A panel discussion presented by the NY Salon and the Association of American Geographers

Volunteer tourism has become a staple for significant numbers of aspirant young people in the developed economies. Traveling abroad, doing good work, working to improve the environment or on development projects, is seen by some as a right-of-passage toward global citizenship. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and companies promote the transformative possibilities of good deeds at home and abroad, both for the places visited and for the ‘voluntourists’ seeking to make a difference on their travels.

But what does the growth of volunteering at home and abroad tell us about people’s aspirations to act upon their world in the 21st century? How has volunteering changed since the origins of the Peace Corps and UK-based VSO in the 1950s? Where does development fit in to the worldview of the modern volunteer? What impact does volunteer tourism have upon the host countries?

The next NY Salon event will be a discussion of Rebecca Skloot’s NY Times best seller: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Wednesday February 8 2012, 7pm.
This is not a walk-in event. You must email jean@nysalon.org to attend. Spaces are limited so please let us know if you wish to attend and if you wish to bring a guest.

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells – taken without her knowledge in 1951 – became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, and more. Henrietta’s cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can’t afford health insurance. This phenomenal NY Times bestseller tells a riveting story of the collision between ethics, race, and medicine; of scientific discovery and faith healing; and of a daughter consumed with questions about the mother she never knew.

You can buy the book here (and yes, you must read the book!).