Arts, culture and education join the spirit of the International Council of Tourism Partners

HALEIWA, Hawaii, USA & BRUSSELS, Belgium – The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is pleased to announce the International Delphic Council (IDC) has joined ICTP as a partner.

The International Delphic Council is the highest authority for all matters of the Delphic Games/Junior Delphic Games. The main purpose of the worldwide, nonprofit organization is the reintroduction of the Delphic Games and the introduction of the Junior Delphic Games. The IDC Symbol consists of an endless ribbon designed in a circle of six interlacing rings in the colors orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and red on a white background – symbolizing the unity of the six Delphic Art Categories and its disciplines.

With the Delphic Games, one of the greatest festivities of ancient Greece revives. For nearly 1,000 years the Delphic Games took place one year prior to the Olympic Games, and had at the time, a similar level of importance in society.

Exactly 100 years after the reintroduction of the Olympic Games of the Modern Era, the founding assembly of the International Delphic Council (IDC) took place in December 1994 in Berlin, Germany. Representatives of 20 countries followed the invitation of J. Christian B. Kirsch, and theInternational Delphic Movement was born.

The members of the IDC include National Delphic Councils (NDCs) and prominent representatives from the fields of the arts, culture, education, industry, and associations and institutions of all kinds. The leading body of the IDC is the Amphictyony (Executive Board) in honor of ancient Greektradition and consists of up to twelve elected members.

Arts, culture, and education are the tools of prosperity and wealth. The Delphic Games are one of the solutions to encounter arts and cultures serving peace and understanding. The Delphic Games and the Junior Delphic Games take place within a four-year period but two years apart at different destinations all over the world.

Meanwhile, the IDC organized seven international Delphic Games. South Korea was hosting the III Delphic Games 2009. The IV Junior Delphic Games 2011 took place in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Competition among destinations is increasing and new solutions are required. One of those is cultural tourism. Cities and nations are aware that the time has come to brand its destinations with large events – beyond sport events.

“Here is the place for the IDC, and we welcome the opportunity to work in close collaboration with ICTP as an excellent diverse future-oriented network.

“In the 21st century, the peaceful interaction between the world’s cultures is of utmost importance and the ancient world equips us with a future-oriented, identity-strengthening idea in times of increasing globalization. The Delphic Games of the Modern Era, as a forum for the arts and cultures – similar to the Olympic Games in sports – are able to unite the people in its deepest way, to preserve values for the benefit of future generations,” said J.C.B. Kirsch, Initiator and Founder of the International Delphic Council.

For more information about the IDC, visit: http://www.delphic-games.com .

ABOUT ICTP

The International Council of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is a grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth. The ICTP logo represents the strength in collaboration (the block) of many small communities (the lines) committed to sustainable oceans (blue) and land (green).

ICTP engages communities and their stakeholders to share quality and green opportunities including tools and resources, access to funding, education, and marketing support. ICTP advocates sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel formalities, and fair coherent taxation.

ICTP supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and a range of programs that underpin them. The ICTP alliance is represented in Haleiwa, Hawaii, USA; Brussels, Belgium; Bali, Indonesia; and Victoria, Seychelles. ICTP membership is available to qualified destinations free of charge. Academy membership features a prestigious and selected group of destinations.

ICTP has members in Anguilla; Aruba; Bangladesh; Belgium, Belize; Canada; China; Croatia; Gambia; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; India; Indonesia; Iran; La Reunion (French Indian Ocean); Malaysia; Malawi; Mauritius; Mexico; Morocco; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands, US Pacific Island Territory; Oman; Pakistan; Palestine; Rwanda; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sri Lanka; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Trinidad & Tobago; Yemen; Zimbabwe; and from the US: Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Missouri, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Partner associations include: African Bureau of Conventions; African Chamber of Commerce Dallas/Fort Worth; Africa Travel Association; Alliance for training and research in the field of social and solidarity tourism (ISTO/OITS); Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association; Cultural and Environment Conservation Society; DC-Cam (Cambodia); Euro Congres; Hawaii Tourism Association; International Delphic Council (IDC); International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT); International Organization of Electronic Tourism Industry (IOETI); Positive Impact Events, Manchester, UK; RETOSA: Angola – Botswana – DR Congo – Lesotho – Madagascar – Malawi – Mauritius – Mozambique – Namibia – South Africa – Swaziland – Tanzania – Zambia- Zimbabwe; SKAL International; Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH); Sustainable Travel International (STI); The Region Initiative, Pakistan; The Travel Partnership Corporation; vzw Reis-en Opleidingscentrum, Gent, Belgium; as well as university and educational institute partners.

For more information, go to: www.tourismpartners.org .