If you watch much TV news, especially in the US, it’s easy to think the whole world is going to the dogs and we’re all lucky to just be alive. Outside our own borders, of course, it’s pure mayhem. Suicide bombings, ethnic cleansing, pre-emptive wars, religious zealotry, willful destruction of peoples’ homes, kidnappings—and the list goes on.
Sometimes it’s hard to find the good news, buried as it is on page 16 of your local paper, if it’s covered at all. But there is some out there if you look.
Mali
The country of Mali, located in East Africa, just had another peaceful, democratic election. “So what” you say? Well, it should made the world news as a big deal. It’s a predominately Muslim country (strike one), it is in Africa (strike two), and it’s a poor country (strike three). In most circumstances, this would mean either a dictatorship or harsh religious rule—or both. Fortunately, cool heads have prevailed, both in the mosques and the political arenas, and the country has managed to avoid the fate of most countries with even one strike against them. Go there, spend some money, and show that civilization pays—in old Timbuktu and new Timbuktu.
Turkey
After years of treating all Kurds as enemies and acting like their very culture itself was a threat, Turkey now has some Kurdish programming on state television and radio. It’s only a first step, but it’s a start. Maybe that EU membership could happen before hell freezes over after all.
On a more travel-related note, this World’s Cheapest Destinations inclusion has halved its port charges for cruise ships and lowered the cost of a visa. Since a few bombings have scared off plenty of tourists, it’s a smart move, but a surprising one. Most governments seem to have forgotten the rules of economics when it comes to setting fees for everything from visas to museum admissions. (Indonesia, are you listening?)
USA
A record 59 million Americans, or 22% held passports in 2003. That’s still lower than in Europe, where 30 minutes in a car often takes you to a new country, but it’s progress. Now if we can just get most of them to go somewhere besides Cancun, the Caribbean, and western Europe.
Korea
I once visited the DMZ between North Korea and South Korea and it was definitely one of the most bizarre experiences in my travels around the world. In a tangible sign of progress, however, both sides have agreed to stop the loudspeaker broadcasts that used to blast propaganda from both sides. The North Koreans would blare military songs, praises of their national leader, and various insults directed at those wimpy soldiers who needed help from the US Army. The South, on the other hand, would blast pop songs, lectures about democracy, and statistics about South Korean wealth and abundance of food. The speakers have now been silenced, though the North couldn’t resist one last parting shot, calling the US “the root cause of the suffering and misfortune that our people are experiencing.” Uhh…OK, Mr. supreme leader, you just keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better.
Sources: The Week , The Economist , and the BBC —all good places to get real international news.
