For one night, we were Ukraine

How does one define cultural identity? Is it the customs, traditions, and spiritual practices at the heart of a society? Is it the storytelling we embrace that celebrates a nation’s folklore and mythology? Do our heroes and public figures shape what it becomes? Or does the artistic legacy of literature, art and music mould the…

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Land of the Sun’s origin

In the 80’s, two of my most favourite TV shows were Japanese. Saiyūki or ‘Monkey Magic‘ as it was more commonly known in Australia, was a fantastical series produced by Nippon TV, based on a 16th century Chinese novel ‘Journey to the West‘. It melded eastern mysticism, with absurd storylines and comical martial arts scenes,…

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Leadership is often the things you don’t do

Many years ago, I was involved in a car accident. As a novice driver who had just received his license, I was unable to control my speed, subsequently crashing into a roadside pylon. Apart from some minor cuts and a bruised ego, I’d miraculously emerged unscathed, which is more than I could say for my…

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