Category: Features

5 REASONS TO VISIT MOLDOVA AND TO BE SURPRISED BY IT

After an exhausting period of global pandemic, all of us deserve enjoying the moments of relaxation, and the Republic of Moldova is ready to offer a perfect recipe which includes a diversity of authentic tourist attractions and easy adventure. In Moldova, fruits and vegetables have a particular taste, wines contain a bouquet of flavors of more than 50 sorts of grape, and won 956 medals at 32 international profile competitions in 2020

By Her Excellency Mrs. Angela Ponomariov, Ambassador of Moldova to the United Kingdom

Hiking through the secular forests, exploring Moldova with kayak, navigating on Dniesterand Prut, photo sessions on lavender fields, sleeping in barrels, running through the longest underground wine galleries, climbing caves, witnessing the gathering of thousands of pelicans on Beleulake, visiting cave monasteries – all these will bring charm to your tourist itinerary no matter which one you choose. Still being considered as enigma for the majority of tourists, the Republic of Moldova, with the assistance of the Agency of Investment, decided to tell the world about its unexplored potential and launched a campaign which promotes the country and is accompanied by a message: “Moldova: A place to find yourself.” We offer you five reasons to include the Republic of Moldova into the list of the destinations worth being discovered!

EXPLORE ADVENTURE TOURS

If you prefer active mode of life, you will also find suitable activities in Moldova. Those visitors who are in love with adventures, can choose a trip with kayak, hiking in the woods or cycling trails. If you are looking for a unique experience, you can take part in marathon in the underground cellars of Cricova or Milestii Mici, which are as long as 120 and 200 kilometers correspondingly.

CHERISH RICH HERITAGE

You can discover Soviet architecture and history. In 2021, Moldova celebrated 30 years of independence. With all these, a greater part of the complicated Soviet past is still present in urban architecture, especially in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.

ENJOY SUMPTUOUS CUISINE

Here you will find intense wines and discover unique gastronomic experience. When in the Republic of Moldova, you can’t help but visit the famous wineries included in the “Wine Route.” This offers a remarcable oenogastronomic experience, from hautecuisine delights and noble wines, appreciated worldwide, to traditional dishes accompanied by artisanal wines, unique in flavors and character they show.

EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF SLOW LIFE

You can enjoy picturesque sceneries and experience in full the concept of “slow life” The Republic of Moldova inspires visitors by its rich history and intact nature. Old Duruitoarea Cave, formed a couple of million years ago in a reef of Sarmatic sea and its breath taking sceneries will make you feel as being on filming sets of “Lord of the Rings,” as well as medieval cave monasteries, dug in cliffs of Old Orhei, Tipova and Saharna. Moldova is one of the few European countries where people still live according to “slow life” concept, preferring simple and calm life, which involves sustainable farming practices which help to escape from our hyperactive world by offering you moments of full relaxation.

ENLARGE YOUR HORIZONS BY DISCOVERING MODERN HISTORY

What would you say about a tour around writers’ houses? Discover modern history of Moldova by visiting writers’ and artists’ houses, transformed into museums. The house of the first contemporary poet from Moldova, Grigore Vieru, situated at Pererita village, is an example of the traditional architecture. On the other hand, the house of Russian classical poet, Alexandr Puskin, who was exiled to Chisinau and lived here for three years, is a sample of urban history of the beginning of the XIX century. Moldova is a destination which can enlarge your horizons. By living this tactile and sensory experience, you will be able to see things in a different perspective, transforming your stay into a travel in time, to authentic values and genuine places.

MOLDOVA: A COMPLETE TOURIST DESTINATION

In summary, what is our main pitch to convince you to come? That you will enjoy chill and cozy afternoons in our capital Chisinau. You will discover and taste our delicious food by the side of our hosts at rural guesthouses. You will go on 150 km of wine routes from the north to the south of our country tasting excellent wines and learning about traditional Moldovan varietals. And, if this is not enough you can surely find a kayak to paddle down a river, a hill to climb, explore a cave monastery, or even travel back in time here in Moldova. And finally, what will you feel when you arrive in Moldova? Genuine hospitality. It has always been Moldovans’ middle name throughout our history. In the past few years, we’ve been working hard to spread the word on this. And as a result, our tourism is growing in a way that highlights our authentic culture, traditions, cuisine and vibrant wineries. So, try staying at a rural guesthouse for a few days of rest, fabulous homecooked food and incomparable Moldovan hospitality. You’ll return to the world you came from with your batteries recharged. This is why Moldova is a place to find yourself. Not only can we promise you an unforgettable experience when you visit, but one you can share with friends and family in real time – because we have first-rate Internet and some of the fastest mobile data speeds in Europe.

LET YOURSELF BE SURPRISED BY MOLDOVA!

Great Land of Gold

Already recognized as one of the great kingdoms in Bilad el-Sudan by the ninth century, modern Ghana is considered one of the more stable countries in West Africa since its transition to multi-party democracy in 1992. Formerly known as the Gold Coast, it is still famous for gold & cocoa. More recently oil forms the cornerstone of Ghana’s economy and has helped fuel an economic boom.

By Her Excellency Samata Gifty Bukari, Consul-General to the UAE, Republic of Ghana

The vision of Ghana under the able leadership of HE President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is to create prosperity and equal opportunities for all in a stable, united and safe country.

On the Path of Rapid Progress

The focus areas of development in Ghana include Agriculture with a flagship programme of planting for food and jobs. This is to ensure food security. We have also adopted the approach of one district one factory. These factories shall process various products, therefore creating employment for the teaming youth in Ghana. Education for all: Basic education in Ghana public schools is free. The President has expanded the Free education to cover Senior High School. This is to ensure that all children get educated in order to produce the right type of Human Resource for nation’s development by training them in Science and Technology. Health and Sanitation is another focus area of development.

Tourism Opportunities

Tourism is an important sector of the economy. Then, infrastructure development plays an important role, that is road, rail, sea and air. Energy also contributes to national development. Finally, good governance, respect for human rights and security are emphasized. Ghana generally has several tourist attractions. The main tourist attractions in Ghana include the following: National Parks, Safaris, Ostriches, Walkways, Castles and Forts to tell the history of slave trade, water falls, lakes, Lagoons and natural beaches, Abudu gardens, monkey sanctuary, Museums, mountains, volcanoes. crocodile ponds, Zoos, Mining sites, river bodies, etc. Our tradition and culture is also quite rich, including our dressing and the food we eat. Importantly, the people of Ghana are very hospitable. Ghana also has excellent air and sea connections to the rest of the world.

