World Leaders Gather in Monaco to Take Action against Poverty

Poverty Alleviation through Tourism & Sports: Conference of Global Leaders --Monte Carlo, Friday September 9th, 2005

(PRWEB) September 2, 2005 -- World leaders will gather in Monte Carlo on Friday September 9th to decide on effective joint measures towards sustainability and poverty alleviation by forging greater partnerships among the entities of Tourism and Sports. These two industries are among the worlds largest and have emerged as instruments of employment generation, poverty reduction and sustainable human development.

The Conference will include top-level decision-makers from governments, large tourism and sports NGOs, Olympic leaders and the travel industries to make this event a type of Summit" to decide on effective joint measures towards sustainability and poverty alleviation.

Tourism and sport are interconnected and the industries are complementary. Sport participation, on all levels whether it be professional, leisure or spectator involves a considerable amount of traveling to play and compete in different destinations and countries. Major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, football championships and auto racing have become powerful tourism attractions in themselves- making a very positive contribution to the tourism image of the host destination. This session will use Monacos success story as a benchmark to show how its government has fostered effective partnership between sporting federations & associations and the tourism industry.

Both are powerful forces for development and promoting investment in infrastructure projects such as airports, roads, stadiums, sporting complexes, hotels and restaurants -projects that can be enjoyed by the local population, as well as visitors who come to use them. Once these infrastructures are in place, these two mutually beneficial industries of tourism and sport become the motor for sustainable economic growth, the creation of employment and generation of revenues. At the same time, they are activities that bring people together and contribute to greater understanding among cultures, greater tolerance and, ultimately, to world peace.

The ultimate goal of this Conference will be a White Paper for global circulation to all the Member States of the United Nations and the World Tourism Organization, the Members of the International Olympic Committee, leaders of the global tourism and sports industries, all major NGOs linked to poverty-alleviation, sports and tourism, and presentation in the mass media. This White Paper will point the way to putting the ideas for eliminating severe poverty into actual practice, presenting practical measures that can be implemented in the short-term and medium-term, to accomplish the above goals.

The conference is hosted by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, its Sustainable Tourism -- Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) Foundation, Monaco Government Tourist & Convention Authority, and the Association of International De la Press Sportive.

World Tourism Organization
Secretary General, Francesco Frangialli

ST-EP Foundation
Ambassador of Tourism & Sports,
Dho Young-shim

Association of International
de la Press Sportive
Gianni Merlo        

Monaco Government Tourist & Convention Authority    
Michel Bouquier

Monaco Conference Press Coordinator
Tracy Mattes

Monte Carlo Fairmont Hotel, September 9th, 2005

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