Thank you for your interest in joining PeaceTrees for a Citizen Diplomacy trip! We look forward to learning more about you and your interest in traveling to Vietnam. We ask that you read through all the content in this application thoroughly and answer the questions thoughtfully. As we aim to create a mindful and ethical travel experience for all, we want to ensure each interested traveler understands their responsibility in supporting this goal. If you have any questions about Citizen Diplomacy trips, the application process, or need assistance completing this form, please email kimberly@peacetreesvietnam.org
Please note that submission of this application does not guarantee a spot on a Citizen Diplomacy trip. This application confirms your interest in a trip and helps us learn more about you! Upon completion, we'll be in touch with you about submitting a Registration Packet and a $500 non-refundable deposit. Thank you for your time and interest in PeaceTrees’ work!
Our Mission is to address the legacy of war by removing dangerous explosives, returning land to safe use, promoting peace and cultivating a brighter future for the children and families of Vietnam.
Our Vision is a Vietnam completely cleared of dangerous unexploded ordnance and communities fully supported in their goals for safety, education, and economic success.
Our Guiding Values Partnership, Collaboration, and Trust: Thanks to PeaceTrees' Vietnamese program team's expert leadership and the progress, friendship, and trust built over 26 years of work in central Vietnam, PeaceTrees has developed effective partnerships that enable our mine action, economic, and educational development programs. We are committed to nurturing these partnerships and to having trust and collaboration guide our work.
The Environment: We recognize that the effects of climate change will exacerbate inequalities caused by the legacy of war and will further impact the safety and livelihoods of individuals and communities across Vietnam. PeaceTrees is committed to using our resources to minimize the negative environmental impacts of our work, protecting the environment, and supporting partner communities as they adapt to the impact of climate change.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: As an international organization, we embrace that our community extends across national and cultural boundaries. PeaceTrees Vietnam is committed to principles of diversity, inclusion, and equity with the overarching goal of creating long-term understanding and belonging. We aim to uplift the voices and lived experiences of all people – regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, geographic location, or disability status.
Furthermore, PeaceTrees is committed to ensuring that the lived experiences of the communities we work with drive organizational priorities and program design. We strive to understand and balance the privilege and power inherent in our role as facilitators of resources and, wherever possible, keep power and decision-making with those most impacted by our work. With this in mind, PeaceTrees is also committed to mainstreaming gender and disability inclusion in all of our programs.
Citizen Diplomacy Program Overview Citizen diplomacy and building people-to-people ties is at the heart of PeaceTrees’ work. Profound personal loss, experienced by families on all sides of the war, inspired PeaceTrees' founders to begin clearance work in Vietnam in the spirit of healing and trust, and to build better understanding between Vietnamese and American citizens. To date, PeaceTrees has hosted nearly 1,500 citizen diplomats, including Vietnam veterans, Gold Star family members, Vietnamese immigrants and refugees, students, and other travelers who are eager to participate in PeaceTrees’ work in central Vietnam.
Citizen diplomacy continues to contribute to the friendship shared between the U.S. and Vietnam today. Citizen diplomacy has made it possible to create the strong trust and partnership PeaceTrees shares with community and governmental partners in Quảng Trị, Quảng Bình, Hà Nội, and Washington, D.C. In Vietnam, PeaceTrees’ all-local staffing model provides meaningful employment opportunities and is the key to creating sustainable mine action and economic development programs. As a Citizen Diplomacy participant, you will have the opportunity to engage in activities that promote reconciliation, peacebuilding, and friendship between all people impacted by the U.S-Vietnam War and its legacies.
Through Citizen Diplomacy, PeaceTrees Vietnam aims to support transformative experiences by:
1. Providing opportunities for healing and connection for all people impacted by war and its legacies.
2. Creating opportunities for reciprocal exchange between Citizen Diplomacy participants and Vietnamese Citizens.
3. Selecting purpose-driven travelers who endeavor to show respect, learn, and represent PeaceTrees as an organization.
4. Considering the ethical implications of global travel, including “how the connections between past and present affect our travelers and how we are situated within systems of opportunity and adversity.” (excerpt from Beyond Guilt Trips by Anu Taranth)
5. Asking travelers to engage with questions which may feel challenging and outside of their normal comfort zone. Supporting travelers as they move beyond ‘observation mode’ into ‘intentional engagement.’
Citizen Diplomacy Code of Conduct Please note that upon official trip registration, you will be asked to sign this code of conduct. It is listed here to give you a clear idea of what will be expected of you as a Citizen Diplomat.
1. Support PeaceTrees’ values and build good-will for the organization as an official representative of PeaceTrees Vietnam.
2. Demonstrate kindness, good faith, prudent judgement, honesty, and openness in preparation for and during a Citizen Diplomacy trip.
3. Demonstrate respect and cultural sensitivity for individuals (program participants, other travelers, and others you interact with along the way) in all manifestations of their cultural and linguistic diversity and life circumstances.
4. Respect and consider diverse and opposing viewpoints. Assume that you do not necessarily have complete awareness of all factors influencing a situation.
5. Demonstrate due diligence and dedication in preparation for and during your Citizen Diplomacy Trip.
6. Actively participate in activities and adopt a learner’s mindset.
7. Speak with PeaceTrees staff before offering gifts of monetary compensation to individuals or organizations you interact with during a Citizen Diplomacy trip.
8. Ask for permission prior to taking anyone’s picture, or a picture of their home/belongings. Check with the adults supervising children before taking their pictures. PeaceTrees staff can help translate questions about the appropriateness of picture taking.
Please respond to each question with a brief paragraph. Please note that answering these questions is an important step in being invited to register for a Citizen Diplomacy Trip. Your thoughtful responses are much appreciated. Note: you can increase the size of the textboxes below by dragging the bottom right corner.
