Photographer Nick Ut to Travel to Vietnam with Friendship Tours World Travel!

If you heard Vietnam War survivor Kim Phuc speak at the Lobero on the 19^th, you’ll remember the heartfelt words she had for the photographer who captured the iconic image and saved her life. That Pulitzer prize-winning photographer was Nick Ut, and he and Kim remain close friends to this day (Kim speaks of the value of their friendship in her life in this recent interview with the Santa Barbara Independent).

Now, with the 40^th anniversary of the photograph “The Girl in the Picture” approaching this summer, photographer Nick Ut will travel to Vietnam in March with Friendship Tours World Travel, where he and students on the trip will revisit the site where the photograph was taken. The trip will be documented by video journalists from ABC News, who plan to put together a documentary on Nick, Kim, and the photograph that changed both their lives. Click here and scroll down to see Nick included in a compilation of photographers and the images that made them famous, and stay tuned for more information about the documentary and trip this spring!

One Week Later: Local Students Share Their Impressions

One week after meeting Kim Phuc at the Santa Barbara Airport and hearing her presentation at the Lobero Theatre, local students emailed us at Friendship Tours World Travel to share their respect for Kim and tell us their impressions from the event. Here are a few we'd like to share:

Said Santa Barbara High student Thalia Chavez, "There so much to say about Kim: her speech was incredible. It reminded me and many others about how important it is to forget the past in order to bring peace to our community and world, and that this is an important action that people often forget to act upon. Kim told her story beautifully--she described her feelings of the past and present in great detail, and I appreciate her for expressing herself with no fear."

Wrote high school senior Katie O'Brien, "What truly hit me deep down was the fact that Kim hated that picture of her when she first saw it the days after the bomb, yet this picture has impacted her life so much. I don't know how she did it: it must take incredible strength to stand up there and re-live that day, especially seeing the look of horror on her face in the picture."

Said Emma Craine, an 11th grader from Dos Pueblos, "I was most struck by how strong and confident in herself she is now, and how hard she had to work at forgiving all the people who had done her wrong."

Many thanks to all the students who supported Kim by attending and volunteering at the event--we could not have done it without you!

Read Kim Phuc's Interview with the Santa Barbara Independent!

Kim Phuc's talk at the Lobero Theatre is tomorrow night, and earlier this week she spoke with the Santa Barbara Independent about her physical and emotional scars, her enduring friendship with photographer Nick Ut, and the message she would like the iconic image to tell. Read her interview here, and learn more about the upcoming event at the Lobero Theatre from one of our previous posts.

We're honored to have Kim with us in Santa Barbara, and we look forward to seeing you at the Lobero tomorrow night!

Event Reminder: See Kim Phuc speak at the Lobero this Thursday!

The week of Kim Phuc’s arrival and talk at the Lobero is upon us! Friendship Tours World Travel is happy to report that the event has been covered widely by the press this week, with stories in the Santa Barbara Independent, the Santa Barbara News-Press, the Montecito Messenger and the Daily Sound. As a reminder, here are the details for the event:

A Conversation with Kim Phuc “The Girl in the Picture”: 40 Years of Forgiveness 

Thursday, January 19^th at 7:00 p.m. at the Lobero Theatre (click here for ticket information)

Join us as Kim Phuc, the Vietnam War’s famous child survivor, shares historical footage and personal testimony of the accidental bombing, the photograph, and her journey to forgiveness. A generation of people will never forget Nick Ut’s Life Magazine cover image in 1972: President Nixon doubted its authenticity, and historians credit the photo with helping end the Vietnam War. Symbolizing what words cannot convey about the horror of war, the iconic image of “The Girl in the Picture” still instructs us about the impact of photojournalism during a time of war.

This event is a benefit for The Kim Foundation and the Friendship Fund, non-profit organizations providing life-changing opportunities for children to recover and learn from the tragedy of war.

A benefit reception and silent auction with Ms. Kim Phuc will be held in the Lobero Theater Courtyard following the event at 8:30 P.M.

Our New Year's Resolution: Shifting the Focus to Global Education

It’s the New Year, and around the world a flurry of resolutions is being made. We all know the usual suspects—exercise more often, eat more healthily, spend more time with our families—but imagining resolutions on a larger scale is often where it really gets interesting. If the United States were to ponder its New Year’s resolutions, what might they be?

One recurrent theme that has interested educators and news sources alike is the need for American students to receive a more global education. Speaking of the potential for U.S. decline in a recent TIME Magazine feature, foreign policy adviser Fareed Zakaria writes, “A crucial aspect of beginning to turn things around would be for the U.S. to make an honest accounting of where it stands and what it can learn from other countries.” “Americans simply don’t care much, know much or want to learn much about the outside world,” Zakaria continues, and while the assessment may sound harsh it echoes the concern many feel that Americans—particularly young Americans—are not as globally aware as their peers in other countries.

The answer many U.S. educators see is to imbue students with a more internationally-aware worldview, whether it be through studying foreign languages, exchanging correspondence with students from other countries, or traveling abroad as a part of their education. And the message is spreading: teachers across the U.S. are bringing international awareness to the curriculum, and Harvard’s Graduate School of Education is even offering a “Think Tank on Global Education” this coming May, positing that, “In order for students to understand and address the multifaceted global challenges and opportunities they will face… today's educators must create opportunities for them to develop intercultural awareness, knowledge and perspective on global issues.” Giving students the gift of a truly global perspective is something Friendship Tours World Travel is fully committed to, and we are proud to be a part of the U.S.’s newest resolution: to help its students become globally educated and aware.

Vietnam War Survivor, Kim Phúc: Educational Event (Jan. 19 @ 7pm)

This month we invite you to spend an evening with us at the Lobero Theatre for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a chance to hear Kim Phúc, the Vietnam War's famous child survivor speak. A Conversation with Kim Phúc "The Girl in the Picture": 40 Years of Forgiveness will take place Thursday, January 19th in Santa Barbara beginning at 7pm.

Kim Phúc is best known as the Vietnam napalm bombing survivor that forever captured the world's heart when she was photographed running naked down her village road after being burned severely. Phúc is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for a Culture of Peace and has become an international symbol of civilian suffering brought on by war. Kim established her non-profit, The KIM Foundation International to help children who are victims of war. Children who like herself needed treatment to care for wounds, burns and broken bones suffered during the conflict.

We are presenting this event to the community in commemoration the 40th Anniversary of the accidental bombing on Kim's village and to educate students on the importance of forgiveness. Friendship Tours World Travel believes it's essential for our youth to have a global consciousness in matters of war and peace. Attendees will hear Kim Phúc's inspiring story about the lessons of war and her personal journey through historical film footage, testimony and a short question and answer portion of the discussion.

Friendship Tours World Travel will also host an exclusive reception and opportunity to meet Kim Phúc and bid on a silent auction of photography following the main presentation. "Vietnam...through the Lens of a New Generation," will be held in the Lobero Theatre Courtyard and is a benefit for The KIM Foundation and The Friendship Fund, both are non-profit organizations providing life-changing opportunities for children to recover and learn from the tragedy of war will follow the event.

To purchase tickets please call (805) 963-0761 or visit www.lobero.com
$20.00 adults / $10.00 students & teachers.

$75.00 for Benefit Reception with Kim Phúc includes premium seating at the event.