SEKEM‘s Journal for Economy, Culture, and Society in EgyptInsight

Nr. 99 - November 2010

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 1

Christmas seems to start 8 weeks early this year in many countries around the world. One may at least get that impression when one sees the displays in shops and the products on the shelves of supermarkets.

In the year of global economic crises shopping has for some become a „social activity“. The speedy global recovery is often credited to shopping as a socially responsible practice by reinvigor-ating the national economies. But for whatever reasons you shop, what you buy makes an even greater difference - for all of us.

With many organizations involved in development aid, for example, this christmas you can donate a dairy goat or a donkey to a family in the poorest regions of this world (for instance with UNICEF or CARE). Or instead of giving anything at all you can invest in personal micro-loans at KIVA or Betterplace.org.

SEKEM Insight has some sugges-tions for socially and environmen-tally conscious gifts too. On page 3 in this issue we point you to the most recent additions to SEKEM’s range of products. Buy purchasing any of them you promote social and environmental development in Egypt - and the well-being of your own children.

E nvironmental protection, one might say, is naturally close to

SEKEM’s heart. Eventually, most of its business activities are agricul-tural in kind. SEKEM therefore takes the protection of the environment in its agricultural practice very seriously. However, the protection of natural resources does not stop with the pro-duction sector but encompasses all of SEKEM’s social and business activi-ties. This, too, is all too obvious if you take the history of the initiative and its

motivation for a better future for all mankind into consideration.

At the end of our multi-part series on the activities of the year 2009 SEKEM Insight summarizes SEKEM’s most recent measures to protect the natural environment as a basis for both physi-cal and spiritual development.

An integral part of development

As the SEKEM “Flower of Sustainability” shows sustainable

Doing Good with Nature

Editorial

Dear Readers,

Your Team of Editors

The “Flower of Sustainability” embeds SEKEM’s business practice in ecological responsibility. SEKEM Insight shows what that means.

ProtectDoing Good with Nature

GiveSensible Gifts from SEKEM

PlayYouth Exchanges at SEKEM

Environmental protection in SEKEM is not only practiced in agriculture as on the fields of these agava plants that grow on natural compost on the farm Adleya. It is an influential part of all activities at SEKEM.

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 2

development at the initiative unfolds along three dimensions which are embedded in a comprehensive con-cept of ecology. SEKEM’s environ-mental commitment is aimed not only at reductions of the “ecological footprint” of those activities within its own area of responsibility. It also aims to improve the “soft” long term development, that is to contribute to the healthy development of the coun-try and its people. The annual report for 2009 depicts SEKEM’s activities in relation to the service functions of the natural environment SEKEM draws upon to flourish both in terms of its human and economic develop-ment. It then sets out to demonstrate the commitments made, challenges experienced, and successes achieved in the past year. Its goal is to facili-tate a better understanding of the con-sequences of individual actions, the improvement of efficiency, the use of new technologies, and the develop-ment of innovative solutions.

Sustainable Agriculture

SEKEM exclusively uses bio-dynamic farming methods and pro-duces in partnership with more than 400 bio-dynamic small-holder farms. Only a few raw materials also certified according to strict organic standards need to be imported from abroad.

The initiative intends to serve as an example of how sustainable agricul-ture can offer an answer to many cul-tural, socio-economic, and ecological problems of our time. It is committed to improving public understanding of the fundamental role of agricultural products at the basis of our nutritional security.

Soil

It is in this context that SEKEM places so much attention on the condi-tions of and care for its own soils and that of the earth. Agriculture in SEKEM is based on the concept of transform-ing the desert into fertile arable land and the preservation of healthy soils through composting and specific crop rotation schemes. In order to better

Economy

understand how agriculture can con-tribute to the protection of our natural resources the microbiology laboratory was expanded in 2009, specifically its abilities to conduct soil analyses. The examinations performed enable the improvement of the practice and evidence-based study of the positive effects of bio-dynamic agriculture. For instance, studies have shown that bio-dynamically farmed soils may retain 20-40% more water than conventional surfaces. They also store an average of 0.86 t of carbon per hectare per year.

Plant Protection

Bio-dynamic agriculture is based on healthy, productive ecosystems and strives to attain and secure a rich biodiversity - above and below the ground. The main SEKEM Farm serves as a habitat for more than 90 tree and shrub species. This is achieved by roughly 10% of the land remaining unmanaged green spots that serve as ecological habitats. Techniques such as mixed cropping and agroforestry employed on arable surfaces also pos-itively influence the biodiversity of those grounds in economic use. Plus, SEKEM is working on breeding its own organic seeds and was already able to carry out the first test harvests.

