Mozambique: the places tourists won’t visit

My Mozambique

Yesterday, I had my second trip to Mozambique. Unfortunately, it has been a virtual one.

But surely more moving than the first one.

When I visited Mozambique last August I had a wonderful, interesting trip.

About five thousand km, from Maputo to Ilha de Mozambique, all along the coast. Then I went to the Gorongosa National Park, and more … tea plantations in Gurué.

I saw a poor country, but very rich in terms of dignity. I met many people, and I made all the possibile effort to understand the country I was visiting.

Plenty of schools, also in the hidden small villages. Explosive natural landscapes, islands like paradises. Sand trails and important infrastructure like Zambesi’s bridge.

My Mozambique

I spent a couple of days in Maputo, I was ‘well prepared’, I had read a lot of articles, information, news, about history, culture, etc.. But I didn’t know anything about a huge open dump, called Lixiera, and life all around it.

Many people live there, getting food from the dump. The dump is there life, their source of  ‘money’, as they re-sell everything they find there.

An Italian association in 2008 started there a project called ‘A MUNDZUKU KA YINA’, by teaching photography, images digital processing, and video to young boys between 20 and 28 years old, who live in that area.

The aim is to give them a chance to change their life.

Yesterday I had the pleasure to see an exhibition in Rome with the surprising results from this experience.

It was like a  second trip to Mozambique. A new side of this country I didn’t know, as ‘normal’ tourists’ are not interested in.

Looking at the pictures shooted by these guys, I felt their positive energy, even though expressed in extreme life conditions. They were able to turn their hard life in a dump into an artistic expression.

Mozambique shooted by Hulene's boys

If  you’d like to support this project, or just to know something more about it, www.amundzukukayiina.org.

You can help these guys through the organization. For instance, do you have old computers? They need them! Or can you arrange an exhibition with their pictures?

Give people a chance!!!

And thanks to OFFICINE FOTOGRAFICHE as they give us the chance to know these young photographers!

Sahara’s experiences …

Lost steps ...

Doesn't it look like Africa?

Every time I say that I’m gonna visit the desert, I usually see astonished expressions, followed by the question “why?”

At the beginning, it was difficult to explain. It was a sort of feeling, a ‘literary’ idea, a dream.

The first time I ‘tasted’ the desert was in Morocco, in 1992. I spent one day in the Sahara and I fell in love.

But it was after my trip to Acacus, the Lybian Sahara, that I realized what the desert means and why every time I visit the desert is a unique experience.

I believe that it’s impossible to say: ‘come back to the desert’. Even if you visit the same place, it won’ t look like the previous time you have seen it.

Wind, sand, rocks … all the elements are always combined in a different way in huge area of emptiness, between sky and land. There, I feel like in a sacred place.

These are just few reasons why I planned my first trip to the Algerian Sahara, in area called Admer Tadrart.

This area is situated in the south of Algeria near the border with Lybia, and it is easily reachable from Djanet.

Djanet is a huge oasis, with 20.000 inhabitants. Most of them are Tuareg. All the journeys to Tassili and to Admer start from here.

I hope my pictures will tell you more than my words.

Last but not the least … It’s very important to know that it’s vital to afford the desert with a previous preparation. The desert is not dangerous if you are careful, and well prepared in terms of information. If you need any help don’t hesitate to contact me!

Enjoy your desert!

Dunes

The Moon

Graffiti

Landscape

Black dunes

Night camp

Haiti earthquake: with a little help from my friends

Terrible news from one of the poorest country in the world. A terrible earthquake with thousands of victims.

We are all involved in such a horrible news.  Definetely, Haiti needs “a little help from me and from my friends”.

I personally decided tosupport  Doctors without Borders in Haiti. Because, they have already treated more the 1,000 people there. Because they can deal with this kind of emergency.

But there are many other organizations you can help with a little donation.

Just spread the word and give Haiti your little help.

Tea in the Sahara …

Hi All and Happy New Year!

Tea in the Sahara

I’m just back from a wonderful place:  the Algerian Sahara. In particular, there is an area called Tadrart, close to the border between Algeria and Lybia . Touareg’s land where people live according to tradition and modernity. Where the tea ceremony is still alive together with hundreds of mobile phones.

In the next days I’ll tell you about this magic trip,  as I’d like to support my Touareg guides  explaining why this part of Algeria is NOT dangerous.

Stay tuned!

Helping people with Xmas presents and Internet suggestions

Dear All,
in these days in Italy there is a wide debate concerning the use of social network and internet, because some people think that Internet is causing a new wave of violence.
As I deeply believe in the social value of Internet, I’d like to share with with you some good news published on the Web

First of all … Do you know that there is an international commitee to candidate Internet to the Nobel for peace?

As the Internet for Peace Manifesto says:
“We have finally realized that the Internet is much more than a network of computers. It is an endless web of people. Men and women from every corner of the globe are connecting to one another, thanks to the biggest social interface ever known to humanity.
Digital culture has laid the foundations for a new kind of society.
And this society is advancing dialogue, debate and consensus through communication. Because democracy has always flourished where there is openness, acceptance, discussion and participation. And contact with others has always been the most effective antidote against hatred and conflict.
That’s why the Internet is a tool for peace.
That’s why anyone who uses it can sow the seeds of non-violence.
And that’s why the next Nobel Peace Prize should go to the Net.
A Nobel for each and every one of us. “

I looked for some good news  and/or projects  in the Web in order to support this idea.

