Wednesday, October 30, 2013

India is the sixth biggest long-haul tourism source market for South Africa- Interviews with Ms Hanneli Slabber I thediplomaticsociety





Wednesday, 30 October 2013 18:24
India is the sixth biggest long-haul tourism source market for South Africa

 
Ms Hanneli Slabber
Interview with Ms Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager, South African Tourism in India. 
South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination. South Africa has varied activities on offer for tourists from South Asia. South Africa has enjoyed double digit growth from the Indian market for the last five years with the numbers increasing substantially each year. India is the sixth biggest long-haul tourism source market for South Africa. South Africa also has a diverse culture which interests South African travellers to explore the culture of other countries.
This month the Global Editor for Foreign Exchange Diplomatic Society (FETDS), Srimal Fernando was pleased to interview Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager for South African Tourism in India . In this exclusive Interview the Country Manager for South African Tourism in India talks on perspective on the strategy of the South African tourism development in India, current connectivity between India and South Africa, opportunities for growth, challenges and about the initiatives South African Tourism  will be undertaking to engage with the Indian travel trade.
Srimal Fernando ( SF) : You have now been with South African Tourism for a long time. How long have you been working in India as the Country Manager of South African tourism? Can you tell us about your work experience before you arrived in India?
Hanneli Slabber, Country Manager, South African Tourism (CM) : My role as Country Manager for South African Tourism in India started in March 2011. At the helm of affairs, my core responsibility is to effectively market the destination to Indian audiences and help further increase Indian arrivals to the country. Prior to this role, I was the Global Product Head for the board and was based in South Africa. After completing my Honour’s Degree in Applied Anthropology (With Honours) from the University of Pretoria, I went on to begin my career in the hotel industry before moving to sales and marketing. With experiences in both inbound and outbound companies, I was heading Contiki Holidays before moving to South African Tourism.   
SF :  Can you give us a brief overview on South African Tourism in India? What is your marketing strategy in India? What are your predictions for season 2013/14?
CM :  South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination. It is headed up by Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Thulani Nzima. In India, we have an office in Mumbai with a focused team spearheading our successful communication, marketing and trade initiatives across the country. Over the years, we have been continuously enhancing our efforts in popularizing the destination and further developing our relationships and engagements with our key stakeholders in the country.
South Africa has enjoyed double digit growth from the Indian market for the last five years with the numbers increasing substantially each year. As per the latest arrival figures for June 2013, 59,161 Indian tourists have visited South Africa between Jan 2013 to June 2013 which is an increase of 11per cent vis-à-vis the same period last year. We had set a target to achieve 100000 tourist arrivals from India by 2014 but we managed to achieve that as of December 2012 itself.  We are expecting at least 15 per cent more Indian tourist footfall into the country in 2013.  
Talking about our marketing initiatives in India, we started our year with a new outdoor and cinema campaign. ‘The more you do, the closer you get’ outdoor advertising campaign was undertaken across 21 cities in India. 462 media units highlighted the diversity of experiences offered on a fun-filled holiday with activities and opportunities to grow closer to your fellow travellers. The campaign stimulated the curiosity and interest levels of Indian travelers by showcasing the overwhelming experiences and infinite opportunities that the Rainbow Nation has to offer.   
The month of March continued to bustle with action and excitement as SA Tourism launched the annual cinema ad campaign across 7 key cities in India. Through this campaign South African Tourism targeted 96 screens across movies like Himmatwala, Oblivion and Iron Man-3 through 45-sec ads that highlighted South Africa as a fun and activity-filled travel destination. 
This activity was followed by the second edition of popular travel show “Life Mein Ek Baar" (Once in a lifetime) on Fox Traveller which was shot in South Africa. We were extremely delighted to showcase the best and varied experiences offered by our country to the Indian audiences through this popular show.


