Darrell G. Moen, Ph.D.

Through Global Exchange and our sister organization, Afghans4Tomorrow, concerned global citizens are traveling to Afghanistan and becoming directly involved in supporting Afghans rebuild their lives after decades of civil war and occupation. These delegations enhance the U.S. public’s understanding of Afghan history and culture and examine Afghanistan’s efforts to re-establish civil society. Whether meeting with students at Kabul University or a female doctor providing health care to rural women, participants return as informed and inspired advocates for a new Afghanistan that lives in peace and security.

For additional information, review our Afghanistan resources.

For a selection of recent news items compiled by Global Exchange, see our Afghanistan News Updates.

Argentines are leading a movement that has emerged as a response to failed economic policies led by international finance institutions such as the IMF and World Bank. Local citizens are organizing into neighborhood assemblies that attempt to take the place of the void left by the insecurity and failure of the state. As a result, over 65 factories have been taken over by their workers and transformed into cooperatives. Meanwhile, social movements have gained in efforts to hold politicians and military officers accountable for gross human rights violations during the period of the dictatorship, and a broad effort at recuperating the memory of the lives of the disappeared has brought new life to human rights cases. Visit Argentina, to better understand the collapse of the neo-liberal project, witness the possibilities that Argentine movements present in building a community-based economy, hear new voices for human rights from the South, and discover how new alliances are reshaping the political horizon of the Southern Cone.

For additional information, review our Argentina resources.

Bike-Aid is a dynamic, interactive bike tour that engages participants in a critical understanding of the world and how they relate to it. This cross-country bicycle ride combines political education and anti-racism workshops, community living, physical challenge, service learning, fundraising, and international solidarity, all in one unique and unforgettable summer experience. The focus of this year’s cross-country route from San Francisco to Washington D.C. was on peace and justice — participants explored the impacts of the “war on terrorism” on local communities in the U.S. and abroad and met with grassroots organizations across the country that are working for social, economic, and environmental justice.

Note: All Bike Aid tours can now be found in the Bike Aid section of this website.

Bolivia has become one of the brightest success stories of the Americas. After long struggles and years of poverty, Bolivians are now enjoying new rights to determine their own economic and development policy decisions. The election of the first indigenous president in the country’s history, Evo Morales, has symbolized the success of social movements in bringing justice to the country’s indigenous poor. After rejecting corporate privatization of natural resources such as water and gas, social movements are now working with a new, progressive government to build historic programs that bring new land rights, promotion of indigenous health and identity, laws guaranteeing access to public services such as water and education, and sovereignty to the people of South America’s poorest nation. Join Global Exchange as we explore Bolivia’s strong history of stopping the privatization of natural resources, the traditions of coca and the trappings of drug war policy, new social programs that redistribute land to poor farmers and guarantee food for all, and learn about the cultural traditions of native peoples in the Heart of the Andes.

For additional information, review our Bolivia resources.

Brasil remains an enigma. Since Lula’s promising election in 2002, the second largest economy in the Western Hemisphere, has been seen as a center of hope and potential for participatory democracy and regional integration. However, members of the Partido dos Trabalhadores have withdrawn support for the administration as the government’s aversion to privatization is slowly being chipped away by international finance institutions. Meanwhile, harmful agricultural and land policies continue to plague the lowlands as roads spider through the Amazon and the Landless Movement faces ongoing repression. Nonetheless, the pulse of Brasil beats on as favela communities organize themselves, capoeira artists dance and fight, escolas da samba beat out batucadas, and entire cities strive for sustainability. Come explore the richness and dynamism of one of the most complex countries on earth as you learn about the cultural and political conflicts of this beautiful country.

For additional information, review our Brazil resources.

Witness the power of the human spirit to overcome and rebuild from civil strife and foreign war. From the ancient flourishing civilization of Angkor Wat, to the infamous ‘Killing Fields,’ the Cambodian people are a testament to the triumph of human kind. A Cambodian-American professional living in Phnom Penh and working with NGOs will lead this tour. He will bring the group into contact with many area-specific guides who will give their first-hand perspectives of the war years, yet who have an amazingly positive vision of the future. Interact with both urban and village people to learn how they are building their capacity to develop and progress against many odds. The rich culture, unique architecture and sophisticated history of both countries will be a special focus of this tour.

Learn about Global Exchange and Ethical Traveler’s Campaign Against Child Prostitution in Cambodia

For additional information, review our Cambodia resources.

