inscrire pour la 

réception et obtenir plus d’informations ou 

réaliser une interview, merci de prendre contact 

avec : Wavemakers PR & Communications, 

Amélie Putmans, amelie@wavemakers.eu, +32 

(0)477 20 09 70 

Aperçu des 27 médailles remportées: 12 en 

or – 6 en argent – 9 en bronze 

Province d´Anvers : 2 médailles2 en or – 1 

en argent 

• Amber Van Gorp, ski alpin: or Giant Slalom 

; or - Slalom 

• Quinten Bruyninckx, snowboard: argent 

dans la catégorie “UnifiedExperienced” 

Province de Hainaut : 2 médailles2 en or 

...continue p.12 

10 

11

• Aurélien Morvan, course de raquettes : or 

– 4 x 100M (en relais) ; or –400M 

• Province de Liège : 20 médailles9 en or – 

3 en argent – 8 en bronze 

• Audrey Mesureur, ski alpin : or – Giant 

Slalom 

• Laurence Carlier D’Odeigne, ski alpin : 

bronze - Slalom 

• Patrick Genten, ski de fond : or – 1KM; 

or – 4x 1KM (en relais) 

• Gary Rodtheut, ski de fond : or – 4 x1KM 

(en relais) ; or –500M 

• Philippe Fréart, ski de fond : or – 4 x1KM 

(en relais) 

• Alicia Rauw, ski de fond : bronze – 1KM, 

or –500M 

• Mandy Präkels, ski de fond:bronze – 1KM 

• Anja Delges, ski de fond : bronze –50M 

• Oliver Wilsmann, ski de fond : or – 4 

x1KM (en relais) ; bronze – 2,5KM 

• Dominique Van Ransbeek, snowboard: 

argent – Super G, argent – Giant Slalom 

• Martin Gerard, snowboard: bronze – Super 

G 

• Jérémy Rahier, course de raquettes : or –4 

x 100M (en relais) 

• Audrey Chantraine, course de raquettes : 

or –25M ; bronze –50M 

• Sophie Daltin, course de raquettes : or 

–200M ; or – 4 x 100M (en relais) 

• Jérôme De Cooman, course de raquettes : 

argent –25M ; bronze –50M 

Province de Flandre Orientale: 4 médailles2 

en or – 1 en argent – 1 en bronze 

• Philip Vermeiren, ski alpin: argent – Super 

G; bronze – Giant Slalom 

• Stefanie Van Wynsberge, course de raquettes 

: or –200M ; or – 4 x 100M (en 

relais) 

Province de Flandre Occidentale: 1 médaille1 

en argent 

• Tom Demessemaeker, ski alpin: argent – 

Super G 

Restez au courant via www.facebook.com/ 

SpecialOlympicsBelgiumetwww.facebook.com/ 

austria2017 

Les hasthags officiels sont : #TeamSOBelgium, 

#Austria2017, #SpecialOlympics, #Heartbeat- 

ForTheWorld, #ChangeTheGame et #PlayUnified 

À propos de Special Olympics Special Olympics 

est une organisation internationale offrant 

toute l’année des activités sportives olympiques 

aux personnes ayant un handicap mental. Par le 

biais du sport, Special Olympics veut stimuler leur 

confiance en soi, leur santé et leurs chances dans 

la vie quotidienne. Ainsi, l’organisation lutte continuellement 

pour briser les tabous qui reposent 

encore sur les handicaps mentaux, l’objectif étant 

de créer une place respectée et valorisée pour 

toutes les personnes ayant un handicap mental. 

Special Olympics, fondée aux Etats-Unis en 

1968 par Eunice Kennedy Shriver, représente 

aujourd’hui 4 millions d’athlètes dans 178 pays. 

L’asblSpecial Olympics Belgium est active depuis 

1979. L’organisation est sous le Haut Patronage 

de Leurs Majestés le Roi et la Reine. Elle est 

également parrainée par TiaHellebaut et Kevin 

De Bruyne et reconnue par le Comité Olympique 

Interfédéral Belge. Les Jeux Nationaux de Special 

Olympics Belgium représentent LE rendez-vous 

sportif de l’année pour plus de 3 400 athlètes ayant 

un handicap mental. Special Olympics Belgium 

est également présente sur un plan international, 

déléguant des participants belges aux Jeux Mondiaux 

d’Eté et d’Hiver. 

GREAT BRITAIN 

8 Gold, 5 Silver, 5 Bronze, 5- 4th's, 4- 

5th's, 1- 6th, 1- 7th, 1- 8th & 2 Participation 

Ribbons 

The morning after the games were over, was 

full of smiles this as everyone had a long lie, the 

team reflected over breakfast on the achievements 

and life long memories forged throughout the past 

weeks. We came as individuals from all over 

Britain and are going home as one team- proud to 

have represented our country. 

Austria, Schladming has done Special Olympics 

proud, from the moment we arrived at host 

town - a fantastic and calming atmosphere for 

the athletes to soak in some Austrian culture 

before competing to Schladming where 

everything has been an extremely well organised 

operation from the piste to accommodation to 

food. Everyone has served us with a smile and 

a friendly attitude, we could not have been made 

more welcome. 

The two weeks have been a whirlwind of 

an experience. We've seen a beautiful country we 

had never seen before, we've seen extraordinary 

people achieving extraordinary things! We've been 

challenged with so many different situations and 

pushed to the limit. We've never been more 

moved by the people of the world or witnessed 

such kindness and heart-warming encouragement 

with no judgement or discrimination. We've made 

friends with the coaching team and got to know 10 

amazing young people who have madeus all proud 

beyond words, and it's all been revolving around 

the one passion that's closest to our hearts, ice 

skating. What an event and a sport to give such 

strength and courage to so many athletes and 

countries. We are really proud to be coaches here, 

thank you for the opportunity Special Olympics. 

“I like skiing and I like winning 

Tyler Charleston- I am pleased to 

be taking home 2 gold medals Ruth 

Charleston - I loved the skiing Karen 

Oosthuizen - I enjoyed making 

friends from different countries e.g. 

Canada, New Zealand and Australia 

Rebecca Owen- Getting a medal in 

the top female division has meant so 

much to me and beating some of the 

fasted females felt good.” 

Lauren Cain 

“My highlight was seeing Jason 

Mraz at the opening ceremony and 

being with everyone in the team 

Anthony Coulon- I liked skiing and 

winning medals James Millard - 

Two memories which stand out for 

me are lighting the candle in the 

church for my mum and when Tim 

Shriver said at the opening ceremony 

to put your hand on your heart to 

remember those people who could 

not be here with you.” 

Lauren Payne 

“I had a fun time. Great Britain is 

made up of different countries, Scotland, 

England and Wales but we all 

made one team here.” 

David Corr 

“I believe it was a true honour to 

represent my country at the Olympics- 

that's what I came for Owen 

Stephen- it was good to get to know 

all the athletes from all the different 

nations.” 

Alex Scarborough 

“It's been an absolute pleasure 

to watch the athletes perform on 

the slopes and to see their delight 

in the whole experience of Special 

Olympics.” 

Alex Williams (HOD) 

“What an amazing performance 

from our athletes in a superb setting 

and fantastic venue”. 

Coaching staff (Liam, Pete and Josh) 

MONACO 

Special Olympics Monaco set a record 

winning 11 Gold, 9 Silver and 10 Bronze 

medals, with 30 podiums 

SWITZERLAND 

Switzerland was represented at the 

World Winter Games in Schladming with 

48 atheltes and 20 coaches and staff members. 

The athltes competed in ski alpine, 

snowboard, cross country and floorball. 

They got 9 Gold, 14 Silver and 9 Bronze 

medals.The spirit was always great, we had 

a lot of Swiss fans, families, friends who 

came to Schladming / Graz to cheer for their 

athletes. It was really a great time, much 

more than sports: emotions, joy, cultural exchange 

without barriers, acceptance and the 

real Olympic spirit 

World Winter GamesAustria 

2017 –une fête sportive de première 

classe 

Emotions fortes, succès sportifs et diversité 

culturelle. Les World Winter Games de Special 

Olympics à Schladming et Graz ont été caractérisés 

par une volonté de se battre à toute épreuve, 

un plaisir authentique et des échanges insouciants 

entre les différentes cultures. Provenant du 

monde entier, des délégations de 109 pays se sont 

retrouvéesdu 18 au 24 mars 2017 en Autriche 

pour fêter cette manifestation sportive unique. 

La Suisse était représentée par une délégation de 

68 membres dans les disciplines du ski alpin, du 

snowboard, du ski de fond et de l’unihockey. 

25 mars 2017, Schladming –Sur la ligne 

d’arrivée des courses de ski alpin, sur la piste de 

ski de fond, dans la salle de unihockey de Graz, 

dans les ruelles de Schladming ou encore sur 

les différentes «places des médailles» –partout, 

l’esprit olympique était perceptible. Les 2700 

sportives et sportifs venus du monde entier avec 

de nombreux fans ont fait preuve de volonté de 

gagner et d’ambition pendant leurs compétitions, 

ils se sont réjouis de leurs courses et de 

leurs matchs, mais aussi des succès de leurs 

adversaires; en outre, les barrières linguistiques 

ne les ont pas empêchés d’entrer en contact avec 

les autres sportifs, que ce soit pour danser ensemble, 

chanter des chansons traditionnelles ou 

pour l’échange désormais légendaire de pins ou 

d’autres petits cadeaux des différentes nations. 

