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Mandeville dedicated as the Caribbean’s first IIPT/SKAL Peace Town The town of Mandeville in Central Jamaica was dedicated as the first IIPT/Skal Peace Town in the Caribbean this past month during the IIPT Caribbean Community Tourism Study Tour and Conference. Brooks Park Sports and Recreational Complex was dedicated as a “Peace Park” as a symbol of Mandeville’s commitment to peace and a Peace Garden started with the planting ten Ortanique seedlings a hybrid of the orange and tangerine fruit having its origins in Manchester. IIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore was present for the event together with the Mayor of Mandeville, Brenda Ramsay; Custos of Manchester Sally Porteous; IIPT Caribbean Chapter President Diana McIntyre Pike; Harry Daley, Senior Superintendent, representing the Hon. Peter Bunting, Minister of National Security; Mr Tony Freckleton, Chairman. South Coast Resort Board and Ms. Maxcine Headley, distinguished President of the Kiwanis Club of Mandeville.
In declaring itself as the Caribbean’s first IIPT/Skal Peace Town, Mandeville agrees to be actively committed to promoting values of tolerance, non-violence, gender equality, human rights, youth empowerment, environmental integrity, and sustainable human, social and economic development. Mandeville’s declaration as an IIPT/Skal Peace Town has the support of the Business Community and key organizations within the town including the Kiwanis Club.
Mayor Brenda Ramsay. Photos by Nicholas Baumer Dr. Clifton Reid, Chairman of the Brooks Park Board stated: “Let’s start the first peace epidemic in this country, starting with Manchester. Just as how these fledgling trees will grow so I hope this peace movement will grow. I intend to work very hard for peace. It doesn’t stop here, plans are in place to continue the celebrations, such as putting together a group of individuals to launch various competitions including a peace poem, craft, peace song and games competition. This was truly a well-supported occasion which speaks to Peace.” Planting of Peace Tree. Photos by Nicholas Baumer
Mr. D’Amore expressed the significance of the Mandeville Peace Town dedication within the overall goal of IIPT/SKAL to dedicate 500 peace towns and villages thoughout the world by 21 September 2014, the UN International Day of Peace.
The event was chaired by Mrs. Vivien Morris-Brown, Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC). In addition to the inspiring talks of the Town’s leaders mentioned above, participants in the dedication were entertained with a stunning performance by internationally acclaimed Dub Poet Yasus Afari, who performed a special poem written for the occasion: “let us redouble the efforts of peace, justice, truth and right, war and violence must cease”.
Other performances came in the form of dance by the Institute of Theatre Arts in Mandeville and another Peace Poem entitled “You are the Environment” performed by Sharon Parris Chambers of Letsdoitinthecaribbean.com. accompanied by Bunny Hewitt, drummer.
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IIPT Caribbean Community Tourism Study Tour & Conference exceeds expectations
The IIPT Caribbean Community Tourism Study Tour and Conference held in Jamaica, November 18-23, 2013 exceeded the expectations of the more than 50 delegates including 19 delegates from ten countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
The study tour and conference was organized by the IIPT Caribbean Chapter in association with Countrystyle Community Tourism Network and Villages as Business (CCTN/VAB). Delegates were able to experience innovative community tourism initiatives in several villages including Resource, Treasure Beach, Beeston Springs, and the Rastafarian Village of Montego Bay. The occasion of each visit was used to dedicate IIPT/Skal Peace Parks together with the participation of IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore. As part of the “Marvelous Mandeville Tour” – the Town of Mandeville was dedicated as the first IIPT/Skal Peace Town in the Caribbean with the dedication of Brooks Park Sports and Recreational Complex as an IIPT/Skal Peace Park. The entrepreneurial initiatives observed first hand included the co-operative arts and crafts gift shop at the Reliance Center, Mandeville; Kariba guest house; a coffee factory in Williamsfield; the Treasure Beach Sports Park; Jakes Village & Spa; and Beeston Spring, a CCTN/Villages as Businesses pilot project where study tour participants visited a family-owned bee farm and taken through the steps of bee keeping by the family’s teenage son, Shamear Saunders. The bee farm was followed by a visit to a locally owned and operated herbal garden. Study tour participants also had several opportunities to interact with village residents including a dinner and rap session with the Treasure Beach Women’s Center Group and to experience the talents of young drummers, dancers, singers and poets.
The two day study tour was followed by a two day conference featuring models of best practice in community tourism. Specific topics on the first day included: the media’s role in community tourism entrepreneurship; the Countrystyle Villages as Business program; cruise tourism and communities; community tourism and agriculture; nature/ecotourism; preparing communities for welcoming visitors; and the August Town Kingston film project. The first day’s proceedings ended with the official launch of the “Community Tourism Trust Fund” (COMTRUST).
The second day featured a product development forum; a marketing forum; and presentations on quality management; open data as a strategy for empowering communities; Charlestown Maroon community tourism; the legacy of Marcus Garvey and Tainos; and overcoming challenges to mobilizing tourism experiences – the Dominica experience. A Caribbean Youth Forum was featured in the afternoon followed by a wrap up session where delegates shared priorities for moving forward that included strategies for collaboration and continued networking.
