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So can I travel to Cuba or not? That’s what many Americans are wondering since the Obama administration’s January 14th announcement that it is lifting some government-imposed restrictions on travel to Cuba for several categories of U.S. citizens. Once the regulations are public and finalized, certain types of travelers, with proper licenses,  in these categories will potentially be able to visit the country:

• College students
• People engaged in journalism
• Those sponsored by religious organizations

So if you fall into one of these categories, your chances of traveling to Cuba just improved!

Under the new policy, which is still being finalized, students from accredited colleges and universities may now travel to Cuba on what is known as a “general” license, meaning they don’t have to seek individual permission from the government as long as they meet certain criteria. This also applies to Americans traveling there for “journalistic activities” or under the auspices of religious groups.

In addition, non-profit organizations (including Global Exchange) will once again be able to apply to the Treasury Department for a license to arrange “people to people” travel to Cuba, which we did through our Reality Tours program from 2000 to 2004.

Beginning in 2004, however, the Bush administration restricted the number of Americans allowed to travel to Cuba to a handful of specific professions, such as full-time journalists and academics. Despite various government restrictions, more than 15,000 people have traveled to Cuba as part of a Reality Tour in the past 22 years.

Global Exchange Director of Reality Tours Malia Everette explains:

About half of the roughly 90 trips we arrange each year are to Cuba, including our most popular series called ‘Cuba at the Crossroads’, which allowed Americans who wouldn’t have qualified to travel there under a ‘professional’ license to see the country for themselves. Those trips enabled them to experience everyday life in Cuba under the effects of the U.S. embargo, and see how it is transitioning into a more dynamic and sustainable society.

Guess how many nations in the world deny its citizens the right to travel freely to Cuba? One. In fact, the U.S. remains the only nation in the world that denies its citizens the right to travel freely to Cuba. It has no similar restrictions on travel to any other countries — including Iran and North Korea, members of President Bush’s so-called “axis of evil” to which Reality Tours also organizes delegations.

Walter Turner, president of Global Exchange’s board of directors and host of the popular Pacifica Radio program “Africa Today “ warns that these recent changes in Cuba travel policy should not stop here:

The new regulations give our Reality Tours participants new options for much-needed exchange between the people of the U.S. and Cuba, but while we appreciate this opening, it still doesn’t fully recognize the right of ordinary U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba freely, as they can do to any other nation, to learn about the world. If we’re going to promote human rights abroad, we need to respect the rights of our own citizens here at home.”

For more information about traveling to Cuba, updates on the forthcoming regulations, including the resumption of the popular “Cuba at the Crossroads” series, or trips to more than 30 other countries around the world, visit www.realitytours.org.

Take Action!
And now, a few words from our friends The LAWG (Latin America Working Group) Cuba Team:

Clearly there  is more work to be done to change U.S. policy toward Cuba, but we think a “thank you” to the President and encouragement to do more is appropriate. By clicking here, you can send an email to the White House with a message of thanks and a request for more. You will be able to edit the letter to the President to add your own comments (it is best to be brief).

This winter the Reality Tours program, is offering four decade-straddling trips for revelers who want to learn about the world, glimpse the future — and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime New Year’s party.

Three different winter Reality Tours, running from Dec. 27, 2010 to Jan. 4 or 5, 2011, offer participants three distinct visions of the present and future in warm and sunny Latin America.

In Brazil, former urban guerrilla and political prisoner Dilma Rousseff was elected the country’s first female president in October. Her election signals the changing role of women (and grassroots activism) in the largest and fastest-growing country in South America.

In addition to getting an inside look at this dynamic regional superpower, tour members will experience New Year’s in Rio de Janeiro — the second biggest party in Brazil after Carnaval!

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Cuba, which is struggling to maintain the ideals of its 1959 revolution in the midst of the global economic recession, which is forcing Cuba to become a leader in energy and agricultural sustainability.

Raul Castro, who took over from his brother Fidel in 2006, recently announced that the government — which remains Cuba’s largest single employer — will eliminate 1 million workers, or roughly 20 percent of the nation’s workforce.

With the results of the U.S. mid-term elections threatening hopes that restrictions on travel to Cuba will be lifted or even eased, Reality Tours remains one of the few licensed delegations to Cuba. Participants will spend New Year’s Eve in the cabaret of notorious Miami mobster Myer Lansky’s old Riviera Hotel!

Between Brazil and Cuba (politically, at least) lies Ecuador, where President Rafael Correa was briefly held hostage by mutinous police in what was seen as a failed coup attempt.

Though short-lived, the incident highlighted ongoing tensions in the country as an indigenous majority struggles to overcome political and economic inequality, including exploitation by foreign corporations such as Chevron.

Delegates will participate in New Year’s Eve celebrations with the indigenous Sarayacu community in an eco-lodge in the Amazon rainforest.

The fourth New Year’s trip, running Dec. 29 to Jan. 11, is to India, which President Obama recently hailed as a rising regional and economic superpower. Though India has experienced enormous economic growth in recent years, nearly half of its 1.1 billion citizens continue to live below the poverty line.

To meet this challenge, a variety of grassroots organizations, fair trade collectives, and micro-lending projects are promoting people-led development in agriculture, housing, irrigation, re-forestation, textiles, and more.