As a nongovernmental organization, Global Exchange believes it is an important historical moment for us to meet with NGOs and others promoting sustainable development efforts in China. Given the vastness of China’s cultural and bio-diversity, the opportunities for partnerships beckon and the need is growing given China’s mass push towards industrialization and export promotion. These days it is rare for those of us living in the U.S. to walk into a large retail outlet without seeing the “Made in China” label. This simple fact inspires the philosophical foundation of this Reality Tour as we ask what our current interdependency is with China? How has globalization impacted the various Chinese societal sectors? What are current socioeconomic trajectories as the country continues to modernize? Clearly, China’s culture and its social system are being affected. Find out how, firsthand, as you visit with representatives of various organizations working for cultural conservation, sustainable development and biodiversity protection. You will learn about the present as you also explore China’s rich history, archeology, art and culture. Join us on this unique educational and cultural journey.

Since 2000 the United States government has given over $2 billion of mostly military aid to Colombia. This “aid” has inflamed Colombia’s 50-year-old civil conflict, contributing to more deaths, more kidnappings, and an increase in human suffering. The Bush Administration and hawks in Congress have repealed Clinton-era rules that prohibit US arms from being used to battle guerrilla groups and now US military aid to Colombia can be used in Colombia’s counterinsurgency war. These deadly policies must be reversed. US involvement in Colombia is expensive, ineffective, inhumane, and will not lead to peace in the troubled nation. Global Exchange supports the work of Fellowship of Reconciliation in creating people-to-people ties with citizens of the US, and promoting a more peaceful and just foreign policy to Colombia.

Find out about traveling to Colombia with Fellowship of Reconciliation.

With its extensive network of national parks, stunning scenery, and diverse wildlife, Costa Rica is on the forefront of the international conservation movement and has become synonymous with “ecotourism”: socially responsible travel that strives to conserve the environment while improving the welfare of the local people. On this tour, you’ll experience first-hand both the successes and the failures of ecotourism development. Specifically, participants will explore natural areas for tourism that have caused the destruction of ecosystems and the displacement of local populations. Join Global Exchange Reality Tours as we explore the advantages and disadvantages of a tourism-based economy while visiting some of the country’s strikingly beautiful parks, quaint coffee towns, and beaches. We will examine the social and environmental problems Costa Ricans are facing today and meet people who are creating sustainable solutions for the future. Costa Rica’s local solutions to these challenges will inspire our own action and involvement with these global issues.

For additional information, review our Costa Rica resources.

Currently our program concentrates on four thematic areas: Environment, Education, Healthcare and Community Development. We offer the following travel opportunities:

Ecuador, a bastion of cultural and biological diversity, is home to one of the most successful and peaceful indigenous movements in the Americas. More than bananas, oil, exported roses, and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador bears a unique blend of social movements and natural beauty. Explore Ecuador’s rich cultural, sociopolitical, ecological, and healing diversity on one of our upcoming delegations. Experience the truths and consequences of corporate globalization for yourself as you join in solidarity with indigenous, environmental, and human rights organizations in and around Quito and then visit local communities to see the power of grassroots organizing first hand and learn about alternatives to current paradigms of development.

For additional information, review our Ecuador resources.

We invite you to travel to Guatemala to visit and work with cooperatives that are providing fair wage employment and a support network to women in some of Latin America’s most impoverished communities, many of which were forced into exile during Guatemala’s civil war. Trip participants will learn about each community’s history and the local development projects funded through their Fair Trade sales in the United States. Fair Trade in Action will allow participants to explore how they, as consumers, can support development efforts abroad. The tour is intended to motivate participation in fair trade initiatives upon return to the U.S.

For additional information, review our Guatemala resources.

On February 29, 2004, Haiti experienced yet another US backed coup d’etat that forced democratically elected President Jean Bertrand Aristide from office. He is now living in exile in South Africa while his country is being governed by an illegitimate replacement - provisional prime minister Gérard Latortue. Many are in hiding, violence is increasing and the international response has not been supportive of the Haitian people. Global Exchange has had a long time commitment to Haiti and wants to maintain that commitment. However, we currently are unable to bring delegations down directly. We hope to have a serious fact-finding delegation in the near future. In the mean time we are supporting the work of the Haiti Action Committee and their Haiti Accompaniment Project which endeavors to bring dedicated supporters to Haiti to be an international presence on the ground in order to both protect our civil society counterparts in Haiti, and the Haitian people. Furthermore, they work to bring back valuable information from Haiti to continue to inform the North American public about the situation on the ground.

