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Message from the Director-General of UNESCO,
Mr. Koïchiro Matsuura,
at the Official Celebrations of World Tourism Day
27 September 2001
on the theme:
“Tourism, a tool for peace and dialogue among civilizations”
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran 

It is a privilege for UNESCO to partake in the celebrations of the 2001 World Tourism Day in Tehran.  This year’s event occurs at a particularly critical moment for the world community, which may well have serious repercussions for tourism and the tourism industry as a whole.  The terror attacks unleashed earlier this month must cause us to reflect how tourism will be affected by this indiscriminate use of force directed at people and directed at tourism targets. What will be the implications for other regions of the world? There is no alternative but to work strenuously and engage in a true dialogue of civilisations that will not be overshadowed by antithetical events and developments as well as mistrust, especially if they are caused by anonymous forces. We must in particular uphold the basic precepts of tolerance and respect for diversity that are at the very heart of the notion of dialogue.

The United Nations has proclaimed 2001 as the UN Year for a Dialogue among Civilizations and the Islamic Republic of Iran has been the principal sponsor for this initiative.  UNESCO has also a long-standing tradition of partnership with the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and so it is appropriate that we join hands in devoting this year’s observance to the theme of “Peace and Dialogue among Civilizations”.

The year 2001 also represents the beginning of the United Nations Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World. UNESCO is committed to fostering a culture of peace in all its fields of competence, especially in the face of on-going and newly flaring conflicts.  The culture of peace entails building trust between different cultures and civilizations, as well as nations, communities and individuals, especially in situations of acute conflict and in post-conflict situations.  Tourism could be a means through which such trust could be built, but it of course requires an enabling environment.

Within the United Nations system, UNESCO is at the forefront promoting the Dialogue among Civilizations.  UNESCO’s Constitution, while written 55 years ago, states that we are “to develop and to increase the means of communication between … peoples … for the purposes of mutual understanding and a truer and more perfect knowledge of each other’s lives”.  Hence the dialogue among civilizations is at the very heart of UNESCO’s mandate.

In this era of greater interdependence and globalization, the world has become figuratively smaller.  More and more people have been introduced to new cultures and new ideas and have had the possibility to explore our wonderful planet, either virtually or physically with greater ease.  Global travel brings with it wonderful opportunities to broaden both personal and geographical horizons.  However, it is not without its challenges in the best of times.  Rapid urbanization and continued rural-to-urban migration as well as exponential growth of the tourism industry have increased the challenge of conservation, most notably in the historic centers inscribed on the World Heritage List.  UNESCO is the guardian of the world’s tangible and intangible heritage – most of which holds special attraction and appeal to tourists.

One of UNESCO’s objectives is to assist with the generation of strategies for the long-term preservation of cultural heritage, for better promotion and knowledge of cultural heritage among national and international tourists and for constructive intercultural exchanges between local population and travelers, thereby contributing to economic, social and cultural development.

Tourism, being a multidisciplinary activity on a worldwide scale with economic, social, cultural, scientific, educational and ethical dimensions, touches upon challenges related to culture, intercultural dialogue, cultural development and peace.  It would be pointless to define them individually and in isolation.  Solutions to the management of international tourism must be sought through a global and interdisciplinary approach and co-operation among all those involved in tourism.  These solutions should analyse the dynamics of interaction that have taken place between cultures by highlighting the contributions and borrowings among them, in order to strengthen processes that are conducive to a favourable convergence of cultures through the discovery of a common heritage and shared values.

This is why UNESCO, in partnership with Member States, the institutions of the United Nations system - the World Tourism Organization, UNDP and the World Bank in particular - IGOs, NGOs, enterprises in the sectors concerned, tour operators, directors of sites and museums, networks of experts and tourists, wishes to contribute to meeting the challenges posed by tourism to culture.

I am confident that the issues raised here in Tehran on World Tourism Day 2001 will contribute to our collective understanding of the challenges and opportunities we face in our pursuit of increased intercultural exchanges between peoples through tourism.  It is my hope that tourism becomes more responsible and inclusive of local communities in large-scale ecological protection, urban conservation and integrated planning.  We must cherish the treasure this world brings us and its peoples have given to us.  We must also safeguard it for our children and our children’s children.

Koïchiro Matsuura