Un défi pour le corps et pour l’esprit 

Pour les sportifs, la participation aux World 

Games est une expérience unique. Ce sont des 

jours mouvementés, chargés d’un programme 

intensif. De la préparation à l’émouvante remise 

des médaillesen passant par les compétitions, ils 

n’ont pas une minute pour se détendre ou digérer 

ce qu’ils vivent. D’une part, c’est éprouvant et les 

sportifs comme les coaches peuvent facilement 

atteindre leurs limites. D’autre part, les sportifs ne 

cessent de se dépasser, ils renforcent leur confiance 

en soi et leur courage. Motivés et portés par 

l’incroyable ambiance, encouragés par les fans et 

les proches qui les ont accompagnés et stimulés 

par leur propre joie d’être là, la plupart des sportifs 

gèrent bien ce stress. Inébranlables, ils donnent 

le meilleur d’eux-mêmes pour chaque compétition, 

peu importe qu’il pleuve ou que le soleil 

et la neige aient transformé les pistes en gadoue. 

«Je ne peux pas décrire ce que c’est de voir mon 

fils ici. C'est comme s’il renaissait, il sent bien 

qu’il est simplement accepté et respecté, que ses 

performances comptent et qu’il est applaudi par 

de nombreux fans», se réjouit une mère ayant 

accompagné son fils. 

HUMANITY 

Bien plus que du sport 

Même à côté des compétitions, ces Games 

ont été une expérience inoubliable pour les 48 

sportifs suisses. «Les World Winter Games de 

Special Olympics sont bien plus que du sport. Il 

s’agit de l’intégration et de l’estime de ces sportives 

et de ces sportifs spéciaux, il s’agit de communication 

sans limites entre les nations et de 

la réunion de personnes avec et sans handicap», 

explique Bruno Barth, le directeur de Special 

Olympics Switzerland, également sur place. Un 

exemple touchant était le programme «Schule 

trifft Special Olympics» (les écoles à la rencontre 

de Special Olympics). Au préalable, chaque pays 

s’était vu attribuer une classe, de la primaire aux 

écoles professionnelles ou collèges. Ces élèves 

se sont d’abord préparés à l’école, ils ont fait la 

connaissance avec le contexte et la vision de Special 

Olympics, puis ils sont venus sur place pour 

suivre et encourager «leur» pays –dans le cas de la 

Suisse, avec des drapeaux suisses, un chant pour 

les sportifs et des cadeaux confectionnés par euxmêmes. 

Un carentier avec près de 70 personnes, 

dont la directrice de l’école et le maire, avait parcouru 

presque 3 heures de route depuis Ilz pour 

encourager à tue-tête les sportifs suisses pendant 

toute une journée. Voilà à quoi ressemble une 

intégration vécue. 

Remarquables performances du Team Switzerland 

Pour chaque discipline à laquelle un sportif 

participe aux World Games, un Divisioning est 

toujours effectué le jour d’avant. Pour cela, le 

sportif effectue sa course ou l’équipe joue son 

match comme en situation réelle. Sur la base 

des résultats du Divisioning, les sportifs sont 

répartis dans des petits groupes de performances 

homogènes, composés de 3 à 8 sportifs au maximum. 

Cela garantit des compétitions équitables 

et passionnantes, car pour la finale, on n’affronte 

que des adversaires ayant plus ou moins le même 

niveau. La Suisse avait des participants dans différents 

groupes de prestations et peut être pleinement 

satisfaite des résultats obtenus. Les sportifs 

ont fait preuve de concentration et de motivation 

pour les compétitions, remportant en toutxy médailles 

d’or, xy médailles d’argent et xy médailles 

de bronze. Et même les sportifs qui ne sont pas 

montés sur le podium ont toujours su livrer leur 

meilleure performance lors des compétitions 

et ont accompli leur course ou leur match de 

manière autonome. Naturellement, eux aussi ont 

été célébrés comme il se doit. 

12 13

OPINION LEADERS 

ELENA 

KOUNTOURA 

Interview: 


Q: Minister Kountoura, having 

been one of the top athletes for your 

country, one of the most beautiful 

faces in the world, renown worldwide 

top model, a politician, a 

mother of two, a wife…what represents 

you best and what has been a 

life lesson? 

A: All have been inseparable parts of 

my life in striving to be the best person 

Ι can be and bring positive influence 

to the life of others. As an athlete and 

member of the Greek National Team 

of Track and Field, Champion in High 

Jump and 100m Hurdles with national 

titles and awards, I learnt from a very 

young age the tools of discipline, principles 

and hard work. These traits I carried 

out throughout my career in the 

global fashion industry, where it has 

been a great honour to represent my 

country internationally, and later on 

in the Greek publishing business. As 

a politician for the past thirteen years, 

the biggest reward has come through 

the dedication to accomplish results 

that will substantially benefit the people 

that need to be represented. Engaging 

with volunteerism and social 

issues inside and outside of politics has 

been very important to me. Being the 

president of the Europa Donna Hellas 

nonprofit Organization we aim to increase 

awareness, research and actions 

concerning women and breast cancer, 

and take upon initiatives towards the 

European Bodies and institutions, in regards 

to the policies that are formatted. 

Of course, family has always been the 

most incredible gift in life. They have 

been very supportive all these years, 

now even more that I hold the responsibility 

to advance tourism, a sector 

of national priority whose growth is 

linked with the future of my country. 

My focus right now as the Minister 

of Tourism is to promote Greece as a 

global attractive destination 365 days 

a year, and through tourism’s growth 

year round contribute to our efforts to 

invigorate our economy. 

Q: It seems that in whatever you 

“lay hands on” you succeed, what is 

your secret? 

A: To offer and to help has been an attitude 

of life, and the way to achieve 

personal or greater goals comes first 

of all through dedication, strong commitment 

and continuous efforts to 

overcome challenges. This has been the 

main reason behind my decision to get 

into politics. Greek people responded 

very warmly and showed me trust by 

electing me tο represent them as Member 

of the Parliament for the First District 

of Athens since 2004. I want to 

give back to the people, whose love i 

have received and fight passionately for 

causes that are very dare to me. Health 

and social solidarity, equality and human 

rights, as well as environmental 

protection, educational affairs, culture 

and sports. These had all been matters 

of great importance that I had dealt 

with in politics as member of state 

committees, which I previously had researched 

and raised in all years of my 

career and in the publishing sector. It 

is absolutely substantial to have both 

a vision and plan, for which one has to 

work decisively to make it happen. 

Q: It takes a lot of courage being 

exposed for such a long period 

(almost all of your adolescent life) 

to the public. Do you believe in 

strong women? Or you reckon that 

it is sometimes men who do the job 

best? 

A: Perseverance, strong will and dynamism 

has got me through challenging 

situations, as they do for every person 

who strives to bring changes for the 

common good. I have been involved 

with women’s issues for more than 

thirty years, and the list of accomplishments 

of women has been impressive 

over the last decades, although there 

is still room for global action towards 

equal opportunities and the women’s 

empowerment and access to leadership 

positions. Women’s efforts are admirable 

in bringing balance between work 

life and personal life. They strive to be 

successful in their career and take care 

of issues related to home, be a caring 

spouse, mother, friend, and actively 

participate and contribute to their community. 

Aside from the recognition you 

receive from others, what is important, 

from a woman’s point of view, is 

to develop the culture of owning your 

accomplishments, and to further build 

your self- confidence of what you can 

succeed, as a prerequisite to unleash 

your full potential. 

Q: Minister Kountoura, it is a very 

...continue p.16 

14 15

important and honorary position to 

be Minister of Tourism in a country 

like Greece where tourism is 

one of the essential mechanisms 

of the State’s economy, how difficult 

has become promoting your 

country in such times? I mean the 

financial crisis goes beyond borders 

and has “touched” everyone around 

the world. 

A: Greece in the past two years has 

been moving forward. The Greek government 

has made enormous efforts 

to bring back the economy on track 

and to create a new environment for 

growth and for a better and brighter 

future for the Greek people that had 

endured unprecedented hardship for 

many years. The positive reforms are 

being recognized by international institutions. 

The economy is stabilizing and 

improving, while credibility and trust is 

being restored. 

Tourism has emerged as a vital sector 

to our economic and social prosperity. It 

accounts for 20 per cent of the national 

GDP and for about one million tourismrelated 

jobs, one fifth of the country’s 

workforce. 

In 2015 we began implementing our 

new national tourism policy for year 

round tourism focused on extending 

the official tourism season, introducing 

new Greek destinations, opening new 

and dynamic source-markets abroad and 

increasing connectivity, promoting thematic 

tourism, and attracting new tourism 

investments of high added value. 

Through the implementation of this 

policy, we achieved record-breaking 

results consecutively for the two 

previous years, and international arrivals 

in 2016 exceeded 27.5 million. The 

General Secretary of the World Tourism 

Organization of the United Nations, Dr. 

Taleb Rifai has referred to these results 

as a “miracle” due to our successful 

tourism policy, the strong political will 

and the noteworthy crisis management 

of destination and commended for 

achieving such high performance 

despite the consecutive challenges and 

sad events that affected tourism in the 

wider area and Europe. 

Greece is the ultimate destination 

in the Med and Europe all year round, 

a unique country of rich history and 

culture, of exquisite beauty, very friendly 

and safe, offering warm hospitality and 

so many choices for authentic, highly 

personalized travel experiences. 

Q: What has been achieved so far? 

A: Tourism in Greece, exceeded all expectations 

and recorded growth rates 

of 7% and 8% in the past two years, 

double the global average growth, despite 

continuous external challenges 

and pressure in all recent years. This 

success has been the outcome of our 

strategic planning and our effective national 

tourism policy that brought immediate 

results. 

We pursued and achieved to extend 

our official summer season from 

March until November, which has 

been reflected in increased arrivals and 

the highest occupancies ever in most 

destinations. Our negotiations with 

major tour operators and air-carriers 

has led to tourism packages and new 

direct flights for a longer period and to a 

larger number of Greek destinations. We 

have worked on increasing connectivity 

throughout the year, with the most 

recent and extremely important route 

being the Emirates new route which is as 

of March connecting Athens with Dubai 

and New York on a daily basis all-yearround.. 

