Join the International Institute for Peace through Tourism

Host Stenden University for the 1st IIPT European Conference, “Bridging the North-South Divide through Sustainable Tourism Development,” October 21-24, 2008, in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Delegates from more than 40 countries from Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean will come together for four days to share their experience, knowledge, insights and visions as to how travel and tourism can build on, expand and leverage current North-South and South-South initiatives in achieving sustainable tourism development, wealth creation, poverty reduction and societal betterment in developing countries. The conference is being organized by IIPT in partnership with the U.N. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and U.N. Environment Program (UNEP) in support of the U.N. Decade of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World and the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. To Register for the Conference, go to: http://www.meeting-u.nl/iipt/registration.php Conference Goals: Global Perspectives on Bridging the North-South Divide: Sustainable Tourism Development and the U.N. Millennium Development Goals: Achieving Greater Societal ROI from Tourism Investments through Enhanced Collaboration of Key Stakeholders. Integrating Social, Cultural and Sports Dimensions in Bridging the North-South Divide through Sustainable Tourism Development. Catalyzing More Effective Models of Collaboration to Leverage North-South, and South-South initiatives for Sustainable Tourism Development, Poverty Reduction and Societal Betterment. Educational Foundations for a Collaborative Approach in Bridging the North-South Divide. MEDIA LUNCHEON: Role of the Media in Bridging the North-South Divide through Sustainable Tourism Development. The conference will bring together Ministers of Tourism and senior executives from both the public and private sectors of tourism, European Union, U.N. Agencies, foundations, donor agencies, and NGOs, as well as educators, policy analysts, leading practitioners, entrepreneurs, future leaders of the industry, and senior representatives of related sectors including environment, culture, sport and sustainable economic development. To Register for the Conference, go to: http://www.meeting-u.nl/iipt/registration.php Conference Program The conference program will feature plenary sessions with keynote speakers as well as a series of concurrent sessions and workshops with case studies of “success stories” and “models of best practice.” Plenary sessions will consist of an innovative combination of informative and inspiring keynote addresses followed by stimulating debate and interaction with conference delegates. Plenary panels will include industry leaders from government, private sector, NGOs and educators to gain insightful cross-sectoral perspectives and creative proposals for future directions. Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica Hon. Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaithwah, Minister of Environment and Tourism, Republic of Namibia, Kathy Sudeikis, Immediate Past President, American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and U.S Travel Agent of the Year 2008, Abdul-Sahib Shakiri, Editor and Publisher, Islamic Tourism Magazine Mr. Luigi Cabrini Director, Sustainable Development, UN World Tourism Organization Bea Broda, President, Society of American Travel Writers John Hummel, Regional Senior Adviser/ Network Leader, Pro-Poor Sustainable Tourism, SNV Asia For a full list of the keynote speakers, please visit IIPT’s October newsletter: http://www.iipt.org/newsletter/2008/october.htm Session Themes Global Perspectives on Bridging the North-South Divide: Sustainable Tourism Development and the U.N. Millennium Development Goals Achieving Greater Societal ROI from Tourism Investments through Enhanced Collaboration of Key Stakeholders Integrating Social, Cultural and Sports Dimensions in Bridging the North-South Divide through Sustainable Tourism Development Catalyzing More Effective Models of Collaboration to Leverage North-South, and South-South initiatives for Sustainable Tourism Development, Poverty Reduction and Societal Betterment Educational Foundations for a Collaborative Approach in Bridging the North-South Divide MEDIA LUNCHEON: Role of the Media in Bridging the North-South Divide through Sustainable Tourism Development To Register for the Conference, go to: http://www.meeting-u.nl/iipt/registration.php The 1st IIPT European Conference builds on the foundations of three Global Conferences: Vancouver, Canada 1988; Montreal, Canada 1994; Glasgow, Scotland, 1999; three Global Summits in Amman, Jordan 2000, Geneva, Switzerland 2003; and Pattaya, Thailand 2005; four African Conferences: Mpumalanga Province, South Africa 2001; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania 2003; Lusaka, Zambia 2005; and Kampala, Uganda 2007; and other conferences and symposia in Italy, Turkey, Greece, Australia, the Caribbean, Pakistan, Israel, United States and United Kingdom.?