Counterpart International has agreed
to partner with the International Institute for Peace through Tourism to
organize the first ever Africa Media Exchange as part of the 4th IIPT
African Conference on Peace through Tourism.The Media Exchange will bring together
notable journalists from Africa, Europe and North America with the aim of creating
increased media coverage and international awareness of Africa’s rich mosaic of
sustainable tourism initiatives and products.

The 4th IIPT African Conference, under the patronage of His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni, President, Republic of Uganda, is being organized in partnership with the
Africa Travel Association, and hosted by the Uganda Ministry of Tourism, Trade and
Industry.
“Tourism, which represents the greatest voluntary transfer of wealth in the history
of humankind, benefits communities which host tourists,” says Lelei LeLaulu,
President of Counterpart International. “Travelers to Africa can make a huge
difference in the quality of life of the people and communities they visit. We look
forward to collaborating with IIPT in the organization of the First Africa Media
Exchange.”
The first Africa Media Exchange builds on the success of the Caribbean Media
Exchange (CMEx) which began with the inspiration of Counterpart International to
improve the quality of media coverage of sustainable tourism in the Caribbean.
Newspaper articles, radio shows, television features, coral reef restoration
initiatives, public-private sector collaboration and other international
partnerships are some of the outcomes resulting from CMEx since it was launched in
Jamaica in October 2001.

IIPT Founder and President, Louis D’Amore said, “We are proud to have Counterpart
International partner with us in this first ever Africa Media Exchange. We will
benefit not only from their experiences with Media Exchanges in the Caribbean, but
as well their experience on five continents in providing options and access to tools
s for sustained social, economic and environmental development.”

Conference Theme
Theme of the Conference is “Building Strategic Alliances for Sustainable Tourism
Development, Peace and Reconciliation on the African Continent.” Its goals are to
broaden awareness of the social, cultural, environmental, and economic benefits of
tourism; identify new markets; facilitate product development and investment
opportunities; and contribute to reconciliation peace, wealth creation and poverty
reduction on the African continent.

The Conference will bring together Ministers of Tourism and senior executives from
both the public and private sectors of tourism, NGOs, and donor agencies, as well as
educators, policy analysts, leading practitioners, entrepreneurs, future leaders of
the industry, and senior representatives of related sectors including environment,
culture and economic development.
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