Tourism, has become a global and highly competitive socio-economic and environmental activity in both developed and developing countries. In Ghana, it is the fastest growing industry that stimulates other sectors in the national economy, such as agriculture, transport, manufacturing, real estates, industries and others. It is an important vehicle that can be harnessed by developing countries to speed up their drive towards socio-economic transformation. The industry is labour-intensive and supports diverse and versatile labour markets, offering small-scale employment opportunities, such as Travel and Tours, Accommodation Food & Beverage, Transportation, Attractions, Craft Villages, Events & Conferences, and many more, which help to promote gender equity. Tourism has been known to diversify economies, create jobs, generate revenue for governments and stimulate businesses. Aviation plays a central role in supporting tourism. In Africa, an estimated 5.8% people are employed by influx of overseas visitors, most of whom arrive in the region by air, and contributed $46 billion to GDP in African economies in 2014. The importance of strategic air links cannot be understated; business, leisure, and tourism all require reliable, affordable, frequent connections to key destinations in order to flourish and grow.

Investment Opportunities Related to Tourism

The increasing number of tourists and the evolving profile of today’s traveler demand a host of new tourism offerings and infrastructure projects. A wide spectrum of investment opportunities arise out of Ghana’s long-term tourism plans. Marine Drive Project Development involves super structures and infrastructure at the beach front in Accra. It seeks to plan and develop the entire parcel of land, stretching from the Osu Klottey lagoon (behind the Christiansburg Castle) to the Accra community centre, covering an area of 215.7 acres. Marine Drive Plan: It plans to decongest the city centre of nonconforming uses and re-instate a new land use structure befitting the capital city; Intensify the use of land to be consistent with the high values of land and also counteract the apparent scarcity of land in Accra; and Create an environment to attract high levels of investment in the city centre. It is also re-zoning the stretch of land into a tourism enclave to build Hotel Resorts, Craft village, Golf course, Restaurants, Coastal reclamation, Christianborg castle, etc.

My Efforts towards Cordial Relations

As Consul General of Ghana, I shall work hard to strengthen bilateral relations between the UAE, and all other nations worldwide. Market Ghana in business and investment is working closely with Ghana investment Promotion Council and other Chambers of Commence. It’s my duty to attend seminars and forums in order to learn as well as share best practices with other countries, and showcase the heritage of Ghana through collaboration with the Sharjah Heritage Institute. I am working towardss creating an attractive and conducive business environment to attract Foreign Direct Investment. Finally I shall love to see Ghana becoming the gateway to West Africa as well as moving beyond Aid.

Land of Values & Intellect

A Paleolithic culture around 30,000 BC constitutes the first known habitation of the Japanese archipelago. Often called the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan has always shown the world way forward be it technology, showing respect to others, or living in harmony. Today, it is the world’s third-largest economy by nominal GDP and the world’s fourth-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It is also the world’s fourth-largest exporter and fourth-largest importer, and is considered a great power.

By His Excellency Dr. Akima Umezawa, Consul-General to the UAE, Japan

As a vision of Japan, I’d like to introduce a keyword “Society 5.0” which is defined as “A human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical realities”

High Level of Vision

The naming of Society 5.0 implies the 5th generations of the social revolution, following the hunting society (Society 1.0), agricultural society (Society 2.0), industrial society (Society 3.0), and information society (Society 4.0). Society 5.0 is a vision of super smart society, and an ongoing policy principle advocated in the 5th national plan of science and technology, which was adopted at the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2016. In the super smart society (Society 5.0), “Internet of Things (IoT)” connects all people and things, and all sorts of knowledge and information are shared, then totally new value will be born. “Artificial Intelligence (AI)” frees humans from burdensome works of analyzing huge amounts of information. The possibilities of humans expand through the evolutionary utilization of robots, autonomous car, etc. Society 5.0 achieves a high degree of convergence between cyberspace (virtual space) and physical reality (real world). A huge amount of information from sensors in physical space is accumulated in cyberspace. This big data has been analyzed by artificial intelligence (AI), then the outcome has been already fed-back to the Japanese society in real world in various forms. This process brings new value to industry and society in super smart ways. As the economy grows globally, there have been growing socioeconomic challenges such as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, a stable increase of foods production while a reduction of loss of food-staffs, mitigation of social and economical costs associated with aging society, support of sustainable industrialization, redistribution of wealth, and correction of regional inequality for the prosperous world. New technologies such as IoT, robotics, AI, and big data drive a drastic change in society developments to resolve such challenges. Under the Society 5.0, Japan seeks a new super smart society that incorporates these state-of-the-art new technologies in all industries and social activities, consequently achieving both economic development and solution of socioeconomic challenges in parallel.

Tourism Opportunities

In 2017, inbound visitors to Japan achieved the record high of 28.7 million which shows the number of foreign tourists has increased 20%- 40% annually during the last five years. Tourists’ interests in Japan as a destination have widely expanded through visit-promotion campaigns by not only enhancing the Japan’s rich attractiveness but also the exemption and relaxation of visa requirements, the expansion of tax-free program, expanding the flight and cruise networks, and so on. For example, the government of Japan has taken the visa relaxation measures for the UAE nationals in 2017 and Indian nationals in 2018. Current targets of the number of inbound visitors are 40 million in 2020 and 60 million in 2030, respectively. These targets will be achieved through further strengthening the visit-promotion campaign, especially through maximizing the opportunity of the world-class big events held in Japan, such as Rugby World Cup 2019 and Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games 2020. Inbound tourism is one of the most important growth sectors, currently contributing 4.5% of the Japan’s GDP. Marketing and promoting the inbound tourism also utilize the cross-sectoral business activities including digital marketing, social media, and collaboration with local government. Another challenge for the expansion of inbound tourism in Japan would be to diversify the source of market, where tourists coming from North East Asia region account for 85% of total inbound visitors and for 10% from South East Asia in recent years. The statistics shows heavy concentration on the inbound market in the East Asia. In the meantime, the number of visitors from the UAE has increased from 2,027 visitors in 2012 to 7,106 visitors in 2017. Such a longterm steep increase as recorded at 70% annual expansion of the number of visitors from the UAE to Japan demonstrates further potential of hottest market for the tourism sector between the two countries.