Animal Husbandry

As bio-dynamic farming relies heav-ily on the composting of animal wastes animal husbandry plays an important role in the aim to achieve a fully closed material cycle (“zero waste approach”). Livestock at SEKEM includes cattle, sheep, and poultry which are also held in accordance with strict demeter standards. 2009 SEKEM’s beekeep-ers succeeded in breeding the endan-gered indigenous bee Apis mellifera lamarckii. With this success the full conversion of SEKEM’s beekeeping to the demeter system which relies on the bee’s undisturbed ability to pop-ulate and build their hives could now begin.

Today, the main SEKEM Farm offers habitats to more than 60 species of birds, small animals, and insects.

Energy Generation and Use

2009 saw a marked improvement in SEKEM’s abilities to formally record its power consumption showing that a reduction by 4.1 million kWh over the preceding year has already been achieved. Pilot projects to improve the supply of renewable energy such as solar drying systems, hot water or steam generators, wind power, and photovoltaic installations have already been started. Unfortunately, electricity subsidies provided by the Egyptian government continue to make the expansion of the new tech-nologies uneconomic and specifically require SEKEM’s political commitment.

Air and Climate

The carbon footprint of the SEKEM Group increased slightly to 5.2 mil-lion kilograms of CO2 in 2009. This was mostly due to the expansion of the delivery vehicle fleet and the use of diesel generators to bridge electric-ity outages. SEKEM has furthermore introduced detailed calculations of the CO2 emissions footprints for many more of its products. The emissions of the vehicle fleet, business flights, and the retail shops are being compen-sated using CO2 certificates.

Water

913 206 m3 of water were taken from SEKEM’s own wells and the pub-lic water supply in 2009. To 91% this water is used for irrigation. The devel-opment of more efficient irrigation methods could already cut this con-sumption by 5.4% compared to 2008.

In SEKEM environmental protection measures are the basis of life and work with any natural resource. But the fun-damentally innovative approach of demeter agriculture seeks an entirely new approach to managing the natural conditions for life and nutrition. It cre-ates a holistic framework encompass-ing all human activities related to its management: the economic, agricul-tural, and social.

Magdalena Kloibhofer

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 3

S ince early November SEKEM has been offering a new collec-

tion of SEKEM dolls and stuffed ani-mals entirely made from organic cotton. They are offered for the first time sporting the new brand name

“Naturetex by SEKEM”, and, of course, the well-known fairtrade label.

Just before the Christmas season the range of products on SEKEM’s web shop has received an addition of gift ideas that are both beautiful and allow you to give responsibly this year: the fairtrade Santa Claus made from red cotton terry and the dolls named Malik and Karim are cuddly gifts for toddlers, and the camel, donkey, and monkey bring the wildlife of Africa to the children’s room. All new products use GOTS-certified dyes and are thus entirely suitable to be placed into the hands of even the youngest. And, for

the first time SEKEM’s new absorbent tow-

els made from extra heavy terry

are also availa-ble for online ordering.

Your purchase of these products enables SEKEM to employ Egyptian staff in the country in textile produc-tion and training substantially improv-ing their living conditions. The dolls and animals are largely manufactured by hand, carefully stuffed with the best organic and fairtrade cotton.

This way the new products bring double joy to both their recipients and the seamstresses and sewers in Egypt. The co-workers employed in produc-tion and their families are supported through an instrument that empha-sizes respectful assistance: no dona-tions but transparent collaboration.

The fairtrade seal ensures that the cotton used is certified according to the internationally accepted fairtrade standards. In addition to fair prices for the cotton itself the seal guarantees payment of a value added - the „fair-trade premium“ - going directly to the cotton farmers who invest the surplus revenue in cooperative development projects in their communities. SEKEM Insight will present some of these and a selected completed projects in one

of its future issues.

The new SEKEM products include soft dolls, suitable for children of all ages, hand-

crafted and filled on the SEKEM Farm, and towels made of heavy,

very soft terry cloth using only the best Egyptian organic long-fibre cot-

ton. The latter are available in dif-ferent sizes in natural white and

dark brown.

Christina Boecker

Give the Gift of Healthy Development

SEKEM’s dolls, stuffed animals, and towels made from best organic and fairtrade cotton make for excellent - and responsible - gifts this Christmas.

Culture

N orway’s sustainable bank Cultura Bank awarded its 9th Culture

Award to the Norwegian Ragnhild Nilsen for her promotion of organic cotton in Scandinavia and her support to SEKEM. The prize, which is annually to activists in Scandinavia advancing social or environmental development, is endowed with 25.000 Norwegian kroner (3.000 Euros). Ragnhild Nilsen received the award on 26 October 2010 in Oslo out of the hands of Lars Hektoen, director of Cultura Bank.