The tour is led by Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and includes visits to Gandhi’s home and ashram. Participants will celebrate New Year’s in the club car of a 1st-class train as they travel across one of the most ancient yet rapidly-changing civilizations on Earth.

Reality Tours provide in-depth understanding of other countries and cultures by connecting travelers with community organizers and social change advocates around the globe.

For more information on their New Year’s trips or other 2011 Reality Tours, visit www.globalexchange.org/tours/byCountry.html

My personal mission on this trip was to photograph and document Cuban life and society as I experienced it. Naturally I wanted to make some of those iconic Cuban images we’ve all seen — old cars, fading architecture, music and dance traditions. But I also wanted to make some interesting people pictures; to view ordinary people in their daily surroundings is, for me, the best visual representation of a society and culture. This brief essay presents two of the resulting pictures and their accompanying stories.

“The Baseball Player”

The economic situation in Cuba often makes it difficult for people to obtain ordinary items that we all take for granted –  clothing, toiletries, food staples, toys, etc. Global Exchange encouraged us to take small ordinary items as gifts for people we would be visiting in our travels around Cuba. Among the items I brought was a baseball — I know for certain that Cubans love the game and I thought a baseball might be a welcome gift at some point.

I didn’t have to wait long. On our second day in Havana I encountered a group of kids playing baseball in a plaza. Several of the bigger boys had ball gloves, and they had a decent looking baseball bat. But they were playing baseball with an old tennis ball! Perfect — my baseball had found a home.

I watched for awhile and saw that one of the kids was a pretty decent player. I finally approached him and said that he and his pals should be playing with a real baseball. The photograph I wish I could have taken was a picture of his face when I pulled the baseball out of my daypack. But the one I made of him posing with his new ball isn’t bad.

“First Photograph”

Our travels took us to the old colonial town of Trinidad on the southern coast of Cuba. One night we were invited to a block party in a working class part of town. The event was sponsored by the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution, and the local block leader welcomed us with a brief and — surprisingly — nonpolitical address. This was followed by a short program of the resident children singing songs, reciting poetry, and one young man demonstrating his considerable gymnastic talents. They then played music over the PA system and our group and the neighbors all danced together and had a grand time.

One member of our group had brought a small, shoe-box-size photo printer. With his printer and digital camera, he sat up an impromptu photo studio in the middle of the street and started making and printing photographs of the children. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the place went nuts; many of the kids had never had their pictures taken before. But the most emotional reaction came from the parents as they were able to see and hold a picture of their kids. I realized at some point that we weren’t just making photographs — we were making family heirlooms.

This perfectly timed picture is typical of the kinds of reactions the photos evoked between the kids and their parents.

For a slide show of more of his Cuba photographs, go to http://bit.ly/cuba25views

For more information about the Cuba delegation’s travels, see the group’s Images of Cuba blog, and Cuba: From Inside and Out gallery site.

Harlan Crowder is a fanatical semi-professional photographer who lives and works in Silicon Valley, California. For more of his images visit his website.

I am a graduate student, and, as a requirement for my school, I had to do a cultural immersion. The immersion required me to spend 75 hours outside of my own culture. I decided to use this requirement as something helpful for my personal growth and something that would help me learn more about the issue of human trafficking. The last time I had been out of the country was 10 years ago. My passport had just expired, but I decided to renew it and go on an adventure.

In my search for the perfect opportunity, I found the link for immersion trips through the Not for Sale Campaign’s website. Each of the offerings sounded like an excellent opportunity to learn more about a different culture. The Peru immersion experience seemed to offer an in-depth look into the Peruvian culture, as well as some tourism such as: the economic, governmental, and social realities. The main focus of the trip was on the human trafficking issue, which is an issue I have been passionate about for some time. Our group met Lucy Borja, the founder of Generacion, who was such an inspiration in how she loves the “unwanted.” We also met some of the kids from the streets who were so welcoming. It was overwhelming to walk into a small house and see a large group of smiling kids, singing and dancing. They greeted us one by one with a hug or kiss. We learned some of the troubles street kids face daily. They are treated poorly by the government and the Peruvian citizens because of their status. The Peruvian government outwardly and openly demonstrates their distaste for the street kids viewing them as a nuisance. We met one girl who stood outside our van and asked us to take her to the states with us. Much of the trip was emotionally overwhelming because of the hardships the kids face.

My adventure started as soon as I sent in my application to Global Exchange. To prepare for such an extensive trip was something I’ve never done before. I haven’t gone out of the country in so long that I needed a lot of help getting ready. I heard from many different people their thoughts on booking flights and what I should pack. I think packing may have been the most difficult part of the pre-traveling process. I tried to pack light, but I had so many “just in case” items that I felt I was packing way too much. Meanwhile, my friends thought I wasn’t packing enough. I read reviews online about traveling specifically to Peru. I got some vaccinations and finally, after months of planning, I was on my way to Lima, Peru.

Before setting foot in Peru, I realized an immediate difference in culture beyond my own preconceptions. On the plane I met a man from Peru who was trying to teach me Spanish during our 6 hour flight. When we got off the plane, there was a woman who yelled something in Spanish. The man looked at me and asked if I knew what the woman said. When I said no, he just smiled and walked off. I still have no idea what that woman said.

Throughout the next ten days I became immersed in a culture that I knew little about. I not only learned about the many cultures and subcultures of Peru, but more about other parts of the US. My traveling companions were four people from different parts of the US.

I think the biggest culture difference was the diversity from one town to the next. One day I ate potatoes and cheese in a small kitchen in an adobe hut, and the next day I was sitting in one of the best restaurants in Lima eating, well, different potatoes I guess. One constant was that Peru has many kinds of potatoes, and, rich or poor, everyone eats potatoes. That didn’t concern me at all. I am predominately Irish, so potatoes are a staple in my diet.

Most of the trip I was in overwhelmed emotionally. Sights and sounds were different than I had ever experienced and it was sometimes hard to focus during group discussions and meetings. The language barrier got to me eventually. I was so frustrated that I couldn’t seem to ask a question without making hand gestures and limiting everything I could in the 10 or so Spanish words I knew. As soon as I stepped off the plane in the US I smiled because I was immediately greeted with a “hello,” instead of “hola.” It was comforting to be able to speak in my native language. I had never realized how much power there is in language. In the midst of this trip, I realized how incredibly hard it must be to immigrate to a new country. I had a group around me that did know my language, so that I could ask questions if need be. I don’t know what I would do if I was completely alone. Some things that seem simple, such as getting a cab, ordering food, or buying merchandise are completely different in another country. In Peru when I wanted to go to town in a cab, I was told that I should pay no more than 3 soles, if I wasn’t told that I’m sure that I could have paid more than 10 sole without knowing any better.

I have tried to gather cultural differences and things I learned into something concise, but haven’t been able to. I have actually been learning more since I’ve come home. I did find out that because I was in Peru for 10 days- 10 days longer than many of the people I know- I have become the “expert” on the country to people I talk to.  I am far from being an expert. I have had one trip and I feel that there is so much more to learn. From what I did learn, I am questioning if I am even an expert on American culture. It is so easy to generalize people for what you think they should be from what you heard, but until you experience the culture or subculture for yourself, you are not truly informed.

Because of this experience, I have been able to educate others about the realities of Peru. I gave a presentation to my class about everything I learned culturally. I also presented to the Western Washington Coalition Against Human Trafficking. I have shared my experience with everyone I know because people are fascinated with other countries and cultures that they don’t know. It is an easy way for me to lead people to discuss the trafficking issue in the US. Most people are shocked to find out that trafficking does happen in the US. The same thing that is happening in other countries is happening in our own country. I understand the issue more because of my first hand experience in Peru. I also was shown a way that the victims are being helped. Lucy is being proactive by spending time with the girls while they are prostitutes, so that they can find a way out before they are fully immersed into modern day slavery, or while they still have the freedom to walk away from it. I have come back to the US with new understanding of what is happening in our country. Since it’s not widely understood in our country that trafficking happens within the US, it is hard to find a solution to an already too big problem. Most of the time that could be spent on finding a way to help is spent on educating others that it really does happen.  

I met some amazing people on my trip: heroines in the fight against Human Trafficking, people who are helping others by their willingness to be available to help, and our US team who is now more aware of Peru’s reality. Everyone who has acknowledged this issue as one that is actually happening, a human rights issue, and is doing something to help fight it is a hero. It doesn’t take much to become an advocate; by just speaking up against trafficking is helpful to the fight. People cannot be expected to change when they don’t know there is a problem.

I have always been a compassionate person, if anything, this trip has helped me become even more compassionate. I am pursuing my masters in counseling psychology, so naturally, I like helping people. I am curious how people handle joys and trials in life. I am so glad that I went on this trip to expand my knowledge and cross cultures. There is nothing more eye opening than to experience the “unknown;” in other words, to get out of your comfort zone. Even traveling within our own country is an eye opening experience. I encourage everyone to leave their comfort zones and travel; it is always an adventure whether you love the country you visit, or decide it’s not for you.

Amy Murray is a graduate student at Northwest University pursuing a MA in Counseling Psychology. She is actively involved in the fight against human trafficking and serves in several different places such as, the Not for Sale Campaign and the Western Washington Coalition Against Human Trafficking. In her spare time, Amy likes to work on art projects, run, and play tennis.

Early this morning, Ecuadorians woke up to a state of national unrest as sections of the national police and military coordinated nation-wide protests against President Rafael Correa’s democratically-elected government. Demonstrating against sweeping public service reforms that affect benefits for police and military personnel, hundreds of insubordinate police and military members overtook police stations and an air force base and shut down the country’s main international airport.

As President Correa took to Quito’s streets to dialogue with the demonstrators, he was struck by tear gas and injured, forcing him to evacuate to a national police hospital. In an interview from his hospital bed, Correa insisted that the protests were a coup d’etat attempt by the opposition.

At the time of writing, rebel police forces have stormed into President Correa’s hospital room and are holding him hostage. According to the Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, the President’s life is in danger.  The Security Minister has declared a state of emergency, and senior officials in the Ecuadorian Armed Forces remain loyal to the Correa government. In a show of support, Correa supporters are leading a rally to the hospital where he remains. There are reports of confrontations between Correa supporters and rebel police forces.

While the exact political context remains unclear, it is ostensible that this coup attempt was manufactured by a few people in the opposition who command influence over the army and in the police.

As the Organization of American States meets in an extraordinary session and the US State Department weighs US-Ecuador relations, it is imperative that the US stand in solidarity with the democratically-elected government of President Rafael Correa.

