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Originally scheduled to take place in Israel, the 9th World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations (WFTGA) Convention was held in Nicosia, Cyprus, from 28 January to 2 February 2001. Under the theme of “The 21st Century: Guiding for Peace” the Convention attracted participants from eighteen countries.
The Convention was organised and hosted by the Cyprus Tourist Guide Association. After the painful joint decision by the WFTGA Board and the Israel Tour Guides Association to cancel the Convention in Israel, the Cypriot organisers had only two months to prepare the event. And they performed the miracle!
Not only did the participants enjoy a perfectly organised and smooth-running Convention but were also able to experience the legendary hospitality of the “island of Aphrodite”.
Lectures and Workshops
The Convention contained an interesting array of lectures and workshops. The keynote speaker, Dr. Noel Brown, President of the Friends of the United Nations, delivered two eloquent representations on “Tourism: A new World of Opportunity for Human Prosperity, Solidarity and Peace” and “Tourism and the Environment: Partner for a Sustainable Future”. Dr. James Fleming, Director of the Biblical Resources Study Centre Jerusalem, captured the participants‘ attention with “The Common Roots of Judaism, Christianity and Islam” and gave valuable advice on cross-cultural guiding in his workshop “Interfaith, Peace and Justice – Sensitivities in Guiding”. Much was learned on our host country‘s history, future plans for the city of Nicosia, about mosaic making and Guiding and Ethics. A partially wobbly experience was Deborah Androus‘ workshop “Yoga on Tour”. Have you ever tried being a tree? Stand on one leg and keep your balance – it‘s as easy as that! As balance is the first thing to go as we grow older, Deborah‘s “yoga tree” should be incorporated in everybody‘s programme of daily “musts”.
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