IIPT, eTurboNews call for world travel and tourism industry support of Olympic Truce

The International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) and eTurboNews have both challenged the world travel and tourism industry to support a call for a cessation of conflict and all acts of violence in an observance of the Olympic Truce. This call was originally issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations.

Louis D'Amore, founder and president of IIPT, said, "The time has come for the travel and tourism industry to stand and be heard as an industry that promotes peace and understanding among all peoples of the world. The challenges faced by humankind as a whole, including global warming, the elimination of poverty and disease, and the added resources required by a population soon to number nine billion persons - together with the increased stresses an additional three billion persons, will have on the Earth's life-support systems - can only be met by a world at peace and working towards a common agenda for the benefit of all humankind."

Thomas Steinmetz, publisher of eTurboNews, said, "Without peace, tourism cannot exist, and we, at eTurboNews, are very proud to be associated with such a reputable organisation such as the IIPT. We have the highest regard for what Louis D'Amore has started and will pledge our support for events that IIPT undertakes."

With less than one week before the 2008 Summer Olympics begin in Beijing, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN general assembly are calling on all those who are at war to observe the traditional two-week Olympic Truce.

"Let them lay down their weapons, if only temporarily, so that humanity can lay claim to gold even before the Games begin," said Ban in a message ahead of the Games. "Such a truce, while limited in duration, can provide a pause in which to reconsider the heavy cost of war, as well as an opening to initiate a dialogue and a window to provide relief for suffering populations. It can demonstrate to the world that peace is possible in even the most seemingly intractable situations if we truly work towards it," he said.

Greek tradition

The ancient Greek tradition of ekecheiria, or 'Olympic truce', was renewed by the International Olympic Committee in 1992, calling on all nations to observe the truce.

In a resolution adopted last October, the 192-member UN general assembly urged countries to observe the truce during the forthcoming XXIX Olympiad and the Paralympic Games to be held in Beijing, from August 8 to 24 and from September 6 to 17, respectively, based on the slogan, 'One World, One Dream'.

The resolution urged all member states to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee "in its efforts to use sport as an instrument to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict, during and beyond the Olympic Games period", and help build "a peaceful and better world through sport".

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday that the ideals of the Olympic movement underpinned those of the United Nations Charter and that the truce, though temporary, had "unlimited potential. It can demonstrate to the world that peace is possible in even the most seemingly intractable situations if we truly work towards it".