Demand that President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton support democracy in Ecuador. Insist that the Obama administration unconditionally support President Rafael Correa and his democratically-elected government.

Contact Anaida Haas, Ecuador Desk Officer at the US State Department, and demand that the State Department issue a statement saying the US will not recognize any government other than that of President Rafael Correa.

Ecuador Desk OfficerUS State Department
(202) 647-2807
haasa@state.gov

Contact your Congresspersons and demand that they encourage President Obama to issue a statement saying the US will not recognize any government other than that of President Rafael Correa.

If you’re a California resident, contact information is as follows:

Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House of Representatives(202) 225-0100

Dianne Feinstein
US Senator (CA)
(202) 224-3841

Barbara BoxerUS Senator (CA)
(202) 224-3553

Thank you, as always, for your work on behalf of peace and justice,
Global Exchange

July 12, 2010  Last Days in Tehran

View of downtown Tehran from the Tochal Gondola

After returning from Esfahan, we had a couple of more days to enjoy Tehran, do any last minute shopping, before returning home. We buy books of poetry as gifts, along with Persian sweets, pistachios and dates. Bahman gives me excellent recommendations for popular Iranian music, including Farman Fathalian, Benyamin, Googoosh, and Faramarz Aslani; these will make great additions to my collection, which includes only Mohammed Reza Shajarian of the Masters of Persian Music, whom I saw recently at the Kennedy Center.

I was also quite pleased also to visit the Cinema Museum. I’ve known of Iranian cinema’s cutting-edge reputation for some time, and seen quite a few of their award-winning titles, including Children of Heaven and the Color of Paradise (Majid Majidi), The Circle (Jafar Panahi), A Taste of Cherry (Abbas Kiarostami), and Two Women (Tahmineh Milani). This museum was a testament to the importance of cinema as an Iranian art form, as well as its complicated relationship to the government, which have both promoted Iranian cinema – particularly under former President Khatami – as well as censoring it (filmmaker Panahi has just beenreleased from jail.)

During the trip, I have asked about the economy, because I haven’t seen nearly as much urban poverty as many other places I have traveled. From my discussions with Iranians, and from previous research, it seems that the government has invested quite heavily in infrastructure, consumer subsidies, and social services, and the country boasts high levels of education and good health care coverage, and good infrastructure (roads, electricity, water distribution, etc). Economic growth has been steady in recent years. At the same time, several Iranians pointed out that given the revenues from oil, the country should be doing even better. Mostly though, they expressed worry about the impact the sanctions would have on the poor, rather than the governing elite, believing that the mullahs would find ways to evade the sanctions, which would only create more black market activity and drive up prices for the poorer Iranians.

Our intrepid Bahman takes us on a final adventure up a gondola and several chairlifts to reach the top of Mt. Tochal, just above Tehran in the Alborz mountains. Tehranis go to ski in the winter, and to take refreshing hikes in the summer. It is beautiful, relaxing, and pleasant to get some exercise. We also pass by a “green belt” in Tehran, which Bahman explains not just roadside landscape, but part of an extensive new park that has been built for women to exercise without being seen by men.

That evening, Alice and I wonder, for the fourteenth time these last two weeks, How did we get to be so lucky as to be on this trip? When we spoke of our upcoming trip to Iran, most of our friends and family were either scared or thought we were crazy. “Why would you want to go to Iran, of all places?” they would ask, the bewilderment in their voices not at all hidden.

It’s understandable, given the image in Western media of Iran – mostly formed by negative images of a repressed society, a demagogue president, and oppressive mullahs. But these images alone aren’t fitting with the warm smiles and pleasantly surprised looks we got every time a curious Iranian stopped us on the street to inquire as to where we were from. It’s not that those things don’t exist here, but they do so along with another, more complex reality, one of an incredibly varied, dynamic history, of expansive empires and destructive foreign occupations, of artistic and literary marvels alongside current religious fundamentalism, of youth eager for a future and elders mindful of the country’s past greatness.

We turn on CNN International, and hear about the horrifying case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a woman in Iran who has been sentenced to stoning to death after being convicted for adultery. After having seen the film, “The Stoning of Soraya M.” before coming to Iran, and knowing of how wrongfully convicted inmates are still put to death in U.S. prisons, the thought that this dreadful act could still occur turns my stomach. At the same time, it is not difficult to identify the propaganda against Iran being ratcheted up in recent months, and fear that this case will play into the hands of those demanding that the United States “do something” about Iran.

In the two weeks I’ve been here, the number of stories about the “existential” threat posed by Iranian’s alleged nuclear ambitions has increased, with calls for a pre-emptive attack by Israel. What about the real threat of Israel’s existing nuclear weapons? Iran sits surrounded by nuclear Israel and Pakistan, sandwiched between two states – Iraq and Afghanistan – occupied by U.S. troops, which also hold military positions in neighbors Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and UAE. Iran is no threat militarily, and has not acted aggressively towards any other country in decades – something that cannot be said for Israel. Of course no one wants Iran to develop a nuclear bomb. But the majority of the world support Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear energy. As Chomsky has pointed out, the threats of the US and Israel contravene the NPT – and are more likely to induce Iran to develop a deterrent. If the US and Israel were serious about making peace with Iran, they would reduce that threat. Or do the hawks in our government somehow think that the heroes of the Green Movement will be immune from the destruction of war?

And yet we have seen some of the most incomparably gorgeous mosques and palaces, all architectural gems; walked in sublime gardens and passed by lovely landscape; eaten the most delicious fresh food in fabulously decorated teahouses and restaurants; seen hundreds of painstakingly knotted rugs, delicately painted miniatures, and other beautiful arts; witnessed testament of 2,500 years of proud history; and met some of the most friendly, sweet, and generous people.

I can’t wait to go back and look at the hundreds of photos we took, leap back into my Netflix queue of Iranian films, and finish the other Iranian books waiting on my shelves. I hope that others will take advantage of these tours – next scheduled for September and April. The more Americans know about the Iranian people, the less likely we will be to allow our government to drag us into yet another senseless war.

As grandmothers, mothers, and daughters dine together in Iran, can you help ensure their future is one of peace?

August 2, 2010  post-script

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, this weekend admitted that the United States does have a plan for attacking Iran, although he maintained his position that it is probably a bad idea due to the unpredictable impacts it would have across the Middle East. At the same time, Gareth Porter wrote in Truthout about the neocon strategy of building up enough pressure on Obama, to get the United States to support an Israeli bombing campaign. There’s also a media strategy to build public support, that has evidently convinced two thirds of Americans that Iran already has a bomb. House Republicans seem eager to do so, and have already introduced a Resolution supporting a pre-emptive bombing of Iran by Israel. You can learn about how to oppose this Resolution and support other diplomacy efforts at the National Iranian American Council.

Read the rest of Deborah James’ ‘Journey to Iran‘ blog posts.

July 8, 2010 Esfahan, Half the World

During some of the dynasties of the Persian Empire, the area it governed was so large that its capitals were located in cities that are now outside of present-day Iran. During other times, the region was ruled from foreign lands, such as by Arab caliphates in Damascus or the Uzbek Timurids from Samarkand. It wasn’t until the Safavid dynasty re-established the Persian Empire in 1502 that the capital cities were henceforth located within present-day Iran. And it was under the Safavids that Persian art and culture again flourished, and most of all within their capital city, Esfahan.

Shah Mosque

We arrived at night, and after dinner our guide Bahman conducted us on a pleasant walk through the city. He then insisted we close our eyes for a moment. I was nervous and excited, thinking to myself, this must be great, if it was going to top the amazing palaces, gardens, and other sights upon which we had already feasted our eyes. Then he gives the word, and immediately my senses are treated to the most gorgeous sight I have ever witnessed. Imam Square by night is an ethereal rectangle of archways, anchored on two sides by infinitely gorgeous mosques, and on another by the Ali Qapu palace. The square is second in size only to Tienanmen.

Serving as a polo field in the past, today it is chock full of hundreds of intergenerational families setting out a blanket or rug for an evening’s picnic and delighting in the cooling air. Alice gets out her camera; she has become an expert at finding joy in children’s faces, and their mothers always seem pleased to have their child’s picture taken. This interaction inevitably leads to an invitation to sit down, and we share a family’s melon, cheese, and bread. I marvel at the generosity of Iranians who are so quick to share a meal with a complete stranger, one who speaks no Farsi beyond Salaam, and who is from a countrythat is at this very moment, contemplating bombing them.

The next day we visit the Congregational Mosque, considered a museum of nearly a thousand years of Persian religious architecture, due to the fact that, after having been first built by the Seljuks in the 11^th century, it was added to, rather than destroyed and rebuilt, by subsequent dynasties. This includes the Mongol Il-Khanids in the 14^th century, the Timurids in the 15^th, and the Safavids in the 17^thcentury. It was one of the first mosques that included two iwans, built facing each other within the inner courtyard that contains the ablutions fountain. The religious center of any mosque is its mihrab, or prayer niche, and the famous Uljaitu Mihrab of the Il-Khanid period, in finely detailed stucco, is exquisite.

We return to Imam Square that afternoon, and it becomes easy to see how the square has earned its name, Nesf-e-Jahan, or Half of the World. We behold two of the Islamic world’s greatest architectural masterpieces – the incomparable Sheikh Lotfollah and Shah mosques. To enter the latter, we have to throw light cotton chadors over our heads. First, we walk through a brilliantly tiled iwan, or perfect ly proportioned arched gate. These are richly decorated in mosaic tiles featuring geometric motifs, floral designs, and kufic calligraphy from the Qu’ran. They even have muqarnas, the sumptuously decorated stalactite-like patterned archways that are one of Persia’s gifts to the Islamic architecture. We pass through a hallway – every square inch is covered in tiled designs – and enter the courtyard with the ablutions fountain that is the center of any mosque complex.

From there we make our way to the masterpiece – the interior dome. The Shah mosque, boasting a dome covered in tiles made from Iranian turquoise, has an equally stunning interior floral and arabesque pattern dominated by lapis lazuli blue and turquoise tiling. The mosque of Sheik Lotfollah, which is crowned with a unique and striking cream-colored dome, reveals an interior graced with an almost imperceptibly tiny peacock, ringed by wispy arabesques, surrounded by a field of the most exquisite tiles in the shape of peacock feathers. My breath is taken away; I truly cannot find words to describe the sublime beauty in front of me.

We see so much more in Esfahan, starting with the famous arched bridges which link the city divided by the Zayandeh River, many of which are gathering places for families and young people to walk and enjoy the sunset. We revisit the Ali Qapu palace on the main square, and meander through the Qeisarieh Bazaar with hundreds of shops displaying the handmade carpets, silver housewares, gold jewelry, tiles, inlaid woodwork, block print and woven fabric, miniature paintings, and other divine crafts for which Esfahan is famous around the world. We visit a synagogue, as well as the Christian Armenian quarter and the Vank Cathedral; the Chehel Sotun Palace with its mind-bogglingly beautiful paintings, built in the 17^th century; as well as the Hasht Behesht (Eight Paradises) house built in 1670 for another shah’s harem.

And we are constantly pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the Iranian people. While visiting the Shaking Minarets, a young girl approaches us and asks (through hand-motions) if she can take her picture with us. Alice and I are happy to oblige! Then her friend comes up with the same request. Of course! Suddenly their entire school class is upon us, giggling and edging in to the photo! They all want to know where we are from. When we say the United States, they are always curious! All of a sudden paper is produced. They want us to write a note! A note, any note, from the American women they have just met. I wish them each a bright future, and one in which our two countries can be friends and not threaten each other.

We do not want to leave Esfahan. We contemplate ways to come back.

Read the rest of Deborah James’ ‘Journey to Iran‘ blog posts.

Apadana Palace

Deborah James advocated for Fair Trade at Global Exchange from 1993 – 2005, and now serves as a member of the Global Exchange Board. She is currently the Director of International Programs at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. She recently participated in the Citizen Diplomacy Delegation to Iran with Reality Tours. In a series of posts, she shares with us her experience.

July 5, 2010 Persepolis

The UNESCO World Heritage site of Persepolis is the heart of our tour through Iran’s history. At the time it was built, starting around 520 BC, it was the ceremonial capital of the largest empire that the world had ever known. At its height, the Persian Empire included much of present-day Central Asia all the way to Pakistan and as far north as Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, Turkey, parts of Greece, Mesopotamia and the Levant, and even parts of Egypt and Libya. The destruction of this masterpiece in 330 BC by the Macedonian Alexander the Great’s army represents an enormous global cultural loss.

Initiated by Cyrus the Great, founder of the first Persian Empire, the Achaemenids, Persepolis includes the remains of the former palaces of the Achaemenid kings including Darius the Great, Xerxes and Artaxerxes. (Cyrus himself is buried at Pasargad nearby). We are fortunate that most of the ruins were buried in desert sand for centuries, so that some bas-reliefs remain, famous for depicting kings and courtiers and gift-bearing representatives of nations (Baylonians, Assyrians, Armenians, Egyptians, Scythians, Indians, Arabs, Bactrians, etc) of the Persian Empire.

Coming from a country where many citizens think the era of Jim Crow laws is ancient history, it is overwhelming to contemplate what it must be like to be from a country that is steeped in 2,500 years of documented, organized history (in additional to several thousand years of continuous habitation.) And every Iranian we speak with is well aware of this history, as if it were yesterday.

From Persepolis we drive to Esfahan, the last stop on our trip before returning to Tehran. On the way, as on all days, we are plied with a variety of snacks: roasted pistachios or fresh walnuts; juicy cherries and mulberries, perfectly ripe apricots and peaches, and fresh Persian melon; baklava, delicious saffron ice cream, and mouthwatering sweets made with rosewater and pistachio; and heavenly pomegranate juice. And of course, ubiquitous service of tea with fresh dates!

Read the rest of Deborah James’ ‘Journey to Iran‘ blog posts.

Drastic variations in climate and topography—ranging from tropical jungles and subtropical cloud forests to the vast arid plains of the Altiplano—make Bolivian agriculture a truly remarkable feat. Before the arrival of the Spanish in 1531, the communities of the Incan Empire developed sophisticated skills for producing food in this diverse environment, making the central Andes one of the most important centers of crop domestication in human history. Andean farmers maintained fields at different elevations, taking advantage of a wide range of microclimates. Collectively managed raised beds and terraces sustained over 15 million people with an abundance of grains, roots, legumes, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Despite their ecological resilience and high nutritional value, many native Andean food plants—such as oca, maca, tarwi and kañiwa—have been ignored in Bolivia’s agricultural development, and are virtually unknown outside the region. As hunger now looms over South America’s poorest country, peasant farmers, producer associations, NGOs, and government officials are working to reclaim Bolivia’s food sovereignty.

Following the Spanish conquest, Andean systems of land use and exchange were radically disrupted. Indigenous people were forced to work as miners or workers on Spanish-owned plantations, and native crops were displaced by crops preferred by the conquistadors, such as wheat and barley.Although a social revolution in 1952 put indigenous farmers back in control of their lands and communities, modern agricultural development has not favored native foods and peasant self-sufficiency. The governments that ruled Bolivia from the 1950s onward viewed Andean farming practices and foods as backward. With the help of U.S. Aid and other international funding sources, they launched a massive ‘modernization’ project to kick start industrial agriculture in the sparsely populated Eastern lowlands. Thousands of hectares of rainforest were bulldozed and replanted with sugar, cotton and soybean monocultures.

