South East Asia is a rapidly growing and transforming region of the world with around 650 million people. It was formed in the intersection of Indian and Chinese cultures and it became the easternmost extension of the spread of Islam. Beginning with the 15th century, the Europeans arrived and colonized the region. During the 20th century, the rise of the Japanese Empire ended European domination, and in the aftermath of World War II, the countries of the region gained independence. 

We are experiencing a historical transition – human civilization will more and more coalesce into very large urban centers. In 1950 about 2/3 of the population worldwide lived in rural areas, and 1/3 in urban settlements. By 2050, we will roughly see the reverse distribution, with more than 6 billion people living in the crowded environment of urbanized areas.  What does this mean for the future of our civilization? 

It’s about a thousand miles to drive on Highway 1 from San Francisco to Port Angeles, the northern-most town that connects the US and Canada. The drive along the ocean is beautiful, through vast coastal landscapes and ancient forests.

Gardens are among the most interesting places in the world. They mediate our relationship with nature, and they are expressions of culture and human aspirations. They literally embody our vision for a better world.

I  travelled  through the Pacific Northwest in the summer of 2016. The climate along the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington is mediterranean: warm, sunny, with mild winters, and plenty of moist air from the ocean – in other words, the region is ideal for gardening!

Sometimes we use the expression "The Balkans" to refer to South-Eastern Europe. The Balkan peninsula stretches south from the Balkan Mountains, and is surrounded by the Adriatic Sea in the West and the Black Sea in the East. The Northern Border is the Danube River, which is the most significant waterway of Europe.

The Balkans were traditionally an area of political and social unrest. It is a place where Greek and Latin cultures mix; Catholic and Orthodox Christianity clashes with the influence of Islam stemming from the centuries-long presence of the Ottoman Empire.

The development of Africa is an under-rated success story at the beginning of the 21st century. It has economic growth rates above 5% for the last 15 years, and it is modernizing at a fast pace. In 2015, the continent has 1.2 billion people, living in 54 different countries. The borders for most of these countries were drawn during the era of European colonialism, which already explains much of the political instability in the 20th century. (Berlin Conference, 1884.)

The rivers of Europe are the veins that run through European culture and geography. They are the main lines of transportation and commerce, they irrigate and feed the surrounding landscapes, but they also serve as natural borders. European rivers are celebrated in songs and poems; they play a major role in the economy as well as in politics.