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Forces ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin rolled across the borders of Ukraine overnight. Shortly after this ordered invasion of a sovereign country, explosions were heard across the country.

Ukrainians are now forced into a war they did not choose and their country did not provoke.

We believe in travel as a force for good. Again and again, we’ve seen how connecting others across borders and cultures can change lives. It makes us less afraid of each other and helps us discover we have much more in common than we realize.

We also know that war breaks the bonds that humanity builds. We have centuries of examples of the long-lasting impact of war. This cautionary tale appears in page after page of our guidebooks.

Our hearts are heavy reflecting on the events of the past 24 hours. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine during this heartbreaking moment in history.

In a time where it is easy to feel helpless against the larger political momentum, in cooperation with our sister travel publication , we have made donations to two organizations we want to empower in this crisis.

We’ve made a combined $10,000 donation to the for the a Ukrainian newspaper doing on-the-ground reporting right now. Warfare often uses the spread of disinformation to confuse people and pit them against each other. It often involves the dismantling of local, independent news outlets. We believe supporting a free press is crucial right now, especially the journalists who live in and know the community.

We’ve also made a combined $10,000 donation to , a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on raising awareness and providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine. In the coming days, many people will sadly be hurt and in need. We believe that supporting local organizations that are already on the ground is the best way to get help to people in need quickly.

Our thoughts remain with the people of Ukraine.