Year 2022: A year of Courage. Year of Resistance. Year of Resilience. Year of Hope. Year of Possibilities.
Standing up against the mighty, second most powerful, and nuclear-armed war machinery of an ambitious Eastern neighbor, the Ukrainian people defied all odds and surprised many military experts. Kudos to their courage and resilience.
Economic interdependence, sanctions, and alienation of the world could not deter the Russian onslaught, but nuclear threats remained and will likely remain threats. There is hope.
The media estimates Russia’s war on Ukraine displaced 7.8 million and took the lives of 13000 Ukrainians. No one can compensate for the loss of their lives. No words can explain the agony of the mothers and fathers of the young soldiers that died in the war. We hope words and advice from the pope will stop the insanity of the war.
The Iranian regime continues to crack down on the protests triggered by the morality police killing a 22-year-old woman for not wearing the hijab properly. However, even after more than 100 days, Iranians across social and ethnic classes continue to protest. Despite death sentences, snowfall, and rain, the Iranians continue to gather. Per the media, Iranian players did not sing the national anthem in the opening match to protest against the government. The Iranians’ resistance could lead to an end to the theocratic regime.
The U.S. Supreme Court revoked women's rights to abortion, overturning Roe vs Wade. The decision triggered the importance of the local state elections, and at least in North Carolina, ‘abortion rights’ was a major factor for a large number of citizens. Many tech companies promised healthcare-related support, and some agreed to even cover out-of-state travel expenses for the employees. There are hope and options.
The world population reached 8 billion, an increase of 1 billion in 12 years. While a growing population brings growth opportunities, it puts a strain on natural resources. However, the world is committed to reducing carbon emissions with the constant increase in renewable energy. In the USA, 22% of power generation came from renewable sources in 2022. Some European countries like Germany, the UK, and France are ahead of us.
The mass shooting in Texas, NY, IL, CO, and VA led to the Bipartisan Safer Community Act to combat gun violence; the first major gun safety legislation passed by the government in 30 years. There is hope.
While Lionel Messi made history by scoring in every stage of the FIFA World Cup and Argentina won the world cup, Qatar became the first Arab country to host the world cup and used many advanced technologies for the first time. The high-tech balls used in the tournament contain a motion sensor that sends its position on the field 500 times a second. 12 dedicated cameras, Video Assisted Referee (VAR), and processing the location using Artificial Intelligence in real-time, aided officials to validate the decisions. In addition, the venues were equipped with a technology that is capable of cooling the outside air of the stadiums to 20 degrees C (68 degrees F) using solar-powered energy. This is an era of possibilities.
Wish you all a very Happy New Year 2023.
