I recently wrote an article for MIE (muslimsinengland.com, title "Israel 2010") that has made me think of my upcoming trip and take pause. As you all know, I am taking 5 months out to travel the world a little. My itinerary will include Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and the USA.
I always planned to volunteer in the Philippines and will be out there for almost 2 months working with local people on the island of Mindanao on interfaith and peace building projects insha'Allah. I was also hoping to do a little voluntary work in Pakistan but have yet to form any solid links. For the rest of my trip I just planned to have fun and explore.
However, thinking of it as just a holiday has made me feel slightly hypocritical so I have made a few crucial decisions and I would like you and everyone I know to hold me to them and help me achieve them.
Although the Israel and Palestine situation (in the MIE article) is probably a slightly more extreme example than anywhere I will be going, I feel like we often holiday in many locations where there are still deep rooted problems to do with poverty, inequality and development and yet ignore them and refuse to address them or think about them whilst there. Now, I am not saying we are not entitled to some off time, and I intend to have that too, but I feel I must practise what I preach so here is my plan:
In every country I visit I plan to try and seek out something- a project, an NGO, media, a person- that is development related and learn something, and share something. So, if you have any links, whether they be charity related, political, personal etc. In any or all of the countries above, please share them with me. I want to make as much use of this trip as I can and you can help me do it.
Let me know your thoughts on this. The more ideas the better!
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