Greece is now connected directly 

with more capitals and regional airports 

to popular new Greek destinations that 

we began promoting. 

We opened new and dynamic markets 

abroad such as the Middle East, 

China, South Korea, and enhanced our 

presence in our traditional markets, as 

well as in the United States and Russia. 

As a result, we had immediate increase 

of tourist flows from these markets last 

year, and an increase of high-end tourism 

of about 10 per cent. 

Our main target for 365 days tourism 

is being materialized, through the development 

of all new thematic tourism 

products we now offer, including cultural 

tourism, pilgrimage tourism, medical 

tourism, wellness and spas, cruises, 

yachting and diving, luxury tourism, 

sports and recreation, MICE and business 

travel, city-breaks in our wonderful 

vibrant cities that offer culture, entertainment, 

great shopping and food, and 

of course our famous Greek gastronomy 

across Greece. 

The dynamic created in the tourism 

sector has mobilized increased interest 

from investors and foreign schemes that 

explore concrete opportunities to invest 

in tourism and real estate. In the past 

year, our Ministry’s one-stop-shop received 

more than 140 proposals for new 

and existing 4 and 5 star hotels of more 

than 300 beds across Greece and 16 projects 

for Integrated Tourism Resorts that 

are in various stages of licensing. 

Q: Do you think summer tourism 

“Greece is the ultimate 

destination in the Med and 

Europe all year round, 

a unique country of rich 

history and culture, of 

exquisite beauty, very 

friendly and safe, offering 

warm hospitality and so 

many choices for authentic, 

highly personalized travel 

experiences.” 

will be deflated because of all the 

issues Greece seems to be having 

with the refugee flows and the 

tense in the area? 

A: 2017 is predicted to be Greek tourism’s 

best year so far. Early bookings 

record an incredible double-digit increase 

from all our source-markets varying 

from 15 to 70 per cent. According 

to major tour operators and representatives 

of the European and global travel 

industry, Greece has emerged as a top 

trend for travel in Europe for the summer 

period. 

The refugee issue is a European matter 

that requires to be handled on a global 

level. The Greek government has dealt 

with the issue with the utmost respect 

for human rights. The Greek people 

have been praised by the United Nations 

World Tourism Organization and other 

international bodies for their compassionate 

and welcoming attitude taking 

care of people, when they needed it the 

most. The Greeks sent a strong message 

of solidarity and peace across the world. 

The Ministry of Tourism implemented 

early in 2016 a very effective 

strategy, undertaking actions on a political, 

operational, and communicational 

level. All necessary infrastructure for 

receiving refugees had been set up in a 

small number of areas where no tourist 

activity took place. Through extensive 

promotional initiatives abroad, and with 

more than 40 fam trips and press trips, 

we emphasized on portraying the actual 

situation in these islands, despite the exaggerated 

images reproduced in the media. 

Tourism continued as usual and all 

our visitors enjoyed excellent vacation. 

We managed to reverse the previous image, 

and as a result, bookings for these 

destinations for 2017 show a total comeback 

with a double-digit increase. 

Our islands are stunning and absolutely 

ready to receive millions of visitors, 

for their unique beauty, the high 

quality of tourism services, the many 

choices they offer and the very warm 

hospitality. 

Q: “Tourism is our national power” 

you stated recently in one of your 

speeches...it is indeed for Greece 

although one has to recognise Mrs. 

Minister that previously Greece 

did not have such a powerful 

representation abroad as it has 

now. Should you be getting all the 

credit for that? 

A: Tourism is a national matter and a 

top governmental priority. We work 

excellent with all the Ministries as 

one team and we coordinate policies, 

issues and priorities that are related to 

tourism. 

The Ministry’s role is to form the 

strategy for the necessary framework to 

ensure that all high quality standards 

are met, and to pave the way for tourism 

activity to further develop. We create 

the environment to encourage the private 

tourism sector to do more business, 

and develop new plans, new co-operations 

and initiatives that will enhance 

our competitiveness in the global travel 

market. We have also established a very 

close cooperation with the 13 regions of 

the country, the municipalities, chambers, 

as well as the private sector in promoting 

dynamically Greece abroad, and 

showcasing the attractiveness of our 

tourism product offered by each destination. 

Through collaboration in all levels of 

government we have achieved very positive 

outcome for our tourism’s growth 

and this has been Greece’s success overall. 

Q: You seem to have travelled everywhere 

in order to promote Greece… 

A: I have visited several countries in 

official trips where I meet with government 

officials and my counterparts 

to enhance bilateral and trilateral relations 

in tourism. In these meetings 

we discuss and confirm our will to advance 

further cooperation, connectivity 

and accessibility, and the exchange 

of tourism flows with mutual benefits. 

In our participation in all major international 

events of the global travel industry, 

I meet with tour operators and 

travel representatives, to discuss the 

new opportunities that Greece offers 

and increase our international share for 

incoming travel. Greece’s presence is 

dynamic through the GNTO participation 

in an increased number of Travel 

Trade Shows and Exhibitions in our traditional 

but also new source- markets 

that we have opened. We aim to further 

strengthen our image and brand, 

through networking and through a 

targeted marketing plan of presence 

in global digital travel platforms, campaigns 

that run in global media outlets, 

in flight magazines and social media. 

We also meet with institutions and investors 

to showcase all the latest opportunities 

to invest in the Greek tourism 

sector, and we support workshops and 

B2B meetings of our travel industry. 

Q: What is the most important issue 

for the Greek Ministry of Tourism 

at the moment? What can you 

do more? 

A: Tourism plays an essential role in 

bringing growth. Our goal is for more 

tourism arrivals and revenues, more 

investments for tourism facilities and 

services, and this to be reflected in new 

business and new jobs across the country. 

Through tourism development, we 

aim to create new sources of income 

and employment, and all benefits be diffused 

in the regional economy and the 

local communities. 

Sustainability is a strategic choice 

in our plan for tourism development. 

It’s our ultimate goal to protect the environment 

with the utmost respect and 

that our natural resources remain intact, 

while preserving and highlighting 

our unique culture, traditions and our 

very distinct identity. We also promote 

our famous Mediterranean diet with its 

benefits to health and longevity, and link 

tourism to our agricultural products, 

supporting local producers, farmers and 

family businesses that depend directly 

or indirectly on tourism activity. 

To this end, we also encourage new 

investments for the enrichment of our 

tourism product in order to ensure high 

standards of quality in overall infrastructure, 

accommodation and services. 

All the above have been carefully taken 

under consideration so that Greece can 

become an exemplary destination for its 

sustainable practices and the authenticity 

it offers. 

Q: How do you imagine Elena 

Kountoura in a decade? Can you 

share your plans for the future? 

A: My efforts right now focus on 

promoting and establishing Greece 

as a 365 days destination, not only 

for attracting increasing numbers of 

travellers who come for vacation, but 

also because Greece through its tourism 

can be a bridge for new business to 

take place in the wider region, for new 

opportunities that arise for investments 

and projects in sectors such as transport, 

technology, energy and commerce. 

Tourism unites people and nations, 

and Greece has a significant role in the 

efforts in the wider region to open new 

roads for stability and growth, peace 

and prosperity. To this end, we work 

intensively towards showcasing these 

new attractive opportunities to invest 

in Greece and intrigue foreign interest 

for economic and business activity that 

is linked to our tourism and contributes 

to long-term growth. As for my future 

plans, my intention is to continue to 

work towards contributing to my country’s 

benefit and to the Greek peoples’ 

well-being. ■ 

16 17

LAYLA 

RAMEZAN 

“I am at my most honest and true self when at the piano” 

Layla Ramezan has always sought to create a 

connection between her Persian origins and 

the contemporary music which she encounters 

daily. As pianist and president of the Geneva 

based Matka Contemporary Ensemble, she 

has instigated several intercultural exchange 

projects with Iran and collaborated with 

composers such as Tristan Murail, Michael 

Jarrell, Luis Naón, Nicolas Bolens and 

William Blank. Her musical education began 

in Tehran with Mostafa-Kamal Pourtorab. After 

moving to Paris in 2000, she attended the 

École Normale de Musique de Paris “Alfred 

Cortot,” followed by Lausanne’s Haute École 

de Musique, obtaining two Master’s degrees 

in performance and accompaniment. She is 

sponsored by Albert Roussel Fondation in 

Paris and Engelberts Fondation in Lausanne. 

She is the founder and artistic director of the 

“Barbad Piano Prize” competition in Shiraz for 

the young pianists. Layla Ramezan tours and 

performs in Europe, USA, Canada and Iran and 

appears as soloist with the Tehran Symphony 

Orchestra and the Tehran Orchestra for New 

Music. Her performances had been 

broadcasted by Radio France, RTV Swiss 

,NPO Netherlands and CBC Radio Canada. Her 

primary recording project is 100 Years of Iranian 

Piano Music(Label Paraty Production (Harmonia 

Mundi)), which will span four volumes, the first 

of which was released in January 2017 and 

it exposes the 50's and beyond Iranian piano 

music. 

Q: Layla please tell me, when and 

mainly what was the crucial motive 

that opened you door to the wonderful 

world of music? 

A: The first time that I heard the piano, 

I fell in love with the sound of the instrument. 

I insisted immediately to my 

parents that they buy one. Eventually, 

they gave in and I started to take piano 

lessons when I was seven years old. 

Q: How do you combine your Persian 

roots with classical music and 

your apparent contemporary influence? 

A: For me, Persian traditional music 

and European Classical music are two 

very different worlds of music. The one 

type seeks freedom through structure 

and written notation, and the other rejects 

these notions with the hope that 

something new is created from this. My 

interpretation is a collision of these two 

worlds. I am always trying to express 

and inspire myself with one world or 

the other, with a focus that strays away 

from stereotypes. For example, all of 

the Traditional and Folk Persian music 

of my childhood in Iran, has given me 

a particular sensitivity to rhythm in 

Western Music. 