Nilsen, which has committed to supporting SEKEM through her work at the Scandinavian organisation “SEKEM Scandinavia”, imports the Egyptian initiative’s products such as towels adorned with colourful beads and made from organic cotton and sells them to customers in Norway and other Scandinavian countries. Her work, she says, reflects in mate-rial terms her favourite subject - div-ing for pearls - and the social goals she wishes to support through it being especially „precious“ to her. She imports the products through her com-pany „Global Fairtrade” directly from SEKEM’s textile firm Naturetex.

When asked what the award meant to her, she replied: „You have to ask: what does it mean for the organic cot-ton revolution here in Scandinavia? With the money received we will of course support ‘SEKEM Scandinavia’. But a prize like this also shows that what we do is in fact perceived by a broad public audience. The message we would like to send is: we must act locally and think globally.”

Source: SEKEM Scandinavia

Scandinavian SEKEM Supporter Receives Prize

More information:www.globalfairtrade.com www.SEKEMscandinavia.com

More information and ordering:www.SEKEMshop.de !!

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 4

F or a long time SEKEM has sought to intensify cultural exchange

between Egyptian artists, students, pupils, and their counterparts stud-ying or working at European partner organisations. The artistic experience of the joint work has always been at the forefront of the interest to let par-ticipants experience the cultures of both sides of the Mediterranean.

7 0 young Germans of the orches-tra of the Rudolf-Steiner-School

Schopfheim now visited the SEKEM Farm for a week-long orchestra pro-ject. The participating students aged 14 to 20 years were accom-panied by their conductor, Elfriede Hochweber. In thirty years of work, Mrs. Hochweber has gathered and developed the orchestra, which has meanwhile grown into a full range of multiple smaller musical groups tar-geting different age groups and pro-ficiency levels at the school that has a long history of orchestral work. The children may start in the beginners orchestra and are then led through

the lower and middle school level orchestras before they later join the more advanced groups in high school. Orchestral practice at the school is dominated by younger pupils who also gather extensive experience in per-forming classical music live through annual tours to European countries. These trips further deepen the musi-cal and social experience of collabora-tive performance in different cultures and improve professional training.

This time the orchestra participants themselves helped to finance the jour-ney to SEKEM. They had organized street concerts and several public “pro bono” performances in order to obtain the necessary financial support for their trip. One concert was even held for UNICEF on the occasion of the „Day of the Children.“

Programme

The visit to Egypt had been planned on the occasion of the celebrations for SEKEM’s 33rd anniversary which

Culture

received a strong intercultural and musical focus accordingly. Being able to perform live and on their very own violins and cellos in the large orches-tra was a terrific experience specifi-cally for the 14 Egyptian children from the SEKEM School who participated.

The programme was designed in such a way that the music chosen for performance would exhibit a close connection to Arab and European musical culture. It included an Arab dance by Edvard Grieg, the “Summer” from Antonio Vivaldi‘s „Four Seasons“, the Overture from W.A. Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”, Romance in F major for violin and orchestra by Ludwig van Beethoven, the “Triumphal March from Aida by G. Verdi, and a Hungarian dance by Brahms. In addition the first movement of the 8th Symphony „The Unfinished“ by Franz Schubert was performed.

The musical activities framed an extensive and versatile programme for the German visitors. For instance, a football game with Egyptian youth from the SEKEM School had been organized on the main SEKEM Farm, and a guided tour of the premises and SEKEM’s production facilities, an excursion to the Pyramids, a visit to the Cairo Museum, a visit to the his-toric bazaars, and a ride in a Felucca on the Nile offered even more variety.

The participating musicians were also awarded with special t-shirts made for the occasion by SEKEM’s Naturetex bearing the SEKEM logo, which were distributed to great applause.

Concerts

The mixed group of German and Egyptian children performed at a total

Musical exchange: German and Egyptian pupils rehearse and play together at the SEKEM School.

Musical Exchange Brings Young Europeans to Egypt

SEKEM has been intensifying the cultural exchange with Europe for years. In October 70 German pupils visited SEKEM for a large orchestra project involving their Egyptian counterparts from the SEKEM School.

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 5

of four concerts. Each of the perfor-mances took place in locations marked by strong contrasts. For instance, while the concert at the Heliopolis Academy had a decidedly festive character, the performance at the “El Sawy”, a public and well-known cul-tural centre in Cairo, had to be played right in the middle of Cairo’s traffic chaos and just below a four-lane thor-oughfare - a great challenge to eve-ryone involved. At the SEKEM School the orchestra met with the exuberant enthusiasm of the local pupils. The school’s hall could not hold all the visi-tors that had arrived for the event.

