Camden, Maine (January 29, 2010) — Some of the world’s leading experts on Central Asia will gather at the Camden Opera House next month to discuss the future of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India – three conflict-torn countries of vital national interest to the United States.

The 23rd Annual Camden Conference includes panelists who have worked at senior levels in the U.S. State Department, CIA and academia, as well as individuals focused on creating positive change in this troubled region. The conference comes at a time when the United States is increasing its troop presence in Afghanistan, and concern remains high about relations between the nuclear-armed nations of Pakistan and India.

The conference, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India – Crossroads of Conflict, will take place Feb. 19-21. Speakers will travel from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mexico, Washington, D.C., and other locales to participate in the conference. More information is available at www.camdenconference.org.

“The subject could not be more timely than it is right now,” said John Snow, president of the Camden Conference Board of Directors. “This conference will help us to learn about the culture and history of this important and little-understood part of the world.”

The keynote address will be made by Ahmed Rashid, a Pakistani journalist, scholar, and best-selling author of books about Central Asia. Rashid’s work on the Taliban was used extensively by U.S. State Department after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Other presenters include:

• R. Nicholas Burns, a former Under Secretary of State, described by the Washington Post as “one of the most high-profile diplomats at the State Department” and currently Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard University’s Kennedy School.
• Paul R. Pillar, who worked as the chief of analytics units within the CIA, prior to becoming Director of Graduate Studies at the Center for Peace and Security Studies at Georgetown.
• Athanasios Moulakis, Chief Academic Officer at the American University of Afghanistan.
• Teresita Schaffer, director of the South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Camden Conference was founded in 1987, in part, as an outgrowth of the large group of retired Foreign Service and CIA officials who live in and around Camden. The nonprofit, non-partisan educational organization works to foster informed discourse on world affairs, and has a history of bringing leading statesmen and thinkers to the Camden Opera House.

“We make sure there is ample time for questions, and because our audience is so informed and engaged, there’s always a great exchange of ideas,” Snow said. “Many of our presenters say that the interaction here is as good as any they have anywhere, even though many of these speakers participate in events around the world.”

A substantial portion of the audience travels to Camden each year for the conference from other parts of the United States and, at times, international locations.

Camden itself has a long and continuing intellectual heritage that includes literary figures such as Edna St. Vincent Millay and continues today with events such as the national Pop!Tech technology conference and annual events focused on literature, creativity and the arts. Artists have historically flocked to the Midcoast because of its unique quality of light and dramatic, rocky coastline.

The Town of Camden remains a vibrant, authentic New England village of unique beauty, where the mountains meet the sea. Down East magazine labeled Camden Harbor the prettiest in Maine, and Boston magazine named Camden One of New England’s Best Small Towns.

“We’re quite proud of our artistic and intellectual heritage here in the Camden area, and always enjoy it when people from other communities visit to share in that tradition,” said Daniel Bookham, Executive Director of the Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce.

The Camden-Rockport-Lincolnville Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit membership association that serves businesses and organizations from 54 towns and seven states who actively seek to support business and community in the Camden Hills region of Maine.

Founded in 1987, the Camden Conference is a nonprofit, non-partisan educational organization whose mission is to foster informed discourse on world affairs.

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Innovative Initiative Will Provide Outdoor Experiences to Niche Group

Portland, Maine (January 29, 2010) – This summer, a Maine company will begin offering something unusual, if not unique, among outdoor vacations nationally. The company will host bicycling trips guided by people who are both fluent in sign language and have first-hand knowledge of the coast.

Summer Feet, which provides supported bike trips in New England and overseas, will provide two nationally certified sign-language interpreters for each trip. In 2010, those trips will be to:

• Acadia National Park and other spectacularly beautiful areas near Bar Harbor, Maine, from Aug. 27-29.
• Camden, Maine, and neighboring communities that have been identified by various publications as some of the most-scenic and fun-to-visit locations in the country, during the weekend of Sept. 24-26.

“The communications barrier will be eliminated entirely,” said Alyssa Gagnon, a nationally certified interpreter in American Sign Language who has been involved in the New England bike scene for 11 years and working in Deaf services for a decade. “All of the information about the places we’re visiting and the bicycling advice offered will be direct from us, and not have to pass through a third-person interpreter.”

Summer Feet has built a reputation for excellence during a decade of offering assisted trips, where the company takes care of logistics for participants. Summer Feet arranges for great accommodations and food, as well as once-in-a-lifetime activities such as sunset cruises on a schooner along the Maine coast. The company also provides van support during the day, so that travelers don’t have to worry about transporting their luggage or fixing their bicycle if something breaks.

This support frees participants to fully experience the stunning scenery of New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Prince Edward Island and various locations in Maine. Bicyclists can get to know one another, and unwind from the demands of daily life, without worrying about the details.

“On just about every trip, we tailor the tour in some way to meet the needs of individuals,” said Norman Patry, founder of Summer Feet. “Sometimes, it’s something small, like meeting dietary needs. Other times, we provide help that’s more-involved, like working with a blind person on a tandem bike or, someone who requires special equipment to make the trip possible or enjoyable.”

“This summer, we’re going to go a step beyond those efforts to offer something you just don’t find in the industry,” Patry said. “There aren’t many options for deaf people to experience outdoor activities with guidance from people who are both expert bicyclists and fluent in sign language.”

One reason that outdoor trips such as this one are so unusual is that there is a small population of people who are qualified guides and also fluent in sign language, said Gagnon, who will be spending her fourth season as a Summer Feet guide this summer. There just aren’t as many options for people with communications barriers to fully experience the outdoors.

This fact, coupled with the expertise of Summer Feet guides, provides the company with a unique opportunity to serve a largely untapped segment of the market: people with disabilities who are interested in outdoor travel vacations.

On the first trip, participants will tour the dramatic, rocky coast of Schoodic Peninsula, across the bay from Bar Harbor, and explore both the Carriage Roads and Park Loop Road in Acadia National Park. A wine-and-cheese reception, lobster dinner and lodging in the elegant Harborside Hotel will complement the bicycling.

The second weekend takes participants to the Camden Hills area, where mountains meet the sea. Participants will cycle what Yankee Magazine called “The Prettiest Six Miles in Maine,” experiencing pristine Islesboro and exploring the one-of-a-kind Rockland area. A Sunset Sail of Penobscot Bay on a classic wooden schooner and fine dining in Camden also add to the appeal.

“Deaf people are just like anyone else,” said Gagnon. “They want to have a wonderful vacation, without complications. These weekends will allow deaf people to blend in and experience the beauty of Maine in the same way that other bicyclists do.”

Based in Portland, Maine, Summer Feet offers travelers assisted bicycle tours and the most-authentic experiences available of beautiful locations in Maine, Canada and New Zealand. Summer Feet has a decade of experience in providing van support, knowledgeable guides and logistics for memorable bicycle vacations. More information is available at www.summerfeet.net, via email to info@summerfeet.net, or by phone at 866-857-9544.

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