The ability of peace via tourism, fostering people-to-people engagement, has develop into a actuality as a drive past politics and bombs, when two journey professionals, one in a bunker in Tel Aviv, the opposite in a bunker in Tehran, agree on a standard objective of peace.
The World Tourism Community (WTN), with members in 133 international locations, and eTurboNews, with 2.6 million readers in nearly each nation worldwide, had been bringing the world of tourism collectively since 1999, and with this are fostering peace via tourism by serving to to bridge divides and switch enemies into buddies.
On Friday, Israel attacked the Islamic Republic of Iran unexpectedly, citing an imminent menace to cease Iran from producing nuclear weapons. Iran instantly responded by sending a whole bunch of lethal drones to Israel. Israeli and Iranian media are portray a really completely different image.
Benjamin Netanyahu threatens to focus on civilians whereas interesting to Iranians to face up in opposition to their authorities, whereas Iran’s chief, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, is threatening a harsh response. The scenario is unfolding and seems to be escalating by the hour, for ever and ever, placing the whole area, if not the world, on excessive alert. Air journey to the realm is disrupted, and intercontinental site visitors between Europe and Asia have to be rerouted.
In each international locations, cities and websites are burning, harmless persons are getting injured and killed, together with youngsters and girls who’re dying. A scared Canadian vacationer in Isfahan, Iran, is feeling trapped, reaching out to discover a approach residence.
Two Tourism Leaders from Iran and Israel agree on Peace.
A World Tourism Community observer from Iran, who’s in a number one place within the Iranian tourism trade (eTN is withholding names to guard the person), advised eTurboNews, whereas her neighborhood was underneath assault: “My folks have at all times been victims of incorrect politics and authorities.” She added, “Israeli folks additionally, all of us want peace.”
She labored during the last two months to advertise tourism as a non-political trade of peace with the Affiliation of Air Transport and Vacationer Companies of Iran (AATTAI) and is now seeing this work crumbling. She stated, ” I really feel so unhappy. Really feel misplaced. Really feel ….”
She added: “I used to be working 24 hours a day to convey folks from 41 international locations to Iran (together with from the U.S.), and my objective was to point out our authorities and the world the facility of peace via tourism. My authorities totally supported this challenge.”
On the similar time, lower than 1,000 miles west is Dov Kalmann, the founding father of Terranova, a well-established Vacation spot Administration Firm (DMC) in Tel Aviv representing tourism locations equivalent to Thailand and areas within the UAE and Israel. Dov is sitting in a bunker, relaying messages together with his fellow WTN member in Tehran, associated via the eTurboNews community.
TERRANOVA Tourism Advertising & Consultancy
Terranova Tourism Advertising & Consultancy Ltd. is the main group representing tourism locations and hospitality manufacturers in Israel.
He advised eTurboNews: “We’re in the course of an Iranian counterattack. I’m within the shelter with the fierce noise of fighter planes exterior.”
When this was associated to WTN, a second member in Tehran stated: “The identical is going on right here”, including: ” All of us want a traditional, peaceable life. I pray for our folks and ‘them’, asking to convey my prayer to Dov in Tel Aviv, together with my phrases of peace.”
Dov responded that he was additionally praying for her and repeated her prayer for peace for all. “I want her, her household, and her folks security and well-being.” Dov provides, “I hope with the assistance of God we will defeat those who have a distinct agenda than peace and well-being.”
She was shaken by he colleague in Israel studying that: “Israeli folks additionally wish to have peace, all of us want peace. I’ve tears of happiness in my eyes for his heat message of peace. Historical past will report our emotions. We each search the identical, PEACE… Some day, not that distant, we are going to shake arms and maintain one another, my Like to you and peace to all of us.”
World Tourism Community founder and Chairman Juergen Steinmetz stated: “That is WTN at its finest, bringing the world of tourism collectively, additionally in tough instances. All of us hope for peace and a cease to hostilities between Israel and Iran, in addition to Russia and Ukraine, and the numerous not-so-well-known scorching spots on the earth. Tourism is a real messenger of peace.
Iranian TV
