A year for coffee
There is something stylish about coffee, black of course. The activity that goes into its making – if done in a manner that is befitting traditionalists and purists – is equally magnificent, a careful, composed and cool affair if ever there was one. And then there's the final act, the finished piece: poured into a porcelain cup and saucer. It is art.
Like tea, coffee has become, in some ways, a staple drink, ubiquitous and accessible to people all over the world, rich and poor. We live our lives by it – the early morning wake-up, the pre-lunch appetiser, the rewarding brew after a long day's slog. It's a feature of many people's lives without them quite realising it.
The bustling beat of Brazilian’s economy
The Sun newspaper, known for its irreverent style of phrase, captured the growing power of Brazil rather well when it said that "not only does [the country] run rings around us at footie, they've also overtaken us in the world economics league".
Its business editor, Steve Hawkes, was writing after news that the South American country had overtaken the UK as the world's sixth-largest economy, highlighting the seismic changes that are apace in global politics. Brazil is slowly but surely making its presence known and other nations are finally awakening to its importance.
Moreover, a decade or so of sensible economic policy, strategic thinking and sharp management, which has engineered the creation of a growing, sufficient and strong economy – capable of withstanding tremors in global finance – is indicative of how good governance is possible.
The US' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) explains how since 2003, substantial changes in Brazil have transformed the country beyond recognition. At a macroeconomic level, there's reassuring stability – foreign reserves have built up and debt has been massively reduced.
"In 2008, Brazil became a net external creditor and two ratings agencies awarded investment grade status to its debt," the CIA states on its website.
"After record growth in 2007 and 2008, the onset of the global financial crisis hit Brazil in September 2008. Brazil experienced two quarters of recession, as global demand for Brazil's commodity-based exports dwindled and external credit dried up. However, Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to begin a recovery."
Which meant that by 2010, with confidence restored, the South American country's GDP returned to positive. It is now, even in the face of ambiguity in the eurozone, in good spirits. Investment opportunities, especially for foreigners, is generous, with real estate one of the leading sectors. Sun, sea and success might well be a fitting tagline for 2012.
In an interview with the BBC, Francisco Itzaina, Rolls-Royce's chief executive for Latin America, waxes lyrically about the potential in Brazil, not just for his company, but for anyone looking to make something of themselves in the foreseeable future.
"God blessed Brazil with huge amounts of natural resources," he says."It is blessed with minerals and fresh water, and now we have just found huge reserves of oil and gas. Brazil is very well placed for the future."
Why is this so? Well, the obvious reason is that as an emerging economy, growth is almost implied. To modernise – as a generalisation, this equates to deeper urbanisation and mass industrialisation – nations begin investing in major infrastructure developments, financed by domestic and foreign investment, which in turn creates jobs, takes large number out of poverty, establishes an emergent middle class, who then in turn invest back into the economy.
2012 is the year the 2014 Football World Cup begins to come together
While most eyes will be positioned on London during the summer of 2012, the city in which this year's Olympic Games is being hosted, there will be others in Brazil too busy to sit down for half an hour to catch a glimpse of records being broken.
Instead, sporting fans in the South American country, occupying all sorts of positions, from high government to blue collar workers and those sat behind desks churning numbers, will be checking on news of the latest developments regarding the 2014 Football World Cup.
These people all share one definite thing – they're all involved with bringing one of greatest sporting tournaments 'home'. And 2012 is said to be the year it all begins to fall into place.
Officials from Fifa have stated that throughout 2012, preparations for the Football World Cup will step up a gear, with, for example, the unveiling of the official mascot taking place as well as finally unleashing the official slogan on the rest of the world. It is going to be a decisive time to say the least.
"The Fifa World Cup is getting closer and more and more people are getting involved. Even more life will be breathed into the event in 2012 with the launch of the mascot, the slogan and the volunteer programme," Ricardo Teixeira, president of the Local Organising Committee, which is responsible for sorting out the event.
"Operational projects will gather pace in order to be able to carry out all the tests necessary come 2013, the year of the Fifa Confederations Cup, which features major national sides and is being prepared for just as carefully [as the Fifa World Cup]."
The importance of women to Brazil’s future
In its new study entitled The Battle for Female Talent in Brazil, the Center for Work-Life Policy – a New York think thank – states that for a long time, the South American country was heralded as 'the land of the future'. However, for much of the 20th century, the dream remained unrealised. The country struggled along haphazardly. No one was confident it could achieve its destiny.