The final concert on the outdoor stage at the Roman theatre on SEKEM’s main farm that was given for the staff and the students of the vocational training centre, guests, and friends closed the week. Here, under the open sky, visitors could witness how heaven was literally brought down to earth through music. In addition, individ-ual musicians contributed to various smaller performances throughout the week.

Impressions

The experience of the “musi-cal give and take” turned out to be the core experience for all partici-pants. While everyone felt to be „just a little light“ in the large group of musicians the integration into the community brought about the experi-ence of “something bigger” as it was noted by many from the ranks of the musicians. Music provides people with a cross-cultural mode of expres-sion among people who may not even share a common verbal language. Music itself then replaces the missing link with a “world language” enabling everyone to achieve a common goal.

Some observations on the fringes of the events reinforced that impres-sion. After the Egyptian children had completed their contribution, Heba, a pupil of the 5th grade packed her vio-lin but continued “playing” in the back row. She closely followed the conduc-tor’s guidance throughout the remain-ing pieces, expressing only through

Egyptian and German pupils play in a mixed orchestra at SEKEM.

Culture

her gestures what she felt to be still her performance.

Mr. Sherif, a teacher at the SEKEM School was visibly stirred after attend-ing the rehearsals of his own pupils: „When I see our students right in the middle of this large group of musicians I can see that this really is about to become an entirely new generation.”

Other orchestra participants chimed in: „If we play with people exhibiting the highest professionalism but there is no love for each others contribution it would touch me a great deal less than when I play in a group striving for a common musical goal such as this.”

The impressions of the eventful week were marked by exceptional diversity. The encounter with the local cultures, visiting SEKEM and meeting with its staff, visiting the pyramids or experiencing the traffic chaos in Cairo, the meeting of cultures during the football game, and the concerts: diversity was perceived as a very spe-cial gift by everyone participating.

SEKEM as the host institution was not only presented with an “artistic gift”. On the final day it also received a cello, an instrument that had actu-ally been played during the week. It shall promote the joy of making music with local children long into the future. In addition local teachers were given two musical adaptations for all grades including the individual voices of W.A. Mozart‘s „The Magic Flute“ and „Peer Gynt“ by Edvard Grieg.

The organizers and participants in particular wish to thank their financial supporters: the Waldorf Foundation, DAAD and the Foreign Office, the Goethe Institute, the Donata Foundation, the Ostheimer Foundation the SEKEM Development Foundation, the SEKEM Group, and the German SEKEM support association. Gratitude is also extended to all participants, the parents of the students and the staff at SEKEM, in particular Angela Hofmann and Yvonne Floride who had organized the programme and accompanied the guests.

Martin Dinkel, Sandra Bloch

What role do school orches-tras play in the development of children and young people?

First, children begin to learn to listen to each other. They also receive the opportunity to work with children from other grades every time they meet thus bridging the traditional structures existing at schools. This makes them more socially resilient and improves their professional atti-tudes when working with their peers.

Additionally, there is an integrating aspect as students from all grade levels and with often hugely differ-ent musical abilities strive to realise a common project of their own.

Playing in an orchestra also pro-motes individual self-reliance. Many participants play leading roles in the social structure of their classes.

How do you go about practicing with students such as these?

I often work through the use of images and emotions. I also often practice difficult passages in reverse, which is a particular challenge for many.

How have you experienced the work with the Egyptian children?

I was deeply touched by them play-ing very attentively and with sincere devotion. They visibly seemed to be

“in heaven”. To witness such dedica-tion was a moving experience even for many in the audience. The faces of the musicians were continuously changing their expressions and heaven was truly brought one step closer to earth.

On the conductor: Elfriede Hoch-weber developed the Schopfheim high school orchestra and accom-panied the group to Egypt.

From an interview with Elfriede Hochweber

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 6

Impressions from SEKEM

I n recent years SEKEM has expanded its performance in the field of renewable energy production and usage, especially on the main farm in rural Egypt where frequent power outages are still commonplace. So far, renewable energy has been used to support the diesel generators which supply the production

facilities when public supply fails. They produce the energy required to keep cold storages at below zero degrees.

Renewable energy has been supplementing classic forms of energy production still relying on fossil fuels for a while now. While the first wind generators and solar panels had been installed first on the roofs of the central administration buildings in Cairo, the two “Scheffler mirrors” on our image sit on top of the roofs of SEKEM’s farm facilities and are used to generate steam. Each of the large mirrors has a surface area of 16m2 to focus the strong desert sunlight in one focal point where temperatures can easily soar above 600° C.

