This decision gave the observance a shared date worldwide and a purpose that extends beyond institutional declarations. Honouring peace means recognising the value of every life, promoting dialogue and calling for differences to be addressed through mutual understanding. It also means acknowledging that lasting coexistence requires opportunity, education, justice and respect for diversity. Within this broader vision, tourism can play a meaningful role, provided it places people at the heart of its development.
The relationship between peace and tourism is profound. Security, stability and confidence make travel possible, encourage investment and allow small businesses, workers and communities to plan for the future. When violence erupts, its human consequences are devastating, and tourism also suffers: transport links are disrupted, livelihoods disappear and family enterprises are undermined. Defending peace therefore also means protecting the conditions that sustain employment, cultural exchange and local and regional development.
At TSTT, we believe tourism can help build closer relationships between societies. Sharing a meal, discovering a tradition, listening to a neighbourhood’s history or exploring a landscape alongside its inhabitants reveals realities that are often obscured by prejudice. Such encounters cannot resolve conflicts on their own, but they can create opportunities for mutual recognition. Every experience grounded in listening and respect offers a chance to see others with greater empathy.
Yet this contribution demands responsibility. Tourism that creates exclusion, damages the environment or disregards local needs is unlikely to strengthen social harmony. The sector must seek to deliver shared benefits, decent working conditions, accessibility and the protection of cultural and natural heritage. It also requires management that listens to communities and supports their participation in decision-making. Peace finds expression in everyday life, in fair treatment and in the opportunity to share in the benefits of progress.
On this occasion, we particularly celebrate the potential of destinations to become places of encounter. Rural tourism can introduce visitors to local knowledge; gastronomy encourages conversations between cultures; heritage conveys shared memories; and urban experiences offer insights into different ways of life. When developed with sensitivity, these activities help people appreciate diversity and recognise that cultural differences enrich our shared experience rather than draw us apart.
For the Tourism and Society Think Tank, this observance is an invitation to embed a culture of peace in tourism planning, professional training and international cooperation. Public authorities, businesses, universities, civil society organisations and travellers can all contribute through their respective roles. Teaching people to welcome others and travel respectfully, communicating without stereotypes and enabling cooperation between destinations are practical steps that build trust. The challenge is to turn these principles into sustained practices that ensure tourism growth goes hand in hand with social well-being. This commitment entails choosing our words carefully, rejecting discrimination and recognising host communities as active participants in shaping their own development, with a voice and the power to make decisions.
Today, we reaffirm that peace is one of the foundations of tourism development and an aspiration that demands collective commitment. Celebrating it also means remembering those affected by violence and recognising their right to rebuild their lives in safety. At TSTT, we invite the tourism sector to promote encounters that bring people closer, projects that embrace inclusion and experiences rooted in respect. The true value of a journey also lies in what it leaves with people: understanding, lasting connections and new reasons to live together in peace.