Strengthening Strategic Partnership

First, I would like to introduce some of the remarkable developments of the bilateral relations in political and business sectors. A highlight of the political relations was the leaders meeting between H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan and H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces on the occasion of the visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the UAE in April this year. They formulated the “Joint Statement on Deepening and Strengthening Strategic Partnership between Japan and the United Arab Emirates – Opening a New Chapter of Cooperation towards Prosperity and Stability, as a reflection of their desire to further develop bilateral strategic relations in all areas of cooperation. Through delivering the Joint Statement, both leaders affirmed their commitment to formulating a joint vision and a joint cooperation strategy under the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Initiative”. They also confirmed their strategic coordination in the areas of (1) political cooperation, (2) economy (business, trade and investment) including diversification of non-energy sector, including the small and medium enterprises, (3) cultural cooperation – Expo and Olympic, (4) education, advanced science and technology including the space cooperation, (5) cooperation in environment, energy and water, (6) defense cooperation, (7) aviation cooperation, (8) security cooperation, (9) cooperation in the fields of agriculture and food security, (10) women empowerment, and so on, under the commitment of strengthening their strategic partnership in a comprehensive manner. Since I have been posted here in Dubai as the Consul General in Dubai, honestly speaking, every step I have taken is humbly not so big one. I have extended dialogues with every department of the Dubai government as well as many departments of Sharjah and other Emirates’ governments. I have delivered my speeches and presentations at various occasions where I was invited by the above governments, the federal government, private sectors and social clubs, promoting the Japanese culture, state-of-the-art technologies, business practice and so on. I have also coordinated business seminars, inviting respectively the Japanese Ambassador to Iraq, to Lebanon, to Kuwait, to Iran and so on as lecturers. I have promoted Japanese products, technologies, cultures and service to the UAE people and market through many events organized by the Consulate-General. There are many of such small steps I have taken, based on the friendly and cordial relations between the UAE and Japan. More importantly, every member of the Japanese community in Dubai has also contributed to enhance our cordial bilateral relations to a greater or lesser extent. Gathering and accumulating these variety of endeavors graciously creates a huge dynamism of our relations. My role might have been modestly to coordinate such concerted endeavors, expecting to spur driving forces for enhancing further our bilateral relations.

Japan-india relationship

Japan and India have enjoyed significant deepening of bilateral relations especially in the past couple of years and the growing convergence in the political, economic and strategic interests. The bilateral relations are based on a firm foundation of common values and traditions, as well as on an emerging consensus on contemporary issues of peace, security and development. Both countries are committed to work together to elevate their partnership to the next level to advance common strategic objectives at a time when the global community is faced with new challenges. The historic visit of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Gujarat last year showed the Japan-India relationship has entered a new era. The visit was unprecedented and special, most evidently demonstrated in the enormous welcome and gracious hospitality that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and from the people of Gujarat. Indeed, the quantum leap in our relationship has been achieved under the strong leadership of and genuine friendship between the two leaders. Highlights of a few significant outcomes two countries have achieved are (1) convergence of two strategies into “Free, Open and Prosperous Indo-Pacific” by Modi’s “Act East Policy” and Abe’s “Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategies”, (2) much awaited Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway project, (3) civil nuclear cooperation based on the bilateral Agreement for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy in 2016, (4) rapid increase in Japanese FDI to India under the Japan-India Investment Promotion Partnership 2014, and so on.

Potential in India

Geopolitically, India is one of the biggest influential stakeholders in the globe, as it is anchored at the center of the Indian Ocean, which connects Asia and Africa, two of which are current and the next growth engines in the world economy. India is also positioned at the significant important geological point where its coast is along the course of one of the most busy sea lanes. Needless to say, India is the 3rd largest economy in Asia, with the world’s 2nd largest population and has a huge middle-income group, thus having the biggest potential of not only economic growth but also as the global influential power. The Indian economy has kept such a high growth at around 7% annually since Prime Minister Modi took office in 2014. In addition, the stock market has been booming, both production and consumption have increased, and the FDI has steadily risen with a backdrop of deregulation led by Prime Minister Modi. Diplomatically, Prime Minister Modi has put forward the “Act East Policy” and promoted largely the cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, thereby helping India gain further influential power in an international arena as one of the biggest global powers. The phrase “21st century would be an era of India” might become a true story.

Acclaimed for its Strength & Spirit

Ranking high on the Human Development Index (66th), Social Progress Index (47th) as well as the Global Peace Index (56th), Serbia is known for several wonderful things. Just for an idea, Miroslav’s Gospel, written in 1180, is the oldest Serbian manuscript that entered in the register of UNESCO. In addition, 18 Roman emperors were born on the territory of the modern-day Serbia. And of course, Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist who is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. Here, I want to discuss the huge growth potential of Serbia.

By His Excellency Milos Perisic, Charge D’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia

Talking about some plain economic facts, the economy of Serbia is the 84th or 79th largest in the world at $37.739 billion or $107.131 billion by nominal gross domestic product (GDP) or purchasing power parity (PPP) respectively. Since 2000, the country has experienced fast economic growth. Further, Serbia has been successful in swiftly increasing its foreign direct investment as a permanent trend, which is quite conspicuous in several industries including the auto industry (Fiat), metal processing (US Steel), building materials (Lafarge), food and beverages (Carlsberg, Coca-Cola, and Nestle), textiles (Golden Lady, Pompea), leather (Progetti Company, Falc East), and ICT (Microsoft and Siemens). Actually, according to the German Chamber of Commerce, Serbia is the top investment destination in South-Eastern Europe. To improve the situation further, the Government of Serbia took a number of brave measures in the previous period in order to heal our economy and to make Serbia a reliable partner for various world economies. Serbia now is seen as one of the fastest developing countries in our region and we have already attracted a huge number of renowned international companies to invest in our economy. We have taken several high-level initiatives to create a highly friendly business environment for foreign investors and we are giving significant incentives to companies that want to start business in Serbia. Foreign investments are protected in Serbia by the law and we do have a stable macroeconomic situation. What attracts foreign investors in Serbia are skilled and educated labor, low operation costs and taxes, easy procedures and good security situation in the country. Serbia is traditionally an agricultureand industry-oriented country. We are one of the biggest European producers of raspberries, plums, apples, wheat and corn. Also, we have a long tradition of production of different types of machines, cars, trucks and heavy equipment. We are focused on developing and modernizing our industry and on the other side, we are rapidly becoming a strong center in the region for the IT sector. We do have excellent young programmers and we will continue to invest in our people. Also, Serbia has strong tourism potentials which we are developing now in order to attract more tourists.

Amity with the UAE

Serbia and the UAE have excellent relations in all the fields and we are taking necessary measures to improve those relations further. Two countries have signed a couple of bilateral agreements which are important and which make the cooperation easier (we cancelled the visas for UAE passport holders, and MoUs were signed on protection and promotion of investments as well on avoiding of double taxation). As a result of great relations between Serbia and the UAE leadership, we have seen a couple of big UAE investments in Serbia, namely, Etihad Airways has become a partner of Air Serbia, and Al Dahra & Al Rawafed have invested in the agriculture sector and Eagle Hills has started a huge project in Belgrade, Belgrade Waterfront. Once completed, Belgrade Waterfront will be one of the most beautiful areas in our part of Europe. Residential units, hotels, offices and shopping malls will be constructed in accordance with the highest world standards in architecture, and the Belgrade Tower will be the new landmark of our capital. In addition, a number of Serbian companies have started their business in the UAE and they have found in the UAE really good opportunities for business. Our two countries have created great cooperation in other fields also like culture, sports, tourism, science, etc. and we are working really hard to connect Serbia with the UAE.

