The inaugural Australian IIPT – International Institute for Peace through Tourism Peace Park, was commemorated this past April at Leura in the Blue Mountains, Sydney, Australia.
His Excellency Mr. Reha Keskintepe, Ambassador of Turkey, and Mark Greenhill, Mayor Blue Mountains City Council dedicated the Lone Pine Peace Park which coincided with the “Great Gathering of Peace, Friendship and Understanding in Istanbul, marking the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign of WW1 and a call for peace across all nations.”
The initiative of IIPT with the Blue Mountains City Council and Central Blue Mountains Rotary saw the establishment of the Lone Pine Peace Park located within the Gordon Falls Reserve, Leura and part of the UNESCO Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.
Gail Parsonage President of IIPT Australia said that the “Lone Pine Peace Park, becomes the first IIPT Peace Park in Australia and joins the Global network of Peace Parks and Peace Cities/Towns/Villages which IIPT International have initiated .”
“We hope that more regions and towns with tourism interests will take up the invitation and be part of the program which encourages the Tourism Industry to create a “Culture of Peace” and for all travellers to be Peace Ambassadors.”
Over 200 persons were in attendance for the dedication which included the Australian Army “Catafalque Party”, a welcome by the Indigenous Elder, and speeches by Mark Greenhill, Mayor, Blue Mountains, and Amb. Reha Keskintepe, Ambassador of Turkey. The ceremony included the unveiling of two plaques and the planting of two Lone Pine trees, symbolic of the ANZAC/Turkey, WWI Gallipoli campaign and in keeping with the tradition of tree planting for our Peace Parks.