Hyderabad: Strides in technology and communications have enabled more interaction among people from across long distances. Religious, ethnolinguistic and racial fault lines have never been more apparent. Differences rather than commonalities are being stressed domestically and globally.
On Thursday last, the launch of the flagship chapter of the Global Ambassadors for Peace through Tourism (GAPT) at the Grand Hyatt Place was a step towards stemming this tide. As an umbrella organization of his travel company, Tajamul Hussain’s GAPT aims to promote peace through tourism.
He says, “In the vein of Gandhi’s philosophy of travel being the language of peace, we seek to create experiences for kids, women, and young adults by facilitating subsidized travel experiences from Hyderabad to various countries.”
“Plus, this is an integrated travel experience. It includes interaction with local communities. Their tourist activities will help regenerate local economies,” he adds.
The experiences they acquire will facilitate travel to different countries and make them peace ambassadors.
Chief Strategy Officer of the GAPT Chandana Chakraborti said, “Kids will talk about what they have learnt and also what they have unlearned about other people. These learnings which they share with others make them peace ambassadors.”
Meanwhile, the GAPT team announced their first peace journey that will span four West Coast states of the United States. Twenty-five of those undertaking the journey will be GAPT club members. Ten other travelers will be chosen through a contest. These selected candidates will have their trips fully sponsored.
Prominent among event attendees include Sheela Sarah Matthews, Raunaq Yar Khan, Athar Ahmed, Moed Khan, Pavan Kumar and Bonnya Lahiri.
Purva Guru, a noted ghazal singer, enthralled the audience later.