For additional information, review our Haiti resources.

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with a staggering eighty percent of the population living below the poverty line. Particularly vulnerable are the ethnic minorities who not only endure appalling living conditions, but are also victims of racial discrimination, repression and governmental neglect. Collective action and solidarity between these minorities and campesinos have been distinctive features of Honduras social movements. Mayas, Lencas, Tawahkas and Pechs have allied themselves with Afro-Caribbean Garifunas and Miskitos to fight alongside campesinos for social, environmental and economic justice. These alliances have become ever more frequent as Honduras struggles with neo-liberal economic policies and the ramifications of corporate-led globalization. Even with a history of systemic political and economic disenfranchisement, groups like the Mayas and the Garifunas have been able to maintain their cultural identity. Showing extraordinary resilience, these groups have relied on their cultures as a primary source of strength in their struggle for political and economic justice. Join Global Exchange as we experience the resilience of the Garifuna and the Maya people, who have been able to maintain their culture and historical memory in the face of historical exclusion and repression. As we travel across Honduras we will examine the repercussions of neo-liberal globalization in different sectors of society. We will learn about environmental movements fighting against the transnational mining interests, the lumber industry and the construction of mega hydroelectric dam projects. Participants will learn about the struggles of campesinos, women, and workers and will meet with political prisoners and human rights activists. Join us to get informed about the complex situation of this troubled country and to become inspired by its people to work for social justice.

For additional information, review our Honduras resources.

India, it is often said is not a country but a continent, with an enormous variety and diversity which few places on earth can rival. As the world’s second most populous country after China, it has the distinction of being the world’s largest democracy, but with the sizable obstacles of poverty and inequality yet to be overcome. India is also at the fulcrum of major challenges to globalization - especially in the arenas of genetically modified foods and sustainable development. Much to their credit, during the Spring 2004 national elections, the Indian electorate voted out the right-wing Hindu fundamentalist BJP party and returned to the moderate Congress Party of the Nehru dynasty. The Left in general received very strong support from the Indian masses - especially the marginalized majority. Three annual GX tours to India offer a look at: (1)the truly unique “Third World Model” of the state of Kerala (November tour); (2)the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, led by his grandson, Dr. Arun Gandhi (Dec./Jan. tour); and (3)the “Fight Against Globalization” (March tour), showcasing India’s alternatives to Western-dominated globalization. These three tours will all remain annual tours, with similar dates. We also offer a unique customized, group volunteer opportunity with an Indian NGO, Seva Mandir, in the city of Udaipur, state of Rajasthan, northern India. Please see our Customized Tour section.

For additional information, review our India resources.

Now more than ever, as the heated debate on the “Iran Question” continues in Washington, it is crucial for Americans to understand Iran’s vibrant society and its many complex facets. In addition to exploring the richness of Iranian history and culture among the ancient ruins of the Persian Empire, we meet with a diverse spectrum of individuals in order to gain a better understanding of this country. Global Exchange has been sending American travelers to Iran since 2000, and through these tours we hope to demystify and contextualize the negative images of Iran, while shedding some light on the many contradictions and realities of life in the Islamic Republic.

For additional information, review our Iran resources.

For a selection of recent news items compiled by Global Exchange, see our Iran News Updates.

The Cause of Ireland is still important and still unresolved. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement has still not been implemented. As the world’s oldest colony, Ireland shares so many linkages with Third World (Majority World) nations who have collectively endured colonial systems of: racial and class supremacy, exploitation of land and labor, and profound inequality. The present US/UK axis in world empire-building comes as no surprise to the Irish! The British military has said, “British troops are well suited to occupy southern Iraq, due to their experience in Northern Ireland.” In fact, there are only about 6,000 British troops in Iraq today, but 11 - 12,000 still in the north of Ireland. Learn how the centuries-old anti-colonial conflict on the entire island, and now just in Northern Ireland, is rooted in territory and power and privilege - not religion. Stay in family homes to hear about people’s lives in their own living rooms. Discover the how’s and why’s, the real roots of the struggle, and explore the prospects for peace - with justice. Our tour leader is a native of Ireland, an activist and community leader, and an expert on the political climate in the north.

Listen to a BBC Report on our North Ireland Reality Tour from Aug. 2006

For additional information, review our Ireland resources.