Impressions

SEKEM Insight | November 2010 | Page 7

The GLS Bank recently received two awards in one week: the successful marketing and communication activ-ities of the GLS Bank were awarded the “Marketing Award Bochum 2010”, and GLS CEO Thomas Jorberg was honoured for his extraordinary com-mitment to the environment with the BAUM Environmental Prize.

The Marketing Award 2010 awarded honoured the strong brand identity of the GLS Bank and its latest cam-paign. The communication strategy to expand the focus of increasing public awareness for the meaningful impact of investments convinced the jury.

„We are delighted with this recogni-tion,“ says CEO Thomas Jorberg. „As a founder of social-ecological banking, it is important to us that our claim of a

‘three-fold profit’ can actually be expe-rienced through our specific banking services: humane, future-oriented, and economically sound.”

On the occasion of the BAUM annual meeting Jorberg received the TREE Environmental Award that rewards his commitment to sustainable commu-nity development and value-oriented monetary management. „Money is a tool for shaping society,“ said Jorberg. With the award the jury intends to reward a model of banking which cre-ates trust through transparency and rigorous sustainability, and serves the needs of the people.

With this award, BAUM, the Federal German Working Group for Environmentally Conscious Management Practice honours per-sonalities for their outstanding com-mitment to environmental protection and sustainable development in the field of business development, man-agement, and entrepreneurship.

Source: GLS

GLS Bank Receives Two Awards in One Week

protection and inter- and intra-gener-ational equity”, before handing over the Future Policy Award 2010 to His Excellency Mr. Mario Fernandez Silva, Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica to Japan. H.E. Mr. Silva expressed deep gratitude and said, “I am most honoured to accept this prize from the World Future Council. This law inte-grates biodiversity protection and the sustainable use of biodiversity and it enables us to pass the beautiful nat-ural wealth of Costa Rica on to our future generations.”

Australia received the Future Policy Silver Award. Its winning law has ele-vated the region of the Great Barrier Reef to a matter of national environ-mental significance while still allowing for sustainable use by such industries as commercial fisheries, recreational fishing and tourism, pioneering the idea of a ‘multiple-use’ park.

The awarded biodiversity poli-cies as well as four other policies are described in an official brochure titled

“Celebrating the world’s best biodiver-sity policies” (see link).

Source: WFC

News in Brief

Masthead: The editors of SEKEM Insight wish to thank all contributors to this issue.

Editors:Christina BoeckerBijan Kafi

Contact:SEKEM-Insightc/o SEKEM HoldingP.O.Box 2834, El Horreya, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt insight@SEKEM.com

Pictures: 1,6: Bijan Kafi; 3,4,5: SEKEM

No republication without writ-ten consent by the publisher.

More information:http://www.worldfuturecouncil.org/publications.html

!

As proven by the Costa Rican Biodiversity Law, exemplary biodi-versity legislation can be success-fully put into practice. On 25 October, delegates, ministers, decision-mak-ers, media and donors gathered at the Future Policy Award 2010 Ceremony in Nagoya, Japan, to witness the first prize be awarded to Costa Rica and to cele-brate the Costa Rican Biodiversity Law as a milestone of excellence in meet-ing the goals of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. The effects of the law are outstanding: With 26% of its total territory designated as protected areas, Costa Rica is the first develop-ing country that succeeded in halting and reversing deforestation. Moreover, the country ranked first in the Happy Planet Index 2009, and is a recognised pioneer in ecotourism.

The Future Policy Award, estab-lished by the World Future Council, annually celebrates laws with partic-ularly positive effects on the living conditions of current and future gen-erations. The first award to honour exemplary policies rather than excep-tional people on an international level, it highlights solutions, raises pub-lic awareness and speeds up policy action towards just, sustainable and peaceful societies. This year’s award gala was hosted by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as an official part of the tenth Conference of the Parties (COP10).

Jakob von Uexküll, Founder of the World Future Council and the Right Livelihood Award, spoke to the numer-ous delegates recalling “that the right rules and legal frameworks help mil-lions of people to do the right thing”. Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Director, CISDL, and Chair of the WFC Future Justice Commission, pre-sented the ceremony’s highlight when she spoke of the Costa Rican policy as “a brilliantly comprehensive pol-icy for the respect for all forms of life and for cultural diversity, biodiversity

World Future Council Gives Award for Best Biodiversity Law to Costa Rica

More information:www.gls.de!