Q: What describes best your musical 

character? Are you the same 

person in everyday life with Layla 

whilst performing? 

A: I always try to be very honest in my 

interpretation and faithful to the score 

which I am interpreting. I can say that 

I am at my most honest and true self 

when at the piano. 

Q: You have been many times performing 

on the occasion of Iranian 

events. Are there state representatives 

in arts and especially in 

music? 

A: In recent years I have had performances 

in Iran in various different 

cities. Some of these performances 

were organized and supported by the 

“Iran Music Association” (anjoman e 

moosighiy e Iran), which is one of the 

musical state representatives. Sometimes 

these concerts are supported by 

private foundations such as “Sharhr e 

Aftab” in Shiraz. However, in general 

when you perform in Iran as an artist 

you need permission from the government. 

Q: Would you like to name people 

that have influenced you until 

today, but also people that our 

readers should be aware of their 

names and their contribution to 

music? 

A: I would like to mention my husband, 

Blaise Ubaldini, renowned French 

composer and clarinetist, whose way 

of seeing music is always a source of 

strong inspiration both in my life and 

my projects. My first professor, Mustafa- 

Kamal Pourtorab, had a very important 

role in the development of my artistic 

personality and Svetlana Navassardyan, 

the great Armenian pianist, who 

taught me during my years in Paris. 

Among the great composers across 

all centuries, I would like to mention 

and quote Mozart, as he said, “By the 

power of music, we will walk cheerfully 

through the dark night of death”. Also, 

the great musical personalities such as 

Pierre Boulez, Daniel Barenboim and 

Giorgy Sokolov, without forgetting the 

great proponents of Iranian music such 

as the composer Fozié Majd and the 

researcher Mohammad-Reza Darvishi. 

Mr. Darvishi travelled across Iran 

over a period of thirty years in search 

of the roots of Iranian regional music, 

creating his prize awarded book named 

“the Encyclopedia of the Musical 

Instruments of Iran.” 

Q: What is your involvement with 

young artists, how do you promote 

music to the young generations? 

You have been part of groups like 

the “Triofan3mg” that one could 

say that radicalize 

in the promotion 

and performance of classical instruments. 

A: I love to teach the piano and to give 

the benefit of my musical experience 

and knowledge to my young students. 

I always try to pass on, the love of the 

very pure music of my childhood combined 

with the knowledge I gained studying 

in Europe. I am also the Artistic 

Director, and one of the founders, of the 

« Barbad Piano Prize » in Iran-Shiraz. 

My goal is to increase the motivation 

there to create a healthy competitive 

environment for youth. In addition to 

this I would like to create an opportunity 

for Iranian pianists to study in world 

class international music institutions 

and conservatories. I also founded the 

chamber ensemble “Triofane3mg”, with 

French clarinetist Blaise Ubaldini and 

Swiss violinist Valerie Bernard. We created 

Triofane3mg in order to perform 

some pieces of the classical and contemporary 

repertoire that often are not 

performed for the public, and to present 

this work in venues that aren’t necessarily 

made for these types of performances. 

We would like this remarkable 

music to become accessible for everyone, 

especially the younger generation, 

who can appreciate and understand this 

type of music like any other style. 

Q: Do you believe that the use of 

technology directs children’s interests 

to specific types of arts/music 

minimizing potential choices? How 

do you predict the future regarding 

this issue? Undoubtedly music has 

also evolved through the progression 

of technology, but is the “mixture” 

of music and technology always 

towards the correct direction? 

A: For me, music cannot evolve without 

progression in technology. The piano 

is a result of the evolution of the 

harpsichord thanks to technology. Today 

I see my husband, like many composers, 

writing music with the help of 

programs on his computer. I think that 

we should benefit from the technological 

revolution without forgetting the 

old musical traditions, a lot of which 

are a strong source of enrichment to 

music written today. 

Q: Do you agree with the opinion 

that art flows in certain people’s 

veins or that it is inherited somehow, 

or you believe that it is purely 

cultivated? 

A: Everyone can discover a talent in 

music, and from this point of view, it is 

something innate. But those who have 

a musical family are given an advantage 

to help develop this talent very 

quickly. I, however, was not raised in a 

musical family. 

Q: Please talk to us about your origins, 

your life livings in Switzer- 

OPINION LEADERS 

land, its influences and the best and 

the worst part of it’’. 

A: I am Iranian, born in Teheran. I lived 

in Iran until I was eighteen, and afterwards 

moved to Paris, and Lausanne, 

where I still live, to continue my piano 

studies. My life in Europe has been 

very enriching and I have been able to 

interact with many different cultures 

and nations. It has also deepened my 

musical knowledge and allowed me to 

study at prestigious institutions under 

the tutelage of great masters of the piano. 

I married a French musician, who 

has an interest in language and other 

cultures, which has helped me see my 

own country and culture through different 

eyes and ultimately, to create 

stronger ties to Iran, and an appreciation 

of the life I have in Europe. This 

is why I have endeavoured to create 

several intercultural musical projects. 

Studying in Europe has allowed me to 

take an interest in the piano repertoire 

of my native country and I have created 

the project “100 years of Iranian Piano 

Music.” I will record a total of four CD’s 

dedicated to this repertoire, which will 

be distributed by Harmonia Mundi. 

Living far away from your family and 

home country is difficult, because you 

often feel like you have to make an effort 

to be understood or accepted. There 

are good and bad sides to living away 

from your country of origin. 

Q: What has been your motto in 

life? 

A: Trust in yourself, before anyone else 

does. ■ 

18 19

Living La 

“Dolce 

Vita” 

With The Power 

Of Gratitude 

LIFE & STYLE 

You are the creator of your life and if you are really committed to create a 

balanced, rich abundant life I am here to help you. 

As a first exercise my suggestion is that you start by transforming the sense 

of overwhelm struggle and fear into a sense of ease and joy. 

How to do this? 

Using the leverage of the gratitude vibration: 

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the 

mainstream for years. 

Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting 

that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in 

work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher 

sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery. 

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it 

still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what 

is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its 

full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a 

Thanksgiving word. 

We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. 

And that may take some time. 

We need to make Gratitude a way of being, an attitude, a way to be and 

behave naturally. 

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we 

practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what 

we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity 

and a blessing. And by doing so, we attract more of what we want rather 

of what we do not want. 

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in 

which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter 

of where we put our focus and attention. It’s all about seeing the glass half 

full rather than half empty. 

It’s a way of connecting with our higher selves and with all that 

surrounds us and feel complete by the act of being in the here and now. 

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude 

•Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are 

thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. 

Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping 

that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way. 

•Be specific while writing your journal, use dates, hour and examples. 

Example: “I’m grateful for living in this house because every time I 

enter my house, I see my children, I feel the warmth of my family and I feel the 

love of the persons I live with”. 

•See it big! Make it big! Feel it big! 

The goal is to make you feel great every time you look at the pictures and 

your comments! 

•Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your 

night-time routine. 

•Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation. 

Stretch yourself, be creative and ask yourself: if I could be grateful about 

something in this situation, what could I be grateful about? 

•When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may 

be amazed by how much better you feel. 

That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work. 

That sense of gratitude coupled with joy in your everyday life, will 

allow you to prosper from the inside out and therefore allow space for total 

abundance in all areas of your life. 

-Now, the stretch is about being grateful and consistent with your gratitude 

journal. 

-The second stretch is about being grateful about what you do not enjoy. 

Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we 

gain a feeling of wellbeing. Gratitude balances us, gives us hope and fills up our energy 

tank. 

There are many things to be grateful for: colourful autumn leaves, our 

health, friends who listen and really hear, the taste of chocolate, fresh eggs, 

warm jackets, freshly clicked tomatoes, the ability to read, lilies and roses, our 

health, butterflies. What’s on your list? 

Start now to practice... 

If you feel often procrastinated, if your energy is low if you often feel overwhelmed: 

Feel free to contact me for a RESCUE RAPID HEALING session. 

Together we will find the hidden blocks that stop you form being creating what 

you want and to tap into the vibration of LA DOLCE VITA. 

PatriciaGozlan.com 


20 21

BRUSSELS REALTY 

Successful Realty 2017 draws 

6,698 visitors 

EVENTS 

Biggest event for real estate professionals 

popular on social media 

The 9th edition of Realty welcomed 

no fewer than 6,698 visitors. In total, 

there were 115 exhibitors, 14 conferences 

were scheduled and over 250 international 

investors were present. Realty 

2017 also reached an exceptionally large 

audience on social media. Twitter in 

particular was very popular with 87,000 

views for @realtybrussels. 

While the numbers are impressive, 

general manager Mathieu Van Marcke 

is even more ambitious for next year’s 

edition. Realty 2017 not only drew real 

estate professionals but also welcomed 

a surprising number of representatives 

of towns and cities. Brussels, Kortrijk, 

Aalst, Mons, Liege and Ostend are just 

a few of the cities that were eager to 

showcase their plans. We also welcomed 

several politicians including mayor of 

Brussels Rudi Vervoort, mayor of Liege 

Willy Demeyer and mayor of Mechelen 

Bart Somers, who was recently voted 

best mayor in the world. Somers also 

took part in the debate on the role the 

public sector must play in terms of real 

estate development. 

But Realty 2017 also attracted its fair 

share of attention abroad. With sixteen 

different nationalities, visitors from all 

over the world flocked to our Belgian 

capital. The former mayor of Pittsburgh 

in the US, Thomas Murphy, flew to Brussels 

to make a valued contribution and 

prof. Jürgen Bruns-Berentelg, CEO of 

the German company HafenCity, came 

to present his project. “We can’t keep 

building in the same way that we’ve 

been doing for centuries”, professor 

Bruns-Berentelg advised the Belgian 

real estate professionals. 