One of the key highlights this year was getting popular South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes on board as our brand ambassador for the Indian market. Jonty has a huge fan-following in India and his love for travel and South Africa makes him the perfect ambassador of choice to promote South Africa’s varied and exciting tourism experiences in India. South African Tourism launched a contest titled ‘Take me to South Africa’ with Jonty Rhodes which provided an opportunity to four lucky winners to explore South Africa with Jonty as their special guide and host for two weeks. Post this trip, Jonty launched a travel guide on South Africa in association with Lonely Planet. The travel guide titled, ‘My Travel Escapades in South Africa’ captured the exciting journey of Jonty with the contest winners through cities of Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and the picturesque Garden Route, covering various game reserves and scenic winelands. To further promote the guide, South African Tourism partnered with NDTV Good Times as the channel partner for this initiative. They have captured the exciting South African journey of the four lucky winners with Jonty Rhodes in a three episode series titled “South Africa with Jonty Rhodes”. Moving forward, South African Tourism will continue to work closely with Jonty and come up with some exciting platforms and initiatives to engage with the Indian travellers and promote South Africa as a preferred holiday destination in India.  
South African Tourism also believes in providing firsthand experience to media and trade partners. We regularly host media to South Africa and make them experience the beauty, culture, activities, luxury, nightlife, food and lifestyle of the country. We also do similar hosting for our trade partners where the focus is more on itinerary planning. This is done in conjunction with South African products and suppliers. As a tourism board, we will continue to invest in such FAMs so that we help the media and trade to get closer to the destination. 
Every year, we announce JMAs with leading travel companies in India. This year, we have signed JMAs with Kulin Kumar Holidays, Club 7 Holidays, Kuoni India and Thomas Cook. In line with the growing popularity of South Africa as a tourist destination in India, we will continue to market our destination offerings to varied traveler segments by engaging with different trade partners across the country. Recently, we completed our Learn South Africa training workshop across 15 cities in India where we trained over 1500 travel trade partners through 27 sessions. We are also coming up with a new online training programme called SA Specialist India; a free online independent study programme will give participants the flexibility to enhance their knowledge about South Africa as a travel destination at their own leisure time. Travel agents influence tourism planning decisions and outcomes by being trusted advisors and guides for travelers who want to explore the world. This is why continuing destination education and training for travel agents is extremely critical.  
It feels good to see that our initiatives are being appreciated and rewarded. South Africa was awarded the Best International Wildlife destination by Lonely Planet in 2012 and 2013 and Today’s Traveller Best Publicity and Promotions Award last year. South Africa was also awarded the Best International Lifestyle Destination of the Year at NDTV Good Times Lifestyle Awards 2013.
 SF :  South Africa made great improvements in the number of visitor's arrivals. How do you explain that?
CM:   We have seen a tremendous growth in tourist arrivals to South Africa year-on-year. If we look at our global figures, total visitor arrivals in 2012 was 9 188 368 which is an increase of 10.2 percent from the previous year. The Indian market is also on a growth trajectory with our arrival figures for Jan 2013 to June 2013, witnessing an increase of 11 percent. As a tourism board, it is completely overwhelming for us to see this growth from the Indian and International markets. We have invested substantially in our innovative communication, marketing and trade campaigns to maximize the opportunities available in the growing travel outbound market across countries. Minister of Tourism for South Africa, Marthinus Van Schalkwyk announced earlier this year that South Africa aims to become one of the world’s top 20 tourism destinations by 2020 and the tourism board is determined to increase the number of global foreign tourist arrivals to 15 million by 2020. Furthermore, in the coming year, South African Tourism (SAT) will roll out a global hub strategy created to effectively deliver the destination marketing message, with a wider reach than ever before. To further bolster growth, we have identified core markets, investment markets and tactical markets across the world.
SF :  When tourists from the Indian Subcontinent Countries think of South Africa the first thing that comes to mind is nature and wildlife Safaris. What else can one experience in South Africa?
CM  : South Africa offers innumerable activities for Indian tourists to indulge in. Apart from wildlife some of the must do experiences that Indian tourists are fond of include the following: 
Scenic Splendour and Serenity - South Africa is blessed with spectacular scenery and natural landscapes - soaring mountain peaks and passes, dense and ancient forests, miles of unspoiled coastline, rivers to sooth or thrill you, and rolling flower fields and grasslands of every hue. South Africa has places to be still, places to inspire you, places to explore or to simply revel in the joyous gift of nature.
Wine Tasting - With wine regions stretching from the western to the far northern Cape and the edge of the Karoo you can almost taste your way around South Africa. Sample at well-known estates or seek out little-known gems – our Port and Brandy routes are renowned too. Where there’s fabulous wine, great food is never far behind. Oenophiles, gastronomes and sybarites – don’t miss our winelands.


