THOMAS MARTIN SMITH - writer & photographer

 
IN THE LONG RUN - A Hopeful World Odyssey
            
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World Wildlife Fund

The world's largest and most experienced independent conservation organization, WWF's mission is to conserve nature and ecological processes. WWF combines fieldwork and policy to achieve credible results on broad expertise and experience in all areas of conservation. WWF's ultimate goal is to stop, and eventually reverse, the accelerating degradation of our planet's natural environment, and to help build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. .

American Heart Association

The American Heart Association's mission is to reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

• Discover, interpret and process scientific information.
• Communicate cardiovascular science, medical and consumer health information.
• Advocate the Association's position to key audiences.
• Generate resources.
  

American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR)

AmFar is the United States' leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research (both basic-biomedical and clinical research), AIDS prevention, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.

To fund these research, advocacy, and public information programs, AmFAR mobilizes the good will, energy, and generosity of caring people everywhere to unite in support of the research effort that ultimately is the only means through which a solution to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS will be found.

Amnesty International

Amnesty International

Wrongful imprisonment; torture; the death penalty; men, women and children who have "disappeared" after being taken into official custody; others who have been put to death without any pretence of legality…  The protection of human rights is an international responsibility, transcending the boundaries of nations and ideologies. This is the fundamental belief upon which the work of Amnesty International, an independent worldwide voluntary movement, is based. The work is impartial.  Amnesty International is concerned solely with the protection of human rights involved in each case, regardless of either the ideology of the government or the beliefs of the victims.

Amnesty International has an active worldwide membership with more than 1,100,000 individual members, subscribers and supporters in over 160 countries and territories. The movement is open to anyone who supports its goals. . It is funded by donations from its members and supporters around the world.

Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund

Buckingham Palace announced on 2 September, 1997, the establishment of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund at Kensington Palace. Funds will be allocated to the charities with which Diana, Princess of Wales worked. US dollar donations can now be sent direct to:
The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
c/o/ Fleet Bank
PO Box 30596
Hartford, CT 06150

OTHER WAYS TO DONATE ARE:
An Internet site which allows donations to be made by credit card. The address is: http://www.natwest.com/worldpay
A credit card hotline has also been established, available to international callers:    011-44 990 664422
The Fund's London address accepts donations by cheque:
          The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
Kensington Palace
London W8 4PU
United Kingdom

The International Federation of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies
is an international humanitarian organisation with a unique worldwide network.

Our Mission: The International Federation exists to improve the situation of the world's most vulnerable people. It provides assistance without discrimination as to nationality, race, religious beliefs, class or political opinions.

Our Strength: The International Federation, founded in 1919, has a presence in almost every country in the world today through its national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The Red Crescent is used in place of the Red Cross in many Islamic countries. Our strength lies in the global network of National Societies and the Federation Secretariat with its delegations strategically located to support Red Cross and Red Crescent activities in various regions. This network allows us to be there - on the spot - so we can respond to crises effectively and rapidly.

Our Field of Action: The Federation provides humanitarian relief to people affected by disasters or other emergencies and development assistance to empower vulnerable people to become more self-sufficient.

Rick Hansen on his
Man In Motion World Tour

 
Rick Hansen Institute

The mission of the Rick Hansen Institute is to provide leadership in the field of disability in the areas of fund development and awareness, with a special emphasis on spinal cord injury. Its goals are to help find a cure for paralysis, and to help improve the health and quality of life of people with spinal cord injuries. The Institute will work to achieve these goals through the development of a strong spinal cord injury network (locally, nationally, and internationally); through the identification of common objectives with its partners and stakeholders and through the creation, implementation and evaluation of innovative strategies supporting these goal areas.

Sierra Club

The Sierra Club, which now has with over 550,000 members, was founded by naturalist and writer John Muir in 1892 to protect the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. Over the years, the activities of the Sierra Club have expanded to include issues ranging from climate change and ozone depletion to toxic chemical contamination and loss of biological diversity.

The Sierra Club’s International Program educates and organizes citizens to hold governments, business, and international institutions accountable for their environmental impacts worldwide, focusing on problems that require international solutions.

The Sierra Club's goal remains constant: securing respect for the rights of all living things ... and for the integrity of the natural environment upon which we all depend.

United Nations

"Most people are familiar with the work of the United Nations in peacekeeping or in delivering humanitarian assistance to a far-off country. But the many ways in which the UN has a direct impact on all our lives, everywhere in the world, is not always so well known."  ..so begins the page entitled the "UN in Brief"..

This link is included as the nucleus of the whole host of UN agencies whose mission is to help make this a better world for all.  Please visit the UN's website to learn more about the its mandate, activities, structure and various agencies.

This page has links that will get you to specific agencies that you might want to visit:
Official WEB Site Locator for the United Nations System of Organizations

Refugee children waiting for the water bladder to be filled in Touloum camp, one of three camps in north-eastern Chad where UNHCR and its partners are digging for water sources identified by new imaging technology. © UNHCR/H.Caux

We in developed, peaceful nations are hard-pressed to even imagine what it is to be a refugee - displaced people trying to cope with the horrors of war and famine... just trying to find peace, a bit of food, medical help, family members... can you imagine that?   Millions are living that nightmare.  Thankfully, agencies like the UNHCR are there... but they need your help...

"BASIC FACTS: The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.

"In more than five decades, the agency has helped an estimated 50 million people restart their lives. Today, a staff of around 5,000 people in more than 120 countries continues to help some 17 million persons."

