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Celebrating Her Awards, ITB Berlin 2016
The first “Celebrating Her” Global Awards for Empowered Women in Tourism, presented by IIPT India at ITB Berlin in March 2016.
On 10 September 2026, IIPT marked its 40th anniversary with a virtual Global Leadership Summit, bringing together members, chapters, partners and friends from around the world.
Founded in 1986, the UN International Year of Peace, IIPT used the occasion to look back over four decades of Peace Through Tourism and to chart its course for the next forty years. Hosted by IIPT Newsletter Editor Bea Broda, the summit heard from IIPT’s leadership, from Kenya at the United Nations, and from voices for peace across tourism, academia, media and civil society.
Watch the full summit recording. Open on YouTube
Timothy Marshall, Chairman, IIPT Board of Directors
Opening the summit, the Chairman welcomed participants from around the world, read Maya Angelou’s poem “A Brave and Startling Truth”, and noted that the IIPT Peace Parks network now numbers more than 450 parks on six continents.
Kenya’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Speaking for Kenya, the Deputy Permanent Representative described tourism as a bridge between peoples and shared Kenya’s work to welcome visitors and its diaspora home, including cultural festivals that bring communities together.
Beyond Borders: Travel, the Future and the Pursuit of Peace
Ela Gandhi, peace activist and granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi; Michael Collins of the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP); Ignacio Packer of the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation; Juergen Steinmetz, publisher of eTurboNews; and Professor Geoffrey Lipman of SUNx Malta discussed how travel can help build peace in a divided world.
Olinda Salguero and H.E. Vinicio Cerezo
Video messages from Olinda Salguero of the Global Peace Foundation and H.E. Vinicio Cerezo, former President of Guatemala, recalled the Esquipulas peace process and the role of dialogue in ending conflict.
Ajay Prakash, Global President, IIPT
The President set out four priorities for IIPT’s next chapter: partnerships, youth, Peace Parks and chapters, and recognition (see below).
Andreas Larentzakis, Executive Director, IIPT
A tour of IIPT’s chapters and the volunteers who lead them, from the Caribbean, IIPT’s first chapter, to Australia, Serbia, the Indian Ocean, South Africa and India.
Open discussion
Participants raised ideas ranging from an Africa Peace Caravan and cultural diplomacy to World Poetry Day and cooperation with UNESCO.
The Credo of the Peaceful Traveler
The summit closed with a reading of the IIPT Credo of the Peaceful Traveler, a tribute to IIPT Founder Dr. Louis D’Amore, who celebrates his 90th birthday in this anniversary year, and a short film looking back over four decades of Peace Through Tourism.
Given the political and economic climate and significant global conflicts, the IIPT Board decided to hold the 40th anniversary as an exclusively virtual global event, so that members and friends everywhere could take part.
The in-person summit will follow in 2027 at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
See future eventsSpoke of three elements of peace: peace within ourselves, peace with the environment, and peace with one another.
Shared Global Peace Index findings that peacefulness has been declining worldwide, and that international tourism ranks among the factors most closely linked with improvements in peace.
Spoke about the Caux Peace Park in Switzerland and called for IIPT Peace Parks to be linked as a connected global network.
Spoke about the role of independent travel media in telling the story of tourism and peace and in advocating for the industry.
Linked peace with climate action and described new work with IIPT to engage children through IIPT Peace Parks, including plans for Canada’s Peace Parks.
Global President Ajay Prakash set out where IIPT will focus as it enters its fifth decade.
Building partnerships for peace, including work with the Institute for Economics and Peace towards a Global Tourism and Peace Index, in the spirit of UN Sustainable Development Goal 17.
Reviving IIPT’s coalition of partners and consortium of universities, and engaging young people through new digital and educational initiatives.
Revitalising the IIPT Peace Parks network and opening new chapters around the world.
The Celebrating Her Awards return to ITB Berlin in March 2027, with a new “Heroes for the Planet” category.
Tourism and Peacebuilding Future 2026, with the opening of the IIPT Peace Park Belgrade.
A World Summit for Peace through Tourism, broadcast from Lviv.
The in-person IIPT Global Leadership Summit at UN Headquarters.
The Celebrating Her awards at ITB Berlin, from the first ceremony in 2016, and IIPT India’s Diplomats for Peace.
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The first “Celebrating Her” Global Awards for Empowered Women in Tourism, presented by IIPT India at ITB Berlin in March 2016.
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The 6th Celebrating Her awards, with a message from Dr. Louis D’Amore and a panel on gender and Peace through Tourism.
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The 7th Celebrating Her awards at ITB Berlin, March 2024.
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Dr. Taleb Rifai’s video message, as UNWTO Secretary-General, to IIPT India’s Diplomats for Peace event in New Delhi.