Social Responsibility
Colombian Basket Weaver. Photo: Tonya Fitzpatrick
“Learn to do common things uncommonly well; we must always keep in mind that anything that helps full the dinner pail is valuable.”
– George Washington Carver
What defines a responsible travel extends far beyond the act of simply minimizing luggage, recycling plastic, or conserving hotel amenities like bath towels. While these practices are commendable initial steps, responsible travel fundamentally emerges from the heart.
Max Mara, a multi-billion dollar Italian fashion label, has been blasted on social media for stealing the traditional clothing designs of the Oma, a tiny ethnic minority in Southeast Asia.
On April 11, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson made history by signing the 1968 Civil Rights Act into law.
Picture this: You are in Aleppo, standing in front of what is left of your house. You are reeling with the loss of your mother, your father, your brother, or if the world is particularly cruel, more than one family member. An edgily dressed 19-year-old British boy on his gap year comes up to you and, instead of offering help, asks if he can take a picture with his expensive camera. You gawk in disbelief and struggle to comprehend why someone whose government was involved in the war is standing before you, asking for a piece of your dignity.
On the occasion of International Press Freedom Day, World Footprints was invited by the UN Foundation to attend a powerful event sought to change the narrative and examine women's voices in fragile states and why those voices matter. The UN Foundation co-hosted a distinguished panel which was led by Ambassador Melanne Verveer of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security. She was joined by Krista Hendry from The Fund for Peace, Amy Slaughter and Yar Ayuel with RefugePoint and award-winning filmmaker Elaisha Stokes. The panel discussed the challenges that women face in fragile states and areas where women are taking the lead in reconciliation. They also examined what happens to girls and women as the most vulnerable and neglected victims in conflict afflicted states, and why telling these stories is important. In fragile states, women can be agents of change, leading the way in promoting development and achieving social [...]
September 2, 2017, was a calm and sunny Saturday on the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Maarten. In a small cluster of brightly painted shipping containers, a group of children gathered to play games, read books, and toss around a baseball. It was just another normal weekend at the Player Development Program, an afterschool little league and tutoring program for kids.
Last year, World Footprints published stories about people and places all over the world. Our writers told stories that helped our readers make deeper connections to a community, understand more about a foreign place while traveling more mindfully.
World Footprints will cross the border into the country of Jordan, uncover Dr. Suess's social and artistic legacies and share one of our "Best Of" features with filmmaker Ken Burns.
Darwin, the capital of Australian Northern Territory, is one of those places where people come for a visit and often decide to stay. Its diversity is fascinating and local atmosphere seems to always cheer up.
Award-winning travel writer and photographer David Noyes has learned to experience the world through more than his lens and pen. He says that in order to appreciate our world we must investigate a destination as part of the human condition. His new book, The Photographing Tourist, David shows us remote places around the world and he offers tips that well help anyone develop the well-trained eye of a travel photographer.
In a world often portrayed as dangerous and uncertain, award-winning travel journalist Tonya Fitzpatrick, host of World Footprints, sheds light on the reality that sensationalized news headlines don’t always tell. Through her method of "ground-truthing," Tonya’s experiences have shown that many of the frightening news stories don’t reflect the true nature of the places and cultures they depict.
World Footprints is excited to take you on a journey through Colombia, South America where “The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay”. Colombia is home to the 2015 Miss Universe and the country was the featured country in the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival and also had a presence in subsequent Smithsonian Folklife Festivals.
Actress Stefanie Powers, best known for her role as Jennifer Hart in the television series "Hart to Hart", leads a double life, one in front of the camera or on stage and the other as a champion for animal preservation and protection.
