Connect Globally

Many organizations offer alternative travel opportunities to individuals. Alternative travel opportunities may be related to study, provide an alternate viewpoint or a chance to participate in solidarity actions, or give an opportunity to explore issues of ethical tourism.

You may wish to explore the following opportunities with organizations well known to the United Church.

Current

Go on a Spring Tour of China with the Amity Foundation

Visit rural Hunan province and Beijing with the Amity Foundation and learn about rural and urban issues in China and the church's response. The trip is April 18–26, 2012, and costs US$1,200 (does not include international airfare, visa fees, or travel insurance). Register by February 1. Learn more [PDF: 1 p/22 KB].

Take Part in the World Council of Churches Stewards Program

Young Christians from around the world are invited to apply to the World Council of Churches (WCC) Stewards Program for a hands-on learning experience in the ecumenical movement.  The event is the WCC Central Committee meeting, August 23 to September 7, 2012, in Crete, Greece.  Applicants must be 18–30 years old.  Apply by March 15, 2012. Learn more from the WCC website.

“Come and See”: An Exploratory Visit to Israel/Palestine for Clergy and Church Leaders

Responding to an invitation from Palestinian Christians, the “Come and See” Journey is an 18-day alternative tour to Israel/Palestine planned for October 22–November 8, 2012. Leaders Mervyn and Patricia Russell invite interested people to join them as they meet faith leaders and visit with community organizations and peace workers. Participants will also visit a number of holy sites. Hosted by the Siraj Centre in Beith Sahur, costs are estimated at about $4,000. For more information, please contact Mervyn or Patricia Russell (905-845-3250) by Monday, April 16, 2012.

The Coady Institute Invites Young People to Take Part in “Skills for Change”

The “Skills for Change” certificate program is a pilot initiative of the Coady Institute for young people between the ages of 19 and 35. Applicants should be young community practitioners, volunteers, and/or activists with around two years of community development experience. The program runs May 7–25, 2012. Bursaries/scholarships are available for Canadian participants. Learn more on the Coady Institute website.

Ongoing

Alternative Travel to the Holy Land

Alternative travel in the Holy Land provides an added benefit to pilgrimage by connecting visitors with the people of Palestine living under military occupation. Visit the holy Christian sites, worship in ancient Palestinian Christian churches, walk where Jesus walked, and bear witness to the realities of occupation. Look for alternative tourism travel opportunities to broaden your experience in Israel/Palestine.

The Alternative Tourism Group is a Palestinian non-governmental organization specializing in tours and pilgrimages that include critical examinations of the history, culture, and politics of the Holy Land. It offers resources, contacts, and tours.

Alternative Travel Opportunities provides a current list of opportunities to visit the Holy Land, including the following:

• The Siraj Centre in Bethlehem is running a series of cycle tours of Palestine. They begin in the Northern City of Jenin and head south to Jerusalem and on to Jericho, Bethlehem, and the Judean Desert. Tours are suitable for people of all ages. Cyclists are accompanied by a support vehicle and guides.
• Experience Travel Tours, in co-operation with The Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, is organizing study tours that provide a unique opportunity to see firsthand the situation on the ground in Israel and Palestine. The programs reflect the rich mosaic of the area's political, historical, and cultural context.

Christian Peacemaker Teams Delegations

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a faith-based group that seeks participants who are interested in human rights work, committed to nonviolence, and willing to participate in team worship and reflection. Participants should plan to share about the trip with their home communities and congregations. Delegations take place several times each year in Colombia, Israel/Palestine, Iraq, and Canada, and opportunities for long-term service are also available.

Canadian Foodgrains Bank

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB) is a partnership of 15 Canadian church agencies including The United Church of Canada. Together members seek a Christian response to hunger, working through member churches and local partners, to share resources and learn from people outside of Canada working for food security. The CFGB regularly organizes study tours focusing on food-related issues.

World Student Christian Federation (WSCF)

The WSCF is a global alliance of over 100 movements, including the Student Christian Movement in Canada. Engaged in a variety of activities, the WSCF focuses on ecumenical training for students in transformational leadership, responding to current social realities and concerns including peace building, human rights, economic justice, ecology, interfaith dialogue and community organization, and women's empowerment and gender justice within a theological framework. Internships focusing on these issues are regularly available.

Background Information

In Awakening to a Painful Reality [PDF: 2 pp/69 KB], Chelsea Masterman reflects on how her experience with a Joint Mission Action Team of the Caribbean and North American Council for Mission opened her eyes to the reality of racism.