Few countries of any size can rival the global reach of Jamaican culture’s messages of freedom and justice. Jamaican music, literature and philosophy have moved peoples in struggles from continental Africa to the aborigines of New Zealand, from Northern Ireland to Native Americans. Yet now Jamaica is mostly seen as a tourist destination - to resorts that are essentially walled compounds, to protect northern sun-seekers from the perceived hostility of the locals. Find out what is happening to Jamaica and how globalization continues to severely depress their economy - a microcosm of the rest of the developing world. Our tour will take you “beyond tourism” to explore the three themes of the ground breaking documentary film “Life and Debt:”: the tourism industry, the policies of globalization (debt, multinationals and trade) and, finally, the on-the-ground impact of both (deepening poverty, dependence and economic stagnation). Our tours will also explore the vibrant resistance and countless positive achievements of the resilient Jamaican people. Time to relax on the beach and enjoy the peace and breath-taking beauty of the countryside is always a part of our tours.

For additional information, review our Jamaica resources.

Global Exchange is sending peace delegations to Jordan and Syria in order to meet with Iraqis and Lebanese to hear first-hand accounts of conditions within both of these war-torn countries. It is hoped that participants on this delegation will give talks and organize events in their communities upon their return in order to educate others about what they have learned.

For the first time, in January 2007, Kenya hosted the World Social Forum with the vision that ‘another Africa is possible’. Real people who traditionally hold little power are coming together to discuss powerful options to building a future that is in harmony with the planet’s environment and the people who live in it. Western neoliberal policies and economic programs have failed to meet the needs of nations in the global south, increasing the divide between the rich and the poor, while deepening the destruction of the environment. You will learn about the issues of contemporary Kenya and how its people and economy are developing in the 21st Century while also discovering how Kenyan people are building a new awareness for environmental sustainability, community involvement and grassroots movements. View the 2006 World Social Forum delegation video in Venezuela.

For additional information about Kenya review our Kenya resources

For the latest news coming out of Lebanon, including first-hand diary accounts, check out Electronic Lebanon.

For a selection of recent news items compiled by Global Exchange, review our Lebanon News Updates.

Take a look at this selection of videos and blogs about Lebanon.

Due to ongoing tension and political insecurity, Global Exchange is not mounting any trips to Lebanon at this time. If you would like to be contacted about future delegations to Lebanon and Syria, please email sanaz@globalexchange.org or call 415-255-7296 x 251. For those still interested in visiting Syria, Global Exchange is conducting the War & Displacement in the Middle East delegations during the winter to Jordan & Syria.

On these tours, participants will visit Mexico’s southernmost state of Chiapas or the coastal state of Oaxaca and learn more about the history and culture of indigenous communities. They will speak with representatives of a variety of local organizations and gain a better understanding of popular movements and modern day social struggles in Mexico.

For additional information, review our Mexico resources.

This December, spend your vacation harvesting social justice! Participate in a transformative international travel experience! Global Exchange is sponsoring several highly motivated individuals to travel to Nicaragua this harvest season and work with a Fair Trade coffee cooperative (CECOCAFEN). Fair Harvesters will live with a cooperative member family and work along side the farmers to harvest the coffee. You will learn by participating in the daily lives of small-scale farming families and begin to understand the meaning of Fair Trade producers. This is a unique opportunity to experience the other side of the struggle for social and economic justice. Fair Harvest is not intended to be a tour or tourist visit, but rather to be a lived experience that will motivate the participants to be committed activists when they return.

For additional information, review our Nicaragua resources.

Join a GX citizen diplomacy delegation to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and explore history, culture and international relations from a North Korean perspective.

As the Israeli military continues to place Palestinian towns, villages and refugee camps under siege, Palestinians continue to resist the 39 year Occupation of their land. GX’s delegations to Palestine/Israel strive to further the US public’s understanding of the region’s history and realities by giving participants first-hand exposure to the aspirations and frustrations of Palestinians living under Occupation, the dimensions of the human rights crisis under Israeli rule, as well as the perspectives of Palestinians and Israelis who are working for a just peace and end to the occupation.

For additional information, review our Palestine resources.

For a selection of recent news items compiled by Global Exchange, review our Palestine News Updates.