Strengthening Ties with India

Bilateral relations between Serbia and India are historical and very friendly. For Serbia, India is one of the most important partners in Asia and we want to enhance our cooperation in all the fields (economy, tourism, culture, science, etc.). The then Prime Minister and now President of Serbia H.E. Aleksandar Vučić visited India in January 2017 and met the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it was agreed that the potentials for cooperation should be improved. We do see many opportunities for cooperation with India, which is one of the most important and fastest growing economies nowadays. Also, a couple of strong Indian companies have invested in Serbia and both the investors and Serbia are happy with that cooperation.

Glorious Traditions and Cultures

Republic of Serbia has consistently become a more and more popular tourism destination. In 2016, more than 2.75 million tourists visited our country, which is an increase of 13%, comparing to 2015. Government of the Republic of Serbia and Ministry of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications are investing great efforts to attract tourists to Serbia. We are also investing in the infrastructure & accommodation capacities, and we do support travel agencies and hotels. Serbia is the first country in Europe, which cancelled the visas for Chinese passport holders, since January 2017. The holders of passports of EU, USA, UK, Russian Federation, Turkey, GCC (except KSA) and many other countries are allowed to enter Serbia without visa. The tourism potentials of Serbia are presented at major international travel exhibitions in the world and the Belgrade, capital of Serbia, hosts biggest regional travel show (every year in February).

Spreading Happiness Worldwide

Known as one of the most beautiful countries on earth naturally – due to its fjords, mountains, a vibrant culture and the midnight sun – Norway (of course its people) has also consistently shown light to the rest of the world as one of the happiest and safest places on Earth. It believes in “all men’s rights”, and is home to one of the most modern societies and urban & rural living places. Its hundred and thousands of lakes, the world’s longest tunnel, its more than 240,000 islands and a coastline of more than 64,000 miles are just incidental. The entire world needs to learn a lot from this majestic country.

By His Excellency Jens Eikaas, Ambassador to the UAE, Kingdom of Norway.

Norway has a great vision, and we want to preserve Norway as a good country to live in for future generations, and to carry with us the strong aspects of Norwegian society. We have high employment, and we benefit from abundant natural resources and a strong fiscal position. Our education system contributes to a well-educated workforce. Income and welfare are more evenly distributed than in most countries. In the years ahead, Norway will nevertheless face challenges. Our ability to tackle these challenges requires that we are successful in some main areas:

An inclusive labour market with high participation rates:

A cornerstone of Norwegian society is its high employment rate. For the individual, having a job means a stable income, personal development, and an arena for social inclusiveness. At the same time, a sustainable welfare state is dependent on maintaining a balance between the number of people contributing to the system and the number receiving benefits. In the coming years, an ageing population means that a smaller share of the population will carry the burden of supporting the welfare state unless the retirement age increases. If many people are kept outside the workforce because of a lack of relevant skills, this burden will increase further. Higher immigration can amplify these challenges unless immigrants are well integrated in the labour market. Education and skill enhancement is the key to successfully confronting these challenges. We need to ensure that more people have access to strong vocational training programs and to higher education. At the same time, increasing life expectancy means we have to work longer. We need to ensure that we have a tax and welfare benefit system that makes it more beneficial to work than is the case today. We have to avoid a situation in which health problems, language difficulties, or a lack of a relevant and updated skillset prevent people from participating in the labor market. This will contribute to a society that creates opportunities for all.

Rising living standards must benefit everyone in society:

The vast majority of the population has benefitted from rising incomes over the past decades. In addition, the income of the next generation is less dependent on that of their parents than what is the case in many other countries. Norway has a good system of social welfare benefits and a well-functioning public sector. Technological breakthroughs will be necessary to confront climate change. New technological solutions are also a precondition for better and more sustainable social services in the future. Welfare technology may make public healthcare more efficient and better placed to manage the challenges associated with an aging population. Improving living standards will require raising productivity growth in the private sector. Over the last decade, productivity has grown more slowly than in the past. This trend is amplified by the fact that the oil and gas sector will contribute less to economic growth than in the past. Greater emphasis on protecting the environment creates a new operating environment for the private sector both in Norway and abroad. Rising protectionism and policies aimed at reversing the tide of globalization will hurt us. Managing these transitions requires that we clear the way for the creation of jobs in the private non-oil sector. Income must be created before it can be shared.

Boosting Economy Worldwide

The single-most important step by the Government of Norway to boost its economy worldwide was taken when The Government Pension Fund Global was set up in 1990 to underpin long-term considerations when phasing petroleum revenues into the Norwegian economy. An investment arm of the Central Bank of Norway – NBIM (Norges Bank Investment Management) – manages the fund on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, which owns the fund on behalf of the Norwegian people. The ministry determines the fund’s investment strategy, following advice from, among others, NBIM and discussions in Parliament. The management mandate defines the investment universe and the fund’s strategic reference index. The Ministry of Finance has on a regular basis transferred capital to the fund from the Norwegian state’s petroleum revenues. The fund’s capital is invested abroad, to avoid overheating the Norwegian economy and to shield it from the effects of oil price fluctuations. The fund invests in international equity and fixed-income markets and real estate. The aim is to have a diversified investment mix that will give the highest possible risk-adjusted return within the set guidelines. The fund was designed to be invested for the long term, but in a way that made it possible to draw on when required. Despite its name, the fund has no formal pension liabilities. No political decision has been made as to when the fund may be used to cover future pension costs, and the probability of large withdrawals from the fund is limited. This makes the fund truly long-term. The Fund is an integrated part of the government’s annual budget. Its capital inflow consists of all government petroleum revenue, net financial transactions related to petroleum activities, and net of what is spent to balance the State’s non-oil budget deficit. This means the fund is fully integrated with the state budget and that net allocations to the fund reflect the total budget surplus, including petroleum revenue. Fiscal policy is based on the guideline that over time the structural, non-oil budget deficit shall correspond to the expected real return on the fund, estimated at 3 percent.

Amity with the UAE

As Norway’s Ambassador to the UAE, I am committed to seek opportunities to expand trade and investment between our two countries, and to strengthen the economic, political and cultural ties between us. This means, among other things, taking part in bilateral meetings at an official level, working with Norwegian businesses to give advice, updates on the situation, encouraging them to look into areas of interest that they may not yet have investigated, and to look at regional possibilities. With limited amount of funding available for business promotion activities in support of Norwegian businesses seeking to expand their activities abroad, we try to put these funds to good use, by helping to finance business seminars and receptions with potential customers and officials and so on, focusing on Norwegian competences and technologies.

