IIPT Consortium of Collaborating Universities to be housed at Livingstone International University

STOWE, Vermont, & LUSAKA, Zambia – The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) announced today that its newly-formed IIPT Consortium of Collaborating Universities (IIPT – CCU) wil

STOWE, Vermont, & LUSAKA, Zambia – The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) announced today that its newly-formed IIPT Consortium of Collaborating Universities (IIPT – CCU) will be housed at Livingstone International University of Tourism Excellence and Business Management (LIUTEBM) in Lusaka, Zambia.

The Consortium includes some 15 universities from Africa, Asia, North America, and the Caribbean which have agreed to collaborate in providing third and fourth year university students the opportunity to research and write essays on the various dimensions of “Peace through Tourism’ with a selection of the best essays being published by LIUTEBM.

IIPT has begun commemorating the 25th anniversary of its First Global Conference: Tourism – A Vital Force for Peace (Vancouver 1988). Some 800 persons from 67 countries participated in the conference that first introduced the concept of Sustainable Tourism Development. It also introduced a paradigm of “Tourism for a Higher Purpose” – tourism that contributes to:

– promoting international understanding among peoples and cultures;
– collaboration among nations;
– protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity;
– enhancing cultures and valuing heritage;
– sustainable development;
– poverty reduction; and
– healing wounds of conflict and reconciliation through tourism, culture, and sport.

In commemorating its 25th anniversary year, IIPT will launch a series of “Legacy Projects” the first of which is the Consortium of Collaborating Universities. As several of IIPT’s conferences and summits – and two of its conference “Declarations” – the Amman Declaration on Peace through Tourism, and the Lusaka Declaration resulting from the 2011 IIPT Lusaka Conference on Tourism and Climate Change have emphasized the importance of drawing on the “ancient wisdom, knowledge, and values of Indigenous Peoples,” the area of research in the first year will be: “Methods of conflict resolution and reconciliation in the ancient traditions of Indigenous Peoples.”

Student essays will also suggest how these methods might be applied in current conflict situations and the role that tourism, culture, and sport can play in contributing to the enhancement of these methods.

Third and fourth year students of participating universities are invited to submit a paper not to exceed 2,500 words. A selection of the best papers will be published by LIUTEBM with students and their professors being identified as the authors.

Beginning next year, participating universities will be able to suggest topics for research based on the overall theme of “Peace through Tourism” including the role of tourism in the seven areas indicated in the above “Tourism for a Higher Purpose” paradigm.

In making the announcement, IIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore said: “LIUTEBM is the only possible home for the Consortium as it is one of the significant outcomes of the IIPT Lusaka Conference on Climate Change in which LIUTEBM played a key role in initiating under the leadership of Vice Chancellor Dr. Patrick Kalifungwa.” Mr. D’Amore went on to say: “Several of the University partnerships also resulted through Dr. Kalifungwa’s efforts and support. IIPT is most honored to have a home for the IIPT- CCU with the award winning LIUTEBM.”

Vice Chancellor Dr. Patrick Kalifungwa commented: “This is a very progressive direction that will challenge our future leaders of the industry to think about tourism from a broader societal perspective. It will provide linkages with various universities, their professors and students – across cultural divides and different regions of the world with networks to share experiences, research, current knowledge of best practices, and career opportunity development.”

Invitation to Universities
Any universities interested in becoming Charter Members of the IIPT – CCU are invited to contact: Louis D’Amore, Email: [email protected] .

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PEACE THROUGH TOURISM
IIPT is dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which 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.”
www.iipt.org

ABOUT LIUTEBM
The mission of LIUTEBM is to develop the institutional capacities to provide its students a high level of specialized and quality knowledge, skills, competencies, values, and ethics that enables these future leaders of the industry to foster the socially and environmentally-responsible growth of tourism in a manner that enhances its societal contribution to the sustainable development of Africa.
www.liutebmuniversity.org

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

Share to...