IIPT TO PARTNER WITH FTAN ON NIGER DELTA

Nigeria, 21 November, 2006 - The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) has expressed its readiness to partner with the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria to evolve strategies through tourism as a vehicle for peace and sustainable development to curb youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region.

President of IIPT, Louis D'Amore, agreed with the chairman of Bayelsa state chapter of FTAN, Elda Zee Debekeme over the weekend to assist as possible in developing appropriate strategies.

According to Louis D'Amore, founder of IIPT, a not-for-profit global peace organisation which is accredited by the United Nations; IIPT  was founded in 1986 to commemorate the United Nations Year of Peace.

Its formation was in response to major global issues of the 1980's; which included the increasing tensions of East and West; the growing gap between the have and have-not region of the world; a deteriorating global environment and the peaking of terrorism in 1985-1986.

The President and Founder who attended the 10th Africa Travel Association Ecotourism/Cultural Symposium at Calabar, Nigeria expressed concern over the lingering crisis in the Niger Delta region, and suggesting that youth employment opportunities through tourism development might contribute to abating the restiveness in the area and as an instrument for peace.

Earlier Elda Zee Debekeme was informed of the need for strategies to use tourism as job creation opportunities for the youths of the region and solicited for assistance from IIPT in the area of technical support and capacity building.

Louis D'Amore was optimistic that IIPTs' programmes as they unfold will go a long way in building a peaceful region. 

For more information, contact:
Sandra Mafe (Mrs), Nigerian Chapter Co-ordinator
Tel: [234] 0805 690 8191 E-mail:  zeeworldwide@yahoo.co.uk

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