Strengthening Ties with India

India is an important partner to Norway. Increased trade, investments and economic cooperation with mutual benefits are the topmost priorities for our two countries. Norway was among the very first countries to recognize India’s independence, actually on Independence Day itself in 1947. We established our Embassy in New Delhi in 1952, the same year as Norway’s very first international development cooperation project, a fisheries project in Kerala. From 2010 to 2016, the number of Norwegian companies established in India increased from 60 to more than 100. Indian companies are getting large contracts in Norway. Norwegian investments in India are estimated to close to USD 14 billion. Norwegian businesses have directly generated at least 15,000 jobs in India. The overall Indo-Norwegian cooperation covers wide areas such as energy and climate change, energy, environment and biodiversity, clean technologies, geohazards, health, gender, local governance, culture, and business. Our partnership is founded on mutual interests and respect.

Once in a Lifetime Destination

Many visitors, and no doubt the majority, associate Norway with nature, fjords, mountains, a cold climate and the northern lights. However, more and more visitors also say that they could experience interesting culture and history on a holiday in Norway, and that Norway is a place to experience exciting city life. The counterpoint to Norway’s natural beauty is found in Norway’s vibrant cultural life. Norwegian cities are cosmopolitan and brimful of architecture that showcases the famous Scandinavian flair for design through the ages. At the same time, a busy calendar of festivals, many of international renown, are worth planning your trip around. Altogether, Norway comes out well in overall rankings of tourist destinations. In the 2015 World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index, Norway is ranked No. 20. On a global scale, that is a rather impressive ranking. It is, for example, ahead of all countries in this region as tourist destinations, with the United Arab Emirates trailing closest, at No. 24.

Making Significant Progress

This region’s history dates back to antiquity, beginning with the kingdom of Paeonia, and since then it has fought quite a number of battles before the modern territory of Macedonia came under the Serbian rule following the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913. Making rapid and significant progress, since its peaceful secession in 1991 from Yugoslavia, Macedonia is today a member of the UN and of the Council of Europe, has applied for NATO membership, and has emerged strongly as an open, market-based economy.

By His Excellency Sasho Tashevski, Ambassador of the Republic of Macedonia in United Arab Emirates

Republic of Macedonia is an upper middle-income country that has made great strides in reforming its economy over the last decade. The vision of the Government of Republic of Macedonia is full membership in European Union and NATO, to ensure economic stability and improvement in the life of its citizens.

Business-oriented

The Government is pro-business oriented, focusing on attracting FDI and making it easy for investors for doing business. In the “Doing Business Report 2018”, Republic of Macedonia is on 11th place in the world, and 5th in Europe for ease of doing business. “Business Insider” has ranked Republic of Macedonia No. 1 in the world for lowest taxation: average 7,4%. The corporate income tax is 10% flat rate. There are 13 free zones fully operating in the country, with tax holidays for 10 years (zero taxation for VAT, corporate & personal income tax, and zero custom duties for import of raw materials & machines). Areas of development include agriculture (fruits & vegetables), tourism, mining & minerals (especially marble), IT sector, textile industry, construction, healthcare, education, etc. When mentioning the marble, I am very proud to say that the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is fully made of the white marble “Sivec”, coming from Republic of Macedonia.

Tourism Opportunities

Macedonia is cradle of culture with its old history of statehood for more than 3000 years, and its indepence since 1991. The biggest effort that Republic of Macedonia has made in the tourism industry is building new international airport in its capital, city of Skopje. In 2015, the airport was ranked No.1 airport in Europe for small airports, below 2 million passengers per year. The snowball effect is that world known hoteliers have opened their hotels all over the country, especially in city of Skopje and Ohrid, along the shore of Ohrid lake, where there is also an international airport fully reconstructed. Ohrid lake is the oldest lake in Europe and 2nd oldest in the world, over 4 million years old. The city as well is like museum with its unique architecture. Therefore, the lake and the city are both protected by UNESCO, as natural and cultural heritage to the world. Ohrid is the city with the 1st University in Europe, dating from 10th century AD, the University of Plaoshnik, where brothers Saint

Cyril and Method invented the cyrilic alphabet and spread it all over Eastern Europe and Russia. Nowdays, 314million people all over the world are using the cyrilic alphabet. The country is with picturesque valleys, mountains and lakes, tempered climate with four seasons and ~270 sunny days during the year, with excellent opportunities for alternative tourism like climbing, mount biking, skiing, speleology, scuba diving and paragliding. Great place to be discovered is Skopje, the capital of Macedonia with its old Bazaar, dating from 15th century AD, the town fortress of last roman Emperor Justinian from 6th century AD, who wrote the Roman Law, the memorial house of Saint Mother Theresa, canyon Matka with the cave Vrelo, the deepest underwater cave in the world. Macedonia is well known by the great hospitality of the people, as well as delicious cuisine. Republic of Macedonia and United Arab Emirates have established direct bilateral relations in 1996.

My Efforts towards Cordial Relations

Since 2014, we have established an Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and I am proud to say that I was elected as an Ambassador to improve and strengthen the political and economic relations between our two friendly countries. To be more precise, we have signed several important Agreements, such as the Agreement for Avoiding of Double Taxation, Agreement for Cooperation in the Security, Agreement for Cooperation between Ministry of Health of Republic of Macedonia and DHCC (Dubai Health Care City), Agreement for Air Traffic Regulation between our two countries. There are several more agreements in the pipeline ready for signing. Concerning the trade and business relations, I am proud to say that various companies from United Arab Emirates have already invested in different sectors in the Republic of Macedonia, and they call themselves Happy Investors. United Arab Emirates were No.1 FDI investor in the country in 2016, according to official reports from National Bank of Macedonia. Besides improving political and economic relations, the Embassy is constantly working on strengthening cultural relations.

Indo-macedonia relationship

Republic of Macedonia and Republic of India have great bilateral relations. We have our Embassy in New Delhi, and so far we have several FDI investments from Republic of India into our country, in the mining and steel sector. Indian companies have invested in two mines for production of Zinc, Copper and Lead, as well as in Steel factory. Republic of India, as world’s fastest growing economy is an example of great sustainable growth. Republic of Macedonia can be an entry point for indian companies to enter the European market. We have established direct bilateral agreements with all European countries, including Ukraine and Turkey. This means no double taxation and no trade barriers and free access to a market of 650 million customers.

