Grateful for the opportunity to travel and experience the world and because peace begins with the individual,  I affirm my personal responsibility and commitment to:

·         Journey with an open mind and gentle heart

·         Accept with grace and gratitude the diversity I encounter

·         Revere and protect the natural environment which sustains all life

·         Appreciate all cultures I discover

·         Respect and thank my hosts for their welcome

·         Offer my hand in friendship to everyone I meet

·         Support travel services that share these views and act upon them and,

·         By my spirit, words and actions, encourage others to travel the world in peace

International Institute For Peace Through Tourism ©

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Volunteer Vacations:  Help people.  Have fun.
These short-term (1 to 2 weeks) adventures in service focus on cultural-awareness and sustainability, and are often compared to a "mini peace corps". All program costs, including the cost of airfare, are tax-deductible. Globe Aware is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt charity.

You need no special skills nor do you need to speak any foreign language. This sounds like a great way to help people, have fun and see a new part of the world all at the same time!

 

See:   www.globeaware.org

           

            www.earthwatch.org

 

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Cruise Line Terminates Dolphin Encounters

Regent Seven Seas Cruises will no longer offer dolphin encounter programs in any of its ports of call. The line says it is "advocating for responsible ecological practices, and taking a stand against the wanton capture and use of marine mammals for the amusement of travelers.  Sadly, under the guise of communing with nature or advancing our scientific understanding, dolphin encounter programs too often overlook the way dolphins actually exist and interact with each other in the wild, rather than respecting their natural place in the marine ecosystem.  While some parks may obtain dolphins legally, many use illegal and cruel means to capture these magnificent animals. While we will continue to employ programs that allow our guests the wonderful experience of observing dolphins in the wild, we're opposed to those that interfere with dolphins' natural behavior."

For more information, visit www.oceanfutures.org or www.rssc.com.

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ECPAT's Code of Conduct 

The Code of Conduct asks tourism providers to:
• Establish an ethical policy regarding commercial sexual exploitation of children.
• Train their personnel in the country of origin and travel destinations.
• Introduce a clause in contracts with suppliers stating a common repudiation of commercial sexual exploitation of children.
• Provide information to travelers by means of catalogues, brochures, inflight films, ticket-slips, home pages and other means concerning child sex exploitation.
• Provide information to local "key persons" (authorities) at the destinations.
• Make annual reports of their efforts.

The code was developed by ECPAT International (End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes).