NELSON MANDELA TO SPEAK ON OPENING DAY OF FIRST GLOBAL SUMMIT ON PEACE THROUGH TOURISM AMMAN, JORDAN, NOVEMBER 8-11, 2000

HIS MAJESTY KING ABDULLAH II IS ROYAL PATRON OF HISTORIC EVENT TO HONOR KING HUSSEIN'S LEGACY OF PEACE

Mr. Nelson Mandela, Former President of the Republic of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, will speak in the First Plenary Session on the Opening Day of the Global Summit on Peace Through Tourism in Amman, Jordan, November 9, 2000. His Majesty King Abdullah II is Royal Patron of this historic "first" for the travel industry, which will honor King Hussein's legacy of peace. The announcement was made today by Louis J. D'Amore, President and Founder of the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT), organizer of the Summit. American Express is Title Sponsor.

Mr. Mandela, also former President of the African National Congress, was the first democratically elected State President of the Republic of South Africa in May, 1994. Nelson Mandela, in 1993, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize "on behalf of all South Africans who suffered and sacrificed so much to bring peace to their land. "

Participating in the Summit will be an impressive roster of Ministers of Tourism and travel industry CEO's, as well as tour operators, travel agents, educators, representatives of Non-Governmental Agencies (NGO's) and members of the press from more than 60 countries around the world, to launch tourism as a "Global Peace Industry." The Summit will serve as a demonstration of support by the world's largest industry for a continuation of the peace process in the Middle East and other regions of the world. Focus of the discussions and workshops will be: "Building a Culture of Peace through Tourism" in support of the UN International Year for the Culture of Peace.

Other featured plenary speakers will include Harvey Golub, Chairman and CEO, American Express; Ambassador Joseph Verner Reed, representing UN Secretary General Kofi Annan; Hon. Mary Robinson, Chairman, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Shimon Peres, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate; Jean Claude Baumgarten, President, World Travel & Tourism Council; Francesco Frangialli, Secretary General, World Tourism Organization; Hon. M.P. Bezbaruah, Chairman, Pacific Asia Travel Association and Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, India; Dr. Maritta Koch-Weser, Director General, World Conservation Union; Hon. Michael Afedi Gizo, President, Africa Travel Association and Minister of Tourism, Ghana; Hon. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations; Jean Louis Sarbib, Vice President World Bank Middle East and North Africa Region. H.E. Akel Biltaji, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, will be Master of Ceremonies.

The Summit is endorsed by the World Tourism Organization and The World Travel & Tourism Council, which will hold its Fall Executive Committee meeting, chaired by American Express' Harvey Golub, in conjunction with the Summit in Amman.

Summit sponsors, in addition to Title Sponsor, American Express, include Gold Sponsor, Air Harbour Technologies; Silver Sponsors, Archaeology Magazine, Bass Hotels & Resorts, International Traders, Moevenpick Hotels & Resorts, Reed Travel Exhibitions, Zara Investments; Bronze Sponsors, ASTA Agency Management, b-there.com, Leisure Travel News, Travel Counselor and Travel World News.

IIPT is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering and facilitating tourism initiatives that contribute to international understanding and cooperation, improved quality of environment, preservation of heritage, and a peaceful, sustainable world.

Royal Jordanian Airlines is the official air carrier for the Summit; Austrian Airlines is a cooperating carrier. Grand Hyatt Amman is the Summit Venue and Headquarter Hotel; other Summit Hotels include the Amman Marriott Hotel, Radisson SAS Hotel Amman, and Jordan Inter-Continental Hotel. International Traders, Amman, is providing Conference Management services.