Mathieu Van Marcke of Artexis 

Easyfairs, the organiser of Realty, looks 

back on this year’s edition with satisfaction: 

“We would like to thank everyone 

for making this an extremely successful 

edition. So far Realty has been a rather 

classic fair where the various market 

players present their business. While 

this initial concept will remain in place, 

we are also looking to expand it. Realty 

2018 will be a genuine community 

event, with a much bigger emphasis on 

dialogue and debate”. 

BRUSSELS DESIGN MARKET 

Brussels Design Market was founded in 2002. 

Initially it was simply a flea market exclusively 

devoted to productions from the 50s to the early 

80s. Today, Brussels Design Market is considered 

to be one of the best events in Europe dedicated to 

vintage design of the 20th century. 

Twice a year, in March and in September, 

Brussels Design Market welcomes 100 exhibitors 

and over 7.000 visitors in an exceptional and very 

famous location: Sheds 3 and 4 of Tour & Taxis - 

home to the largest Belgian cultural events, shows 

and fairs. 

At Brussels Design Market, visitors can 

discover furniture from across the globe including: 

Scandinavia, Belgium, France, Italy, America as 

well as ceramic and glass objects, collectables, and 

accessories made of metal, wood or Bakelite. 

Brussels Design Market is not only a place to 

find original design pieces which have made the 

history of design, but also a welcoming place to 

meet and exchange. Besides buying a piece of 

Knoll, Eames, or Pesce, you will enjoy a break with 

a warm coffee or an original dish proposed by the 

quality food-trucks on site. 

Rendezvous is given to design lovers and 

professionals, to dealers and collectors, in the 

historical and exceptional setting of the exhibition 

rooms - Sheds 3 and 4 - of Tour and Taxis. 

EXHIBITORS 

Brussels Design Market, the largest vintage 

market in Europe, includes more than 100 exhibitors 

from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, 

United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Austria, 

Switzerland and beyond. 

Only exhibitors who display 20th century furniture 

and objects are accepted. 

Our goal is to provide customers with a maximum 

of authentic vintage design. 

22 23

EVENTS 

XIE XIE TEA 

Embassy of Belgium 

Promo Solution 

In one of the biggest and most important International 

Food and Beverage Trade Fairs held in 

Great Britain, Greek exporting companies dynamically 

participated, indicating that Greek entrepreneurship 

is "alive" and ready to star in international 

markets. 

The list of Greek exhibitors participated in this 

event, includes several companies from different 

sectors of food and beverage market, which are 

having an outstanding exporting activity and a 

strong international presence the last years. 

Among the Greek companies that participated 

in the exhibition were: CRETA SPRINGS, ELVIDA 

FOODS S.A., KONVA S.A., MEVGAL S.A, MY VI- 

TAMIN BAR, OLIVELLAS S.A., OLYMPUS DAIRY 

S.A., SIOURAS S.A., TZEKOS ORGANIC HERBS, 

THRACE GROUP. 

The Greek companies were honoured by the 

presence of Mr. Antonios Katepodis, Counsellor for 

Economic and Commercial Affairs at Embassy of 

Greece in London, who had discussions with exhibitors 

about the British market. The organization 

of participation and the construction of the exhibition 

stands of Greeks participants were undertaken 

for one more time by Promo Solution Ltd, which 

the last two decades represents successfully the 

biggest Greek exporting companies, participating 

in International and Domestic Exhibitions. 

It is also noteworthy that the British market is 

extremely important for the development of Greek 

exports and Greek economy, as it is the seventh, 

in value of exports, destination for Greek products, 

with 30% of them related with food and drinks sector. 

British Frozen Food Federation 

“Alongside the well-established BFFF members’ 

hub, which was filled with existing and potential 

members networking or simply taking a 

break, this year IFE saw the launch of the first ever 

BFFF Ice Café. 

“The Ice Café was run in conjunction with 

the Craft Guild of Chefs and show organiser Fresh 

Montgomery and was sponsored by Bidfood, aiming 

to promote the use of frozen food to visitors 

from across the food service and retail sector. 

“The café served hundreds of hungry show-goers 

a range of dishes from beef bitok, to teriyaki of 

salmon fillet, using top quality frozen food cooked 

by industry-leading chefs. 

“And the response was overwhelmingly positive 

with 95% of those voting claiming that they 

were impressed with the quality of the ingredients. 

“IFE was another great event for BFFF and all 

of our members and we hope to see many of you 

again at the Excel at IFE 2019.” 

John Hyman, chief executive 

XIE XIE 

TEA is a Taiwanese 

tea 

company that 

produces famous 

Formosa 

Oolong from 

its own plantation 

at 2500 

meters high 

Mountains in 

central Taiwan. 

The Xie family 

follows 15 

steps of artisanal tea-making philosophy, using 

only the bud and top tea leaves to create refined 

tea. No chemicals, no fuss, just unlimited amounts 

of passion and love for tea. 

This was our first time to the IFE show, our 

first presentation in the UK, right after our presentation 

in Monaco where Prince Albert appreciated 

our tea. We were happy with IFE show. We 

encountered some important customers like Harrods, 

and realized that UK people like our tea. We 

were glad that people like our stand that present 

well our brand, as well as the tea ceremony that 

we present in the trade show. We are satisfied with 

the result, and are ready for the UK market after 

the event. 

Cyprus at the International Food & 

Drink event 2017 

Supported by the Ministry of Energy, Commerce, 

Industry & Tourism, Cypriot foodstuff exporters 

came to London once again to participate 

at IFE 2017 (the International Food & Drink event), 

held from 19 to 22 March at ExCel, London. 

This year 17 Cypriot companies took part in 

IFE, the biggest food and drink trade show in the 

UK, and had the opportunity to present their products 

to retailers, wholesalers, distributors and caterers. 

In particular, 8 cheese-making companies 

exhibited Halloumi and other dairy products, and 9 

other companies presented their bakery products, 

frozen food, processed meat products, olive oil, and 

traditional products such as tahini and halvas. 

The High Commissioner for the Republic of 

Cyprus to the UK Mr Euripides L. Evriviades, accompanied 

by the Commercial Attaché Costas 

Dafos, visited the Cypriot companies’ stands and 

talked with the Cypriot exporters and other visitors. 

During his visit, the High Commissioner expressed 

his satisfaction for the constantly increasing 

presence of the Cypriot products in the UK, in 

supermarkets and independent food stores, and for 

their prospects in the UK market due to their high 

quality and uniqueness. 

He also stressed that the High Commission 

through its Trade Centre is ready to support the 

efforts of the Cypriot exporters to do business and 

expand further in the UK market. 

It is worth noting that the UK is the main export 

destination for Cyprus, especially in food and 

drink sector. 

Belgium has more to offer than just chocolates 

and beer. Belgian cuisine is widely varied 

with significant regional variations while also 

reflecting the cuisines of neighboring countries. 

It is sometimes said that Belgian food is served in 

the quantity of German cuisine but with the 

quality of French food. The governmental export 

promotion agency Flanders Investment & Trade 

has taken part at IFE for a large number of 

years. In 2017 they welcomed 7 companies on 

the Belgian pavilion: Volys Star, Waffles Thijs, 

Boulangerie Bloch, Blue Ocean Seafood, Belgian 

Blenders, Vandromme and Top Bronnen. 

Several of these third generation delicious 

food businesses took part for the first time. 

Amongst them Vandromme Finest Meat 

Products. They are based in Ypres and have a 

long-held tradition of making the finest meat 

that goes all the way back to 1889.During IFE 

they presented some innovative and distinctive 

products that were appreciated by the visitors 

from all over the world. Especially the 

company’s bestseller, BonRill® Finest Rillettes, 

garnered a lot of enthusiasm amongst the IFE 

audience. The smooth, tasteful product was recognized 

as unique in its kind and the feedback made 

for a successful first visit to this international 

food fair according to Thomas Vandromme. 

Another artisan food company present was 

Blue Ocean Seafood, a family business that was 

founded in 1885. Blue Ocean Food specialises in 

the smoking of traditional seafood products in an 

artisanal way. 

They decided to participate at IFE for the 

first time and had a great experience during 

their stay. 

Mathieu Ronse: ‘Thumbs up to the organisation 

for their great effort! 

A third Belgian company was Belgian 

Blenders: 

“The International Food & Drink 2017 

event was an excellent opportunity for our 

Belgian Blenders brand to position itself towards 

an international public. 

Finally, Peter Dewaele from Volys Star. They 

have been a stalwart exhibitor at IFE for over 10 

years together with their British agent. 

UK is Volys Star’s 4th biggest market where 

consumption of poultry products is increasing 

over the last years. 

Hence, a presence during IFE is the ideal opportunity 

to see existing customers and be able to 

showcase the entire product range. 

However, another objective to participate at 

any exhibition is to reach out to new and alternative 

market segments. In this respect we had a 

number of promising contacts. Although IFE is a 

step up, we are questioning whether a presence 

at exhibitions targeting more specific market 

channels could be an alternative option or a 

next step. 

Our aircraft charter team were at 

Olympia, London for International 

Confex on Wednesday 1st & Thursday 

2nd March 2017, showcasing our aircraft 

charter services for the events industry. 

We met event professionals from across 

the UK and gave free advice on group 

travel, executive / corporate travel and 

VIP travel for events. Since 2005, we 

have provided aircraft charters for UK 

and international events and have sent 

sports clubs and supporters, orchestras, 

press, pilgrims and corporate groups 

all over the globe. Whether you have 

a group of 3 or 3,000 people to fly, our 

experienced team can source the perfect 

aircraft for your event and organise 

additional services such as aircraft 

branding and bespoke catering. 

