Our Peacebuilding Principles (Travel with CARE)

CURIOSITY - Cultivate Curiosity as the Foundation for Peacebuilding

For all travelers to have an authentic curiosity to learn about different places, cultures, perspectives, and ways of life through intentional travel preparation that includes pre-trip education and destination planning, By approaching each destination and every day with open minds and hearts travel can transform passive observation into active inquiry that leads to dismantling preconceptions & building genuine appreciation for diversity.

Peacebuilding Impact: Curiosity is the antidote to fear and prejudice. When travelers invest time in understanding their destination before arrival—learning basic language, historical context, and cultural norms—they replace assumptions with knowledge. This preparation transforms potential cultural misunderstandings into meaningful exchanges. Curious travelers ask "Why?" instead of judging "Why not," creating space for understanding & dialogue that builds bridges rather than walls.

AWARENESS - Build Cultural Awareness Through Authentic Understanding & Connection

For all travelers to have a better awareness & understanding of the people and places they visit by incorporating immersive experiences that reveal the richness of their global community. Make connections with the local history, traditions, and daily life by exploring beyond just the standard tourist attraction. Build in time to try some authentic local cuisine, witness or participating in a cultural activity, do some shopping at a neighborhood store, take time to converse with members of the local community.

Peacebuilding Impact: Awareness transforms abstract "others" into real people with their own life’s, dreams, and challenges. When travelers taste local cuisine, hear personal narratives, and witness daily life firsthand, they develop empathy that transcends cultural boundaries. This experiential learning breaks down the "us versus them" mentality fundamental to conflict, replacing it with recognition of our shared humanity.

RESPECT - Practice Respect as Environmental and Cultural Stewardship

For all travelers to honor local cultures, traditions, environments, and communities through sustainable practices and reverent engagement. Encourage travelers to minimize environmental impact, support local economies, preserve cultural heritage sites, and interact with customs as grateful guests. Model behavior that protects rather than exploits, celebrates rather than appropriates.

Peacebuilding Impact: When travelers actively preserve environments and honor cultural traditions, they embody the cooperative spirit essential for peaceful coexistence. Environmental stewardship directly addresses resource conflicts—a major source of global tension—while proving that progress doesn't require destruction of what others hold sacred.

ENGAGEMENT - Enable Meaningful Engagement for Ongoing Peace Advocacy

We strive for all travelers to find opportunities for authentic dialogue and collaborative experiences during their travel journey and in doing so transform their role from a visitor to an Ambassador for Peace. Encourage travelers to share meaningful stories during and after their journey, incorporating global perspectives into their home communities through continued advocacy and ongoing relationship-building.

Peacebuilding Impact: Engagement creates the human connections that make peace personal. When travelers form genuine relationships across cultural boundaries and continue sharing stories that humanize different perspectives, they build lasting networks of understanding. These personal connections motivate ongoing peacebuilding efforts because global challenges become about real friends &d communities, not abstract news stories.

Collective Peace Impact:
By employing these CARE peacebuilding principles as part of every travel journey, we believe travel transforms ordinary trips into peace missions. Travelers who plan with Curiosity, explore with Awareness, act with Respect, and share through Engagement, creates a ripple effects that extend far beyond their individual experience—making tourism a powerful force for building a more peaceful world.