During the conference award ceremony, IIPT Founder and President Louis D’Amore presented Diana McIntyre Pike, IIPT Caribbean Chapter President and President, Countrystyle Community Tourism Network and Villages as Business (CCTN/VAB) the prestigious IIPT Lifetime Achievement Award for her more than 35 years of pioneering efforts in nurturing and promoting community tourism in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
Judy Schoenbein, JP, one of the Conference speakers, commented: “Indeed, I must commend Diana McIntyre Pike on a conference well organized, with diverse and interesting speakers and presentations, and of bringing together members of the Caribbean to brainstorm the valuable and so very important vision of the IIPT. For me, I was proud to be In attendance, proud to see what the IIPT Caribbean Chapter has accomplished, and wish Diana and her team continued good health and strength to carry out the amazing job not only for the IIPT Caribbean, but her own creative and hard work towards Community Tourism and the Villages as Businesses Program.”
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IIPT Partner Airline Ambassadors International Seeks your Vote Airline Ambassadors International is currently participating in the year-end United Charity Miles partner contest for our share of 10 Million Miles. The more votes a partner receives, the more miles will accrue. The miles a partner collects at the end of the contest will be based on the final vote tally. Partners are ranked based upon the number of votes they receive. More votes mean a higher ranking and that will mean more miles for Airline Ambassadors International. You can vote once a day, just click on the link here: http://www.10millioncharitymiles.com/charity/1 Please share this information with your colleagues, friends and families to help Airline Ambassadors International in achieving its humanitarian missions. Thank you. You can vote once a day, every day until 11:59pm on December 31, 2013.
“Our teams have hand delivered over $60 million in medicine, medical supplies, food, clothing and school supplies directly to children in need; and escorted over 1,500 children for life changing surgeries. We established long-term relationships between youth around the world and offered emotional support and hope to children in 94 facilities, villages and refugee camps. With the help of our members and partners we have been able to substantively improve the lives of over 500,000 children in 59 countries.  We also have positively impacted volunteers with inspiring opportunities to bring compassion into action. This has enhanced their understanding of global inequity, respect for diverse cultures and appreciation of our common humanity.”
Nancy Rivard |
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Your Support for IIPT 25th Anniversary Legacy Projects Appreciated
IIPT will be commemorating the twenty-fifth Anniversary of its First Global Conference: Tourism – A Vital Force for Peace throughout 2014. Your support for our 25th Anniversary Legacy Projects would be greatly appreciated. Contributions from U.S. Citizens are tax deductible. Your checks payable to IIPT can be sent to: Louis D’Amore IIPT 685 Cottage Club Road #13 Stowe, VT 05672 Your generous support in any amount for our efforts towards “Building a Culture of Peace through Tourism is very much appreciated.
The First Global Conference held in Vancouver brought together 800 delegates from 67 countries with video-taped messages from Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan featured in the Opening Ceremony. Honorary Chairman of the Conference was H.E. Vigdis Finnbogadottir, President of Iceland – the first elected woman Head of State in the world.
The Vancouver Conference was a milestone event for the travel and tourism industry introducing for the first time the concept of ‘Sustainable Tourism Development’ – four years prior to the Rio Summit. The Conference also introduced an new paradigm of tourism, “A Higher Purpose of Tourism” paradigm that includes the key role of travel and tourism in promoting international understanding; collaboration among nations; protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity; enhancing cultures and valuing heritage; sustainable development for all; poverty reduction and reconciliation and healing wounds of conflict. Legacy Projects Legacy Projects for our 25th Anniversary year include: - A goal of 500 cities, towns and villages in countries around the world dedicating themselves to peace. The project is being implemented in partnership with Skal International, the world’s largest organization of travel industry executives with 18,000 members in 450 cities in 85 countries. - Peace Tours to Morocco and Iran. - Consortium of Collaborating Universities encouraging research in “Building a Culture of Peace through Tourism.” - Executive Ambassador Program with retired Skal International members contributing their skills pro bono to developing countries. - Support for a Skal Red Sea Chapter Conference bringing together industry leaders from Jordan, Israel, Egypt and Palestine. Other initiatives to be announced during the year. Your kind and generous support is very much appreciated.    Photos above (left to right): IIPT Peace Park dedication in Pattaya as the city is declared a "City of Peace", Unity Peace Park Richmond Hill Ontario, Canada, IIPT President Louis D'Amore planting the first peace tree at Uganda Martyr's Trail Peace Park. |
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Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism Publication Now Available
You can order directly from the publisher at: http://www.c-s-p.org/Flyers/5th-IIPT-African-Conference-on-Peace-through-Tourism1-4438-4893-X.htm |
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About IIPT The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) is a not for profit organization dedicated to fostering travel and tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, and poverty reduction; and through these initiatives, helping to bring about a peaceful and sustainable world. It is founded on a vision of the world’s largest industry, travel and tourism – becoming the world’s first global peace industry; and the belief that every traveler is potentially an “Ambassador for Peace.” For more information: |
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Her Worship the Mayor of Mandeville, Mrs. Brenda Ramsay told the audience: “This concept of a Peace park, although not new, is relatively new to this side of the world. As we approach the 200th anniversary of Manchester as a parish we are adding another accolade to our repertoire; in addition to having the first Golf Course and Tennis Club (and) the first Horticultural Society in the Western Hemisphere. I therefore gladly lend my support in promoting Mandeville as the first Peace Town in the Caribbean.”
Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change to Tourism: Case Studies of Best Practice is now available from Cambridge Scholars Publishers. The Publication is based on papers presented at the 5th IIPT African Conference in Lusaka, Zambia and selected other contributors. It is an indispensable source of insights and models of best practice relating to the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change by various sectors of the industry.