With little State support, many Andean farmers struggled on small plots of land or migrated to cities. With the decline of native crops, dependence on imported foods increased. In the mid-1950s, the U.S. began shipping its wheat surplus to Bolivia as “food aid”, creating a structural dependence on imported wheat that persists to this day. The cheap American wheat, subsidized by U.S. taxpayers, undercut producers of local criollo wheat varieties and out-competed other peasant-produced crops, such as potatoes and maize. The extreme free market policies applied in Bolivia in the 1980s further deteriorated markets for small farmers, who now had to compete with imported produce from rich farmers in neighboring Peru, Chile and Brazil. Some joined the swelling ranks of the urban poor, while others relocated to the tropics where they could plant coca, the last remaining smallholder crop with a viable market.

Despite hundreds of years of disrepute, many native crops have survived in the subsistence plots of highland farmers. Although they are unknown in commercial markets, they are consumed by farm families, shared in local festivals and treasured for their flavor, beauty or resilience. In several communities of the Yungas region, on the steep Eastern slopes of the Andes, technicians from the NGO Condesan identified nearly 40 varieties of racacha, a tasty yellow root that is botanically related to both carrots and celery. Other peasant-produced foods such as the llama—an Andean camelid uniquely suited to life at 10,000 to 13,000 feet above sealevel—have been part of a broader cultural revitalization. In 1979, a group of Aymara Indian professionals helped found the Camelid Association of the High Andes (AIGACAA), the country’s first organization of llama herders. Over time the association succeeded in overturning discriminatory laws, building the first llama slaughterhouses and improving sanitary standards for llama meat. Naturally low in fat and cholesterol, it has since become widely accepted by middle and upper-class urban consumers as a healthy alternative to beef or pork.  Llama steak or sausage is now available in many Bolivian restaurants and sold in markets as charque or llama jerky.

Quinoa, another Andean native, has also seen a resurgence in popularity. While it continues to be an important subsistence crop for peasants of the Altiplano, often in association with llamas, the “discovery” of its many nutritional benefits has propelled the grain-like plant[i]to international celebrity status. Global demand for quinoa as a ‘health food’ in the North has soared since the 1990s, sparking the emergence of a dynamic, peasant-led export sector. The well-organized producer associations have benefited from the increased demand, and rural out-migration from the Altiplano seems to have abated as a result. Nonetheless, the quinoa sector also demonstrates the limitations of a development strategy reliant on the global market. The market pull to increase production in the short-term through mechanization has eroded fragile highland soils, leading to lower yields in the long-term. The rising price of quinoa has also squeezed out many traditional consumers, who must turn to cheaper, often less nutritious, alternatives. With a government apparently committed to promoting food sovereignty, Bolivia’s development challenge will be to promote food first, and trade second.

From its chacras (fields) to its kitchens, dining halls and street vendors, Bolivia’s place-based food identity is expressed through countless varieties of potatoes and roots, peanuts, squash, corn, beans and hot peppers. Take for instance Bolivia’s signature pastry, the salteña—a plumper, juicier take on the empanada, consumed as a mid-morning snack. Each of Bolivia’s distinct regions, from the high Andes of Potosí to the temperate plains of Cochabamba, has a distinct recipe (often including potatoes, vegetables, raisins, meat and/orhard-boiled eggs) showcasing the local ingredients and culinary pride of its inhabitants. A necessary accompaniment to the salteña, and to most Bolivian meals, is a spicy salsa called llajua (pronounced ya-hua), made from native Andean peppers such as locotos. Indeed, the ancestors of all peppers are believed to have originated in Bolivia, before spreading to Central America and Mexico. The llajua (or llajwa) found in various regions of Bolivia is distinguished by different herbs: wakataya (which has a licorice aroma) is used in the Altiplano while quilquiña (a cilantro-like herb) is used in Cochabamba.

Llajua (Spicy Bolivian Salsa)

2 hot peppers (locoto, habanero or serrano)

1 large tomato (about 8 oz)

1 tablespoon fresh (or 1 tsp dried) herb such as quilquiña, cilantro or parsley

1 small onion, finely chopped

salt to taste

1) Remove seeds from peppers and discard. 2) Squeeze tomato juices and seeds into a small bowl. 3) Grind peppers, herbs and tomato on a mortar or in a food processor. 4) Add reserved tomato pulp to the mixture and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate. Best when used on the same day.[ii]

Bolivian cuisine is a testament to the resilience of Andean farmers, who have fought to preserve the integrity of their agro-food systems for centuries. In January 2009, Bolivia became the fifth country to formally adopt the concept of “food sovereignty” into its national constitution[iii]. Although many challenges remain, this broad-ranging commitment to prioritize sustainable, local food production for local consumption bodes well for the health of the country’s rural and urban communities. Revaluing Bolivia’s neglected native foods for the benefit of local populations is a step in the right direction.

Explore Bolivia’s food and farms with Food First and Global Exchange

October 7 – October 19, 2010

During this 13-day tour, we will travel from the highland birthplace of the potato and quinoa in the Altiplano, to spectacular Lake Titicaca, to the likely center of origin of cocoa in Madidi National Park in the tropical lowlands of Bolivia. We will visit farms, markets, and agro-ecological projects to talk with farmers, consumers, agricultural development experts and food sovereignty activists. By learning first hand and sharing food—succulent salteñas, rich coffee and chocolate, and earthy coca tea—we will reflect upon this region’s remarkable agricultural and culinary heritage.