Speakers Corner is one of the world’s 

leading speaker bureaus. We are committed 

to providing an honest, friendly 

and impartial service to clients looking 

for after dinner speakers, keynotes, conference 

facilitators, motivational speakers 

or corporate entertainment, in the 

form of consultancy, booking and logistics. 

We do not represent any speakers 

exclusively, so this means we offer a 

thoroughly impartial service, where our 

honest, efficient and friendly team takes 

clients step by step through each stage 

of booking a speaker for an event. From 

an initial enquiry, our skilled Account 

Managers will access our database of 

over 6000 speakers, to recommend 

those we trust; have strong professional 

connections with, and above all, fit the 

client’s brief perfectly – our free consultancy 

service allows us to stand head 

and shoulders above the rest of the market, 

whilst offering objective and honest 

advice, and ultimately a bespoke booking 

service. Our team here are on call 

24 hours a day to help you find the perfect 

speaker for your event. Telephone: 

02076077070 Website: www.speakerscorner.co.uk 

This is our 500 person capacity venue 

in Bracknell. Its called "The Acoustic 

Couch Community Centre CIC" and 

is available for hire for many purposes, 

mainly Music and Art based events, but 

not restricted to this. We provide facilities 

and opportunities for local artists 

to learn, produce and perform. With gig 

nights, special events and recording and 

production equipment we are a one stop 

shop to develop and showcase your creative 

side, whether it’s a hobby or a full 

time profession. 

The Lensbury Conference Groups Team 

Building Options 

The Lensbury offers great motivational 

team building activities. The 

Lensbury can accommodate groups of 

up to 150 people and, with our unique 

waterside location, can offer water based 

challenges from raft building, dragon 

boat racing to fun regattas. We also have 

a variety of land based activities such 

as a sports day, tennis tournaments or 

garden games. If you have particular requirements, 

we can always tailor a package 

for you. 

24 25

Posidonia Sea 

Tourism Forum 

4TH POSIDONIA SEA 

TOURISM FORUM KICK 

STARTS EAST MED’S 

PORT AND MARINA 

INVESTMENT DRIVE 

Greek government determined to capitalise 

on sea tourism’s growth potential through concession 

and PPP investment models 

Thanks to the recent formation of an integrated 

national strategy for the development 

of the cruise and yachting sectors, Greece is 

today well positioned to further build on its 

continuously increasing number of international 

tourists who currently stand at a 

whopping 28 million annually, according to 

Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism, who 

addressed delegates at the 4th Posidonia Sea 

Tourism Forum. 

The privatisation of Greece’s marinas 

was a key discussion topic during the second 

day of the event with government officials 

and representatives of the private sector 

agreeing that many steps to the right directions 

have been made, but plenty need yet 

to be achieved in order to help the country 

realise its full potential. 

During his speech, Stergios Pitsiorlas, 

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economy & 

Development said that the Greek government 

is committed to supporting the growth of 

sea tourism in Greece through a series of 

measures that include the privatisation 

of marinas in Alimos, Chios, Argostoli 

and Kalamaria through the concession 

model. The Deputy Minister added that in 

partnership with port authorities in various 

locations around Greece, planning for the 

development of new marinas through the 

public private partnership model will be 

finalised this summer. 

Yet, today, the challenges pose a barrier 

to growth as neighbouring destinations, 

such as Turkey and Croatia, have already 

embarked on a strategic transformation 

of their own yachting sector and marina 

infrastructure development. 

Greece must renew its framework of 

establishing and operating tourist ports, 

according to Stavros Katsikadis, President 

of the Greek Marinas Association. “A reasonable 

and stable tax and regulatory regime 

would help attract investments by reducing 

legal risks”, he added. 

The cruise sector was also in focus during 

the Forum’s second and final day with top 

international and regional representatives of 

the industry adding their own unique perspectives. 

According to Ukko Metsola, Vice 

President, Royal Caribbean Cruises, the 

absolute number of cruise travelers sourced 

from Asia has nearly tripled since 2012 and 

this presents East Med with a great growth 

opportunity. “Asia is the world’s fastest 

growing market and China is the main driver 

of the continent’s outbound tourism market 

with an estimated annual 120 million 

Chinese tourists flooding global destinations 

each year”, he said. “With 2018 earmarked 

as the European Union - China tourism year, 

the opportunity for Eastern Mediterranean 

to position itself as a key cruise destination 

for Chinese tourists is today more important 

than ever before”, he added. 

Innovative marketing could hold the answers 

to many of the challenges stifling the 

East Med region’s growth as the adverse geopolitical 

conditions continue unabated according 

to Erkunt Oner, from Turkey’s Tourism 

Investors Association. 

During his Posidonia Sea Tourism address, 

he proposed the launch of a Cruise 

Aegean Forum selling the joint Greece- 

Turkey cruise product under the thematic 

umbrella of the four wonders of the world 

that would be of particular appeal to North 

America cruise guests as indeed would be 

the labelling of the region to Mid or Central 

Med to help battle misconceptions about the 

region’s proximity to the Middle East. 

In fact, the importance of North American 

cruise visitors for the viability of the 

region’s cruise sector was highlighted during 

the presentation of Dr Yiannis Paraschis, 

CEO of Athens International Airport S.A. 

“In the first quarter of this year, we welcomed 

to AIA some 200,000 cruise travellers, 

most of whom came from the North American 

markets of the USA and Canada. Thanks 

to a combined annual air capacity of 773,000 

seats, connectivity between Athens and these 

markets today is the best it has ever been this 

century”. 

In the eight years since its inception, 

the biennial Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum 

has managed to establish itself as a major 

platform for the promotion of the cruise 

and yachting sectors for the entire Eastern 

Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. This 

year, the event was attended by over 1,000 

delegates including, for the first time, 

attendees from Iran and Egypt, whereas 

Turkey also fielded a strong delegation 

despite its domestic political challenges. 

A total of 34 companies also presented their 

services at the dedicated exhibition floor. 

The 4th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum is 

organised under the auspices of the Ministry of 

Tourism and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs 

& Insular Policy and is supported by the 

Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Association 

of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MEDCRUISE), 

the Hellenic Port Association (ELIME), the Hellenic 

Professional Yacht Owners Association, 

the Greek Marinas Association, the Association 

of Passenger Shipping Companies, the Union of 

Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members, the 

Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies 

(HATTA). Gold Sponsor is the Greek National 

Tourism Organisation. Silver Sponsors 

are the Piraeus Port Authority and Air France 

- KLM - Delta. Bronze Sponsors are the Athens 

International Airport, Aktina Travel Group, Celestyal 

Cruises, Global Ports Holding, the Hellenic 

Motor Museum and Hellenic Seaways. 

Supporters are Everest, Municipality of Ios 

Island and TRU Catering by Radisson Blu Park 

Hotel. 

WORLD TOURISM 

FORUM LUCERNE 

2017 

STAY RELEVANT IN 

UNCERTAIN TIMES! 

500 leaders, senior executives and experts 

from the global travel and tourism 

industry attended the 5th World Tourism 

Forum Lucerne 2017. They were joined by 

tourism ministers, ambassadors, university 

professors, Next Generation representatives 

and Young Talents from the World Tourism 

Forum Lucerne's university network from 

around the world. With delegates from 75 

countries, inspired by the extremely high 

level of debate and presentation at the Forum, 

they formed a dynamic network prepared 

to engage openly and dynamically. 

The Forum, overseen by Professor Martin 

Barth, President and CEO of WTFL, and 

with the help of Reto Wittwer, Chairman of 

the Advisory Board, focused this year upon 

staying relevant in uncertain times. The industry 

is facing its most challenging period 

ever, with an array of pressures that include 

keeping up with fast-changing digitalisation, 

attracting and retaining talent, the sustainability 

challenge and the ongoing threat of 

terrorism. 

The illuminating and inspiring keynote 

speeches, interviews, roundtables and panel 

discussions featuring some of the most 

prominent speakers in the travel and tourism 

industry tackled the most pressing issues of 

today, augmented by innovative workshops 

and brainstorming sessions. 

Plenty of hope in uncertain times 

The Forum began with a welcome from 

Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the World 

Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), who pointed 

out that although we have myriad challenges, 

from terror threats to natural disasters 

and inequality, there are many positive 

things to reflect upon, for example we are 

more connected and more informed than 

ever before. Swiss Federal Councillor Johann 

N. Schneider-Ammann echoed this point of 

view, for example observing that digitalisation 

by far offers more chances than risks, 

reconstructing opportunities and ending up 

offering additional jobs, welfare and insight. 

Encouraging the next generation 

This year, there was especially strong 

focus on encouraging the next generation 

and nurturing and retaining new talent. 

Those participating in the Young Talent Programme 

2017, connecting CEOs with talented 

young people, were welcomed on stage. 

Where we are now 

Sean Cleary, Chairman of Strategic 

Concepts, explained how a collision of factors 

including massive connectivity, huge 

population growth, higher returns to capital 

and lower returns to labour, and a return of 

geopolitics have triggered the path we are 

taking globally now. Jason Fox, author and 

leadership adviser and Head of The Cleverness, 

urged us to move away from our default 

thinking and strive towards meaningful 

progress. 

Facing Tomorrow’s Challenges 

A prominent panel that included Simon 

Lehmann, President of Phocuswright, Teo 

Ah Khing, Chairman of Desert Star Holdings, 

Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Deutsche Hospitality 

and Lina Annab, Minister for Tourism and 

Antiquities, Jordan identified key challenges 

for tourism, which include keeping up 

with the fast changes in technology, eradicating 

destination stereotypes and prejudices 

and getting people to understand the level of 

disruption upon us right now. Ways forward 

they suggested included realising a greater 

efficiency in analysing the vast array of data 

available to us now and creating a selection 

of options to prepare for the unprecedented 

level of change we see in these times. 

