According to former UN-Tourism Secretary General Dr. Taleb Rifai, tourism has been categorized as an industry of Peace.
It can only be hoped that Peace and Tourism will be back on the agenda for UN-Tourism, since it was eliminated when the current UNWTO secretary-general refused to continue supporting the work of Louis D’Amore of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) and cancelled an important conference in Montreal, already confirmed by Taleb Rifai.
A new initiative was launched on April 29 in Gernika, Spain, by the UNAOC and Religions for Peace, with the support of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN ). Imitiaz Muqbil of the Thailand-based Travel Impact Newswire was the first in the travel and tourism industry to endorse it.
The statement announcing the launch laid out the Ten Principles of Peace. In addition to comfort-zone points such as Pursuing Diplomacy and Unity in Diversity, the Ten Principles recommend walk-the-talk actions such as Supporting the Politics of Peace, Channeling Cuts in Military Spending to a Fund for Sustainable Development, Ending the Use of Unilateral Coercive Measures (Sanctions), and Supporting the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The “Alliance for Peace” is directly relevant to the multiple challenges facing Travel & Tourism in this age of chaos and conflict. It complements the growing focus on the link between tourism and peace-building worldwide following the September 2024 commemoration of World Tourism Day on the theme of Tourism and Peace. This year has also been declared the International Year of Peace and Trust as per the UN General Assembly resolution 78/266, proposed by Turkmenistan.
The launch statement said, “In recent decades, humanity has witnessed an alarming setback, with the resurgence of increasingly prolonged and deadly armed conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, and a growing culture of militarization. The widespread despair of global citizens in the face of these tragedies has intensified, highlighting the urgent need for a profound shift toward peace.”
Seekers of peace are found across persons of all societies, races, ethnicities, and religions. There is no clash of civilizations, only the machinations of demagogues to incite hatred and wars. Humanity can rise above atavistic violence. We stand for dialogue and diplomacy as the true and urgent route to lasting peace.
“Peace is the resolution of political conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy. We, the Alliance for Peace, call on political, academic, business, and civil society leaders to stop the spiral of violence that has swept the world, push the Doomsday Clock away from midnight, and ensure that the fruits of human knowledge and technological advances are for peaceful and sustainable development and not for war.”
We call on all fellow citizens to adhere to the Ten Principles for Peace:
Pursue Diplomacy.
Wars do not end on the battlefield, but precious lives do. Wars end at the negotiating table, with the resolution of political conflicts. There is never an excuse for breaking off diplomatic efforts for peace. It is never too early or too late to negotiate.
Support the UN Charter.
The UN Charter was adopted “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” and calls on the nations of the world “to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours; to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security; to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest; and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.”
Find Unity in Diversity.
When speaking of the diversity of nations and cultures, President John F. Kennedy stated, “If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can make the world safe for diversity. For in the final analysis, we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s futures. And we are all mortal.”
Promote Sustainable Development.
Wars emerge from the deprivations of the poor, the arrogance of the rich, and the destruction of nature by those who blindly pursue wealth above morality. Peace is achieved by sustainable development that fulfills the economic, social, and environmental needs of people everywhere.
Support the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The world is 89 seconds to midnight according to the Doomsday Clock. We are at the edge of annihilation by the nuclear weapons that we have ourselves created. Our survival now depends on the prohibition of the instruments of our collective suicide.
End the Use of Unilateral Coercive Measures (Sanctions).
The UN Charter, Article II, Section 4, holds that “all Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.” The UN General Assembly has repeatedly noted that unilateral coercive measures (sanctions) constitute the use of force in violation of the Charter.
Channel Cuts in Military Spending to a Fund for Sustainable Development.
Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI called on the world powers to redirect their military outlays to a “world fund to relieve the needs of impoverished peoples.” We call on the world’s major arms spenders to re-channel their wasteful outlays to a Fund for Sustainable Development.
Encourages the Security Council
to reform and improve its effectiveness and representativeness, including by redressing Africa’s historical underrepresentation as a priority and ensuring the full representation and voice of Asia and Latin America in decision-making processes on global peace-making and peacekeeping.
Strengthen the UN General Assembly.
A vibrant UN General Assembly is key to a just and effective multilateralism in which all regions, peoples, and civilizations share in building our common future.
Support the Politics of Peace.
Politicians everywhere must hear the words of their citizens. We want and demand peace for the common good and for our common survival. We call on the UN Security Council to intensify its work to preserve peace and resist and stop any nation’s unilateral acts of war. We call on all governments and citizens to support the UN institutions of justice—the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court—as vital lifelines to the global rule of law.
The event welcomed the year 2025 as The International Year of Peace and Trust as per the United Nations General Assembly resolution 78/266 which was proposed by Turkmenistan, underlining that the International Year of Peace and Trust constitutes a means of mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace and trust among nations based on political dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation and respect of the dignity of every human life to build sustainable peace, solidarity and harmony in the whole world.