For more information, click here or contact Corina with any questions.

Further Reading

Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-known plants of the Andes with promise for worldwide cultivation. By the Office of International Affairs, National Research Council. Read online: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=1398&page=1

My Mother’s Bolivian Kitchen: Recipes and Recollections. By José Sanchez H. Hippocrene Books, 2005.

The South American Table: The flavor and soul of authentic home cooking from Patagonia to Rio de Janeiro. By Maria Baez Kijac. Harvard Common Press, 2003.

[ii] Adapted from The South American table…page 335

[iii] After Mali (2006), Nepal (2007), Venezuela (2008) and Ecuador  (2008).

July 4, 2010  Shiraz

Today we are leaving the beautiful city of Shiraz, known for its gardens, nightingales, roses, wine, and poets. When we arrived, the first person we saw was dressed in tight jeans, a figure-hugging manteau and Sex-in-the-City high heels! Shiraz is also known in Iran for being a very liberal city. And while unfortunately, the wine is no longer to be found, poetry abounds here.

Sa’di Tomb

Most Americans do not associate Iran with poetry, but it is essential to the country’s identity. From a thousand years ago, when Ferdowsi penned the Persian epic history, the Shahnameh, in verse; to the Rubaiyat poetry of mathematician Omar Khayyam, written around 1100 AD; the Masnavi of the Sufi mystic poet Rumi, and the Golestan and Bustan of Sa’di, both written in the 1200s; to the unparalleled Hafez, whose collection of poems from the 1300s speak of courtship and wine, the country has an illustrious history of world-renowned, mesmerizing poetry. In fact, the gorgeous mausoleums of Sa’di and Hafez, both of whom resided in Shiraz, are considered pilgrimages by Iranian school groups and tourists alike, as evidenced by the throngs of Iranians present and reciting verse when we visited!

Shiraz is also renowned for its lush Persian gardens, which we took great advantage of to escape the day’s heat. A refreshing mix of cypress, palms, sycamore, and other shading fruit and nut trees, mixed with flowering plants of honeysuckle, jasmine, and bougainvillea. Some of the gardens are run as public spaces where families picnic; others were the private gardens of the fabulously wealthy, complete with lavishly decorated mini palaces, now endowed to the Ministry of Culture for public view. It was easy to see how the famed Persian gardens inspired both the poetry of the region, as well as the exquisitely detailed miniature paintings we saw in the bazaar of Shiraz.

We also visited a teahouse. Our small group, a born-Catholic, a Jew, and a Muslim enter the Seray-e Teahouse in the Serai Mushir craft area of the Vakil Bazaar, a former caravanserai (a hotel for traveler caravans on the Silk Road). We ascend curving staircase, peek through beaded curtains, and see wooden picnic-style benches covered in Persian woven tribal kilim rugs. My eyes immediately fix on the polychrome tile representations of polo players, lovers and music, poetry and wine from the Shahnameh by Ferdowsi that cover the walls. Colored light passes above through the metal cut-out lanterns. We sit down at tables, covered in Shirazi woven red and gold paisley tablecloths. A waiter brings a porcelain tea set with small glasses bearing the image of the 4^th Qajar king. Nasser ol-D in Shah ruled from 1848 to 1896, and is known both as a great patron of the arts, as well as the shah who gave so much of the country away to Russian and English concessions. We dip hand-cut sugar cubes into the tea, which we then sip through the sugar held behind the teeth. After a moment, the prize arrives: a qaylan, traditional water pipe, through which we inhale delicious mint-scented tobacco and blow thick curls of smoke. It is another perfect moment in Iran.

We meet some young people in an Internet café. They are studying to be architects and engineers. Unfortunately, they don’t see future job prospects in Iran, and are planning on leaving to find a place where their skills can be put to good use. The recession has cut off many of those opportunities internationally, however. I ponder how much worse this situation will get due to the sanctions…

After a few amazing days of visiting gorgeously tiled palaces, green gardens, and perusing the bazaar, it is time to leave. I read Hafez and Sa’di in the car, while looking out at the lovely Zagros Mountains, seeing all the walnut, almond, pistachio, fig, plum, and apricot trees; grapes, eggplant, tomato, spinach, potato, wheat, barley, and rice farmland; along with the sheep and goat pastures.

Because of this rich bounty, Persian food has far exceeded my expectations! For breakfast we enjoy delicious fresh yoghurt every day, wonderful omelets with tomatoes and mushrooms, or eggs with tomato and cucumber and a feta-like cheese, and coffee. At lunch and dinner we eat like queens – first salad and yoghurt with flatbread, then a wonderful barley soup, and a mouth-watering roasted eggplant dish unlike any I’ve ever tasted. Then there’s grilled fish or lamb or chicken kebab, served with a bowl of fresh mint, basil, and other herbs, or national dishes like fesenjun (a rich sauce of ground walnuts and pomegranates). All very healthy and delicious!

Not many oil-rich countries maintain a focus on self-sufficiency in agriculture as Iran has, but farming here is far more ancient than oil. We hear from Iranians that because of the sanctions, many of the government subsidies that keep prices low are going to be reduced, and they are concerned about the impact this will have on food prices, particularly for the less well off…

Read the rest of Deborah James’ ‘Journey to Iran‘ blog posts.