Tourism Star Award 

The first Tourism Star Award was announced, 

a WTFL global search to spot, shine 

a light and celebrate the most committed, inspiring, 

passionate and enthusiastic person 

working in the travel, tourism and hospitality 

industry, featuring stirring films about finalists 

working in travel in Iraq, Rwanda and 

Mexico. 

Innovation the key 

Innovation to stay relevant was very 

much on the agenda, with Rasoul Jalali, General 

Manager at Uber explaining how the 

Uber app, now used in nearly 80 countries 

in 500 cities, has transformed urban travel, 

innovations Uber has introduced, including 

shared taxi travel, and the introduction of 

driverless cars in Pittsburgh, U.S. The secrets 

of how Switzerland stays relevant in an evercompetitive 

marketplace were unveiled in 

an absorbing talk by Juerg Schmid, CEO of 

Switzerland Tourism, while the battle to stay 

relevant in a very different small country, St 

Lucia, were explained by no other than the 

country’s Prime Minister, Allen Chastanet. 

Attracting and retaining talent 

There was much focus during the Forum 

about attracting and retaining talent. 

At an aviation CEO roundtable featuring Rob 

Gurney, CEO one world, Paul Steele, Senior 

Vice President IATA, Nazim Samadov, Commercial 

and Marketing Director Azerbaijan 

Airlines, and Michael Kerkloh, President and 

CEO Munich Airport, the need to attract more 

women into the industry, a greater ethnicity 

pool at higher levels, and finding enough 

people in a time when the aviation industry 

is growing massively were discussed. 

Start-up Innovation Camp 

This year saw the first-ever start-up Innovation 

Camp, and in total 170 young companies 

from 50 countries submitted their 

business models. Over the two days of the 

Forum, representatives from the four most 

promising companies pitched their projects 

and were honoured with the "Start-Up Innovation 

Award 2017" where they were endowed 

with prize money of CHF 20,000, and 

will receive professional coaching over the 

next two years. 

Digitalisation 

TRAVEL 

Much of the tourism industry currently 

struggles to keep up with advancements in 

digital technology yet realises that it confers 

so many benefits. Jon Erni, Director Public 

Sector Microsoft, urged tourism companies 

to embrace the growing number of online 

tools to find and retain customers, and to 

welcome a disruption of the existing tourism 

model. He pointed out that small start-ups 

are so successful - and in turn can greatly 

disrupt large, established companies - because 

they know how to use the online platforms 

so well. 

The Forum closed in a spirit of optimism and 

inspiration. The overriding opinion amongst 

participants is that whilst there are significant 

challenges to overcome, the industry is adapting 

to embrace a future full of opportunity. 

26 27

JORDAN: 

ON THE WILD SIDE 

The ‘Khamsini’ a dry, hot, sandy wind 

was building as we entered Wadi Rum. 

The grand rock formations and their geological 

layers of colour were beginning 

to disappear behind a swirling, hazy 

cloud of dust and sand. 

The Hejaz Railway 

This beautiful and bewitching place 

described by T. E Lawrence as “vast, 

echoing and godlike”, reminding us that 

‘Rum’, as locals call it, was a wild and 

hostile environment, to be respected. 

Before veering off the road and into the 

desert proper, our 4WD followed the 

narrow single gauge tracks of the former 

Hejaz Railway line, until we reached the 

steam engine and carriages, the like of 

which would have transported pilgrims 

from Damascus to Medina and Mecca 

at the turn of the last century. The railway 

became notorious during the Arab 

Revolt (1916-18) as it was the principal 

target for the Arab Legion and Lawrence 

of Arabia in the revolt against Turkish 

domination. 

Climbing aboard the drivers cab with 

sand whipping through, enabled one 

to imagine ‘Lawrence’s’ men appearing 

out of the haze upon horse and camel to 

ambush and attack this old relic. Even 

today, capturing such a moment is still 

possible but only through the Jordan 

Heritage Revival Company’s (JHRC) 

re-enactment of those times. This is 

a chance to live history upon the very 

sand dunes that bore witness to these 

events. 

The ‘Khamsini’ was not abating 

and trying to reach our Bedouin style 

Camp ‘Rahayeb’ was proving tricky, our 

only option was to continue towards 

another historic edifice where the past 

once again comes to life through JHRC 

at ‘Shobak’ Castle, in the Ma’an region. 

Shobak Castle 

‘Wake up at 

sunrise and watch 

Shobak Castle 

light up” Ma’moun 

my guide had insisted; 

at dawn 

I parted the curtains, 

to observe 

a view that could by Ramy Salameh 

not have changed 

much since the crusaders stood upon 

the ramparts in defence of their quest. 

Serenely and without a breath of air, 

the great fortification bounced hues 

of soft pinks, oranges and gold off the 

sandstone rocks, that has crowned the 

hill on the eastern side of ‘The Sharah 

Mountains’ since 1115. To complete this 

ancient scene, an elderly Bedouin, with 

staff in hand and wearing a red-checked 

keffiyeh, shepherded his flock up the 

steep escarpment; a snapshot of centuries 

past. 

Fully illuminated in morning sunshine, 

Shobak Castle, although a ruin, 

still holds a grandeur when set against 

a cloudless sky. The greatest privilege 

was to be the only visitor to explore its 

visible and hidden treasures, such as the 

tunnel, whose 365 steps still leads to 

the bottom of the valley to reach a water 

source. And the calligraphic Arabic 

script wrapped around the turrets. 

The re-enactment of Ayyubid soldiers 

preparing for battle under the command 

of ‘Saladin’, takes place within the 

ancient castle arches, chambers and 

vaults that have echoed to the footsteps 

of the Crusader, Ayyubid and Mamluk 

forefathers. They would have surveyed 

the surrounding hills from their strategically 

valuable elevation to spot invaders 

or caravanserai following historic 

trade routes passing across the plateaus 

and rugged hills. 

A circuitous drive across the mountain 

tracks of Al Juhair, one of Shobak’s 

many villages, unveiled similar 

dramatic vistas stretching from Wadi 

Musa (home to Petra), Wadi Araba and 

all the way across to the chain of valleys 

that make up the Dana Biosphere 

Reserve. Nowadays, some of these visible 

tracks form, at least in part, walks 

along the recently created Jordan trail 

that runs 650km down the spine of Jordan. 

The trail represents Jordan’s nomadic 

Bedouin roots and natural affinity for 

trekking, and throws up unexpected 

encounters along the way. Even on our 

mountainous drive, Ma’moun gestured 

towards three locals, crouched beside 

a tree, who immediately ushered us to 

join them for sweetened tea that was 

boiling away on the campfire. 

Wadi Rum 

After an overnight in Shobak, our 

meandering journey took us back to 

Wadi Rum along shimmering tarmac 

roads, passing open-sided Bedouin tents 

desperately trying to circulate fresh air, 

which signalled that the ‘Khamsini’ had 

passed as dramatically as it had arrived. 

Every fissure, rock statue and distant 

camel was, once again, visible on the 

horizon and Wadi Rum’s epic landscape 

was back in full focus. 

It was not long before the 4WD Jeep, 

was swaying upon drifts of sand, as if 

enjoying a slow dance with its passengers, 

as we passed narrow gorges and 

towering cliffs, before reaching a natural 

rock bridge, that seemed both architecturally 

impossible yet defiantly immovable; 

“scramble up this part, between 

that crevice and you will reach the top” 

Ma’moun said with a wry smile. 

I left the rock climbing to other hardy 

souls, but was prepared to scamper 

onto other rocks to view 2000 year old 

rock art, that would have been carved 

by ancient Thamudic and Nabatean 

people, a direct connection with ‘Rums’ 

earliest inhabitants depicting their way 

of life. Generations have maintained 

an unbroken history breeding camels, 

goats and sheep while living in tents or 

in caves. 

Heading to camp Rahayeb, the sun 

was starting to set over ‘Rum’ and so the 

daily ritual of 4WD’s and camels darting 

across the desert to find the best elevated 

ledge had begun. Every rocky outcrop 

was silhouetted with motionless human 

figures waiting for the sun’s mellowing 

rays to fan-out their corridors of light, 

before slowly melting into the landscape. 

Nestled within a rocky enclave, our 

camp provided protection from the desert’s 

harshest conditions. Inside the 

main tent the material walls are adorned 

with local Bedouin handicrafts; camel 

saddles, musical instruments, arched 

swords and cooking utensils that all 

formed parts of indigenous life. As the 

fire crackled in the heart of the camp, the 

“Oud” (stringed instrument) was played 

by its master, who sang softly as we 

headed to our beds. 

Our guide Ma’moun broke the early 

morning silence to announce it was time 

to leave camp and the rose coloured desert. 

We were heading out of ‘Rum’s’ remote 

beauty and parched landscape and 

onward to the clear waters of the Gulf 

of Aqaba. 

Aqaba 

With the mountains behind us, the 

Gulf of Aqaba was a captivating view. 

It must have been the same for every 

weary traveller who had carved a path 

through the desert, to finally make the 

gradual descent towards the sea. Having 

chanced upon a water colour painting by 

TRAVEL 

Robert Moresby from 1833, I could still 

make out the same dominant natural 

features across the horizon which meant 

that modern developers were trying to 

be sympathetic to their surroundings. 

Aqaba is Jordan’s only coastline and 

preserving and sustaining its delicate 

resources has become as important as 

all the major new developments redefining 

the landscape. The Marine Science 

Station and Aquarium, a place where the 

marine ecosystem can be monitored and 

the Aqaba Bird Observatory, a stopping 

point for migrating birds to and from 

Africa, were just two of the landmarks, 

our boat skipper pointed out to me, as I 

joined him on fishing excursion. 

