Tourism Olympic global peace plans unveiled

Co-ordinator Gordon Sillence presents the plan at WTM: opportunity for tourism to play major role in sight

A plan for peace through tourism was presented today at the WTM.

Co-ordinator Gordon Sillence said: "The United Nations just passed a historic unanimous resolution calling for a six week truce period during the 2012 London Olympic Games."

He continued: “The opportunity for government, business and civil society stakeholders in the fields of sports, tourism, & culture to play a major role in creating a global peace is now in sight.”

“Our report provides feedback on current efforts to implement the Olympic Truce during the London 2012 Games, looking closely at the linking the Games to Agenda 21 to meet the Millennium Declaration targets, thereby developing a strategy to make the Truce real.”

“This involves creating a coalition of stakeholders working together on strategic cultural actions, including a responsible tourism strategy to match diplomatic efforts linked to Rio +20.”

“The aim is launch a peace based, global green economy where travel, tourism, and trade flourish in a golden age of inter-cultural knowledge exchange and innovation to face global challenges.”
In the gap of government inaction, civil society groupings have created a London 2012 Olympic Peace Strategy, based on an active role of peace, sports, culture and tourism sector stakeholders. The strategy includes:

• raising global attention for a move from a culture of violence to a culture of peace with one minutes silence during the opening ceremony of the Games
• using the Global Peace Index map to show the state of violence in countries across the world during the times of the Games
• bringing 40 teenagers from conflict zones and areas of violence to the Games as Peace & Culture Youth Ambassadors
• creating an international inter-cultural travel and tourism bonanza celebrating the best of global responsible and sustainable tourism next to our Olympic athletes.

Says Mr Sillence: “In spite of these worrying times of global challenges, a hope-filled vision of a peace-based, green global economy can be realized, and the sustainability message mainstreamed through large scale events.”

“The countdown to this opportunity continues with the June 2012 Rio+20 UN Conference aligned with the July- August London 2012 Olympics – and now at this 11th hour, culture, peace, sports and tourism stakeholders need to unify to make this happen practically. Implementation guidance is given on. http://destinet.eu/topics/sustainable-consumption-and-production/peace-through-tourism.

To get a full copy of the report email: [email protected]

Valere Tjolle
Valere is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite 2011 Get your copy at a special offer price: HERE