June 8, 2002 - Costa Rica Tours Press Release: RPCV owned Tour Company announces Black Culture Tour of Caribbean Costa Rica and Panama

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2002: 06 June 2002 Peace Corps Headlines: June 8, 2002 - Costa Rica Tours Press Release: RPCV owned Tour Company announces Black Culture Tour of Caribbean Costa Rica and Panama

By Admin1 (admin) on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 11:24 am: Edit Post

RPCV owned Tour Company announces Black Culture Tour of Caribbean Costa Rica and Panama





Read and comment on this Press Release from RPCV owned Costa Rica Tours on the Black Culture of the Caribbean Costa Rica and Panama that they are organizing for August at:

COSTA RICA TOURS, LTD. OF CHARLOTTE, NC AND WASHINGTON, DC and PRIDE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE, NC Announce our BLACK CULTURE TOUR OF CARIBBEAN COSTA RICA AND PANAMA*

* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.



COSTA RICA TOURS, LTD. OF CHARLOTTE, NC AND WASHINGTON, DC and PRIDE MAGAZINE OF CHARLOTTE, NC Announce our BLACK CULTURE TOUR OF CARIBBEAN COSTA RICA AND PANAMA
August 28-September 4, 2002

You may know that Costa Rica is the #1 destination worldwide for nature and adventure travel. With our tour, tourists can combine nature with an educational journey into the black culture of Costa Rica's small yet influential minority population. In May 2002, Dr. Abel Pacheco was inaugurated as Costa Rica's president. He grew up in Limon, the center of Afro-Caribbean culture, and has a deep concern for the development of this region. Among his cabinet appointments are several black Costa Ricans, including the Minister of Women Affairs. Because of the President's interest in promoting educational and cultural tourism, we can count on the involvement of government officials at the highest level in welcoming us to Costa Rica and providing a unique educational experience.

In addition, our tour is special because we have the opportunity to attend the annual Black Culture Day in Limon and the 80th Anniversary Celebration of Liberty Hall (known as Black Star Line) built by the local chapter of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) founded by Marcus Garvey. The Black Star Line became the UNIA vehicle to promote worldwide commerce among black communities and to achieve a global black economy. The building in Limon is the only original site remaining in the world that is still owned by the UNIA. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987 during the administration of President, Dr. Oscar Arias, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

ITINERARY

DAY ONE: Fly to Costa Rica, arriving in early afternoon. In the evening we will meet with the Afro-Costa Rican Society . We have invited government leaders at the highest levels to meet with our group. There will be entertainment by gospel and calypso groups.

DAY TWO: In the morning we will visit a coffee plantation to learn how coffee is grown and processed. In the afternoon, we visit the seat of government to meet black members of Congress. Later, we visit the Distance Teaching University for an overview of black culture in Costa Rica. Our dinner will be at a Caribbean restaurant.

DAY THREE: We leave San Jose and travel to Irazu Volcano. Next, we visit Lankester Gardens, one of the most valuable botanical gardens in the Americas, and home to over 700 orchid species. We will end the day in Puerto Limon, the provincial capital and ethnic melting pot of Jamaican, Chinese, European, and indigenous peoples.

DAY FOUR: What perfect timing! Today is Black Culture Day and the ceremony of the 80th Anniversary of Liberty Hall (Black Star Line building). Garvey was a frequent visitor to UNIA chapters in Costa Rica, and his son may be with us at the Festival. In the afternoon, we can enjoy arts and craft booths, films, and a gospel fest. We are invited not to just watch the Black Culture Parade, but to participate in it! In the evening, there is a Gala Ball and dance with local and international bands from throughout the Caribbean Islands.

DAY FIVE: We will attend Sunday church services (in English), and depart to Bocas del Toro in Panama, a protected archipelago of the United Nations. The beautiful white sand beaches are world-renowned. We will have a reception at the Panamanian Institute of Tourism with a briefing on the regional black culture. We will have a candlelight dinner overlooking the sea.

DAY SIX: Today we thoroughly enjoy the beach. There is a boat trip in search of dolphins and a visit to the Zapatilla or Cayo Coral Islands. You can take optional fishing, scuba and snorkeling excursions.

DAY SEVEN: Departure to Costa Rica and return to San Jose. In the late afternoon, we will have time to shop for arts and crafts in the town of Moravia.

DAY EIGHT: Departure to the United States.

Costa Rica Tours, Ltd. was founded in Charlotte, NC in 1998 by Sandra Feldman. Mrs. Feldman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica and afterwards worked for 30 years as an community and organization development specialist throughout the United States and in 15 countries in Latin America and Asia. She has taught in management and continuing education programs for the American Management Association, Georgetown University, Simon Bolivar University (Venezuela) and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Costa Rica Tours, Ltd. designs and conducts "educational adventure tours" to Costa Rica and Panama exclusively.

Our in-country tour operator for the Black Culture Tour is RA-MAR Caribbean of Limon, Costa Rica. Its owner, Ramiro Crawford, will be our full-time guide. He has worked for 20 years as a specialist in international development projects and professional exchange programs. He is an agricultural economist and has postgraduate studies in community development in the United Kingdom, China and Sweden. Mr. Crawford's contributions to promoting awareness of black culture have been extensive in Costa Rica and abroad. Through his efforts, Liberty Hall (Black Star Line) was declared a National Historic Landmark by the Costa Rican government. He serves as an international board member of the Washington, DC-based Partners of the Americas, whose mission is to promote economic and social development projects by linking 46 states in the United States with countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.

The Black Culture Tour is sponsored by Pride, the only African-American magazine in Charlotte, NC. Established in 1993, the publication began as a part of The Charlotte Observer newspaper, and was purchased by the current publisher, Dee Dixon, in January 2002. The magazine is distributed quarterly to 30,000 readers. Pride Magazine also produces two major events each year: The Pride Awards, which honors outstanding achievement in the African-American community, and the Pride Sunset Jazz Series, which provides five free concerts in the park during the summer.

COST:
This eight-day, land and air package, costs $1795 per person in double occupancy with RT air from Charlotte, NC or Washington, DC to San Jose, Costa Rica. Contact us for the price from other departure cities. This price has discount aifare based on availability through our wholesaler. We encourage immediate registration to reserve airline space at this low price.

Price includes a full-time Costa Rican guide and a U.S. Tour Escort; seven-nights lodging and hotel tax; all meals; all entrance fees to itinerary activities and entertainment; airport porter tips and transfers and ground transportation; and a Panamanian Tourist Card. Price does not include airport departure tax ($17.50) nor tips for the Costa Rican guide and driver.

For additional information contact:
Costa Rica Tours, Ltd.
(704) 541-8680
CRTLimited@aol.com



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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; What RPCVs are doing; COS - Costa Rica; COS - Panama

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