Our Philosophy

Exchange at eye level and a friendly togetherness are at the very heart of our philosophy: Within the Alsharq Reise team, in communication with our tour guides, in contact with customers and of course in exchange with locals in the countries we visit. The aim of our trips is to enable diverse encounters, to connect people, to build understanding for each other and to overcome prejudice.

Many countries in the WANA region suffer from negative media portrayals and polarising stereotypes of country and people. On our tours, we want to question preconceived opinions, overcome stereotypes and show the complexity of the local societies. It is also important to us to constantly reflect our own role. We take a critical look at the forms and effects of tourism and understand it as a phenomenon in a broader political, economic, cultural and social context.

As a tour operator, we act as a commercial enterprise, but we are committed to certain standards of fairness and sustainability, which are anchored in our corporate mission statement and are always taken into account on our trips. More information can be found here.

Our Travel Concept

Sophisticated Insights and Multi-Perspectivity

The social and political realities of the destination countries are the focus of our trips. We want to convey a differentiated view of our target region. In doing so, we aim for the participants to question existing opinions and deal with new perspectives as impartially as possible.

Focus on Encounters

We try to achieve this in particular through meetings and discussions with local people. In doing so, we aim to get to know the views of "normal people" as well as politicians, academics and activists. We also try to bring both urban and rural contexts closer to the participants. Our aim is to always interact with the participants at eye level.

Through these encounters we not only want to better understand local realities, but to also enter into an exchange. It is also our goal that encounters lead to cooperation, see "Intended Impact".

Variety of formats

We try to convey the social and political realities to the participants in as many different formats as possible: Lectures, expert talks, discussions, city walks, hikes or even cooking classes with local families are just a few examples of the different methods we use to convey information.

Mix of Education and Tourism

The socio-political programme is rounded off by touristic activities. Important tourist attractions are part of the programme during the trips. In a region that is mainly associated with negative stereotypes, it is of great importance to us to show as many positive aspects as possible, including the historical and cultural wealth.

Maximizing Profit is not our top priority

Our tours are not primarily concerned with making a profit: Our prices for students often represent the real costs and we sometimes run tours that may appear financially unsound because of the small number of participants. We also do not select our destinations based on profitability. Our biggest concern is to help fellow travellers get a better understanding of the MENA region’s different realities.

Inclusion und Inter-Generationality

Our trips are aimed at active, open-minded, culturally and politically interested people of all ages. We consider the intergenerational exchange in mixed-age groups very enriching. We also try to make it possible for people with disabilities to travel with us.

Participation

Ideas for active participation in the journey by the participants are very welcome, be it by preparing a programme item, a lecture or other activities.

Flexibility, topicality and Spontaneity

We pick up current events, e.g. elections, during our trips and try to incorporate them into the programme, for example by visiting a polling station. This also applies to exhibitions, concerts or local cultural festivals. If such events arouse the interest of the group, we try to respond spontaneously. We are always open to suggestions from the group. By encouraging the participants to actively take part in the travel arrangements, we circumvent the classically passive group behaviour of other group trips.

Intended impact of alsharq reise

We hope that the trips will help participants to expand their political and/or civil society involvement and to pass on what they have experienced. Through our mediation, both local representatives and participants have given presentations on their professional fields in Germany. Cooperation between universities in Germany and in the target countries already have developed as well.

Alsharq tour guides

Very good knowledge of the local language and surroundings as well as numerous contacts to politics and civil society make our tour guides stand out. At least one person per guide team has spent some time in the target country and speaks the local language(s) well. Often, at least one person in the tour team even has family ties within the destination country. Accordingly, our guide teams usually have a very good local network. We aim to use gender-mixed management teams on every trip.

FAIRNESS and sustainability

2005: It all started with a blog

In 2005, the Alsharq project was founded by Christoph Sydow, Robert Chatterjee and Christoph Dinkelaker as a student blog. Its goals were a) to cover developments and events in West Asia and North Africa (WANA) that other media did not report altogether and b) to provide a less Eurocentric coverage of WANA in general, taking into account different perspectives from the region as well as written sources in the original language (Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, etc.). Today, under its new name dis:orient, the blog is one of the most important German online media for a profound, independent, critical and post-colonial coverage of the WANA region.

2010: The first study trips

Since 2010, Alsharq no longer just writes about the target region, but also enables interested people to engage directly with the social and political realities on site. While in the beginning mainly political study trips to Lebanon and Israel & Palestine were offered, many other destinations within the WANA region and beyond have been added over the years - and the portfolio is constantly growing further.

2015: Organisational Division of the Alsharq REISE GmbH from Alsharq e.V.

In 2013, Alsharq e.V. was founded with the goal of contributing to the political education about the WANA region in Germany. Two years later, in 2015, Alsharq e.V. received its official recognition as a non-profit organisation.

The educational work of Alsharq e.V. included the aforementioned blog, for which a coordination office was created by the organisation. Alsharq e.V. also organised numerous events and seminars to promote cultural, political and social exchange between Germany and the WANA countries. In 2015, the Alsharq Reise GmbH was founded as a company with the task of taking responsibility over the political study trips.

2018: Fusion with LIqa e.V., Foundation of Disorient

In 2018, Alsharq e.V. merged with Liqa e.V., an organisation which - among other activities - organised exchange programmes between students from Arab countries and Germany. Under the new name dis:orient we organise events on topics and discourses revolving around WANA and their interactions with Europe. Also, our journalistic work plays an essential role in the work of the association.

Cooperation between the association and the company

Although the registered association dis:orient e.V. acts independently from Alsharq REISE GmbH, cooperation ties between the two organisations are very close. United in their common goal to promote the dialogue between Germany, Europe and the WANA region, to reduce prejudices and create a better understanding, the organisations are in a close exchange.