Dr. Khaled Ghattas, author and life scientist, has stressed that achieving a sense of balance and refraining from exaggeration are crucial to ensure the continuity and sustainability of any ecosystem, noting that this can be applied to all issues and situations.

Lebanon-based Dr. Ghattas made this observation while delivering an inspirational talk titled ‘The doors of thought and the industry of hope’ on Day 2 of the 11th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) held under the theme ‘Challenges and Solutions’ at Expo Centre Sharjah.

Sharing his experience, Ghattas, who has a PhD in cellular biology, said: “The human body has the tendency to maintain steady levels of temperature and other vital conditions such as glucose  through a process called homeostasis. Thus, the body maintains fairly stable conditions in its physiological system.”

However, individuals lack this stability and balance, and the reflexes and feedback of their actions and interactions are varied, he said, adding, “When an 18-year-old student tells me that she finds no reason to live and when divorce rates in the community increase, it points to a clear error in the system, which requires us to take action to fix it before it is too late.”

In his talk, Ghattas quoted HH Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and the Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, who said during the opening ceremony of IGCF 2022 that Sharjah overcame challenges stemming from the misleading external influences of a technology-driven, globalised world. The Lebanese author said: “There should be a balance between identity, tolerance and openness; how do I think about my community, how can I help others, and how to be part of my country’s vision. It is necessary to focus on values, family and society to create the required inner balance.”

Ghattas stressed that individuals must expand their thinking to “focus on who we are, how to become creative, and how to meditate and love. Most importantly, we need to know how to balance all of these elements in order not to overstep each other and cause major imbalances.”