It is said that if you want to get to know a person, travel with them, live with them or go through a difficulty with them. The same might be said for countries revealing who they are and what they stand for after this year’s pandemic.
Rightly or wrongly, for better or for worse, stereotypes of countries exist already, built on centuries of history, events and publicity. In recent years, many have been working on rebranding themselves in order to attract inbound investment and tourism.
At the end of the '90s, for example, the UK repositioned itself as "Cool Britannia". In 2002, India announced itself as "Incredible India". Malaysia in 2007 became "Truly Asia". Saudi Arabia has been pegging its transformation around Vision 2030. And earlier this year the UAE announced a new brand, voted for by 10 million people.
But this year the behaviours of countries, were evident in a different light, with regard to how well or poorly they handled the Covid-19 crisis. This was not an image created by branding agencies or slick PR machinery.
The UK and Europe have engaged in pandemic-related one-upmanship in recent months. Bloomberg
Last week, the UK’s medical regulator was the first in the world to approve a vaccination against Covid-19. Like many others, I was thrilled. So were people in the UK government.
But the news elicited a rather bombastic response from the UK’s Education Secretary Gavin Williamson: “I just reckon we’ve got the very best people in this country and we’ve obviously got the best medical regulators. Much better than the French have, much better than the Belgians have, much better than the Americans have.” He added: “That doesn’t surprise me at all because we’re a much better country than every single one of them, aren’t we?”
Reactions were split. Some said Mr Williamson was rightly proud of the country and why shouldn’t he be? Others likened him to a seven year old saying ‘my daddy is better than your daddy’, suggesting it was an inflated build on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s claim of the country’s handling of the pandemic being ‘world-beating'.
Either way, it brought home yet again, the UK’s fractured nature, with people of opposing views split over a national identity that is built on past greatness.
Other countries, too, couldn't help but reveal some personality. Sometimes nationalism verging on jingoism came through. Some countries were dismissive of evident problems, putting ideology above policy and people. Leaders of some first world nations used Covid-19 as a pretext to blame other countries, not holding back the racist overtones.
Rule enforcement in countries like China contrasted sharply with the rule-breaking, non-mask-wearing protests in the US. While traditionally the US has been called the 'world's policeman', it faced rule breakers at home, even in the White House.
Some countries appeared competitive, some more collaborative, while the approaches of a few other nations did suggest a sense of pride and unity, bringing people together to get through the tough times.
The UAE, for example, highlighted its heroes. Just last week it announced a fallen frontline heroes order to be awarded to anyone who died of Covid-19 while working on the frontline.
For still some others, abiding by the rules – or flouting them – became the defining issue of the pandemic. Take Japan, for instance. It reported negative excess mortality for the first seven months of 2020. The country's finance minister put this down to "the (high) cultural level" of the Japanese people.
A volunteer undergoes a check-up before being accepted to the Covid-19 vaccine trial at Adnec. Victor Besa / The National
Vaccine volunteers at the Adnec volunteer facility. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers read information about the Covid-19 vaccine trial at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Victor Besa / The National
Vaccine volunteers wait to be screened at the Adnec facility. Victor Besa / The National
A volunteer has his heart rate checked after registering to take part in the Covid-19 clinical trial in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers wait to be screened and injected with the Covid-19 vaccine at Adnec. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers are led to a stall where they are screened and vaccinated as part of the Covid-19 vaccine trial in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers wait to be screened and injected with the Covid-19 vaccine at Adnec. Victor Besa / The National
Nurses update medical records as part of the Covid-19 vaccine trial in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
A mother-of-three, 41, has volunteered as part of the Covid-19 vaccine trial because her husband is in the aviation industry, which has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic. Victor Besa / The National
A volunteer, 26, takes part in the Covid-19 vaccine trial to give back and support the UAE. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers wait their turn to be screened and inoculated with the first of two Covid-19 vaccines. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers wait their turn to be inoculated with the first of two Covid-19 vaccines. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers register to take part in the Covid-19 vaccine trial in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Staff take a selfie in front of the monitor that displays the number of volunteers who have been vaccinated since the start if the trial. Victor Besa / The National
A monitor displays the number of volunteers who have received their first vaccine since the trial began. Victor Besa / The National
A volunteer waits her turn to get a medical check up at the Covid-19 vaccine trial facility in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers read information about the Covid-19 vaccine trial at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Victor Besa / The National
Volunteers for the Covid-19 vaccine trial wait to be screened at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Victor Besa / The National
Rule enforcement in China contrasted sharply with the rule-breaking, non-mask wearing protests in the US
As the world’s over 200 countries came under the same threat, it became clear the baseline from which each country began its fight against the virus was not the same.
New Zealand, for instance, fostered a particularly strong sense of community, taking advantage of its position as a small island nation to close its borders and promote a sense of resilience among its citizens.
Economic reality and history also played a huge role in preparedness and vigilance. Countries such as South Korea and Singapore that experienced Sars – and West African countries that had faced Ebola – responded better, having learnt from their past. Liberia, Sierra leone and Guinea too applied their learnings from Ebola. This sense of not wanting disaster repeated set them ahead of many western countries.
Countries like the UK rolled out ‘furlough’ schemes to offer financial support during lockdowns. The same was not available in countries where the government struggled to intervene in a timely and effective manner.
In India some 140 million migrant workers found themselves without jobs during lockdown, destitute and worried about starvation. After a public outcry, the government finally announced free food for them for two months.
Separately, we are about to see the second wave of this country inequality as richer nations purchase and roll out the vaccine.
Despite this retreat into our own individual nation behaviours, the vaccine, which will hopefully put an end to this year's horrific experiences, does leave us with an illuminating thought. That instead of hunkering down into our isolated bunkers, the future lies in global collaboration.
Shelina Janmohamed is an author and a culture columnist for The National
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
