By Carmelina Ricciardello

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This article was first published by our friends at The International Ecotourism Society, who have agreed to its republication here.
View the original article on their Your Travel Choice blog.

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On the geographical map of Italy, at the bottom of the peninsula, lies the island of Sicily, which looks like a football being kicked away by the boot of the Italian peninsula. This might be the heartfelt wish of some Italians, mainly because of the island’s historic link with the mafia. I live in a quiet little village of Sant’Ambrogio, just five kilometres from a bustling tourist town. Founder of Sicilian Experience, I’m a firm believer that Sicily can become known as a haven for ecotourism and sustainable tourism opportunities, rather than for its Il Padrino (The Godfather) reputation.

Coastal view of Sant’Ambrogio e Rocca

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Posted under General, Italy, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Photo by Winfried Werzmirzowsky
Text by Hripsime Badalyan, whl.travel local connection
in Yerevan, Armenia

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This photo was taken by one of our clients from Germany. It is of a ‘wish tree’ in the southern part of Armenia, in the Syunik region. You can find such trees in many places across Armenia, but usually they are found close to churches, monasteries and chapels. Legend has it that a wish will come true after a person ties his or her handkerchief to a tree branch and walks around the tree seven times.

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Posted under Armenia, Photo of the Week, countries

Image by Vika Waqa
Text by Kolinio Rokuta, whl.travel local connection in Fiji

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Bure (pronounced boo-reh) is the Fijian word for a traditional family dwelling, with a design that represents one of the finest examples of workmanship in Fiji. It is a thatched hut usually constructed from palm and bamboo, and is accompanied by an outside kitchen. The bure pictured here is located on the island of Nacula in the Yasawa Group.

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Posted under Fiji, General, Photo of the Week, countries

Image and text by Mauricio Suarez,
whl.travel local connection in La Paz, Bolivia
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Pictured here are the hands of Mr. Demetrio Limachi who, at around 70 years old, is the only surviving brother of three that assisted Norwegian explorer and scientist Thor Heyerdahl in the construction of traditional South America vessels that were used in his famous adventures.

Having noted the presence of facial hair on some of the Monoliths of Tiwanaku, in Bolivia – an enigma given the absence of beards in contemporary Andean people – Heyerdahl repeatedly set out to test the hypothesis that the natives had not only sailed across Lake Titicaca, but also across the ocean and made contact with people of a different race, specifically the Polynesian islanders of the South Pacific. His remarkable successes have offered one explanation to another curiosity he noted: the discovery of endemic South American plants, such as tobacco and coca leaves at Ramses’ tomb in Egypt.

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Posted under Bolivia, General, Photo of the Week, countries

Image by Eugenija Sniokaite
Text by Kestas Lukoskinas, whl.travel local connection
in Vilnius and Klaipeda, Lithuania

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This is a moment from a traditional Easter-morning family gathering in the awakening fields of the countryside of Lithuania. Sometimes absolutely simple things like an Easter morning breakfast can be seen as something unique, individual and precious.

Have you ever had a meal with your family and close friends in the middle of nowhere? Let me tell you, I participated in this  tradition for the first time last year and believe me I’m going to do it this year too. The feeling of your consciousness and subconsciousness opening to nature, the sense of all worries leaving your troubled mind and the experience of ‘being right here, right now’ are simply unspeakable.

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Posted under General, Lithuania, Photo of the Week