“Amigos de la Paz Sustainable Tourism Program”- Awards, Tours, Exhibitions & Peace Products
[New York, April 29, 2019] Fumi Johns Stewart, Executive Director of May Peace Prevail on Earth International™ announced the launch of a new initiative with Mexico’s tourism industry, named “Amigos de la Paz Sustainable Tourism Program.”
The program will consist of awards to communities and businesses that have sustainable tourism activities; peace tours to and between cities that participate in the peace program; art and cultural exhibitions; and the local manufacture and sale of peace products – all to support tourism development.
May Peace Prevail on Earth International™ is a not-for-profit charity that develops and promotes peace activities for communities and youth. The foundation’s primary mission is to plant Peace Poles around the world. A Peace Poles is an internationally-recognized symbol of the hopes and dreams of the entire human family. Each Peace Pole bears the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in different languages.
Along with its affiliates Peace Pals International ™ and the Goi Peace Organization of Japan, the foundation also conducts an annual international art contest for children and tour of the artwork, an annual essay contest for youth, and international youth conference webinars.
“Our new initiative, the “Amigos de la Paz Sustainable Tourism Program” is being developed to promote the tourism industry in Latin America, beginning in Mexico,” says Mrs. Stewart. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, tourism can help solve many of the world’s problems, like climate change, poverty reduction, preserving ecosystems, and empowering women. Tourism is also one of the world’s most important industries, creating millions of businesses, jobs, and economic growth.
Professor Patricia Ann Talley, a Whitney Young, Jr. Fellow of Economic Development will be the international director of this new program. Originally from the Ross Graduate School of Business at the University of Michigan, Talley is a retired marketing executive from Chicago. She has resided in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico for over 20 years, conducting research in collaboration with the Tourism Faculty at the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, and with the state’s technical college, the Universidad Tecnología de la Costa Grande de Guerrero.
The “Amigo de la Paz Sustainable Tourism Program” will award and recognize cities and companies that have sound sustainable tourism programs that can include: conservation activities that reduce the negative impact to the environment; peace education; diversity and cultural heritage programs; and programs to maximize the social and economic benefits for the local community.
The tourism program will help consumers to identify and travel to the cities that support this peace initiative, and to buy from participating companies.
“We can use the foundation’s various peace activities to help stimulate tourism for the destinations that participate in this program,” says Talley. “There are a lot of profits in war, so we must stimulate economic development and profit-making opportunities that are associated with peace.”
The “Amigos de la Paz Sustainable Tourism Program” will consist of:
- AWARDS: “Amigo de la Paz Tourism Awards” to be given to cities and businesses that actively participate in sustainable tourism programs (environment, peace education, cultural enhancement, etc.), and that demonstrate their commitment by planting a Peace Pole.
- TOURS: The program will include “Amigo de la Paz Tours” to and between participating tourist destinations to conduct Peace Pole Celebrations or to inaugurate new Peace Poles, and to participate in local cultural activities. There are over 250,000 Peace Poles in every country in the world dedicated as monuments to peace that present an enormous opportunity for tourism development. Tours can also include music concerts, art exhibitions, and a variety of other cultural activities.
- EXHIBITIONS: The “Amigo de la Paz Tourism Program” can also include exhibitions of artwork from the Peace Pals International Children’s Art Contest and youth essays from the Goi Peace Organization, along with the works of local youth. Photographic exhibitions and a variety of activities can be included.
- PEACE PRODUCTS: “Amigo de la Paz Tourism Program” representatives will work with local civic organizations and businesses to manufacture, distribute, and sell peace products like Peace Poles, T-shirts, table clothes, jewelry, etc., with a portion of the profits donated to charity.
Over the past several years, the foundation and its affiliates have worked to develop website and program materials in Spanish. “Several Mexican communities, like Zihuatanejo and San Miguel de Allende, have already constructed Peace Pole Monuments and are participating in our various youth programs. We have a lot of interest from hotels and businesses that want to participate and receive the award recognition. So, we’re ready to start,” says Talley. “Vamanos!”
For more information, or to apply for participation in the “Amigo de la Paz Sustainable Tourism Program,” contact: Patricia Ann Talley, Program Director, email: pattalley@imagine-mexico.com.