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As a member of the Group of Friends of the United

Nations Alliance of Civilizations and a partner of the

World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, UNWTO works

to enhance the contribution of tourism to the alliance’s

and the forum’s objectives with a view to upholding and

celebrating diversity, linking cultures, diffusing tension

and promoting cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.

In partnership with the Austrian Government and the

Centre for Peace Research and Peace Education of the

University of Klagenfurt, UNWTO recently launched the

first International Handbook on Tourism and Peace. This

provides a tool to better understand the intrinsic relation-

ship between the tourism sector and global peacebuilding

efforts and to showcase successful tourism initiatives that

advance peacebuilding and sustainable development, and

that contribute to conflict resolution, mutual understand-

ing and post-conflict socioeconomic recovery. Particular

attention is paid in raising awareness about these initiatives

to support attitude changes required from educators, travel

organizations, journalists and the tourists themselves.

UNWTO works closely with the United Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO) in strengthening the links between tourism and

culture at the local, national, regional and global levels,

and in ensuring that the responsible use of cultural assets

for tourism create much needed employment opportuni-

ties, generate income for local communities and alleviate

poverty, thereby contributing to social development and

stability and, at the same time, to heritage protection and

preservation. Jointly with UNESCO, UNWTO is provid-

ing platforms to advance the sustainable development of

cultural tourism and in to develop and promote cultural

tourism routes, itineraries and programmes that foster

regional development, promote cultural pluralism and

intercultural dialogue and cooperation, as key instruments

for strengthening social cohesion, solidarity and peace.

Alongside the Government of Flanders, the organization

is developing ethical guidelines for visiting conflict-related

historical sites with a view to educating future generations

to reflect on the past and draw lessons about the impor-

tance of upholding a culture of tolerance and peace.

Finally, UNWTO is working with member states in propos-

ing the celebration of 2017 as the International Year on

Tourism for Development and Peace. Auspiciously, this would

come 50 years after the 1967 United Nations International

Tourism Year under the theme ‘Passport for Peace’.

These are initial steps in advancing the contribution of tourism

to peacebuilding and sustainable development that can enable

our sector to become a more effective player in reducing prej-

udice, distrust and hostility and in promoting multicultural

respect, social justice and the protection of our planet. Indeed,

tourism can help to achieve unexpected breakthroughs and

transform even the most challenging situations. Who would have

thought that just two decades ago, countries such as the Czech

Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia would emerge from

isolation and become successful tourism destinations and impor-

tant generating markets for Europe? Who would have believed

that Cambodia and Viet Nam would arise from the shadows of

war, and become bright spots on the tourismmap, driving Asia’s

rapid tourism growth? Who would have guessed that South

Africa would achieve intercommunity peace and dialogue and

become one of the tourism powerhouses of the continent?

This is what the tourism sector can do and this is how each

and every tourist can become a global ambassador of peace

and come closer to realizing the United Nations shared vision

of a better world.

Image: World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture, 4-6 February 2015, Sieam Reap, Cambodia: over 45 ministers and vice ministers of

tourism and culture gathered at the UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture to advance sustainable cultural tourism development

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