Home to Advanced Civilizations

Pre-Columbian Mexico dates to about 8,000 BC, is identified as one of seven cradles of civilization, and was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations, such as the Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Maya, and Aztec before first contact with Europeans. With the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country’s current political system, it has advanced quickly to become the eighth most visited country in the world, and is poised to become the world’s fifth or seventh largest economy by 2050

By Her Excellency Francisca E. Mendez Escobar, Ambassador of Mexico in United Arab Emirates

Mexico is one of the most open economies in the world through a network of free trade agreements making it one of the most competitive countries for productive investment. Actually, Mexico is an economic power on the global stage, being the 11th largest economy in the world (in terms of GDP measured by the purchasing power parity index).

Holding Many Strengths

During the last five years, we have just passed an important number of structural reforms that have helped to propel and prepare our country for a better growth and development in different areas including, education, energy, telecommunications, financial, tax, labour, judicial, political, anticorruption, transparency among others. We say that Mexico is tradition, culture and innovation, with many strengths; today we are the 11th most populated country with 124 million inhabitants, with a highly skilled young workforce. The 13th country with the largest international reserves; with a growing fiscal capacity and the lowest unemployment rate in the last ten years (3.4 % of the economic active population in 2017). On trade, Mexico is the 13th largest exporter in the world, (with 23% relative to GDP of medium tech and high tech manufacturing exports); and one of the most attractive destinations for foreign direct investment; just last year Mexico received around 29.6 billion dollars in FDI (from 2012 to 2017 Mexico has received more than 170 billion dollars in FDI). The twelve main products exported by Mexico to the world are light motor vehicles, auto parts & accessories, transportation vehicles, computers and computers parts, telephone and telephone parts, petroleum oils and bituminous minerals, tv sets, electricity conductive materials, medical and veterinary equipment, seats, tractors and gold.

Tourism Opportunities

Mexico has something to offer to every visitor; from cultural and natural assets, such as beaches, jungles, lakes, waterfalls, rivers, mountains, deserts, and impressive gastronomy, beautiful and historical monuments, museums, colonial buildings; but mostly a unique, rich, friendly and hospitable culture. It has a good services and a strong hospitality infrastructure (more than 750 thousand hotel rooms), airports (actually, a new airport in Mexico City is under construction to handle a capacity of 120 million passengers (when fully operational) with an investment of 13 billion dollars), ports and highways connecting every corner of our country. During the past years the private and public sectors have combined, coordinated and joined efforts to work on different tasks from hosting world events, festivals, international congresses and expos, to sports and include more SMEs qualified to generate better services and jobs, as well as the development of products such as medical, cultural and business tourism. In 2017, Mexico reached record highs with more than 39 million visitors from around the world, being one of the most visited countries (6th most visited nation according to the United Nations Tourism Organization). The tourism industry in Mexico is a significant contributor of income to our economy; just last year in 2017, Mexico received more than 21 billion dollars from international tourists.

My Efforts towards Cordial Relations

On trade and business, together with our commercial and investment promotion office of ProMexico in Dubai, we have been working on the attraction of foreign direct investment into our country through visiting specific companies, sovereign funds and participating in seminars, expos and congresses all over the United Arab Emirates, with the support of governmental institutions such as the Ministry of Economy, Dubai FDI and of course the Chambers of Commerce and Industry among other relevant actors. Likewise, we have achieved the execution of important agreements between both nations to protect and promote investments such as the APRI (Agreement for the Protection and Promotion of Reciprocal Investments, which just entered into force this year) and the Agreement to avoid Double Taxation. The promotion of reciprocal business missions and opportunities on a daily basis is our goal; likewise, it has been an important challenge since there is a lack of knowledge and awareness of the potential opportunities for the private sector on both sides of the equation. The United Arab Emirates is a new market for Mexico, our commercial office just opened less than three years ago; however, there have been significant advances in the participation in trade exhibitions such as Gulfood, Yummex, Arabian Travel Market, or ADIPEC which have brought important delegations from Mexico achieving satisfactory results in this regard. Likewise, Mexico has received trade missions from the UAE on a yearly basis since then, being single companies or delegations as the one headed by the Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates back in November 2016. On the connectivity, we have been working with the local airlines such as Emirates in achieving soon passengers’ flights to Mexico; today we only have cargo flights from Emirates, since we believe connectivity is a key to facilitate approaching and linking businesspersons and companies of both nations easily. Each day, more and more companies and individuals are becoming aware of the business opportunities that each nation offers to each other and that there is a lot of room to grow, but it is a process and takes time; that is the reason that in each official visit or each event that we, as representative of Mexico, have tried to include the business and economic topics on top of the agenda.

Rich Ancient Heritage

Bulgaria is known for its organized prehistoric cultures that began developing on the current Bulgarian lands as early as the Neolithic period. However, human activity in the lands of modern Bulgaria can be traced back to even Paleolithic period. Its ancient history has seen various famous clans and tribes: Thracians, Greeks, Persians, Celts, Romans, Goths, Alans and Huns. With beautiful topographical features such as the Danubian Plain, the Balkan Mountains, the Thracian Plain, the Rhodope Mountains, the highest point of the Balkan peninsula, Musala, and relaxing Black Sea resorts attract many visitors. Its geographical beauty is further accentuated by the Srebarna Nature Reserve – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By His Excellency Dr. Bogdan Kolarov, Consul General of Bulgaria to the UAE

I am extremely happy to be able to give you and your readers an idea about Bulgaria – one of the oldest European States with over 13-centuryold history and traditions. And not the least, a great tourism & investment destination, and a gateway to Europe. Together with the excellent climate, natural scenery, food and hospitality, Bulgaria can offer stable political environment & low country risk, macroeconomic & financial stability, highly skilled multilingual work force, Europe’s lowest operational costs, free movement of capital, no restrictions on after-tax repatriation of profits and Government financial support for priority investment projects. The Government has a number of steps to encourage investment. Bulgaria has one of the EU’s most favourable taxes, including 10% corporate income tax rate (0% in high-unemployment areas); 10% flat tax rate on personal income; and 2-year VAT exemption for imports of equipment for some projects. To mention a couple more – Government assistance through providing information and faster administrative servicing; preferential treatment; financial support for vocational training of employees for the needs of the investment project, and in some cases reimbursement of labor costs paid by the employer and, as mentioned previously, priority investment projects benefit from the special incentive package provided by the Government. Bulgaria’s strategic geographic location serves as a bridge between the EU and the rapidly growing markets of Russia, Turkey, the Middle East and CIS countries, placing the country in the centre of transit between these regions. Furthermore, five panEuropean corridors pass through our territory. The agenda of the Government includes emphasis on the modernization of infrastructure in the coming years, placing the country in a pole position for attracting new investors interested in expanding their businesses in these geographies. The focus areas for us are the food and agriculture, IT & outsourcing, energy & telecom, electronics, healthcare & medical tourism, BPO, transport & logistics, and chemical & related industries.

