I am a frequent visitor to the Gulf and have been so for almost ten years so it's been a delight, in the past few weeks, to have visited two new (for me) places which immediately made me feel at home because they take culture on the one hand and the empowerment of female leaders on the other, seriously. All of which feeds my fascination with the way nations, and cities, work at their vision and position in the world - about which I have blogged often.
Sharjah is only 20 minutes down the road from Dubai and to my shame, a place I hadn't visited until earlier this year. This is an Emirate with a passion for culture, a Ruler who actively encourages the arts, and a Ruler's wife who doesn't just carry out charitable work (after all, which Ruler's wife in the world doesn't do charitable work...) but actually gets down and dirty in doing so and speaks with knowledgeable passion about her work - whether in Jordan for the Syrian refugees or at home with children with disability. This is a quietly ambitious Emirate which builds art galleries, amphitheatres, universities and museums without much fanfare – Sharjah is this year’s Capital of Islamic Culture. Here, powerful women are taking active leadership roles across all sectors, from investment and arts to education and medicine.
Last week, at a conference in Sharjah, I got to meet Simon Anholt for the first time. I have quoted him often and love his work and analysis on Nation Brands. During the conference, Simon talked about the need for national vision and strategy. Mikhael Gorbachev talked about the need for (and lack of) global political leadership, Alastair Campbell talked about the need for (and lack of) global communications leadership and James Wolfensohn talked about the need for (and lack of) global business leadership. Yes, there was much talk about social media - or as someone quoted during dinner, anti-social media. But to bring these topics together in a quiet Emirate next door to its slightly louder neighbour was impressive.
Almost next door is Oman, a country I remembered as a gentle, warm and welcoming, with a stunning landscape of rocky hills and wadis, a proud sea-faring people with a long history. In the past few weeks I have discovered another side of this country, spending time with Omani business and government leaders on issues around education, culture, music, and engaging with senior leading women. I have also been introduced to The Muscat Royal Opera House, an exquisite building created around a grand piazza where, during performance evenings, music lovers promenade and socialise.
Closer to home, the Edinburgh International Festival programme for 2014 will be unveiled next month. It promises, again, to be a great Festival. Coinciding with the Commonwealth Games down the road in Glasgow, Edinburgh will again host the second Culture Summit during August - the first one having been held successfully to coincide with the London Olympic Games in 2012. The focus on arts and culture, has made Edinburgh (and Scotland) a prominent capital of international culture. It can now bring together performing companies, galleries and venues in an integrated and strategic manner. The positive reputational and economic impact these Festivals bring to Edinburgh over the month of August have increased every year since the EIF’s inception in 1947.
Sharjah, Muscat, Edinburgh. Three cities with different political and economic histories but with a common desire to make a real impact. Cities that are ambitious but who have avoided a mad dash towards achieving leadership positions. Three cities which have in common, a great number of women leaders who may not take up as much airtime as their male counterparts, but are moving quietly and efficiently in national leadership.
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