2008 Beijing Olympic Sport, Tourism & Development Forum organized by the United Nations Word Tourism Organization UNWTO ST-EP Foundation
Panelists:
Rick ANTONSON, President & CEO, Vancouver Convention and Visitors Bureau
Joel BOUZOU, President, Peace and Sports
Maijd CHARKHASHT, Olympic Peace Messenger
Giovanni, di COLA, International Labor Office
Lisa DELPY, Faculty, George Washington University
Ambassador DHO Young-Shim, Chairman, UNWTO ST-EP Foundation
Dick FOSBURY, President, World Olympians Association (WOA)
HE Sheriff ML GOMEZ, Minister of Youth and Sports of The Gambia
Dr. Marc Daniel GUTEKUNST, Co-Chairman & CEO, Atlanta DeKalb International Training Center (ATLANTA DITC)
Josh HENSON, Board Member, ATLANTA DITC
HRH Prince Feisal al HUSSEIN, President, Jordan Olympic Committee, Founder & President, Generations for Peace
Wilfried LEMKE, Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Khalid MALIK, Resident Coordinator, UNDP China
Tracy MATTES, Special Representative, UNWTO ST-EP Foundation
Samih MOUDALLAL, IOC Member, General Coordinator, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)
Ji Chul OH, President, Korean National Tourism Organization
Don PORTER, President, International Softball Federation (ISF)
Keir RADNEDGE, Vice President, World Cup Football Analyst/Sportsfeatures.com
Stephen RUBIN, Chairman, Pentland Group Ltd
UN Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon's Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace Dr. Wilfried LEMKE and Ambassador DHO Young-shim led a panel of prominent leaders at the 2008 Sport, Tourism & Development Forum at the Beijing Olympians Reunion Center. This was the 3rd time UNWTO ST-EP Foundation hosted such a Forum. The 1st one was held in Monaco in September 2005, and the 2nd one during the 2006 Torino Winter Games.
The purpose of the Forum was to bring together the full spectrum of leaders in Sport, Tourism and Development to create strategic partnerships among these organizations in support of common goals and efforts.
LEMKE offered the full support of the United Nations. “Tonight I give my full support in exploring the programs I’ve heard about here tonight” said Lemke, “I will do all I can to contribute to finding solutions to the issues being addressed here and to help build upon the great efforts which have been made.”
FOSBURY, who is the new President of the World Olympians Association, discussed the important role of Olympians as effective messengers. “Olympians are the greatest ambassadors of goodwill in the world of sports, especially the youth of today.”
HRH Prince Feisal al HUSSEIN discussed how Generations for Peace is helping youth from areas in conflict to find common ground and peaceful goals through sports.
PORTER, who is also the President of the International Softball Federation called upon the UN to take the initiative to coordinate these efforts. “There is a lot of people here tonight who are working hard to bring positive change into the lives of young people around the world through sport,” said Porter. “Many of these organizations are currently engaged in projects with similar goals. We need the support of The United Nations to find a way to coordinate and unite these efforts to provide the best possible results to the people in need.
PALENFO spoke about the work conducted by ANOCA with refugees and displaced populations as well the creation of the «Youth, Sport, Peace» Fund.
MALIK followed up with a call for similar aid and recovery programs to areas where natural disasters strike, citing May’s devastating earthquake in the Sichuan province of China
GUTEKUNST the only panelist to have participated in the previous Monaco 2005 and Torino 2006 Sport, Tourism & Development Forums, urged Dr. DHO to get the participants to come together and focus on one or several specific projects and/or programs, and also establish an online network connecting all the panelists and organizations their represent.
LEMKE indicated that he would make this a priority.