Amity with the UAE

Effectiveness, transparency and benefits for our partners in business, culture and political cooperation. These are the three main principles my team follows in our work. Our main priority is to create the necessary conditions for steady bilateral growth in economic exchange and investments, tourism and cultural exchange, while upgrading on the bilateral political achievements and cooperation that will bring added value and a better quality of life for both Bulgaria and the UAE. Due to our efforts in the last 2 years, we now observe a rapid increase in the levels of bilateral trade, as well as in the representation of Bulgarian companies willing to enter the regional market through establishing regional offices in Dubai. A number of Emirati companies are setting up businesses in Bulgaria. Last year, Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, the UAE Minister of Economy highlighted the opening of a new chapter in economic relations between the two countries by leading the first official business and Government delegation to Sofia, comprising more than 40 representatives of the biggest UAE companies. The parallel Business Forum improved the bilateral interest for increasing the business ties between our countries. On the political vector, 2017 is also a breaking year as both the UAE and Bulgaria are setting up embassies in Sofia and Abu Dhabi by the end of the year. Work is in progress, and highlevel visits will follow. This move sends a strong political message and should help encourage further economic and trade relations by providing institutional support. I am also very satisfied that during my stay here I was able not only to open fully the doors of Bulgaria to the Emirati business, but also to share our unique Bulgarian culture and art with the people of this country through many cultural events organized by the Consulate.

Strengthening Ties with India

Indo-Bulgarian ties have traditionally been close and friendly. We do have a steady interest in further development and expansion of this cooperation built upon partnership. We can provide a solid base for Indian investors to enter the European market. Priority is given to strengthening the trade and economic ties, attracting Indian investment and stimulating the tourist flow from India. Aside from the general trend, I can focus on the significant number of Indian students in our medical universities, the Indian IT companies operating from Bulgaria and the Indian investments in the pharmaceuticals sector to Bulgaria.

Steadily Making a Statement

Over 8.2 million of foreign tourists visited Bulgaria in 2016. Our commitment is to furthering these results and making this a sustainable trend. By the end of this year, Bulgaria expects a 10% growth to these numbers. The image of Bulgaria is as a preferred year-round destination, offering a high-quality tourist product and attracting a greater number of tourists. At the same time, around 4 million Bulgarians travelled abroad last year. With a population estimating about 7.5 million, these are huge numbers. The direct contribution of tourism to GDP in 2016 was 3.4%. Our forecast is that these numbers would rise by 4.6% in 2017. This primarily reflects the economic activity generated by industries such as hotels, travel agents, airlines and others, while by 2027 we expect this direct contribution to grow by 4.9% per annum to 4.8% of GDP. I think these figures speak for themselves

Q. Sir, we at AsiaOne, really appreciate the various socially beneficial endeavors undertaken by your organization, ‘The Gautam Gambhir Foundation’ under your exemplary leadership. Please throw light on all the initiatives which your organization has undertaken especially during a pandemic, especially the recent ones.

A. See, first I want to start off with from where we started this foundation, the base of this foundation was to serve the martyrs family – children, because as you all know, I’ve always wanted to be in the army. So we started this foundation supporting 16 families of the Sukma victims, and then later on then, now we sponsor 100 children of all the paramilitary forces. So whether it is BSF, CRPF, CISF, all the paramilitary forces.

And at the same time, the second initiative which we took was to sponsor the 10 girls of the sex workers. And that is something which is very, very close to my heart, because the most important thing when you sponsor the education of a sex worker, the girl from the sex workers family is that you can’t disclose the identity. Me, myself doesn’t know the girl to be honest, I don’t even know the identity or anything. So that is something which is very, very satisfying.

And then the third thing which we did was started this community kitchen, which serves 1100 people every day at Rupee One. And the quality of food which we give is probably anyone can eat, I can eat, you can eat all of us can eat. And I go there randomly just to check the quality of food because exactly one that food should be served with respect. And that is the reason why we’ve kept one rupee. So that one, once someone enters that kitchen, or that canteen, he should feel proud of himself. Because self respect is probably the most important thing. Yes, you want to give free food you want to give free water, free electricity, but you got to give it with self respect as well. So that is the reason why we had kept one rupee for community kitchen. And at the same time during the pandemic, the foundation actually, what gave 50,000 odd kits, ration kits. So we had distributed five lakh kgs of ration, especially to people who were in desperate need of it. And then we had supplied PPP kits, we had supplied mask, sanitizers, all those things. That all happened through the foundation. So I think the base of the foundation is to Martyrs family, that we can support try to support as many children’s as we can, started with 16. Now, we have around 100-150 children, which we support from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. There are children from different places, and we look after their not only their studies until the time they want to study they can get into that education. Plus they can choose the school as well. It is not that 90% of these children’s are studying in convent schools or public school, or some of them are even studying in boarding schools. At the same time, we sponsor they’re stationary, we sponsor their uniform at the same time, we counsel their mother as well, because counseling the mother becomes equally important. So this is where this foundation started. And we are all very proud it is not, again, my individual effort, it is the team effort, which has actually taken this foundation to where it is now. But the most content thing is that when we started these two community kitchens, so that when we see nearly people come out there and eat quality food, and with respect that is something which is very, very satisfying.

Q. Sir, you are a social icon, a youth icon, in fact, the national icon. The youth of the nation, look forward to you for inspiration! As a youth icon, and a young leader dedicated to nation building, what’s your message to the youth of the nation?

A. See, my message has always been very clear. I think when people talk about good people should get into politics, I absolutely believe in it. They should get into politics. Till the time good people will not get into politics, I think this country will not change. When you get into the politics with only one mindset and intent is to give it back not taking anything from the people and that is something which is very important and get that contentment and satisfaction when you try and serve people because you can have loads and loads of money, but this effort or this belief of giving it back to your own people. This is what actual nationalism is all about when people talk about what is nationalism, nationalism is everywhere. Nationalism is serving someone food, nationalism is probably when you come, when you’re coming back from the airport at two o’clock in the morning or two o’clock at night, following the traffic rules, stopping on red light even when you know that there is actually no one looking at you. Not throwing litter on the road, respecting women, which is very important. Yes, we can make use of the CCTV cameras – all these technologies are very important. But behavioral change is far more important, I believe. We must respect women, whether it is at home. So all of us, we have to go to start respecting our mothers, grandmothers, wives, and children. So that is how behavourial change will happen. And that is when the crime against women will start going down.