Shoot for Change – S4C:  it’s a group composed by professional and no-progfessional photographers, reporters, journalists whose aim is  giving “our eyes and lens to those who cannot afford to have their voices heard or their colors seen. Neutrally. Impartially. Professionally.”  It’s a mix of charity projects, best practices, experiences on social issues. In few months they were able to create a new ‘web’ of people, initiatives, work. Visit their sites (Italy and US) and you”ll be involved by the energy and consciousness of S4C!!!

Natale solidale (Christmas charity):  it’s an Italian blog. Instead of wasting money in useless presents, the blogger invites people, friends, families to donate doing something useful. In this blog, you can find suggestions about different charity projects, regarding children, environment, animals, etc … So if you’re looking for a present that really represents Christmas feelings, you are in the ‘right’ place to find it!

Last but not the least … another Italian small but serious organization: SHARE! For the second year they are supporti a project in Kigali, Rwanda to guarantee to a hundred children a rich in protein meal  at least once a week.

These are just few examples I found and wanted to share with you. The Web is a great and important resource for all of us … we’ll talk about again … next year.

I wish you a serene holiday and happy New Year

Talking Timbuktu

“Salt comes from the north, gold from the south, but the word of  God and the treasures of wisdom come from Timbuktu.”

Inspired by an article of the Italian issue of  Wired, I’d like to share with you my surprise and happiness about this news.

Timbuktu is the legendary city founded as a commercial center in West Africa nine hundred years ago. It is located in Mali and it has been an intellectual and spiritual capital and centre for the propagation of Islam  throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries.

In 14^th century, scholars from Cairo and Baghdad used to attend Timbuktu’s University.

Nowdays, Timbuktu’s treasure is made of hundreds of ancient manuscripts. Most of them come from private collections owned by families in different villages nearby. Most of the are in terrible conditions because of dust, termites, mice.

Thanks to the commitment of different government and institutions, especially South African government, and to technology, there is a new hope for this tresure.

Three different actions for the same aim: firstly, with government funds private libraries became public.

Then,  South African government financed a new museum, according to the climate rules to preserve delicate papyrus.

Last but not the least, the restoration and the digitalization process of all the books and manuscript has been started.

Let’s imagine this mix: ancient manuscripts, technology and Sahara’s sand … The future is today!

A good reason to visit Sicily: Addiopizzo Travel

Just a year ago I wrote a post about ‘Libera‘, the Italian group which coordinates 1500 small associations composed by students, farmers, common people, that daily fight against mafia .

Today, I’m proud to tell you that there is an increasing number of actions to struggle against Mafia.

Who knows the meaning of the Italian slang ‘pizzo’? Have you ever heard this word in any movies like ‘The Godfather’?

Addiopizzo Travel

Pizzo (not pizza!) is the protection money that many shopkeepers, restaurant and hotel owners,

Eraclea Minoa

business men have to pay to the mafia.

Many of us usually feel uncomfortable when in Sicily by the idea that our money could fund organised crime.

The very good news is that there are many people who contribute to struggle against mafia. Some of them created an organisation called “Addiopizzo Travel”. Addiopizzo means “Goodbye protection money”

Mazara

The aim of this organisation is to offer tours mafia-free, and involving people in supporting a clean economy.

By choosing Addiopizzo travel, you’ll have accommodation and meals in hotels and restaurants that rebelled to the mafia.

In this way you can combine the beauty of Sicily and the commitment against organised crime.

Sicily is more than an island. Here you can find natural and historical sites, culture, food, which are the mix of a multicultural area.

Don’t miss this opportunity and spread the voice! Let’s start by visiting the web sites www.addiopizzo.org and www.addiopizzotravel.it.

Then … plan your visit!

Enjoy your trip

Segesta

Agrigento

Blog Action Day ‘09: How climate change is affecting the Maldives

Hi All!
For the second year I’m proud to be part of this useful and important social media action called “Blog Action Day”

The aim is to involve people as much as possible in an important topic. This year bloggers from all over the world are called to write about CLIMATE CHANGE.

I’d like to grab your attention, talking about my experience in one of the most famous paradises: the Maldives Islands.

In 1998 Maldives were affected by El Nino that is a periodic change in the atmosphere and ocean of the tropical Pacific region.

In that year, water temperature increased of 4-5 degrees over the average. One of the worst consequence was the whitening of corals.

When I visited Maldives in 2000, in some places there was a sort of ghostly underwater landscape.

Fortunately, the situation has changed and many species are retrieving their original colors.

But few days ago I was affected by another bad news about this famous archipelago.

Government of the Maldives held a cabinet meeting underwater to highlight the threat of global warming, in order to send a serious message about rising sea levels. Maldives Islands would be wiped out if oceans will rise.

The Maldives President Nasheed and the cabinet signed a document, calling on all the nations to cut down their carbon emissions.

If you’d like to have more information about this story and other correlated topics, I warmly suggest to read the annual report by Time ‘Heroes of environment’

I strongly believe that only if we work together we can help our planet, and save places like the Maldives. Don’t forget that with our behaviours we can all make a difference!

Bloggingarountheworld is back!

Coming soon with a reportage from Mozambique!!!

Nobel-Prize winning Aung San Suu Kyi

Once again, yesterday all the media reported Nobel prize winning democracy activist Aung San Su Kyi was arrested by Myanmar military junta.

Just a couple a week before the end of her previous detention.

She was arrested because few days ago an U.S. citizen entered her home, without government permission.

If convicted, she could face three to five years in prison.

I wonder how it could be possible …

However, I’m just asking all my readers, friends, bloggers to do not forget this special woman and her country.

Please, don’t leave her alone.