“No one is born hating another because of the color of his skin or religion,” said Nelson Mandela. “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can also be taught to love.” Tourism is the one industry that is people-centric and has immense potential to foster love and understanding across all boundaries of race, color, belief, or nationality. It can be a powerful tool for Peace.
As we move into the New Year, our fervent hope is that the horror and violence the world has experienced in 2024 will end soon. The wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan have displaced millions from their homes and taken thousands of innocent lives. This cannot be allowed to continue.
Every person on the Planet has to raise their voice and say to political leaders worldwide,
“No More Wars!”
Tourism is one of the world’s biggest industries; the countries currently devastated by wars have huge tourism potential, but for that to be realized, the conflict must stop first.
This is the time for all practitioners and stakeholders in the industry to sensitize their travelers to the higher paradigm of tourism, encourage them to travel with an open mind and gentle heart, and respect the diversity they encounter. The more one travels, the more one discovers that the differences seemingly dividing us pale into insignificance before all the common hopes and desires we share as a species.
In the name of our common humanity, IIPT appeals to global political leaders to stop teaching people to hate and instead teach them compassion, understanding, and acceptance to establish peace.
Ajay Prakash,Global President
International Institute for Peace through Tourism