So my message to all the young people is that I think nationalism is everywhere. Just follow it and be proud to be called as Indians because this country is giving you the biggest thing that’s your identity, that’s your name. And no one else can give you that you go to anywhere in the world, you’re not known by your name, you know, but by the name of your country. And you feel proud when you call yourself as Indians. Every minute of my life, I feel proud to be called as an Indian. And I’m very, I’m very, very proud!

Q. AsiaOne Magazine has also forayed into the digital media from print during the pandemic, taking a cue from PM Modi ji’s call of ‘turning adversity into opportunity.’ So what’s your message for this Greatest Brands and Leaders Series by AsiaOne magazine in which we aim to bring to fore those leaders who have not only made an impact on the economies of India and Asia but also on their societies as well.

A. First, I want to congratulate AsiaOne for this new venture at the same time, I feel that it’s a great initiative when you try and bring leaders try and interview them try and get them into the main front, when they deliver for the people of this country, when they do something really impactful. So I really want to congratulate and I hope AsiaOne grows even stronger in future. And it’s just the start hopefully, there’s a lot of success in coming years. Thank you so much!

Q. Hon’ble minister sir, you are a minister to whom the youth of India looks up to. You are really popular on the social media where you consistently inspire and motivate the nation to adopt a healthier lifestyle. You are also working on some great initiatives under the Modi government to promote sports and youth empowerment. Please throw some light on your ministry’s strategy to contribute towards Fit India Movement.

A. Our objective is very clear; we have to engage the youth of India. We always say that youth are our assets but until or unless we engage them gainfully and utilise the energy of the youth, we won’t be able to reap the benefit, the… huge huge population, which we have in India into nation-building. So, we are looking forward to create an atmosphere where the youth will play a very critical role in nation-building. We have launched some important programmes like Khelo India, Fit India Movement, this will create an enormous situation in our country where the youth will drive all the important programmes of the government. And Fit India Movement is something, which I take very close to my heart. Honorable Prime Minister Modi ji had launched Fit India Movement and I am driving it. When I drive it, I enjoy it also because youth are becoming very conscious of their health, fitness. So, I think now majority of the youth are turning into fitness as a part of their daily regime. At the same time, Khelo India is the programme to create sports as a way of life, to make sports as a culture and which is very important and in the days to come – our aim to transform India into a global sporting powerhouse will be met with the sporting culture which we have able to create so far.

Q. What is your vision for Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi ji’s call for Vocal for Local and Aatmnirbhar Bharat? Under your able leadership, how the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports would be contributing to it?

A. See ‘Vocal for Local’ is basically to create confidence amongst ourselves. If we identify our own talent, our own potential, then only we will be able to strengthen ourselves. If we don’t identify or we don’t realise our potential, how do we drive ourselves? So, for example, we have indigenous games, we have to identify those indigenous games. I am trying to bring up the local Indian talents, coaches. Of course, right now we are dependent on the foreign coaches for the high-performance directors and for some of the coachings and subsequently, my aim is to have more or less, you know, Indian coaches in our system of training the educating the young athletes. So, these are some of the steps from my ministry where we will be contributing to the Aatmnirbhar Bharat, which Prime Minister had launched; means we have to be self-reliant, we have to depend on our own indigenous local talent. So, whether it is a product, commodities, or human resources, we have to ensure that we identify local talent, local products and on top of that, my ministry has 75 lakhs, youth volunteers, under the Department of Youth Affairs. So, I am utilising these 75 lakhs, youth volunteers, to drive the Aatmnirbhar Bharat launch by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. And our youth are going to the extreme level to all the nook and corner of the country, to galvanize the youth of the nation to reach out to every part of the country, to ensure that we all must become self-reliant and that is the theme of Aatmnirbhar Bharat.

Q. Sir, we, at AsiaOne, really admire you as a leader who leads by example. As I stated earlier, you are one big motivational force for the youth of India and we really appreciate your efforts towards motivating each and every citizen of the nation to adopt any physical activity of their choice and you have been so active at the social media platforms. You yourself post your physical activity videos and you have, Sir, off late, emerged as a really popular youth icon. What’s your message to the budding young entrepreneurs, aspiring sportspersons, and all others who look up to you for inspiration?

A. See, as a public person, we have to be an example to the younger generation. As a minister, as an elected person, we are something, so we have to show everything with our own right approach. So, I am trying to lead a very normal life and show it to the younger generation. For example, my daily routine life – despite my busy schedule, very-very intensive touring programmes and all, I try to show that no matter how busy, how occupied you may be but you can do certain things to make your life better, your life more disciplined and focused. So, there is a regime which you follow every day. So, I try to tell the youth that adopt, don’t forget to maintain your fitness level. So, that is all about, you know, making your health better, your thinking process positive, so that you can become a useful citizen for your country. A youth cannot be a burden to the nation. A youth has to be strength of the nation. So, there are certain things which I have done, for example, reaching out to the youth, interaction with the athletes, all the sportsperson, all the stakeholders. I make myself available to those who want to interact with a minister. So, I cannot be inaccessible to the people. So, I try to show that I lead a very simple, very-very easy life. So that, you know, people will learn something basic from a minister. And at the same time, I would like to tell the youth of country that problems are there, issues are there, challenges are a part of life, but that should not discourage in any manner in your progression in life or in fulfilling your dreams. All the problems and all obstacles are, if tackled in a positive manner, then you will overcome everything. That is how I have come from a very small remote village in Arunachal Pradesh and be in the parliament, I am able to convey my feelings in a bigger platform and at the same time I try to ensure that I remain relevant all the time, to new challenges in the life challenges before the nation. So, these are certain things. My message to the youth is that only think positive. Don’t bring negative thoughts in your life. Because there are positives, both and there are negatives. But if you think only positive then you will do positive things but if you start giving importance to all the negative things then you might end up doing all negative stuff. So, be positive and lead a successful life. When we talk about making India a great, prospering nation, it will only be possible if youth of India think positive and do positive.

Q. What do you feel about this new series by AsiaOne Magazine titled ‘Greatest Brands and Leaders,’ considering the fact that AsiaOne has been consistently promoting Asian brands and leaders throughout the world and our aim is to counter the perception that western brands are superior as compared to their Asian counterparts. And what’s your message for AsiaOne Magazine and Mr. Rajat Shukal?

A. First of all, I would like to compliment Rajat Shukal for coming out with this AsiaOne Magazine which is itself telling AsiaOne. We have to build the brands of our own, the Asian brand, the Indian brand and need to say that 21st century is going to be Asian century. So, the magazine is starting on a very very positive note and I think with this positive mindset and approach the magazine, your all the efforts, will bring a tremendous change in the way we look at things and to influence the youth. So, my best wishes to the entire team!