Hiran Cooray, Director, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority and Chairman, Jetwing Hotels Ltd., will be a featured speaker at this year’s International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) World Travel Market (WTM) event “Cultivating Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations through Tourism, Culture and Sports” on Wednesday, November 5, from 10:30 am to 12:00 noon in the South Gallery, Rooms 21 and 22.
Hiran is also a past President of the Pacific Travel Association (PATA). He will discuss the lessons learned following 25 years of conflict in Sri Lanka and the role of tourism in reconciliation and socio-economic re-development.
Other panelists in the event being organized by the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) include: Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO); Martin Craigs, CEO Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA); Amb. Yamina Karitanyi, Head of Tourism and Conservation, Rwanda; and Mrs. Wahida Jaiet, Managing Director of the Tunisian National Tourist Office (TNTO). Professor Geoffrey Lipman, President, International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) will be the Moderator.
The world is currently faced with conflict on every continent – some that began as much as 70 years ago. As well, there are many conflicts in this same period that have been successfully resolved. What lessons can we learn from countries that have resolved their conflict? How can we work towards building sustainable and peaceful communities – sustainable and peaceful nations? As one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries -what role can tourism play.
This session, organized by the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) features leaders of the industry who will share their perspectives on the role of tourism in healing wounds conflict, contributing to post-conflict socio-economic re-development and to a “Culture of Peace” at both the community and national levels and across regions of the world.
The session will be a preview of the IIPT World Symposium on Sustainable and Peaceful Communities and Nations being held in South Africa, Februrary16-19, 2015. The Symposium will honor the legacies of three great Champions of Peace and Non-Violence: Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Ganhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. and will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the African Union; 20 years of South African Democracy, and the 50th anniversary of Civil Rights Legislation in the United States.
IIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore said, “Our intent will be to harness the Symposium and legacies of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, Jr. to build bridges of tourism, friendship and peace in regions throughout the world.”
IIPT is dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, poverty reduction, and the resolution of conflict - and through these initiatives, help bring about a more peaceful and sustainable world. IIPT is dedicated to mobilizing travel and tourism, the world’s largest industry, as the world’s first “Global Peace Industry,” an industry that promotes and supports the belief that “Every traveler is potentially an Ambassador for Peace.”
(ETN)
