The Passport Index reveals that Despite Conflict in Europe and Global Border Anxieties, 99.5%...
The Passport Index has published its latest update today, showing that global mobility is rising, despite the eruption of conflict in Europe and growing tensions over borders. Though the world continues to feel the aftershocks of the pandemic, surprisingly, traveling has never been easier, with steady growth in passport power, a trend that is predicted to continue into 2023. Across these findings, what stands out, in particular, is that the passport of almost every single country around the world became more powerful this year.
| Country | Change in mobility score (2022) |
| Malaysia | +31 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | +31 |
| Guatemala | +30 |
| Micronesia | +30 |
| Brazil | +30 |
| Palau | +30 |
| Solomon Islands | +29 |
| Brunei | +29 |
| Barbados | +29 |
| Saint Lucia | +29 |
Table 1: Top 10 changes in mobility score
| Country | Change in mobility score (2022) |
| Armenia | +6 |
| Tanzania | +6 |
| Pakistan | +6 |
| Lebanon | +5 |
| Burundi | +5 |
| Bangladesh | +4 |
| Syria | +4 |
| Libya | +4 |
| Afghanistan | +4 |
| Vanuatu | -7 |
Table 2: Bottom 10 changes in mobility score
This may be surprising given the ongoing war in Ukraine in combination with systemic pressures on international supply chains. However, the latest data from the Passport Index indicates strong mobility growth. Whilst the removal of Covid-19 restrictions has certainly played a role, countries around the world have also been keen to reap the economic benefits offered by enabling easy movement around the world. Passport power around the world has increased by an average of 16 points this year, with just one country, Vanuatu, seeing its mobility score fall. This was due to the suspension of their visa waiver scheme with the European Union. The fact the power of their passport has fallen by just seven points despite this indicates strong growth elsewhere.
| Individual Passport Power Rank (2022) | Country | Mobility Score | Visa-Free Entry | Visa-On-Arrival | Visa Required | Percentage Visa-Free and Visa-On-Arrival |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | 180 | 121 | 59 | 18 | 91% |
| 2 | Germany | 173 | 127 | 46 | 25 | 87% |
| 3 | Sweden | 173 | 126 | 47 | 25 | 87% |
| 4 | Finland | 173 | 126 | 47 | 25 | 87% |
| 5 | Luxembourg | 173 | 126 | 47 | 25 | 87% |
| 6 | Spain | 173 | 126 | 47 | 25 | 87% |
| 7 | France | 173 | 126 | 47 | 25 | 87% |
| 8 | Italy | 173 | 126 | 47 | 25 | 87% |
| 9 | Netherlands | 173 | 125 | 48 | 25 | 87% |
| 10 | Austria | 171 | 123 | 48 | 25 | 86% |
Table 3: 10 most powerful passports (2022)
Not only are passports becoming more powerful, but countries are becoming increasingly open to visa-free arrivals. Prior to the pandemic, the average growth of the World Openness Score was 3.6% a year. After the impact of the pandemic, the score experienced a decline of 65%, falling from 21,360 to 12,944. Since then, growth has rebounded spectacularly, with an average growth rate of 18.8%. At the end of 2022, this score now stands at 21,695; the highest it's ever been.
The finding of general growth in global mobility does, however, obscure some of the winners and losers this year. The UK falls into this latter category: though it has seen its global mobility score rise again, its year-on-year gains have stagnated relative to other European states, such as France. This trend appears set to continue as the UK struggles to strike the visa agreements achieved by states within the EU. This is largely attributable to the consequences of leaving the common market.
Alongside the rise in passport power around the world, countries, in general, have become more welcoming, with a greater number of countries accepting more passports visa-free, with visa on arrival, or with electronic travel agreement. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Africa, where many countries, especially those in Central and West Africa, have continued to create a travel environment that is accessible to all, no matter the nationality on your passport. The Passport Index's Welcoming Countries Rank shows that 15 of the 23 most welcoming countries in the world are found in Africa, welcoming 198 countries out of 199.
Hrant Boghossian, Co-founder of the Passport Index, commented that "the rise in passport power that we have seen this year brings great cause for optimism. The world has surpassed the benchmark of 'openness' set prior to the pandemic, and there are strong indicators that this upward trend is here to stay. It is particularly encouraging to see such growth at a time of heightened geopolitical tension and economic turmoil, indicating that countries agree that a world with fewer borders has the potential to address some of the defining challenges of the 21st century."
Contact Information:
Jasper Rose
Consultant, The Agency Partnership
[email protected]
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Original Source: The Passport Index reveals that Despite Conflict in Europe and Global Border Anxieties, 99.5% of the World Experiences Growth in Global Mobility in 2022
A Game Changer Book for Men Facing Cancer
CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine - December 6, 2022 - (Newswire.com)
Not many men open up about what it's really like to face cancer - no filters, no pretense. But Trevor Maxwell, a husband and father of two young girls and founder of Man Up to Cancer, is changing that story.
