Global Partnership discusses olympic tourism peace proposal

Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism discusses London 2012 Olympic Peace through Tourism Programme in Seoul

At the Global Partnership on Sustainable Tourism 2nd General Meeting in Seoul this week, Gordon Sillence, London 2012 Peace Campaign Coordinator, took the opportunity of linking the host nations highlighting of South Korea’s demilitarized Zone DMZ  peace and conservation project to the London 2012 Olympic Peace through Tourism programme. 

The historic UN-designated six week period of peace will run from 25th July to 9th September at the request of the UK government, unanimously supported by all 193 UN member states in a UN resolution last October.  Several partnership members publically stated their support for the programme, and talks are underway to include Korea, where the DMZ being developed as a historic peace and ecotourism sanctuary.

Arguing that peace is fundamental to sustainable economic development, social justice and environmental conservation, the campaign links Rio +20 with the London Olympics in a pragmatic awareness-raising, training and assistance programme in order to make the UN declaration of peace tangible and meaningful. The key concept driving this programme is that global peace can be practically realized through linking tourism, sport and the environment, working together on an international basis, putting the needs and aspirations  of our children first.

Details of the Campaign can be found on http://www.london2012olympicpeacecampaign.org.  Vision readers  are being asked if you can support this programme in any of the following ways:

• Become one of the key project supporters by making in-kind or financial contribution to the youth peace ambassador programme
• Identify and send one or two youths from your country to the training event
• Prepare a short-list of your country’s best sustainable and responsible tourism offers for promotion at Rio+20 and the Olympics
• Link your youth representative(s) and responsible tourism offers to your country’s Olympic athletes for promotional purposes
• Make a declaration that your country is a peaceful destination for promotional purposes

We are currently urgently seeking resources and support for the above programme, and we ask you to consider the above request in a timely way (the Olympic Clock is ticking …).

If you feel you are not the right organization to do the job, then you might act as an initiator by contacting the appropriate person in the ministries of tourism, sport, youth, or perhaps a private institute or NGO who would be interested.  In this way the whole responsible tourism community can play a positive part in something practical.

For further information please contact Gordon Sillence  00351 912 372124  [email protected]

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2012 Special Offers HERE