“I am excited to be part of this grassroots movement,” says Thomas Stenimetz of eTurboNews. “This is a great way to set our mark on a peace movement and build on mutual understanding through tourism.”

The International Committee of Tourism Partners, a program for joint tourism projects between Iran and the US, was founded as a partnership between Thomas Steinmetz of eTurboNews and Hamid reza Talebi of Iran’s non-governmental tourism sector. Its first project, Permanent Peace Stead (PPS), allows Iranian investors to “take advantage of PPS services as it is the best way to build ties with the US tourism industry under Iranian law,” according to Talebi.

“Tourism is a good way for international understanding,” he continues. “We have a great interest for the Iranian Tourism Industry to cooperate with and become friends with the Industry in the United States. We are not a political organization, but we are open to help to facilitate tourism and investment projects within the Tourism Industry between our two countries.”

Mr. Talebi has drafted a Memorandum of Understanding with Mr. Mehdi Jahangiri, Deputy of Investment & Plan for Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) for the development of various tourism initiatives and projects. According to Mr. Talebi, Mehdi Jahangiri has confirmed that the ICHTO has allotted US$40 billion for the implementation of various tourism projects in Iran.

To promote the “Peace Through Tourism” message, Talebi is slated to attend the upcoming International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT), which wiil be held in The Netherlands from October 21-24, 2008.

Mrs. Lida Nagafi, secretary of International Committee of Tourism Partners, will be acting as the liaison between investors in other countries that invite them. She has been tasked to oversee the implementation of this important plan and report its development directly to Mr. Steinmetz and Mr. Talebi.

The partnership has been 30 years in the making, and Mr. Talebi is extremely proud that it is finally coming to fruition. He said, “All tourism investors in Iran and the US have been waiting 30 years for this.”

That excitement is shared by Mr. Steinmetz. He said, “I am excited to be part of this grassroots movement. I was always a believer of ‘Peace Through Tourism’ and being in contact with so many industry professionals around the globe as the publisher of eTurboNews, this is a great way to set our mark on a peace movement and build on mutual understanding through tourism.”

According to him, he discussed this idea with Mr. Talebi in Iran in 2002 when attending a tourism and cultural conference. “Mr. Talebi went out of his way over the years to spearhead the strengthening of tourism ties between the US and Iran. He is proof what a private citizen can do to bring two countries together through tourism.”

About IIPT
The International Institute For Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) is a not for profit organization dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives which contribute to international understanding and cooperation, an improved quality of environment, the preservation of heritage, and through these initiatives, helping to bring about a peaceful and sustainable world.

It is based on a vision of the world’s largest industry, travel and tourism - becoming the world’s first global peace industry; and the belief that every traveler is potentially an “Ambassador for Peace.

A primary goal of IIPT is to mobilize the travel and tourism industry as a leading force for poverty reduction.

For more information on IIPT and to attend this conference visit http://www.iipt.org.