Speech of Mr. Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General "Culture and sustainable development in the post-2015 development agenda" Special Thematic Debate of the UN General Assembly 5 May 2014 New York, USA Mr. Mohamed Khaled Khiari, Acting President of the United Nations Mr. Jan Eliasson, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Ms. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO The Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Former Governor General of Canada and UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti Mr. Hao Ping, President of the UNESCO General Conference and Vice Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, On behalf of the World Tourism Organization, I would like to express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of addressing you today, as we gather to discuss the important role of culture in the post-2015 development agenda. I would like to particularly thank UNESCO's Director General, Irina Bokova, for inviting UNWTO to join on this unique occasion, an invitation that
translates the spirit of cooperation between our two organizations and our common aim of working as one UN. It gives me indeed great pleasure to see the increasing collaboration between UNWTO and UNESCO, and I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm our full commitment in making tourism and culture a central pillar of the new post 2015 development agenda. Ladies and Gentlemen, Over the last decades, tourism has seen extraordinary and rapid growth, becoming one of the leading socio-economic sectors of our times. In 2012, we celebrated a historic and exciting milestone - of one billion tourists traveling the world in a single year. Tourism accounts today for 9% of the global GOP, 30% of the total exports of services and one in 11 jobs around the world. The question is - how do we harness this sheer force of one billion strong for its immense value? In light of today's debate, how can we draw from this deep wellspring to benefit our cultural heritage and advance the post- 2015 sustainability agenda? In the thousands of years chronicling mankind's progress, civilizations have flourished and fallen, and in their wake, left legacies bearing their indelible mark in the history of the world. These legacies showcase the pinnacle of mankind's abilities, be they in outstanding monuments or in the uniqueness of paintings and music. Heritage tells mankind's story; it tells our story. 2
Tourism can enliven this heritage. Cultural tourism - the movement of travelers motivated by the mosaic of art forms, heritage sites, festivals, traditions, and pilgrimages- is growing at an unprecedented rate. The more people travel and immerse in other societies, navigate other languages, behold incredible monuments and natural wonders, or experience firsthand the living traditions passed down by generations, the more they become part of a global dialogue that makes us citizens of the same world; citizens that understand and respect each other. The nexus between tourism and culture thus offers an immense opportunity to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development and stability and heritage preservation. As we set the scene for the debate that follows, kindly allow me to highlight these three ways in which tourism and culture can strengthen the three pillars of sustainability: First, 1. Tourism and culture can work together for economic growth Culture is an invaluable tourism resource, and conversely, tourism provides important economic support for cultural promotion and preservation. 3
The responsible use of cultural assets for tourism creates new employment opportunities and generates income for local communities. By the same token, cultural tourism can provide a vital tool for poverty alleviation, as many poor and remote communities are often situated near famous heritage sites. If we make take a moment to consider the progress of Cambodia for example, whose outstanding cultural heritage, crowned by Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, spearheaded the country's tourism. As Cambodia's story shows, cultural tourism can drive the economy by allowing destinations to create resources to become more competitive, raise its international profile, and create linkages to other local activities such as arts and handicrafts. 2. Tourism and culture can work together for social development and stability We live in The Age of Travel. Never before in our history have we been more exposed to such a melting pot of ethnicities, religions and lifestyles. As a sector based on human interaction, tourism breaks down walls and fortifies bridges between visitors and hosts, nurturing respect and mutual understanding that is so much needed in this often divided world. With one billion tourists traveling outside of their countries, the connections sparked between people of all walks of life are immeasurable. In addition, the inter-cultural contact and appreciation of heritage that tourism engenders helps foster a sense of community pride and reaffirms 4
the cultural identities of local populations as they look at themselves, their traditions and their home in a different light. We have perhaps heard the age-old line from Marcel Proust, that the real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new places but in seeing with new eyes. Yet more significantly, as the travel writer Pico lyer once wrote "one of the subtler beauties of travel is that it enables you to bring new eyes to the people you encounter." In this regard, tourism is one of the most unique global sectors, being a kind of moving embassy of peace. As highlighted in the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 2001, "tourism represents a vital force for peace and a factor of friendship and understanding among the peoples of the world." Finally, 3. Tourism and culture can work for heritage protection and preservation Being enlisted as a World Heritage Site raises the international profile and public awareness of cultural treasures, warranting their protection and conservation and boosting tourism as they become must-sees on traveler's itineraries. This opens doors to many opportunities but also brings many challenges, primarily the management of tourism growth. The honor of being acclaimed as a World Heritage calls forth a greater responsibility of finding the equilibrium between rising tourism demand while protecting the inherent values for which these sites were inscribed on 5
the World Heritage List. It emphasizes the need for tourism that is carefully and efficiently managed, proper education among tourists and host communities, the close coordination and cooperation between conservation and tourism and the use of innovative approaches. In this regard, technology can definitely play a key role. Last week the facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun opened in Luxor, Egypt. The facsimile will give visitors an opportunity to learn the history of the tomb and encourage conservation of the original site. This innovative project is the perfect combination between tourism, cultural conservation and social and inclusive development as it will also transfer know-how to Egypt and build on the country's capacity to lead in cultural preservation and sustainable tourism. Ladies and Gentlemen, By 2030, 1.8 billion tourists will be traveling the world. This global phenomenon represents an extraordinary opportunity to pursue our shared goals of inclusive economic development, social growth and environmental sustainability into a reality. Tourism intensifies our role as global citizens, stewards of world heritage and ambassadors of peace -- calling us to preserve our past, so we can protect our future. UNWTO firmly believes in tourism development that is responsible, socially inclusive and integral to the enrichment and safeguarding of the cultural 6
identity of destinations. It is therefore of utmost importance that we continue to work intensively with Members States and sister UN agencies on this shared objective. Along this line, in February 20 15, we will co-organize with UNESCO an International Conference on Tourism and Culture in Siem Reap in which I would like to invite you all to get fully engaged. I look forward to strengthening our partnerships and working closer together as architects of this sustainable future we envision for all. Thank you very much. 7