People traveling to Vietnam are often startled by the beauty of the country and the graciousness of its people, qualities that have not faded despite the punishing long war with the United States as well as the subsequent 20-year embargo which lasted until 1995.
Similar to other countries in South America, Ecuador has traditionally suffered from the so-called "resource curse:" high poverty and inequality in a land of plentiful natural resources. Despite this fact, Ecuador serves as a model for some of the most far-reaching efforts to provide ecologically and socially-sustainable alternatives to the corporate global economy.
2013 has witnessed massive movements and uprisings around the globe, from the Occupy! movements in the US, to the movements for Democracia Real Ya! in Spain, and the massive protest and assembly movements in Greece. Common to all these movements is their use of horizontal democracy and the occupation of physical space in which to create new democratic forms. They all began with a No! - a refusal to accept a crisis - and at the same time many yeses, with the creation of alternative forms of relating and being.
The attention of the world focused on Chiapas on January 1st, 1994, the day that NAFTA went into effect, when an uprising led by indigenous Mexicans brought notice to their precarious living conditions.
Something remarkable is happening in Venezuela. The lives of millions of Venezuelans are improving as historic wrongs are being righted. The world's fifth-largest oil producer, Venezuela has long been a country of contrasts: despite its great wealth, 80% of Venezuelans live in poverty.
Join Global Exchange for a Reality Tour exploring how U.S. fair trade activists and women's cooperatives in Guatemala are working together to use fair trade to advance local development efforts in Latin America's most impoverished communities. We invite you to travel to Guatemala to meet with artisan cooperatives and affiliated grassroots NGOs.
Similar to other countries in South America, Ecuador has traditionally suffered from the so-called "resource curse:" high poverty and inequality in a land of plentiful natural resources. Despite this fact, Ecuador serves as a model for some of the most far-reaching efforts to provide ecologically and socially-sustainable alternatives to the corporate global economy.
Nineteenth 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.
The attention of the world focused on Chiapas on January 1st, 1994, the day that NAFTA went into effect, when an uprising led by indigenous Mexicans brought notice to their precarious living conditions.
Similar to other countries in South America, Ecuador has traditionally suffered from the so-called "resource curse:" high poverty and inequality in a land of plentiful natural resources. Despite this fact, Ecuador serves as a model for some of the most far-reaching efforts to provide ecologically and socially-sustainable alternatives to the corporate global economy.
