Mission

According to Mayan Priest/Shaman, Don Alejandro Cirilo Oxlaj Peres: "... The prophecy says now is the time of the awakening. This is your job now, to awaken. The Vale of the Nine Hells is past and the Time of Warning has now arrived. It is time to prepare for the Age of the Thirteen Heavens. The time of 12 Baktun and 13 Ahau is fast approaching, and they shall be here among you to defend Mother Earth. The prophecy says, 'Let the dawn come. Let all the people and all the creatures have peace, let all things live happily', for the love must not only be between humans, but between all living things. They said, 'We are the children of the sun, we are the children of time and we are the travelers in space. May all the songs awaken, may all the dancers awaken. May all the people and all things live in peace for you are the valleys, you are the mountains, you are the trees, you are the very air you breathe'....Now is the time of return of the grandmothers and grandfathers. Now is the time of the return of the elders. Now is the time of the return of the wise ones. And the wise ones are all of you. Now is the time to go out into the world and spread the light. The sacred flame has been kept for this purpose and now the time approaches when you will be required to love all things, to love a world that has gone crazy, to rebalance the heavens and the Earth. For the Time of Warning has come to pass and the Warriors of the Rainbow are now beginning to be born. The Vale of Tears, the Nine Hells, is over and it is time to prepare for the 13 Heavens. The ancestors are returning, my brothers and sisters, and we do not have long. Now is the time that the prophecies will be fulfilled."

1) Honor the spirit of: the land, sea & sky, culture, community, and the individual, by honoring biodiversity, diverse peoples, sacred sites, indigenous peoples' wisdom, and all spiritual beliefs & ceremonies;

2) Create mechanisms for the traveler, community members, tourism businesses, guides, support staff, and government leaders to actively participate in building inter-ethnic harmony, democracy, and a culture of peace within the tourism community and wider society;

3) Equip participants with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and confidence to walk in peace, resolve conflicts peacefully, and to create peaceful environments wthin themselves, their families, businesses, communities, and nations-at-large;

4) Supply funding for peace programs to be implemented in local schools through a Tourism For Peace Donation Fund;

5) Evaluate the effectiveness of TFP programs in communities, and in national tourism development plans, and share this knowledge with other actors in the fields of tourism development and peacebuilding.

6) Flood the world with Travelers & Hosts of Peace by building The Peace Path in one's mind and in each community, and linking these Peace Paths together to create an unified world at peace.

7) Honor and explore: our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual connections to the Creator; and our roles in bringing about The Most Great Peace.

"Grateful for the opportunity to travel and experience the world and because peace begins with the individual, I affirm my personal responsibility and commitment to:
* Journey with an open mind and gentle heart
* Accept with grace and gratitude the diversity I encounter
* Revere and protect the natural environment which sustains all life
* Appreciate all cultures I discover
* Respect and thank my hosts for their welcome
* Offer my hand in friendship to everyone I meet
* Support travel services that share these views and act upon them and,
* By my spirit, words and actions, encourage others to travel the world in peace."
(International Institute for Peace through Tourism; http://www.iipt.org)