The gulf’s refreshing spray, cool 

breeze and striking perspective looking 

back towards the port city with a complete 

sweep of muscular mountains 

wrapping a protective arm around the 

shoreline, was the ideal way to depart 

southern Jordan. 

Ramy Salameh travelled with Royal 

Jordanian Airlines, (rj.com, Oneworld alliance 

member) / Karma House Jordan DMC 

- Karma.com.jo/ For info go to aqaba.jo 

28 29

SPORTS 

For every golf fan around the world, 

springtime is the period of one of the 

four major golf tournaments, the Masters 

Tournament or US Masters. Which just 

like every year was held in Augusta, Georgia, 

USA. 

The big question for the event was 

solely one: Would it be the comeback to 

major tournaments for the legendary Tiger 

Woods? As– he had mentioned in the 

past, he feels good again but not sure 

if he will ever feel great again. Even 

though, Woods was desperate to get back to 

action, and millions of golf fans around the 

world were hoping that they would see 

him compete against the odds, unfortunately 

due to a back injury he was forced 

to cancel his participation admitting that 

there is no schedule date for his return yet. 

On the contrary, Danny Willett, the US 

Masters 2016 champion returned to defend 

his title. Danny who was only the 

second English golfer to achieve winning 

the US masters, which at the same time 

was his first major championship, did not 

manage to win the championship for two 

consecutive years and a new champion 

was crowned. That was another athlete 

who won his first major championship, 

the Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia. Garcia, who 

became only the third Spanish player that 

ever wins the US Masters, came up with 

the victory after defeating Englishman Jus- 

tin Rose. It was a dramatic finale where 

Garcia claimed the win and the tournament 

over the first sudden-death playoff. 

However, another reason that made 

the event so special was no other of the 

fact that this was the first major tournament 

without Arnold Palmer, who passed away at 

the age of 87. Arnold Palmer has been regarded 

as one of the greatest players in the 

history of golf, with 62 PGA tour titles 

and 7 major championships, and had been 

awarded numerous times for his contribution 

to the sport of golf. Palmer, who is 

usually referred as ‘’The King’’, is considered 

as one of the people who made 

golf what it is today. His affection and 

his popularity made him one of the icons 

for the sports. After a great and emotional 

ceremony, most of attendees wore Arnold’s 

Army pins to pay their respect to Palmer, 

while his green jacket was laid across to a 

white lawn chair. As Master’s Chairman, 

William Payne, said: ‘’It was a wonderful 

and a difficult day. Arnold Palmer was 

more than just a King. He was my friend. 

He was your friend.’’ 

US Masters was a great tournament, 

where the expectations of the fans were totally 

met. Next on the line is the U.S. 

Open, which is taking place in Erin, Wisconsin 

during these June days, and golfers 

expect to live one more great experience. 

Only a couple of weeks after Monaco 

hosted the Formula E Grand Prix, it 

was the turn of one of the traditional 

and most difficult races in Formula 1 to take 

place in Monte Carlo. Fans from all over the 

world will remember this year´s race for 

two reasons. For the shocking and terrifying 

accident that occurred only 20 laps before 

the end of the race, when Pascal Wehrlein, 

a German-Mauritian driver, currently racing 

for Sauber, crushed on the walls after a 

collision with James Button. Of course both 

drivers were forced to retire from the rest of 

the race (fortunately completely unharmed) 

and the safety cars were deployed. The other 

(this time) pleasant reason, especially for the 

Ferrari fans, was that Sebastian Vettel ended 

a 16-year strike that disabled the Italian 

team from winning on “the Principality” and 

led his team to the victory. It was Vettel´s 

second victory in Monaco, continuing a 

great traditio for German drivers in this 

race, where along with Nico Rosberg and the 

great Michael Schumacher have summed 

up a total of 10 victories in the last 24 races. 

However the four-time World Champion still 

seems more capable than ever to regain the 

championship, the first with Ferrari. Besides 

Vettel´s victory in Monaco Grand Prix, the 

2nd place of his teammate Kimi Räikkönen 

completed a great race for Ferrari. Their 

performances put the Italian team to the 

first place, however it took Mercedes only 

one Grand Prix to regain the lead. After 

the Canadian Grand Prix, Mercedes 

leads with 222 points, while Ferrari 

has 214. It is way too early for any 

prediction, especially since we are not even 

in the middle of the current championship 

but who isn´t curious to find out 

whether Ferrari has what it takes 

to win its first championship since 2008. 

The next “battle” is about to take place in 

Azerbaijan, yet another Grand Prix that will 

make millions of fans holding their breath. 

Since F1 is a kind of a competition where 

predictions cannot be made until November 

where the next Champions will be 

crowned, best thing one can do is to relax 

and enjoy each and every race! 

Sport editor Konstantinos Arapostathis 

CHAMPIONS 

LEAGUE 

One more UEFA Champions League is history 

after another amazing season with 

loads of great games, great memories, especially 

in the knock out games. Best highlights 

in a synopsis could be said to be the following. 

Barcelona, one of the favorites, did not arrive at 

another comeback as they managed to do in the 

unforgettable quarter final against PSG. Leicester 

City, the “Cinderella” of European football, 

reached to the second game too but they did not 

complete another miracle. A.S. Monaco had a 

great year and defeated two giants of European 

football, Manchester City and Dortmund but they 

were disqualified at the semi-finals by Juventus. 

And of course who can forget Bayern Munich who 

seemed unstoppable until the second games but 

were defeated in the extra time by Real Madrid. 

In this year’s final, two football giants gave another 

great performance to millions of spectators. 

Juventus vs Real Madrid. Two world renowned 

clubs, from two traditional football superpower 

countries. Fans from all over the world may not 

have dreamt a better finale. Especially when 

only a few days before, Manchester United 

and Ajax two other traditional football clubs had 

competed for the Europa League final. 

Real Madrid was the better team in the final, 

which took place in Cardiff, and became the first 

team who wins the Champions League for two consecutive 

years! The final score (4-1) did not leave 

I 

cannot hide my excitement that I will 

finally be able to introduce to you our 

dear readers my favorite competition, 

which is no-other than the Basketball’s 

Euroleague. And I do not think I could 

find a better chance from the Final-4 of 

Euroleague (Istanbul, 19-21 May) where 

history was made. Fenerbahce became the 

first Turkish team ever winning the biggest 

championship in Europe, by defeating 

Real Madrid in the semi-finals and 

Olympiakos in the final. 

It cannot be doubted that Fenerbahce 

had few advantages over its competitors. For 

those who are not aware, Turkish Airlines is 

the sponsor of the whole Euroleague competition. 

Also the Final 4 was held in Turkey 

in a stadium where 80-85% of the 

spectators were supporters of the Turkish 

team while rumours said that even President 

Erdogan was going to attend the final; then 

one can easily realize that this was not just 

another game for the Turkish team. Does 

this mean that the Turkish team had an unfair 

advantage to win the championship? An 

easy answer would be yes. 

However one should admit that Fenerbahce 

truly deserved the championship. 

The full answer to that goes back 4 years, 

when the owner of Fenerbahce achieved to 

change the destiny of the Turkish club. After 

many years, where they had invested a 

lot of money to some good players but 

with zero return on their investment, they 

decided to change their plan and start all 

over again by bringing the best manager 

in the history of European championship, 

Coach Zeljko Obradovic. 

Some of Obradovic’s achievement were 

8 European championships with 4 different 

teams, along with gold medals with 

the national team of Yugoslavia in European 

and World championships. The owners gave 

the manager unlimited budget and time as 

well in order to bring the club to the top, and 

he did. After a first unsuccessful year in Euroleague, 

Coach Obradovic led Fenerbahce 

to three consecutive Final-4. In this year’s 

Finals Fenerbahce proved its dominant position. 

The ability that coach Obradovic has 

to adjust to the needs of each specific game, 

how he improves the performance of his 

players, game after game in order to beat the 

competition, is remarkable. The first European 

championship of the Turkish club 

became also the 9th for him. And unfortunately 

for his opponents, his hunger and 

his motivation to beat himself will not stop 

there! In my opinion this Final 4 was not just 

a victory for Fenerbahce. It was also a victory 

for European basketball, where it has to 

face the tough competition of the NBA. 

It succeeded by hosting the Final 4 in a city 

where the crowd was living for the game, 

a crowd that really appreciate basketball. 

Considering the fact that the next Final 4 

will also be held in another city where 

basketball is popular, that of Belgrade, can 

be a tangible proof that there is still pulse in 

European basketball… 

any doubt about Real’s dominance in the European 

football as it was their third trophy in four years. 

An extraordinary performance that only two more 

teams have ever achieved. Barcelona, by winning 3 

Champions Leagues in 6 years (2009, 2011, 2015) 

and.....“another version” of Real Madrid !!! (1998, 

2000, 2002). Wonder why they are regarded as 

the best team in World Football of all times… 

The other finalist, Juventus will have to 

wait until next year to reclaim the Champions 

League. But one thing that will not be forgotten, 

no matter what happens in the near future, is the 

presence of one of the greatest goalkeepers of all 

times, Gianluigi Buffon. With more than 1.000 appearances 

for Parma, Juventus and the National 

team of Italy, Buffon is regarded by many 

the greatest goalkeeper of all times. Especially 

when Buffon did something that in the new era of 

world professional football, we do not meet quite 

often. When Juventus relegated to Serie B in 2006, 

Buffon was one of the players that showed his 

loyalty to the club and remained in the team. So, 

what a better story could have been than winning 

the Champions League in the twilight of his football 

career? A career with so many individual 

and team awards, without a Champions League 

trophy though… For those who believe in fate, 

the God of Football owed Buffon that trophy, before 

he retired; So will he? Only one knows… 

30 31

OPINION LEADERS ISSUE 10

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