General Presentation

• Part 1: Immersion in local culture
• Part 2: Visiting local and international NGO’s and humanitarian programs
• Part 3: Sharing and reviewing the experience

What makes the program so unique is that the humanitarian travel itineraries will be based on documentary film. Participants will visit the localities and meet the people that they first saw in the movie. The movie becomes not only, a documentary and preview of coming attractions but a marketing tool for the humanitarian travel itinerary.

Part 1: Immersion in local culture

These portions of the itinerary will include activities similar to traditional tourism. Participants will be able to become directly involved in the local culture. There will be opportunities to meet with families, the community and religious leaders, to taste native foods, experience local traditions. Where possible, this portion of the itinerary will build on existing tour operator programs.

Part 2: Visiting local and international NGO’s and humanitarian programs

Participants will visit and have time to speak with the founders of several humanitarian assistance programs and NGO’s. Travelers could choose from a range of activities offered to them to bring them deeper into the local culture. These activities might include:

• Sharing a traditional dinner
• Having a night with a host family
• Bringing travellers to have a one day voluntary humanitarian experience that could range from reading, storytelling or giving an English course to children in an orphanage, to participate in the construction of a school. Some volunteer opportunities, for example in healthcare, would require specific experience or expertise; otherwise we would offer many positions that do not require special qualifications. Each traveler would choose his own experience before the trip. Then during this special day, the group would be divided into subgroups, each traveling to the volunteering experience he chose. Evening talks and feedback would then enable the group to share their experience.

Part 3: Sharing and reviewing the experience

Many opportunities will be planned for discussion, lectures and small group meetings where participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, their reactions and to discuss the role of the individual in the process of humanitarian work.

The pilot project was based on two travels in Ethiopia which enabled the making of the movie “The Memory Box”.