Superb actress and highly proactive humanitarian ANGELINA JOLIE is now in her second two-year term as Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR - giving so much of herself and her own resources to the causes of refugees worldwide...

UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie with a returnee family in Ponnagar, northern Sri Lanka. The family is living in a temporary shelter as their home was destroyed in the war. © UNHCR/L.Taylor

UNAIDS

As the main advocate for global action on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing the transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS, and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.

Learn more about the organization by visiting the UNAIDS home page.  This will link you to the USA mirrored Sites or the Europe mirrored Sites, the latter of which has site content links.  This page will give you the Site Contents for the USA mirrored Sites.

Through a unique network of 134 country offices, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) helps people in 174 countries and territories to help themselves, focusing on poverty elimination, environmental regeneration, job creation and the advancement of women. In support of these goals, UNDP is frequently asked to assist in promoting sound governance and market development and to support rebuilding societies in the aftermath of war and humanitarian emergencies.

UNDP's overarching mission is to help countries build national capacity to achieve sustainable, human development, giving top priority to eliminating poverty and building equity.

United Nations Population Fund
Part of its Mission Statement:

UNFPA extends assistance to developing countries, countries with economies in transition and other countries at their request to help them address reproductive health and population issues, and raises awareness of these issues in all countries, as it has since its inception.

UNFPA's three main areas of work are: to help ensure universal access to reproductive health, including family planning and sexual health, to all couples and individuals on or before the year 2015; to support population and development strategies that enable capacity-building in population programming; to promote awareness of population and development issues and to advocate for the mobilization of the resources and political will necessary to accomplish its areas of work.

United Nations Children's Fund
(UNICEF)

Founded in 1946, UNICEF advocates and works for the protection of children's rights, to help the young meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. The UNICEF Executive Board reaffirmed this mandate in January 1996, when it adopted a statement on the mission of UNICEF saying that UNICEF "is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and strives to establish children's rights as enduring ethical principles and international standards of behaviour towards children.".

United Way International

United Way International is based in Alexandria, Virginia, and provides training and technical support for about 250 United Way organizations around the world. United Way takes careful measures to make sure that fund-raising costs are kept low. This way, as much of your donation as possible goes right to community charities.

Thanks to the no-frills overhead of the United Way organization, 82 cents of every dollar donated flows directly into programs effectively helping people. The real advantage of the United Way is that it's the most economical and efficient way to support a wide variety of agencies and programs.

A few of the worthy agencies supported by the United Way are: American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Boy and Girl Scouts of America.

Here is a search result from YAHOO!  Insert a search for your own area to find the United Way organizations nearest to you.

William Holden Wildlife Foundation

As I was privileged to visit their facilities in Africa way back in 1987, I am pleased to present, in their continuing efforts:  

• To awaken an awareness and understanding of the balance of nature, and the vital role the animals play in the environmental network.
• To teach ways to realize conservation of both wildlife and the environment in light of man's need to exploit both resources.
• To enact specific wildlife management studies as they impact on the environment and the world at large.
• To continue research in animal reproduction for captive breeding programs.

UPDATE: February 11, 2010 - check out the newly redesigned WHWF website! ...and come back periodically as improvements are made.  See also their MEMBERSHIP info request page and SPECIAL OFFERS, including WHWF tee shirts, greeting cards and posters.  And look next month for new digital PHOTOS to be taken by Stefanie at their facilities in Kenya and posted on the website!

World Vision

World Vision is an international partnership of Christians whose mission is to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice, and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of God.

We pursue this mission through integrated, holistic commitment to:

• Transformational development that is community-based and sustainable, focused especially on the needs of children;
• Emergency relief that assists people afflicted by conflict or disaster;
• Promotion of justice that seeks to change unjust structures affecting the poor among whom we work;
• Strategic initiatives that serve the Church in the fulfillment of its mission;
• Public awareness that leads to informed understanding, giving, involvement and prayer; and
• Witness to Jesus Christ by life, deed, word and sign that encourages people to respond to the Gospel.

I invite similar organizations of other faiths to submit their website information for possible inclusion on this page.  
Please send me an e-mail.

World Tourism
Organization

World Tourism Organization

The World Tourism Organization is the leading international organization in the field of travel and tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how.

Its membership includes 138 countries and territories and more than 350 Affiliate Members representing local government, tourism associations and private sector companies, including airlines, hotel groups and tour operators.

With its headquarters in Madrid, WTO is an inter-governmental body entrusted by the United Nations with the promotion and development of tourism.

Through tourism, WTO aims to stimulate economic growth and job creation, provide incentives for protecting the environment and heritage of destinations, and promote peace and understanding among all the nations of the world.

This hyperlink is provided to encourage learning more and/or possible
interest in Affiliate Membership.

International Institute for Peace
Through Tourism

International Institute for Peace Through Tourism

MISSION
The International Institute for Peace Through Tourism is a not for profit organization dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, and through these initiatives, help bring about
a peaceful and sustainable world.

Credo of the Peaceful Traveler
Grateful for the opportunity to travel and experience the world and because peace begins with the individual. I affirm my personal responsibility and commitment to:

• Journey with an open mind and gentle heart.
• Accept with grace and gratitude the diversity I encounter.
• Revere and protect the natural environment which sustains all life.
• Appreciate all cultures I discover.
• Respect and thank my hosts for their welcome.
• Offer my hand in friendship to everyone I meet.
• Support travel services that share these views and act upon them and.
• By my spirit, words and actions, encourage others to travel the world in peace.
  

The main objective of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion, by the Charter of the United Nations.