And then things changed, albeit slowly. However, in the 1990s, under the strategic guidance of president Fernando Henrique Cardosao – followed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's equally sweeping presidency – Brazil mastered its problem with inflation, paid off its crippling foreign debt and put in place the many important mechanisms needed to grow. It hasn't looked back ever since. Today, as the report goes on to say, its future has arrived.
Dilma Rousseff riding high after a year in office
Late last year, Time magazine ran a feature online about the people who mattered in 2011. Dilma Rousseff, the current president of Brazil, was one of those featured. The author of her entry, Tim Padgett, remarked how after Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's tenure as head of government, his successor would be following in, how can we put it, very big footsteps.
Rousseff has proven to be a more than credible heir – though given that she was handpicked by Lula, she was certain to be a force to be reckoned with. Regardless, as the first woman to ascend to the highest position in the country, she already ushered in an era of change and broke with orthodoxy. As such, it's fair to say hers is a government that is not radical per se, but innovative. Progress matters.
Dealing with Brazil’s ageing problem today
Last month, Achim Steinher, executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and under-secretary-general of the United Nations, gave a Q&A session ahead of Rio+20 (where world leaders and key figures are meeting to discuss the environment).
During the course of the talk, Mr Steinher touched upon the fact that there are seven billion people in the world, whom collectively impact on the health of the planet (in both good ways and bad). He said we were fast running out of places "to turn to"; consequently leading to an ever greater shift in focus to a more sustainable way of living.
A decade of Brics
Ten years ago, the economist Jim O'Neill, unintentionally came up with a phrase that was to change the world: Bric.
It's an acronym banding together the emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India and China. It originated out of a paper O'Neill wrote entitled The World Needs Better Economic BRICs (then it was capitalised, now it is commonly referred to in lower case).
The future is bright, the future is steady
Rubens Barbosa, a senior director at Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, is a man who knows a thing or two about Brazil. So much so, that he is advises clients on key matters to do with the South American country.
For a long time indeed, he occupied a very important position – he was the Brazilian ambassador to the United States of America from June 1999 to March 2004 and ambassador to the United Kingdom from January 1994 to June 1999.
Brazil’s soon to be booming tourism
Brazil has long been seen as a magical place, exotic and cultural, energetic and tranquil, lush and varied. Although it has never been seen as a tourist destination per se, it is a fairly well frequented place. However, its reach is limited. One could say it is a place for travellers to lose themselves on a meditative journey through Latin America, a place to go for a fantastic romantic holiday, and a place to explore. But this is set to change.
Contrast is perhaps a good word. In Brazil – which is the largest country in South America– you can go from extremes in the blink of an eye. At one end are beautiful beaches and translucent waters, and at the other end are its rich, tropical forests. In between are its cities, which hint at its recent modernisation. And then there are the favelas.
Brazil’s world cup finds direction in Aldo Rebelo
For a long time now, seemingly as long as the history of the sport itself, Brazil has been synonymous with the beautiful game. From the monumental power of left back Roberto Carlos to the goal scoring prowess of Romario to the seemingly impossible skills of Ronaldinho, Brazil has, generation after generation, delivered a cast of stars who have delighted fans and tormented players.
Brazil and football as words are seemingly interchangeable. As such, when it was announced that the South American country would be hosting the 2014 Football World Cup, the whole world cheered. It seemed to be the perfect marriage. Football has come back home.
However, it has not been all plain sailing. Away from actual football, in boardrooms, on development sites, in high offices, cafes and the like, everyone involved in organising the World Cup has faced one dilemma or another. The major concern – and sum of all the problems – has been whether the country is on track to get everything done in time. Fifa, the world football body, has been especially vocal in urging Brazil to get its affairs in order. A lot is at stake.
Thankfully, with the appointment of Aldo Rebelo as the country's news sports minister in October, there seems to be some semblance of order returning to the World Cup fold. His appointment scored a definite line under the previous sports minister's tenure, another member of the cabinet embroiled in scandal. (Orlando Silva resigned to defend his name against allegations that he has misappropriated £13 million).
Mr Rebelo, 55, is viewed as a straitlaced politician who puts values and ideals ahead of anything – and known as a key ally of president Dilma Rousseff.
David Fleischer, professor of political science at the University of Brasilia, told the BBC that Mr Rebelo wasted no time in reinvigorating the country's World Cup efforts by ripping up all of the existing sporting contracts with non-governmental organisations.
"As you know there are a lot of allegations of corruption in Brazilian football, and in Fifa it has to be said, but Mr Rebelo is a fresh start," Mr Fleischer said.
