• IIPT meeting in South Africa

    November 24, 2014
    IIPT meeting in South Africa

    Johannesburg : Dr. Louis J. D’Amore, the IIPT (International Institute for Peace through Tourism) Founder and President has  confirmed the lineup of tourism personalities who will address the IIPT World Symposium: Cultivating Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations through Tourism, Culture and Sport to be held at Emperors Palace, Johannesburg, South Africa, February 16-19, 2015.

    The interactive and action-oriented symposium will honor the legacies of the world’s three champions of peace and non-violent resistance: Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. with the aim of affirming these legacies by building bridges of tourism, friendship, and peace in regions throughout the world.

    The symposium, endorsed by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the African Union, 20 years of South African democracy, and the 50th anniversary of civil rights legislation in the US.

    Keynote speakers will include: Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Mr. David Scowsill, President and CEO, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC); Salih Cene, President, Skal International, Hon. Derek Hanekom, Minister of Tourism, South Africa (Invited); Hon. Alain St. Ange, Minister of Tourism, Seychelles; Martin Craigs, (until recently) CEO, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA); Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President, International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP); Mok Singh, Skal International President (2012 – 2013) and member, IIPT International Advisory Board; and other industry leaders from both the public and private sectors.

    Concurrent sessions will feature (real life) success stories illustrating the symposium theme presented by leading experts and practitioners from different regions of the world.

    A special action initiative already begun in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the African Union is an IIPT/Skal Cities, Towns and Villages of Peace Across South Africa project with a goal of 50 cities, towns, and villages dedicating themselves to peace in the weeks leading up to the symposium. Some ten cities, towns, and villages have already registered. Other action initiatives will be announced in the weeks prior to and during the symposium.

    Symposium Host Partners are: South Africa Tourism, the Metropolitan Municipalities of Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South African Airways, and Emperors Palace.

    Symposium Partners are: UN World Tourism Organization UNWTO, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Africa Travel Association (ATA) Skal International, and the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP).- IIPT.org

    Nov. 24 , 2014

     

    www.iipt.org

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