ICPTR

Why Europe needs an immigration strategy (Kofi A. Annan, 2004)
(Click on title to read more)

One of the biggest tests for the enlarged European Union, in the years and decades to come, will be how it manages the challenge of immigration. If European societies rise to this challenge, immigration will enrich and strengthen them. If they fail to do so, the result may be declining living standards and social division.

The face of immigration and hospitality has changed, and so have its challenges and opportunities. There is no need for argumentation; a quick scan in the media shows the actual immigration-integration climate in major Western European countries, be it in France, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Germany, Sweeden, Switzerland, Norway, Greece, the UK, Austria or Belgium. Although there is much ado in some countries than others, the overwhelming climate and discourse is rather negative. This is what we hear, what we have become conditioned to hearing, and what we most often expected to hear:

Sometimes, it is difficult to talk about the relationship between tourism and peace. This is mainly due to the limited definition of peace as the absence of arms. If the definition of peace includes conflict, it become easier to realise the connection between tourism and peace. To understand this connection, it is insightful to go back to 1948 and the Declaration of Human Rights. Then, it is possible to see where humanity has made progress and where it has failed. Tourism does not make miracles, tourism can be used as a tool to enhance and promote human rights -political, social, environmantal and cultural- in so many ways.

Click to view our presenation “Tourism and Peace: Myths, Realities and Progress” at the World Heritage Conference in Austria, June 3-5, 2009. austria_conference

It is true that certain forms of tourism and types of tourists make the critics of tourism and peace even more pessimistic about the positive relationship between tourism and peace. However, it is, nevertheless, worth noting that peace through tourism debate has become commonplace in the tourism discourse. And yes, not only in political arenas but also in academia. Internationally, tourism conferences and seminars are increasingly recognising the importance of the tourism and peace phenomenon. More and more conferences are including tourism and peace in their selection of themes. The International Center for Peace through Tourism Research has been invited to participate in the Annual Heritage Tourism conference organised by L&R Sozialforschung/L&R Social Research in Austria on June 3-5, 2009. You are cordially invited to participate with us in this important conference. For more information contact Mr. Behrouz Sayahpour

The 1st European Conference on Peace and Tourism has received about 400 registrations, and attracted 190 participants from 35 countries. Press on the names of speakers to view their presentations. 

Welcome Address Louis D’Amore
Opening Ceremony Jannewietske de Vries
Opening Ceremony Edmund Bartlett
Plenary 1 Hon Gil da Costa Alves
Plenary 1 Hon N Nandi Ndaitwah
Plenary 2 Hon Phillip Savadoga
Plenary 2 Vasilis Morfopoulos
Plenary 2 John Hummel
Plenary 3 Catherine Rubbens
Plenary 3 Ginger Smith
Plenary 4 Janos Damon
Plenary 4 Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi
Plenary 4 Luigi Cabrini
Plenary 5 Dallen Timothy
Plenary 5 Irena Ateljevic
Plenary 5 Myriam Jansen Verbeke

byu-jerusalem-june-19-21

cross-cultural-behavior-in-tourism

ethics-in-tourism

ict1

Tourism4Peace Forum 

An Example of Best Practice in Peace through Tourism Education

africa-conference-photo-of-delegates-with-uganda-president

africa-conference-photo-with-soni-irabor

 Preamble

The Tourism4Peace Forum was established in 2005 as an initiative by the Israel Hotel Management Association and sponsored by the Peres Center for Peace. The purpose of the creation of the forum is to advance peace through tourism by strengthening dialogue and ties between the regions and the tourism industry. The third annual meeting of the Tourism4Peace Forum was hosted for the first time outside the Middle East, in the Netherlands. The Tourism4Peace conference was organised by the Christelijke Hogeschool Nederland (CHN University) in October 31-November2, 2006.