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ACTIVE FOR PEACE! Newsletter
Youth & Peace @Work!| Issue # 2 | June 2008
 

A SEASON FOR TRAVEL tourism

For sure not many people think that their going on vacation could contribute to world peace. But it is not soo far away from the truth! Irresponsible tourism can provoke environmental dammage, water abuse, displacement of indigenous people, the exploitation of women and children and a number of cultural conflicts. At the same time, following a few principles, can help avoid these problems and meeting new people and cultures is often the best experience of your life!

Here are a few tips to follow in order to make your trip enjoyable and responsible:

Get informed before you go to a place. Start enjoying your travels before you leave. The more you learn about a country before and while you're there, the more you will be able to know what to look at, to go to and to be the expert guide for your friends.

Take a good thought about money. Think what their value is in the country where you go... and try to use it as locals do... an expensive shopping spree or getting too many expensive drinks might attract a little more attention than you want.
Try and put money into local hands - for example by getting local products, not imported ones.
Culture. Keep an open mind about other people's cultures and traditions when you travel. Think carefully about what's appropriate in terms of the clothes you wear and the way you behave and what you might find perfectly normal back home could be considered rude or embarassing in a different context.
Keep watching and learning, and you'll be more readily accepted
Don't leave big footprints. Keep your environmental impact to a minimum by using biodegradable products and limiting packaging. Be sensitive to limited natural resources such as water and fuel: remember to turn off lights and taps
Guide books. Use them as a guide and not the sole truth. Places and prices change. Using one resource exclusively will limit you to a very one dimensional view. Talk to local people, who can provide a wealth of information and don't get angry if the world won't turn around you all the time.
Photography. Ask permission. People may not want to have their picture taken: respect their wishes. Take pictures only after putting yourself in your subjects' shoes. Would you want it?
Remember: Being sensitive to these ideas doesn't only mean a better deal for the people you meet and the places you visit - it makes for a more rewarding experience for you, too.

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