Magnificent Marine - Where else can you sail beside a whale, go eye-to-eye with wild Tiger sharks, cage-dive with Great Whites, be charmed by urban penguins, snorkel beside whale sharks and be entranced on a moonlit beach as new-born turtle hatchlings make their bid for life in the ocean?
Outdoor Rush- Beautiful weather, spectacular locations, awesome scenery, and record-breaking, mega-thrill adventure mixed in – that’s how we’ve earned the title the Adventure Capital of the World
Urban Rhythm - Feel the energy of our cities, catch the beat of Afro-pop, hip-hop or jazz at a shebeen or all-night club, play in our casino’s, visit our museums, be entertained in our theatres. Shop, dine and follow the pulse of our rhythm to your next urban African adventure
South African Feast - From traditional comfort food to Michelin-star dining; a hearty shebeen buffet or a gourmet banquet beneath a star-strewn African sky, let your taste buds take you on a journey of discovery with mouth-watering South African soul food
Indulge your senses - Relax and rejuvenate the South African way. Cocoon yourself in calming treatments and soothing therapies. Scented traditional balms made with indigenous oils and ingredients will have you stress-free and feeling like African royalty in no time.


SF: What is the current connectivity between India and South Africa? How important is South African Air (SAA) to the marketing campaigns of South African Tourism?  
CM : A greater number of airlines offer daily flights to South Africa, thus increasing the connectivity and offering more options, flexibility and convenience to the Indian travelers. South African Airways fly daily to Johannesburg while Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways connect key Indian cities to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. 
South African Airways is one of our key valued partner in increasing tourist arrivals to South Africa. Daily direct flights from Mumbai have made it feasible for Indian travellers to visit the Rainbow Nation. SAA holds a key role in key initiatives through the year. They are a part of our annual roadshow every year and also the Learn SA training module this year thereby providing them with a platform to interact with the Indian travel partners to explore mutually beneficial areas of cooperation.
SF :  What is India's market share in your overall tourism arrivals?
CM :  According to our arrivals statistics of May 2013, India is the sixth biggest long-haul tourism source market for South Africa. Over the years India has emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing outbound tourism market. Keeping this in mind we are investing heavily in this market and constantly adapting to the changing consumer interests, diversifying our products and customizing our offerings to varied consumer demands. We have a lot of expectations from the Indian market and going forward our increasing engagement with trade and consumers would help us in realizing this vision.

SF : What type of Indian traveler is South African Tourism aiming to attract?
CM :  The Indian travelers visiting South Africa are well-informed and aware about the destination. We see a good mix of luxury travelers, adventure seekers, wildlife watchers, budget travellers and also cricket fans. We are flooded with a lot of enquiries for Indian cricket team’s tour to South Africa for the tests and ODI series. People want to find out how they can they get a good value for money holiday experience during the tournament while some plan to extend their trip post the tournament and explore the country. 
Also, in India you cannot discount the influence of Hindi movies. Not to forget films such as Race, Cocktail among others and TV shows like Life Mein Ek Baar 2, South Africa with Jonty Rhodes who have captured the scenic beauty of the Rainbow Nation in their canvas. After seeing the movie Cocktail, we saw queries coming in from Indian travel enthusiasts who wanted to go to South Africa and explore the destinations highlighted in the movie. 
On the other hand, South Africa has also grown to be a popular MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Conference & Exhibition) destination. The world class facilities are encouraging many corporate houses to organize conferences in South Africa. Corporations such as Tata, Godrej, Infosys, Mahindra and Ranbaxy have already made a formidable presence in South Africa and we foresee many more Indian companies to enter SA in the coming years and will definitely see an upsurge in business travellers. Corporate rewards are no more a memento on the table; employers are rewarding their best workers with holiday packages as well. Thus South Africa is a destination for both leisure and MICE.   

SF :  How many South Africans annually   visit   countries like Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Nepal? 
CM : The South African travelers visiting the Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka during the period from 2008 to 2012 are shown below.

Country    Year     Total
Maldives    2008    66
                2009    53
                2010    88
                2011    39
                2012    41
Nepal    2008    392
            2009    355
            2010    575
            2011    491
            2012    469
Sri Lanka    2008    1,973
                 2009    2,260
                 2010    3,549
                2011    3,955
                2012    5,420
As per the latest figures  5,420  South African tourists have visited Sri Lanka  in 2012. The  number of South Africans visiting Sri Lanka has increased from 1,973 in  2008  to 3,549 in 2010. However Nepal and the Maldives witnessed a significant increase of South Africans visiting their countries during the same period.

