Updated Response to Japan Crisis

March 16, 2011 Not sure if this was anything that our Ambassadors received but thought it is good information. rh Dear Ambassador family, With the uncertain conditions plaguing Japan in the wake of last week's earthquake, we have determined that we will not be sending 25 delegations of Student Ambassadors to Japan this summer as originally planned. The reports from our friends and partners in Japan confirm what you're seeing in the news—that the challenges of shoring up nuclear reactors and caring for thousands of newly homeless citizens will be the primary focus of the nation for the foreseeable future. All Japan delegations will be reassigned to another destination. Our dedicated travel team and our experienced partners overseas are working hard to arrange new Student Ambassador experiences in other parts of the world. New home stays, service projects, school visits, and unique-access activities are being scheduled as we speak. We are proud to have the global resources to still be able to provide these students with a life-changing adventure in 2011. Our hearts go out to the Japanese people. Their strength and resilience is truly amazing, and I trust that we will be able to offer Ambassadors another opportunity to experience this beautiful country for themselves in 2012. Thank you for working to build friendship and understanding all over the world. It's events like this prove the true value of those relationships. Peg Thomas President, People to People Ambassador Programs

March 14, 2011 Dear Ambassador family, Like you, I have been saddened by the devastation that struck Japan last week after the 8.9 earthquake. We are hearing from our friends and contacts in Japan, and much of the news is encouraging. Our program partners have escaped without harm. Families who host our Ambassadors in the south of Japan have also been spared in the destruction. We continue to monitor events as they unfold, including rolling blackouts, the threat of damage to nuclear reactors, and the possibility of aftershocks. (Mike Bowers' safety blog will supply you with regular updates about what's happening in Japan.) With our proven experience in navigating natural disasters all over the globe, we know that the best course is to gather as much information as we can before we declare an area safe for our students. We will have made an informed decision about this summer's programs to Japan and be ready to share a concrete plan with students, leaders, and families by April 1. There are three main things you should know about the planned programs to Japan: We will do whatever is necessary to keep our participants safe. We know that infrastructure is in place to run the programs safely because our destinations are concentrated south of the impact zone, but if we discover any concerns for student safety, we will not hesitate to re-route all Japan delegations to other countries for their Student Ambassador adventures. Our Ambassadors and their families will not be asked to absorb any additional costs or surrender program quality. While you wait with us for the April 1 decision, your withdrawal penalties will be frozen where they are. And of course if any activities are changed, they will be replaced with ones of comparable value. We will base our decision on good information and strong connections. Our intelligence comes from high-level sources like the U.S. State Department, the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), the Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Transportation Safety Board, as well as our friends who are in Japan. We will draw on all of this information in evaluating the safety of the programs this summer. It is my sincere hope that we will be in a position to travel to Japan this year as planned and lend the benefit of our community-service hours to the Japanese people, acting as true Ambassadors of peace. Thank you for watching and waiting with us. Please join me in keeping the people of Japan in your thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks. Peg Thomas President, People to People Ambassador Programs