This week, The Essential Edge is looking at Burgundy. Given that the Lake Geneva Region is culturally and historically part of Burgundy, we will be running several pieces on this part of France. The first is by Janet Hill of the Offbeat column.
CLUNY, France -- I think I was one of those kids who always day-dreamed about living in a castle one day. You know the castle – each room smothered in fantastic patterns, beautiful floors and painted ceilings, and a moat to keep out the bad guys.
I still don’t live in a castle, but did find one in Burgundy that fits the bill.
Chateau Cormatin was built on the foundations of a 13th century fortress, but its history doesn’t really get interesting until the late 16th century, when the owner discovered – during the Wars of Religion – that pillage was the way to riches (okay, as the descendant of Huguenots, I’m a bit prejudiced). But the story gets more interesting...
BEIJING -- “I’m here for the hip hop,” says Jamel, an African American from Washington DC. At the moment, Jamel, who describes himself as a “cultural researcher” is watching an “art battle” facing off two top Chinese graffiti artists against a French team from Bordeaux. Jamel finds the music Beijing roughly equivalent to New York or Washington. “People here are great,” he says.
The graffiti face-off ends somewhat inconclusively, but no one seems to care, it is part of a constantly changing series of attractions intended simply to provide an interesting afternoon experience. You could be in Paris, except that the buildings are newer, everything works, and most people are clearly enjoying themselves. (Note from our correspondent: The Essential Edge has the dubious honour of joining the ranks of those international media sites that cannot be accessed in China).
GENEVA -- There is rising concern that IRIN, a unique information project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), may be in for some serious financial cutbacks or even closure. Given estimated shortfalls of up to 30 million dollars, OCHA is currently evaluating IRIN to see whether the project should be nixed, or at least heavily slashed. When aid agencies need to save money, information initiatives are usually the first to go. Officially, OCHA knows nothing, with one representative informally commenting that it was no more than a "storm in a teacup."
According to several inside sources, however, there is a very realistic possibility that IRIN, which has been providing informed coverage and analysis by specialist reporters of humanitarian situations in Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East for well over a decade, may have its funding curtailed. And this despite the fact that IRIN journalists are often the only ones to be reporting on a regular basis from hazardous locations such as Somalia. IRIN, which also produces news videos, documentary films and photos, some of them of exceptional quality, has proved an increasingly utilized information resource for local and international media, the humanitarian community and the public-at-large.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Armenia and Azerbaijan's dispute over Nagorno Karabakh could erupt in war at any time, warns Wayne Merry in an article published 22 May 2009 by the Open Democracy Network. This would be disastrous for both parties. To prevent war will require Washington and Moscow work together. The Essential Edge is publishing this piece as a public interest analysis of interest to the international Lake Geneva Region community, notably those, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, working to find what has happened to thousands of missing people.
Geneva -- The record rise in expenditure of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its humanitarian interventions around the world in 2008 clearly reflects the increasing vulnerability among millions of civilians affected by conflict and disaster. The impressive – if not shocking – array of facts and figures outlined in its just released 2008 Annual Report also underscores the exceptional food, medical and shelter relief provided by the Geneva-based organization for affected populations throughout such crisis zones, but also – an ICRC specialty – visiting detainees in 83 different countries.
What the report does not convey, however, is that many of these operations are little more than bandaid substitutes for political failure by the international community. The collapse of mediation efforts in Sri Lanka and Somalia, but also the mixing of agendas by the United States, Europe and other players leading to increased insecurity in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan are among the most blatant examples of such failure today.
CROZET, Pays de Gex, France - - This stylish hotel and restaurant complex with the touch of a southern African luxury game and sports lodge is a relatively new addition to the Lake Geneva Region. Situated in a 35-hectare park just outside the small French town of St Genis in the Pays de Gex at the foot of the Jura mountains, it offers a spectacular view of Geneva and the Alps, barely ten minutes drive from the airport. During the summer, the outside terrace of the Shamwari Restaurant with its comfortable Bauhaus wicker armchairs and white parasols makes an ideal waterhole for sundowners. Jivahill’s particular attraction is that it doubles as a spa country club with an elaborate wellness centre, horse riding, golf practise area, water skiing and jogging track. Rare among Swiss and French restaurants, there is also a play area for kids.
Overall, this is not a bad place for business meetings or seminars within sight of Geneva – and in a healthy, open-air environment.
