Man's Best Buddy

Buddies of all shapes, sizes and species! At right that means the Norwegians at Longyearbyen on the near Arctic island of Svalbard (at right) and their Russian neighbors at Barentsburg (lower left). Two very different places, yet somehow they manage to meet, in a cultural kind of way.

Segment 1 - Burger Buddies
The Dutch Burger Buddy project pairs those in power with those on the street, in the hope that small personal contacts will help further understanding. Harry te Riele told Louise Dunne why he volunteered to buddy with, in his case, a civil servant.
The program's site is in Dutch, but if you're interested, here it is...

Segment 2 - Warm Neighbors in a Cold, Cold Place
Lars Bevanger reports on how the peoples of the modern and extraordinarily affluent Norwegian town of Longyearbyen and the poor Russian mining town of Barentsburg overcome economic and political barriers through an exchange of culture.
The Svalbard Pages!

Segment 3 - Dolphin Therapy for Autism Sufferers
Dolphins can help children with Down’s syndrome and autism to concentrate and develop cognitive and social skills. A Dutch project has begun to prove the effectiveness of this ‘dolphin-aided’ therapy. Thijs Westerbeek has more.

Segment 4 - Luxury Dog Kennels
For many people, when it come to one’s pet, nothing is too expensive, nothing is too rare, too good for one’s pet. So when it’s time to take that well-earned break, why not send your canine surrogate child on a holiday of its own. Penny Young went along to see for herself.
Want to book? Here's the site of the Third Bridge Holiday Home for Dogs...

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