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Educators Forum |
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The pre-Conference Educators Forum was organized in accordance with the 4 th IIPT African Conference objectives. In the introductory session Ian Kelly outlined the contribution of the International Educators Network in circulating information and providing access to resource materials and plans for expansion of these and for closer collaboration with the African Educators Network.
Session 1 focused on Pursuing Peace through Tourism. Jan te Kloeze, developer of a Peace through Tourism course at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, analyzed the challenges for educators in incorporating the concept into their programs, with problems relating to definition, course content and delivery. Challenges also featured in the presentation by Stan Frankland, who examined problems relating to perceptions of insecurity in Uganda .
Session 2 was concerned with Peace through Reconciliation. Ian Kelly provided a general overview of reconciliation, and discussed the need for it and the processes by which tourism can be managed to facilitate it. Alex Nkabahona gave a detailed and insightful presentation on the African traditions (especially the Ruandan practice of gacaca ) for bringing about post-conflict reconciliation. Maxie Muwonge adopted an even tighter focus by reporting on the process of reintegrating former combatants of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) into the communities of Northern Uganda . Nikolas Strong-Cvetich argued that ecotourism, with its dependence on cooperation for environmental protection, constitutes a tool for reconciliation.
Session 3,examining Promoting Sustainability, Deus Muhwezi addressing the development of a model for integrated planning to optimize the sociocultural impacts of tourism. Wilson Okaka looked at the role of the media in effectively communicating to policy makers on the topics of peace, security and sustainable tourism.
Session 4, Addressing Poverty commenced with a presentation by Melubo Kokel, who explained how tourism programs are being developed to combat poverty in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of Tanzania, and how associated problems are being tackled. Christian Rogerson provided a comprehensive overview of South Africa's 's Tourism Enterprise Program (TEP), emphasizing the importance of its incremental small-business approach and evolutionary progress. The role of tourism in contributing to the reduction of poverty in Kenya was outlined by Mercy Mwagona and Roselyne Okech. The final presentation, by Christina Koutra, examined poverty reduction through the development of capacities, using a Ghanian case study.
Questions from the floor and lively discussion suggested a need to pursue the eradication, rather than the alleviation, of poverty, an objective which was taken on by the Coordinator of the IIPT International Educators Network. It was also noted that there is a key role for tour guides in communicating the Peace concept while mediating between travelers and local communities.
Detailed Program
List of Speakers
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Youth Forum |
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The forum attracted about 70 young participants from various countries namely: U.S.A, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Zambia.
Proposal for the involvement of Youth in the African Diaspora Heritage Trail (ADHT) – This was one of the major outcomes from the youth forum. Young people will partner with stakeholders in the ADHT, and travel the ADHT and study the individual sites along the trail and write a guidebook for the ADHT. Currently a proposal is being written down. A committee was formed to oversee the implementation of this project.
Develop a social network online where participants can exchange and share ideas with one another and be in constant touch. Currently an IIPT Youth Website is being developed, where different resources and materials related to Youth Empowerment & Leadership in Travel & Tourism Industry will be accessible.
A social network for the participants is already setup by Mr. Trip Sweeney, Co-founder of Step Up Travel through Step Up Travel's Website ( http://www.stepuptravel.org ) Please visit the website and register to join the social network and partner with like minded organizations and individuals.
Reading the IIPT Youth Declaration adopted at the 3 rd IIPT African Conference in Lusaka , Zambia . – The participants got familiar with the declaration and understood to the extent that how young lives are marginalized in Africa and throughout the world. The aim of the Youth Leadership was to built upon the declaration and come up with way forward.
The participants had the opportunity to social, network from other participants through formal and informal discussions. From the Group discussion, the outcome was to use the ICT effectively, educate and create awareness for young people as we continue building a culture of peace through tourism. We had speakers from various professional backgrounds and experiences talking to our young participants in the areas of Youth Leadership for the 21 st Century, Capacity Building and Development, role of young people in the travel and tourism industry, personal travel experiences, use of ICT effectively so as to ensure global outreach and partnerships.
IIPT Youth Network has partnered with African Students Tourism Organization of Nigeria to work together in reaching out more African Youth throughout Africa and working together in the areas of Youth Leadership, Empowerment, and encouraging young people to travel, and realizing every traveler is a potential ambassador for peace.
Detailed Program |
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