SF :  What are the unique selling points of South Africa that can attract International tourists from South Asia?
CM :  South Africa has varied activities on offer for tourists from South Asia. It is a perfect family holiday destination as we offer activities for all age groups. The youngsters in the family can look forward to adventure sports, for the elderly couple we have wine route drives and sightseeing, honeymoon couple can look forward to a self-drive watching the sun go down from the table mountain, children can look forward to amusement parks, ladies can enjoy an amazing bush spa experience and shopping at some of the biggest malls in the Southern Hemisphere. For all the wildlife lovers, South Africa is a paradise with multiple game reserves and unique game drive experiences. If you are one of them who live for the adrenalin rush, then South Africa is your playground. Some of the world’s best climbing, surfing, bungee, diving, hiking, horseback safaris, mountain biking, river rafting, cage diving’s - and just about any other extreme activity you can name, are on offer in the country.
SF : South African Tourism has made great inroads here in India. How do you engage with the Indian travel trade industry (travel agents, tour operators, etc)? 
CM :Travel agents influence tourism planning decisions and outcomes by being trusted advisors and guides for travelers who want to explore the world. How attractive a destination appears to customers depends a lot on how the tour operators portray it to them. Therefore, continued engagement with the Indian travel trade is high on our priority. 
In Jan this year, South African Tourism organised the four-city roadshow which travelled across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and New Delhi. The roadshow gave representatives of both the countries an opportunity to come together and conduct meaningful business and explore mutually beneficial opportunities. We organize the biggest travel & tourism roadshow in India represented by the Indian trade and SA products. While the South African partners get to learn about the latest travel trends in India and traveler interests, Indian trade use this platform to learn more about the latest offerings of South Africa which can be customized as per the preferences of Indian travelers. We make sure that variety of South African products attends our roadshow every year such that the Indian trade partners get the opportunity to further expand their understanding and offerings of South Africa and create itineraries which will be preferred by Indian travellers.  
Our recently concluded module three of ‘Learn South Africa’ program with travel agents across 15 cities was another fruitful initiative that educated more than a 1500 agents on how best they could sell South Africa to their clientele. In fact this year, Learn South Africa was structured in a very unique manner in comparison to the previous modules. A selection of South African suppliers was a part of the training programme which facilitated a more collaborative and mutually beneficial learning environment. This provided an opportunity to the travel partners to interact directly with the South African suppliers and better understand the varied product offerings that South Africa presents to the Indian travellers. In the travel industry, travel agents represent a key influence in the tourism marketing. Therefore, we believe that our travel partners are the true custodians of our brand. Hence, educating agents about a destination and providing intensive training to them in extremely important. We also know that Indian travelers do way more activities per day than tourists from other countries. Hence it is essential to package the itinerary in a way that they lose minimum time in travelling and gain the maximum number of experiences to indulge in. 
We also host Indian trade on FAM trips through the year. South African Tourism hosted 68 travel agents for 7 FAMs in association with SA products and suppliers last year. We want the Indian trade to see the country first hand, experience all the activities we want to popularize and then sell it to the consumers in India. As we speak, we have a delegation of 12 trade partners exploring varied experiences in South Africa across Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban. 
We have continued our efforts in undertaking JMAs with the leading travel companies in India so that Indian tourists get some exciting packages for South Africa. Tourists eager to enjoy their Diwali and Christmas holidays in South Africa, now have the opportunity to take advantage of the special, fun-filled, activity and experience rich holiday itineraries from Club7 Holidays, Kulin Kumar Holidays, Thomas Cook India and Kuoni India for the same. These JMAs focus on varied aspects of South Africa such as cities; self-drive, scenic beauty, wildlife and adventure which help us reach out to a larger segment of audiences across the country.  

