EVENTS TO SHAPE THE WORLD IN 2014
By Ruma Dubey
2013 is gone and 2014 is in. All the partying is over, maybe the hangover still persists…..
For many, 31st December is just the end of a month and the beginning of a new month. Yes, it means a change in the year but that’s something which has no real impact on our lives. The habits, traits, characters, routine which we had on 31st are what you will have on 1st Jan, 2nd, 3rd and so on. Thus spiritually or philosophically speaking (spirituality is the science of philosophy) this “new year” has no significance. But because we live and work in a material world, we need to follow a few rules and ways of the world; so in that context, 2014 is a new year and it brings forth hope in the mind that things will pan out much better than they did in 2013.
As we step into 2014 with new optimism, there are few world events, which could have a bearing on the world around us; not directly but as a causation of living in a flat, globally connected world. A quick look at the calendar of 2014. Mark these events….
January:
Latvia joins the EU and the Chinese year of the Horse begins. It also marks the last month of Ben Bernanke as the Chief of Federal Reserve.
February:
This will be the month when Russia will be in focus. From 7th Feb to 23rd Feb, the Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia. This will be first Olympics which will be held in Russia after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Its cost is recorded to have already surpassed all records.
In the world of economics and business, all eyes will be on the US Fed Reserve as the new Chief, Janet Yellen, takes charge, the first woman chairman of Fed in USA.
March
As we all get busy filing our tax returns, Brazilians will celebrate their carnival in Rio de Janeiro and this is also the month of the year when movie buffs, will have to get up at an unearthly hour to catch the Oscar awards ceremony in Hollywood.
April
This is the month when South Africa and Afghanistan will go to the polls.
May
A “hot” month politically. At least based on estimations now, the largest democracy in the world, India, will go to polls. Malawi and Columbia will have their Presidential elections. The 28 countries European Union will hold its elections to the European Parliament; these are usually ho-hum boring kind but elections, but it should be interesting to know how this would pan out.
June
12th June – Mark this date as the football world cup, FIFA will begin. Everything else can wait! FIFA ends on 13th July. Spain is the defending champion.
Sochi will be in the news, where the G8 summit will be held.
July
The Presidential elections will be held in Indonesia. Jakarta Governor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, is currently the most popular potential candidate.
Commonwealth Games will start in Glasgow, Scotland. Somehow, Commonwealth brings forth shameful images of India and Suresh Kalmadi.
August
It’s a quiet month for now; but would be interesting to see who will be the Prime Minister to give the Independence speech on 15th August.
September
This is month when Scotland will vote in a referendum on whether to remain part of the United Kingdom. No one, at the moment is expecting Scotland to go independent but if it does, it is sure to send shock waves across the globe.
October
Brazil will once again be in the news – it will hold its Presidential elections.
November
The G20 Summit will be held in Australia and there will be mid-term elections in America.
December
The International Security Assistance Force’s mission in Afghanistan ends and US troops will all go back home.