Description

This program transcends traditional tourism, offering participants an immersive experience into innovative approaches to education and sustainable development. Inspired by Vietnam’s emerging alternative movements, the journey focuses on discovering institutions and communities involved in alternative education, care for children and adolescents with disabilities, and community-engaged learning. Participants will encounter visionary educators and social entrepreneurs who are reimagining what it means to learn, grow, and build resilient communities.

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival in Da Nang - Welcome and orientation to Central Vietnam’s landscape of social innovation and alternative education

• Day 2: Hue — The Peaceful Bamboo Family (Tinh Truc Gia) - Travel to Hue to visit The Peaceful Bamboo Family, a vocational training center and living community for young adults with disabilities. Explore their biodynamic agriculture practices and participate in social therapy workshops including incense-making, lacquer painting, and pottery. Engage in interactive activities with community members. Afternoon visit to the Imperial Citadel of Hue

• Day 3: Community-Engaged Learning & River-versity - Meet Dr. Chu Manh Trinh to learn about the community-engaged learning tourism model — a university without classrooms where learning happens directly within local communities. Dr. Trinh is a pioneer of this approach in Cu Lao Cham UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. In the afternoon, experience the River-versity in Cam Kim — a boat trip along the Thu Bon River exploring Kim Bong Wood Village and its living heritage of traditional craftsmanship

• Day 4: Alternative Education & Reflection - Visit alternative education projects including The Soil Project by VCIL Community, exploring grassroots approaches to education, sustainability, and youth empowerment. Afternoon dedicated to reflections on the journey and synthesizing learnings

• Day 5: Departure - Final reflections and departure from Da Nang