GENEVA -- Switzerland’s recent joining of the Schengen Agreement (see previous Essential Edge article) alongside 24 other European countries has made travel a lot easier for many by becoming border free, but also more difficult for others, notably those from non-European countries such as South Africa, India or Afghanistan. The latter is particularly bad news for those seeking to visit Switzerland on short notice or for organizations hosting international conferences in Geneva.
While Swiss consulates abroad used to have flexibility in deciding who could enter Switzerland or not, sometimes turning around visa applications in one or two days, this is no longer possible. Switzerland now needs to consult all the other Schengen countries, and Interpol, before granting a visa. It means that applicants, regardless whether tourists, business people or government ministers, may now need to wait weeks to be issued a visa.
BESSANONE, ITALY -- Some of the videos that commanded the most attention at a recent workshop organized here by EsoDoc—an annual proving ground for European social documentaries —were produced by B’tsalem, a leading Israeli human rights organization. The footage which shows among other things Israeli soldiers handcuffing a Palestinian suspect and then shooting him in the chest with a rubber bullet from a few feet away. Another video shows a gang of masked Israeli settlers using baseball bats to beat a Palestinian farmer unconscious. A third shows a settler pointing a loaded revolver at another Palestinian farmer before shooting him at point blank range. The videos, which were collected over the last two years, are part of B’tsalem ‘s Camera Distribution Project which by now has distributed around 160 inexpensive video cameras to Palestinian families in the West Bank and Gaza.
This week, The Essential Edge is looking at Burgundy. Given that the Lake Geneva Region is culturally and historically part of Burgundy, we will be running several pieces on this part of France. The first is by Janet Hill of the Offbeat column. 
BEIJING -- “I’m here for the hip hop,” says Jamel, an African American from Washington DC. At the moment, Jamel, who describes himself as a “cultural researcher” is watching an “art battle” facing off two top Chinese graffiti artists against a French team from Bordeaux. Jamel finds the music Beijing roughly equivalent to New York or Washington. “People here are great,” he says.
The graffiti face-off ends somewhat inconclusively, but no one seems to care, it is part of a constantly changing series of attractions intended simply to provide an interesting afternoon experience. You could be in Paris, except that the buildings are newer, everything works, and most people are clearly enjoying themselves. (Note from our correspondent: The Essential Edge has the dubious honour of joining the ranks of those international media sites that cannot be accessed in China).
GENEVA -- There is rising concern that IRIN, a unique information project of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), may be in for some serious financial cutbacks or even closure. Given estimated shortfalls of up to 30 million dollars, OCHA is currently evaluating IRIN to see whether the project should be nixed, or at least heavily slashed. When aid agencies need to save money, information initiatives are usually the first to go. Officially, OCHA knows nothing, with one representative informally commenting that it was no more than a "storm in a teacup."
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Armenia and Azerbaijan's dispute over Nagorno Karabakh could erupt in war at any time, warns Wayne Merry in an article published 22 May 2009 by the 
Geneva -- The record rise in expenditure of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its humanitarian interventions around the world in 2008 clearly reflects the increasing vulnerability among millions of civilians affected by conflict and disaster. The impressive – if not shocking – array of facts and figures outlined in its just released 2008 Annual Report also underscores the exceptional food, medical and shelter relief provided by the Geneva-based organization for affected populations throughout such crisis zones, but also – an ICRC specialty – visiting detainees in 83 different countries.
What the report does not convey, however, is that many of these operations are little more than bandaid substitutes for political failure by the international community. The collapse of mediation efforts in Sri Lanka and Somalia, but also the mixing of agendas by the United States, Europe and other players leading to increased insecurity in Afghanistan and neighbouring Pakistan are among the most blatant examples of such failure today.
CROZET, Pays de Gex, France - - This stylish hotel and restaurant complex with the touch of a southern African luxury game and sports lodge is a relatively new addition to the Lake Geneva Region. Situated in a 35-hectare park just outside the small French town of St Genis in the Pays de Gex at the foot of the Jura mountains, it offers a spectacular view of Geneva and the Alps, barely ten minutes drive from the airport. During the summer, the outside terrace of the Shamwari Restaurant with its comfortable Bauhaus wicker armchairs and white parasols makes an ideal waterhole for sundowners. Jivahill’s particular attraction is that it doubles as a spa country club with an elaborate wellness centre, horse riding, golf practise area, water skiing and jogging track. Rare among Swiss and French restaurants, there is also a play area for kids.
Overall, this is not a bad place for business meetings or seminars within sight of Geneva – and in a healthy, open-air environment.
GENEVA -- Switzerland’s recent joining of the Schengen Agreement (see previous 
