Don canvasses tourism devt as panacea for conflicts

As countries of the world mark International Peace Day, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof. Owunari Georgewill, has called for more investment in tourism as the remedy to conflict in the Niger Delta region.

Owunari, who underscored the importance of peace in every sphere of life, noted that it promotes the values of empathy, compassion and cooperation.

The VC disclosed this while delivering his welcome address in commemoration of this year’s International Day of Peace with the theme: ‘Actions for Peace: Our Ambition For The Global Goals,’ organised by the University of Port Harcourt Center for Peace and Security Studies (CPSS), yesterday.

He said that tourism, when nurtured responsibly, can be a powerful catalyst for positive change, adding that it fosters cultural exchange, mutual understanding and economic growth and allows people to showcase the beauty of the region and the people to the world.

The Keynote Speaker, Prof. Isaac Olawale, noted that although there is relative peace, it is unfortunate that the number of war zones has increased dramatically.

Chairman of the event, Dr Iti Orugbani, who is the Commissioner of Culture and Tourism Development in Bayelsa State, charged participants with the urgent need for individual and collective responsibility to foster peace.

Represented by the Director of the ministry, Dr. John Suofe, he noted that fostering peace contributes to the realisation of sustainable development goals, while achieving it will create a culture of peace.