Geneva -- As part of the Annual Meeting of the Africa Progress Panel (APP) held in Geneva on the 3 and 4 of February, the APP organized a debate on Africa moderated by the BBC’s Zeinab Badawi. The debate aims to draw attention to the state of Africa in 2010: the year of the World Cup on African soil, the 10 year follow-up on the Millennium Declaration, and five-year post Gleneagles G8 Summit commitments. Four African panellists address these issues in front of an informed
audience consisting of experts on African governance, economics, social
and political affairs, including distinguished African and
international figures.
Good management, a much-discussed topic at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, does not just mean being on top of things. Whether coordinating humanitarian operations in the field or running a corporate office in Geneva, London or New York, it also means letting your employees know when they have done things well. This is a highly effective way of improving performance, encouraging loyalty and stimulating morale. It also costs nothing. Yet few bosses do it. Susan Adams, a writer with Forbes' Magazine in New York and a friend of The Essential Edge, recently contributed this piece as part of Forbes' Leadership section.
Geneva -- Just a reminder to those who have forgotten that comedian Rich Hall is appearing in Geneva this Tuesday, 9 February, 2010.
A rare opportunity to see this world class stand-up performer. Frequently seen on BBC television (Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, etc), he is also a double Emmy award-winning script writer for the David Letterman show in the States. He is in town for an exclusive one man show!
Venue: Le P'tit Music 'Hohl, 54 ave Louis Casai, 1216 Cointrin, Geneva. Between the airport and Balexert. Doors open 7.30pm and show starts at 8.30pm. Reservations for dinner on Tel. 022 798 8798
Tickets: We recomend that you buy tickets in advance for this show as the venue holds 120 people and is expected to be a sell out. Go to www.starticket.ch 49 CHF (45 CHF for concessions)
Geneva -- Who makes that Swiss watch you’re wearing?Chances are high that it belongs to one
of the 19 brands owned by the Swatch Group. If so, you possess an iconic object that symbolizes Europe's ability to compete in the globalized free market. While sales from the Swiss watch industry dropped by 25%
last year, the Swatch Group recorded its third most profitable year in
history.True,sales were down 6.3% from 2008, but of
the roughly$11.4 billion
sales in Swiss Watches in 2009, more than $5 billion belonged to the Swatch Group.
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is
because we do not dare that things are difficult”
Seneca (54 BC - 39 AD)
GENEVA -- How can foundation assets be invested for greater social impact
without sacrificing financial return objectives – for example, by investing in social enterprises? And why is this relevant? In organizing
the socioeconomic activity outside the public sector two options are
generally available. At one end of the spectrum, businesses usually
incorporate as privately held, profit-maximizing entities. At the other,
organizations that have a charitable purpose incorporate as
non-profit entities. By giving up the profit motive and adopting a
social purpose, write Maximillian Martin and Arthur Wood, these non-profits are endowed with special privileges such as exemption from taxation in many jurisdictions. (See their earlier piece on The Essential Edge on market-based solutions for philanthropy)
This is the second dispatch from Haiti by Paris-based documentary film-maker and producer Tom Woods. The first appeared on The Essential Edge on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. As previously noted, Woods has produced a video on the aftermath of the earthquake which is available to public broadcasters and humanitarian organizations on a pro bono basis. For further information, please contact Woods TV , Paris.
Geneva -- Selected Upcoming Events in the Lake Geneva Region produced by The Know-It-All Passport
MUSIC FESTIVAL: FEST HIVERS
Casino de Montbenon, Lausanne (VD)
www.festhivers.ch
Friday, 5 February, 2010, from 20h30 till 03h
Saturday, 6 February 2010, from 20h till 04h
NOTE: Park at Montbenon and pay a special fee of Fr. 5.- for the entire evening (you will need to pay at the Shell station shop before 22h). See website for details.
CONCERT FOR HAITI
Chapelle de lʼOratoire
7, rue Tabazan
1204 Genève
Sunday, 7 February, at 18h
Free of charge but donations will be taken for ONG MEDAIR and given in full to help those that suffered from the earthquake in Haiti. Light refreshments will be served after the concert. (See Essential EdgeLetter from Haiti by Tom Woods )
Lisa Cirieco-Ohlman
is author of the Know-it-all Passport, a printed and online guide for English-speakers in the Geneva, Vaud, and neighboring France areas.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti -- Several days after the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Tom Woods, a Paris-based American film-maker, who has produced documentaries on places such as Afghanistan, Somalia and Haiti itself, decided to do his part for the victims. Rather that just become another CNN-style media voyeur, Woods, an Emmy-award winning producer, opted to pay his way and to make available whatever he shot on a pro bono basis to any public broadcaster or humanitarian organization. The Essential Edge provided Woods, a long-time collaborator with its editors, with accreditation in support of this initiative. Here is the first of three dispatches by Woods, who has only recently returned to Europe. The Essential Edge will be linking to his films, while further dispatches will be published over the next few days. For those organizations wishing to use his footage, please contact Woods TV in Paris.
Geneva -- As part of the Annual Meeting of the Africa Progress Panel (APP) held in Geneva on the 3 and 4 of February, the APP organized a debate on Africa moderated by the BBC’s Zeinab Badawi. The debate aims to draw attention to the state of Africa in 2010: the year of the World Cup on African soil, the 10 year follow-up on the Millennium Declaration, and five-year post Gleneagles G8 Summit commitments. Four African panellists address these issues in front of an informed
audience consisting of experts on African governance, economics, social
and political affairs, including distinguished African and
international figures.
Good management, a much-discussed topic at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, does not just mean being on top of things. Whether coordinating humanitarian operations in the field or running a corporate office in Geneva, London or New York, it also means letting your employees know when they have done things well. This is a highly effective way of improving performance, encouraging loyalty and stimulating morale. It also costs nothing. Yet few bosses do it. Susan Adams, a writer with 
Geneva -- Just a reminder to those who have forgotten that comedian Rich Hall is appearing in Geneva this Tuesday, 9 February, 2010.
A rare opportunity to see this world class stand-up performer. Frequently seen on BBC television (Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, etc), he is also a double Emmy award-winning script writer for the David Letterman show in the States. He is in town for an exclusive one man show!
“It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is
because we do not dare that things are difficult”
Seneca (54 BC - 39 AD)
This is the second dispatch from Haiti by Paris-based documentary film-maker and producer Tom Woods. The first appeared on The Essential Edge on Tuesday, February 2, 2010. As previously noted, Woods has produced a video on the aftermath of the earthquake which is available to public broadcasters and humanitarian organizations on a pro bono basis. For further information, please contact 
Port-au-Prince, Haiti -- Several days after the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, Tom Woods, a Paris-based American film-maker, who has produced documentaries on places such as Afghanistan, Somalia and Haiti itself, decided to do his part for the victims. Rather that just become another CNN-style media voyeur, Woods, an Emmy-award winning producer, opted to pay his way and to make available whatever he shot on a pro bono basis to any public broadcaster or humanitarian organization. The Essential Edge provided Woods, a long-time collaborator with its editors, with accreditation in support of this initiative. Here is the first of three dispatches by Woods, who has only recently returned to Europe. The Essential Edge will be linking to his films, while further dispatches will be published over the next few days. For those organizations wishing to use his footage, please contact 
