Global Us: What connects us all

Increasing numbers of people from western, developed countries have joined the search for answers to life's big questions.

The esoteric market has become more than a niche, it's booming. In Germany alone it generates an estimated 25 million euros a year. We accompany a shaman in Greenland leading a group on a quest for spiritual awakening. We ask the participants why they came, and whether they got what they paid for.

Angel Estico lives in Beauvallon, a small town in the north of the Seychelles. Much of his days are spent on the beach, where he often plays football with friends.

He says his family is the thing that gives him the greatest happiness in life, and he's particularly proud of his two sisters.

The French artist Eric Massé has been living in Mexico City for 20 years. His living room also functions as his studio: it's where he eats, sleeps and works.

Europe's hopes for a continent of unity, democracy and peace have been undermined by Vladimir Putin's undeclared war in Ukraine. The Russian President's annexation of Crimea fostered fears across the continent of a wider war.

Katarzyna Pisarska says self-doubt within the European Union prepared the ground for the conflict in Ukraine. She's been a member of the network of Young Global Leaders since 2014.

For years environmental protection in Myanmar fell under the jurisdiction of the military regime. Gradual democratic reform in the country has seen a change in strategy. The goverment in Rangoon is now allowing NGOs to come in and work with local populations to protect their enviroment.

One example is Lake Indawgyi, one of the largest inland lakes in Southeast Asia and a key ecosystem in the region. The NGO Fauna and Flora International is working with local residents to preserve the lake's natural beauty.

On the island of Zanzibar, the sea determines what's on the menu. Mohamed Okala's restaurant is right on the beach, among the palm trees. Fish in a coconut crust is especially popular with locals and tourists alike.

Simon Kramer lives in Buenos Aires. He loves the city, and, of course, football. He spends most of his free time out and about with friends. He likes to listen to Argentinian and international rock music. He hopes there will be more justice in the world in the future.

Refugees aren't just a topic in Europe. According to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, there are 60 million refugees worldwide. Hundreds of thousands who have fled war zones have to live in camps like Karkuma, in northern Kenya. Some have already been in them for 20 years.

And it's in refugee camps, of all places, that the Jesuit Refugee Service, with the support of the UNHCR, has set up online universities. We were in Kakuma and met students who have earned a three-year diploma.

The refugee crisis is putting pressure on Europe. How should the millions of people seeking sanctuary be dealt with? Sony Kapoor's opinion is unambiguous. The macroeconomist and political advisor says nothing could be better for Germany and the European Union than the influx of refugees.

Sony Kapoor is a member of the Young Global Leaders network. Every year the World Economic Forum appoints 200 outstanding figures from the fields of economics, politics, science and the arts to be Young Global Leaders.

India's coastal regions are under threat. They're being exploited, polluted and destroyed. Despite that, many forestry officials and rangers in charge of them don't see active environmental protection as their task.

A special training exercise on the Andaman Islands has been devised to raise their awareness and expand their capabilities.