SF : Where do you see opportunities for growth? What are the challenges you foresee in the Indian market?
CM : Indian travellers are always on the lookout for great value for money holiday experience and South Africa is a perfect destination for the same. The key to success in this scenario is to deal with the changing travel patterns and consumer preferences effectively by diversifying our products, maintaining excellent service and innovating our marketing and distribution channels. The most critical element is to ensure that we deliver value for money holiday experience to Indian travelers by offering varied experiences to suit every need and desire. In the current scenario, we have seen the INR strengthening against the ZAR over the last few months, thereby resulting in a ‘bonus’ value for our travelers – their good deal just got a whole lot better! Another challenge that we face from India is direct flights to South Africa. South African Airways offers daily direct flights from Mumbai but more direct flights are needed from other key markets like Delhi. 
Cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad are mature markets for us. But we are witnessing growth in arrival figures from cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata. In the past few years, we have undertaken multiple initiatives in these mini-metros and tier II markets to popularize South Africa and we hope to see tremendous growth from these new source markets in the coming times.
SF : In terms of cultural appeal, what can India and the other Indian Subcontinent countries offer to South African visitors?
CM :Cultural tourism India is a predominant factor behind India and other subcontinent countries meteoric rise in the tourism segment in recent years, because from time immemorial, these countries have been considered the land of ancient history, heritage, and culture. Tourists from South Africa are always excited to explore newer destinations and witness the unexplored. South Africa also has a diverse culture which interests South African travellers to explore the culture of other countries. Tourism will thus play a key role in pulling tourists towards the rich culture and heritage of these countries.

Africa Edition

 Asia Edition



 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Madras Cafe Protests: Eelamism Marches On By Srimal Fernando I Published by The International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) - Singapore )

Photo: CTTA: Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis (October 2013)</p><br />
<p>The International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) is a specialist center within the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.</p><br />
<p>www.cttajournal.org</p><br />
<p>Post-Election Terrorist Violence in Pakistan and the Quest for a New National Security Policy<br /><br />
Emma Breheny</p><br />
<p>The Bhatkal Arrest: Whither Indian Mujahideen and India’s Response to Terrorism?<br /><br />
Rohit Deshpande</p><br />
<p>Violence in Zamboanga and the Impact of Neglecting the MNLF in the Peace Process<br /><br />
Brian Ang</p><br />
<p>The Madras Cafe Protests: Eelamism Marches On<br /><br />
Srimal Fernando</p><br />
<p>http://www.cttajournal.org/issues/CTTA-October13.pdf

The Madras Cafe Protests: Eelamism Marches On 

By Srimal Fernando
(The International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) is a specialist center within the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.)
www.cttajournal.org
Protests against the recently released Bollywood film Madras Cafe provide an opportunity to examine the continued support among southern Indian Tamils and members of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in the UK for a separate state in Sri Lanka’s Tamil-dominated north and east
One of Bollywood’s more controversial releases in recent times has been Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Café, which is based on Sri Lanka’s civil war. The film stirred up a range of reactions over its portrayal of events that occurred after India’s involvement in Sri Lanka from 1987 to 1990. Tamil militancy developed in Sri Lanka during the mid-1970s partly in response to post-independence state policies that favored the majority Sinhalese at the expense of the minority Tamils. During the course of the conflict, India’s role has been seen in different perspectives, even to the extent of being interventionists.
Cold War politics coupled with fears over its own restive Tamil population in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and a desire to project its influence were some of the reasons behind India’s involvement. However, India found itself dragged into a direct confrontation with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the strongest
Tamil militant group that would eventually dominate the struggle for a separate state called Tamil Eelam. After the breakdown of peace engineered by an accord signed between India and Sri Lanka in July 1987, India launched Operation Pawan under which thousands of troops were deployed to rein in the LTTE. The LTTE’s revenge for India’s military involvement was the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 by a female suicide bomber. It is this part of the conflict that Madras Cafe addresses, albeit via a selective interpretation of events.
The film follows the journey of Major Vikram Singh (played by John Abraham), an Indian army officer who is sent to Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka to take charge of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW, India’s agency for external intelligence) operations there. The plot is fictionalized, but it is not difficult to draw linkagesbetween what happens in the film and what has happened in reality. This is the basis used by Eelamists who allege that it portrays Tamils and the secessionist struggle unfavorably. In response to what they termed as a “misguided portrayal of the history of Tamil Eelam,” supporters of the Eelamist cause triggered protests in Tamil Nadu and in the UK.
Source : (The International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research (ICPVTR) is a specialist center within the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.)
www.cttajournal.org

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

City Of Hong Kong with a different Cultural Story By Srimal Fernando I Daily Mirror


 Daily Mirror  -Impulse  Page C 2

Monday 14th October 2013

City Of Hong Kong with a different Cultural Story

Daily Mirror  -Impulse  Page C 2
Monday 14th October 2013
 By Srimal Fernando

 Every city or town has a different story; the city of Hong Kong has a vastly different historic narrative than many other places in the World. Hong Kong a perfect getaway to China is a premier travel destination and a cultural melting pot in Asia. The city is a quality filled place with passion, innovation that provides an opportunity for the 7 million people with a rich social life. The booming territory was often called “Asian Tiger” after the export driven economy began to gather steam in the1960s. The splendid panoramic city is a global financial centre situated on China's south coast, on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta. It is a bustling place where ancient culture and modern urban life co-exist together. The roots of the historical events that changed Hong Kong are fresh in the memories of many Asians. 