19th century explorer, Antonio Raimondi, once referred to Peru as a “beggar sitting on a bench of gold.” Indeed, Peru’s riches include more than just gold. The richness and diversity of the Amazon rainforest, the fabulous cuisine and textiles of Cusco, and the wonder and magnificence of Machu Picchu are only some examples of the culture, beauty, history and nature that make up Peru. Still, with so much to offer, Peru continues to struggle with poverty, social unrest and threats to biological and cultural diversity. Almost half of Peruvians live below the national poverty line despite a billion dollar mining industry, fertile land for agriculture, almost 2,500 km of coastlines, a growing textile industry, tourism and more. Foreign investment and government corruption have redirected the country’s wealth and resources away from its people. The government has, in turn, sought out foreign aid and free trade policies that complicate the situation worse. Come visit Peru with Global Exchange and experience its splendors first-hand while forming an understanding of issues such as globalization and trade, resource allocation and privatization, rainforest conservation and community development. Meet Peruvians from various social and economic backgrounds and visit historic sights along the Inca trail, including Machu Picchu, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Find out that South Africa has so much more to offer than safaris. On this alternative, socially responsible tour, you will explore the troubling history of this complex country and marvel at how the people have emerged as a unified nation. Many questions however still remain: What has been achieved under the new government and what challenges remain years after the abolition of apartheid? What legacy has the presidency of Nelson Mandela left, and will the ANC survive their third election? Witness the ever-changing look of South Africa as we travel from Johannesburg to Umtata to Cape Town — from sophisticated cities to traditional rural villages to the townships in-between. In February we explore the Gandhian Legacy in South Africa. In August we will continue to celebrate the struggle and the role women play in our annual women’s delegation. In October we will dive in a little deeper and explore some of the many development projects that are contributing to the New South Africa and face head on some of the daily challenges of the average South African. Join us this year!

For additional information, review our South Africa resources.

Explore Tanzania on this alternative, educational travel experience that will go beyond just the safari. Get to know the people of a nation that finds itself suddenly living somewhere between a traditional cultural existence and between the threat modern pressures of globalization pose. How are students receiving access to education and technology? Which are the Grassroots Organizations behind alternative development? Who are the people behind the local community groups and how are they comming together to support the development of children and women’s rights? We will also visit Zanzibar, an island off the coast which was East Africa’s slave trade center for over a thousand years, and explore how this historical reality has directly affected Tanzania.

For additional information about Tanzania review our Tanzania resources

Join ENGAGE and Global Exchange on a special Reality Tour delegation to Thailand. We are partnering up to bring together a unique group to learn first-hand how a diverse range of actors in Thailand are resisting unjust trade agreements and building their own alternatives through Fair Trade. As a delegate you will meet with farmers and leaders within the Assembly of the Poor, and the network of People living with HIV, and many others from grassroots organizations. You will also explore this country’s rich history, urban and rural settings, and enjoy Thai culture and important cultural sites.

For information on Human Rights in the United States, review our United States resources.

Venezuela is at the center of a new, progressive model of socioeconomic development that is shaping Latin America’s future. There are few countries where everyday people actually receive the benefits of cooperation with multinationals: a redistribution of oil profit, a guarantee for healthcare written into the constitution, and record-breaking achievements in education. What’s more, having been internationally ratified as a democracy during the August 2004 recall referendum, Venezuela has embarked upon some of the most innovative regional programs that Latin America has ever seen. Learn about dynamic social programs and policies that will rewrite Latin America’s regional role in the global economy. Travel with us and meet with diverse communities on an array of exciting and inspiring issues!

For additional information, review our Venezuela resources.

Download and view a QuickTime movie about our Venezuela tours or the 2006 World Social Forum delegation.

Global Exchange Reality Tours offers a unique look at this remarkably beautiful and dynamic nation. Neither a tour of the battle fields, nor a shopping and eating spree, those who join the tour will see the real Viet Nam as she is today: a bustling mix of socialism and capitalism, a country still healing the war wounds, and an energetic and proud society eager to re-enter the world’s stage. Our tours are led by an International Relations officer of the Viet Nam Women’s Union, giving our participants an insiders connection to both urban and rural communities, the present government and relations with the US, the economy, expanding trade, health care, and education; and taking care of the many war victims. The itinerary also includes visits to exquisite historic and cultural sites as well as the breathtaking countryside of Viet Nam.

For additional information, review our Vietnam resources.

Read our fall 2005 newsletter article about the Viet Namese Victims of Agent Orange, and how Americans can support their lawsuit against US chemical corporations.