Travelling

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Delhi, 18^th September 2014

One may wonder whether the world is still safe to travel…As I am arriving in Delhi to deliver my talk at Light + Design tomorrow the world seems a more and more an insecure place. The Middle East with Gaza and the IS troubles in Iraq; the Ebola outbreak in Africa, the tragic events in Ukraine inclusive the shooting of MH17. The Pope at one point suggested that all these hot spots of violence are tantamount to World War 3…where has the world come to? Why does everyone seem unhappy? Even Scotland now wants to separate itself from the UK with the referendum taking place today…where does it stop? Is every one so egocentric, so power hungry, so intolerant? The world is a place to share and to live together, but governments therefore in the first place have a duty to create liveable spaces and a urban environment that promotes harmony and togetherness.

I am traveling the world in my line of duty, visiting clients that develop new projects assumingly to create something good, sustainable and useful (but not forgetting profitability) or holding talks (as I am doing tomorrow) sharing my knowledge and expertise to help improve the world (of lighting). Unfortunately the world is driven by greed and power and even the event I am attending is set up in the first place with commercial benefit in mind. But that is todays capitalist’s economy…

These are kind of sobering thoughts but some you can’t escape thinking about. That said I do look forward to tomorrow’s proceedings, meeting new people, sharing experiences with a positive eye to the future. India is a great country, I like coming here. It has huge potential, specifically because of the great divide between rich and poor. There is a big challenge for us to bringing our expertise to this country and help build a sustainable and liveable infra-structure and environment. I always find my trips to India very gratifying…looking forward…

Light Watch 5-157: Delhi impressions…India Gate, Red Fort, Street life, the Slums, the Temples…