The British occupation of Hong Kong from 1841 to 1997 saw a new era of political, cultural and religious landscape of the territory. Japanese gained control of the British crown colony from 1941 to 1945. With the victory over the Japanese by the Allied forces the territory was once again governed under British administration aftermath of the Second World War. Under the principle of “one country ,two systems” the British took a momentous step on 1st July 1997 and transferred the 150 year old sovereignty over Hong Kong from United Kingdom to Peoples Republic of China . Chris Pattern was the last governor of the British depended territory. 

The patriotic national anthem “March of the Volunteers” written by Tain Han and composed by Nie Er was adopted by Hong Kong since re-unification with mainland China. Today this modern city hopes to face the future by drawing on its past. The city has one of the finest skylines in Asia with over 1,200 high-rise skyscrapers. The International Commerce Center (ICC) with 118 floors occupied by various corporate entities at Austin Road in West Kowloon is the tallest building towering over the cities skyline. The city has many beautiful and historic sites that are well worth a visit. 

As one of the populous places the Avenue of Stars overlooking the Victoria habour is a perfect choice for a tourist to experience the iconic film stars who made Hong Kong the 'Hollywood of Asia. Life size bronze sculpture of the “Kung fu” action hero Bruce Lee is one of the most recognizable monuments in this particular avenue visitors can see. The fascinating Hong Kong Disneyland is a place filled with fun and happiness for children and parents .The other breathtaking sites visitors can see in this charming city are the Clock Tower from the colonial period , Ocean Park , the Hong Museum of Arts ,Victoria peak, Botanical gardens ,Tsim Sha Tsui the huge world bazaar in south of Kowloon Peninsula and the splendid Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC ) in Wan Chai North. Cathay Pacific the international flag carrier of Hong Kong on a par with the world's best airlines operates daily flights from the Hong Kong International Airport to a number of destinations. Many consider Hong Kong’s education to be exceptional. Its was called the “East Meets West” educational system.

Sri Lankans decisive moments in conflict and lesson for future generations By Srimal Fernando I Published By Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies (IEEE)


www.ieee.esLogotipo del Centro Superior de Estudios de la Defensa NacionalLogotipo del Estado Mayor de la Defensa


Sri Lankans decisive moments in conflict and lesson for future generations

Author: Srimal Fernando

(Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies -IEEE an agency of the Ministry of Defense of Spain ) – http://www.ieee.es 
The main purpose of this article is to provide a perceptive about the importance of security and stability of a country. The paper examines some of the different ways Sri Lankans Northern and Southern insurrections affected the country and neighbouring countries as result of cycle of violence.Sri Lankans decisive moments in conflict, reducing the risk of another conflict and how to find a more tolerant future after war is a lesson for future generations.

  Read    more  on
  http://www.ieee.es/en/contenido/noticias/2013/10/DIEEEO98-2013.html

Source Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies -IEEE

Friday, October 4, 2013

Another Stepping-Stone In Seychelles Football Development I thediplomaticsociety.asia

http://www.thediplomaticsociety.asia
Deplomatic update : Srimal Fernnado, Global Editor
Another Stepping-Stone In Seychelles Football Development