In March 2018, Maxwell was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer and has since undergone five major surgeries and more than 50 rounds of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
In Maxwell's new book, "Open Heart, Warrior Spirit: A Man's Guide to Living with Cancer," he tells the story of one patient's quest to create a 'wolfpack' for men with cancer. The book not only explains why men go into their man caves when facing a cancer diagnosis but provides a roadmap for surviving and thriving through treatment.
"For men with cancer, there's an old road to travel, and you're supposed to walk alone. Don't show pain. Don't burden others. Don't talk about it," Maxwell said. "The trouble is, isolation during cancer leads to mental health problems and worse medical outcomes. This book offers a new road for men facing cancer where we share the burden, accept help, and give help along the way. It's a wolfpack mentality. We're stronger and smarter as a pack than we are as lone wolves."
Patrick Dempsey, known worldwide for his iconic television and film roles, met Maxwell in 2019 through the Dempsey Center, which provides counseling, nutrition, exercise, and other services to cancer patients and their families. Dempsey's endorsement appears on the back cover of Maxwell's book.
"Trevor writes with authenticity, generosity, and heart. For men facing cancer and the people who love them, this book is a game changer," said Patrick Dempsey.
Maxwell also founded "Man Up to Cancer," a purpose-driven company and support community, with a mission to inspire men to avoid isolation during the cancer journey. Through this community, the hearts of countless men across the country and around the world have been opened, helping them share their fears and burdens so they can find their warrior spirits and better fight their disease. Since its inception, Man Up to Cancer has grown into a thriving international community with a popular podcast and sought-after swag. The testimonials from those who have found Man Up to Cancer speak to the group's effect on their lives.
"Open Heart, Warrior Spirit: A Man's Guide to Living with Cancer" is currently available through Amazon and can be accessed here.
Maxwell resides in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, with his wife and two daughters.
About Man Up to Cancer
Man Up to Cancer inspires men to connect and avoid isolation during their cancer journeys. Founded in 2020 by a Stage IV colon cancer survivor, the purpose-driven company and online community offers a podcast, annual retreat, and Facebook group with more than 2,000 men impacted by cancer. Man Up to Cancer also operates a Chemo Backpack program, sending backpacks filled with practical items to men going through chemotherapy.
For more information, visit www.manuptocancer.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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Contact Information:
Kim King
[email protected]
(805)410-0180
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Original Source: A Game Changer Book for Men Facing Cancer
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Digitunity Report Identifies Need for Computers to Address Rural America’s Digital Divide
Rural areas in the U.S. struggle to provide residents with broadband internet access and the computers needed to maximize the benefits of online educational and economic resources. Digitunity, a non-profit organization committed to ending the digital divide, has released a commissioned report on the potential causes and solutions to the rural digital divide.
"We know the digital divide has few boundaries," said Scot Henley, executive director of Digitunity. "It exists in large coastal cities and small towns in America's heartland. It affects people across demographics. With this report, we now know more about why that divide exists and how communities can resolve it."
Areas with substantial internet access and usage typically have higher levels of economic and community development in comparison to those with lower levels of use. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in late 2021, dedicated an unprecedented amount of federal funding toward increasing broadband availability and adoption in less connected areas.
Digitunity's report, written by Oklahoma State University professor Brian E. Whitacre, discusses the direct correlation between internet access and rural economic development. It also looks in depth at the issue of device ownership, focusing on nationwide access and usage of large-screen devices recognized as superior to smartphones in the digital equity space.
The three major segments of the report, titled "Status Quo," "Supply," and "Support," cover the socio-demographics impacted, as well as the supply chain processes and support networks working to resolve the digital divide rural communities face. The report's findings align with Digitunity's mission and focus on partnership networks.
"Since its inception, Digitunity has operated on the belief that community-based organizations are essential to ending the digital divide," Henley said. "This report clearly defines the problems facing rural communities and how they can work with organizations like Digitunity to foster the solutions to those problems."
To learn more about Digitunity's mission to eliminate the digital divide in both rural and urban communities, please visit digitunity.org.
About Digitunity
Since the 1980s, Digitunity has advanced digital inclusion by connecting donors of technology with organizations serving people in need. Our mission is to ensure everyone who needs a computer has one, along with robust internet connectivity and digital literacy skills. To learn more about our mission, please visit digitunity.org.
Contact Information:
Maria Penaloza
[email protected]
Press Release Service by Newswire.com
Original Source: Digitunity Report Identifies Need for Computers to Address Rural America's Digital Divide