September 12, 2013 -- President James Michel received the former player for Manchester United, Mr. Dwight Yorke, who is also the ambassador for the world-renowned club. Mr Yorke is currently on a three-day visit under the Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) programme at the invitation of Airtel Seychelles, this afternoon at State House. He was accompanied by the Development Officer at Manchester United, Mr. Michael Hitham.
President Michel welcomed him to Seychelles and conveyed his appreciation and gratitude for coming here.
“I hope that your visit here in Seychelles as a role model will be an inspiration to many of our young footballers who wish to further their potential in that sport. I would like you to encourage them and explain the necessity for hard work, discipline and dedication. These are good qualities that I wish you pass on to our youth as it will be good for them to espouse that and be able to become professional athletes like you one day,” said President Michel, who is also the patron of the Seychelles Football Federation.
Several issues were discussed, amongst which was the promotion of the Airtel Rising Stars, a programme which was launched here by Airtel Telecom Services in July 2013 in partnership with Manchester United, the Seychelles Football Federation and Samsung Electronics which is the official device partner for the ARS programme. The programme in Seychelles (ARS) is aimed at offering two most talented Seychellois youths the opportunity to attend a top notch soccer clinic in the United Kingdom run by Manchester United Football Club. During the meeting, Mr. Yorke stressed that a key objective of Manchester United Club has been youth development and the programme is one of the ways to offer talented youths the opportunity and hope for success in the future.
The President hailed the initiative and underlined the importance of putting the youth at the centre of development for the future and allowing them to achieve their dreams.
In response Mr. Yorke said: “It is the discipline that I’ve developed throughout the years that have led to my success and I hope that I can pass on that message to the kids…There are so many doors and avenues that are open and with the relationship that we have built with the Airtel Rising Star, it’s a great opportunity for kids to try and fulfill their dreams.”
While in Seychelles, the Trinidad and Tobago national is expected to lead a series of soccer clinics for young Seychellois players aged 15 to 17 who are presently following the Airtel Rising Stars programme, visit the vocational training centre for the disabled at North East Point, have a series of talks with youths, meet the local media, attend the Airtel Cup final between Côte d’Or and St Michel among other programmes scheduled for him throughout his visit.
Story and Photograph Office of the President of the Republic  of Seychelles


UK welcomes Sri Lankan elections, urges investigation into intimidation I thediplomaticsociety.asia

http://www.thediplomaticsociety.asia
Update Srimal Fernnado
UK welcomes Sri Lankan elections, urges investigation into intimidation

Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt

Following Sri Lankan provincial elections, FCO Minister Alistair Burt welcomed progress but urged investigation into reports of intimidation.
Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said:
I welcome the Sri Lankan provincial elections that took place on 21 September. Polls have been described as largely peaceful by Commonwealth and domestic observer missions, with high turnout across all three provinces. This demonstrates the desire of the Sri Lankan people to engage in this democratic process which ensures all provinces now have a council for the first time since the end of the military conflict.
I call on the Sri Lankan government and parties who won provincial seats to work together to contribute meaningfully to effective and inclusive regional governance in Sri Lanka. The lasting reconciliation all Sri Lankans deserve cannot be delivered by these polls alone, but the elections remain an important step in recognising the rights and aspirations of all citizens.
I welcome the access given to international observers and the overall conduct of polling day. However, I note with concern the credible reports of the misuse of state resources for campaigning, incidents of intimidation, and violence in the run-up to elections. I call on the authorities to investigate these serious allegations and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

Photo and Story   Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt, Foreign & Commonwealth Office & the  British High Commission in Colombo.
 

Julie Bishop sworn in as Minister for Foreign Affairs I thediplomaticsociety.asia

http://www.thediplomaticsociety.asia

Julie Bishop sworn in as Minister for Foreign Affairs


18 September 2013
The Hon Julie Bishop MP was sworn in as Australia’s 38th Minister for Foreign Affairs this morning at Government House in Canberra.
Ms Bishop will assume this senior frontbench position at a critical time in international relations; when Australia is President of the United Nations Security Council, and as Australia assumes the Chair of the G20 in December. 
As Foreign Minister, Ms Bishop will lead Australian efforts to strengthen relations with our key partners and drive Australia’s contribution to global and regional forums. 
“I am honoured to have been appointed Foreign Minister as we have developed policies that I believe will advance Australia’s economic, strategic and cultural links with countries in our region. 
 “It is vital that Australia’s foreign policy is positioned to take advantage of the global shift in economic power to Asia,” Ms Bishop said.
“Enhancing Australia’s economic diplomacy is integral to enabling Australia to compete for access to emerging and developing markets, particularly in Asia. Expediting the conclusion of free trade agreements with South Korea, Japan and China is a first order priority of the Abbott Government.
 “Through the Coalition’s New Colombo Plan, I am committed to building people-to-people links across our region, by providing an opportunity for young Australians to become “Asia literate” through studying and working in the region, and bringing that expertise and experience home,” she said.
Within the Foreign Affairs portfolio, Ms Bishop will also take on the role of Minister for International Development and will oversee a refocussing of the Australian aid program to ensure a more effective and efficient delivery of development assistance.
“I am proud to be Australia’s first female Foreign Minister and I look forward to promoting and protecting the interests of Australia and Australians,” Ms Bishop said.
 Story and Photo graph  Foreign Minister's Office Australia
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