Monday 01 May 2017 – International Labour Day is Workers Day and the Global Tourism Industry is proud to be associated with such a worthy event.
These were the words echoed by Alain St.Ange, one of the six candidates vying for the post of Secretary General of theUnited Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) in the upcoming election to be held in Madrid, Spain on 11 May and the candidate who has committed to fighting against discrimination in the workplace.
“Tourism employs one in every six workers in the world and remains a major industry for providing employment. Today, as we celebrate with our workers and say thank you for another year of hard work, we also say that come tomorrow we shall continue to make our respective country’s economy better. We will remain the industry for the future as we grow from strength to strength and as we grow in recognition” said St.Ange as he left Bangkok last night en-route to Dubai.
St.Ange went on to say that tourism needs to continue to earn the respect that this great industry deserves. “We cannot continue to be respected if we do not rid our industry, and the world, of discrimination in every shape and form. Discrimination is against our Human Rights and our Tourism Industry needs to fight this 365 days of the year.
“I want to quote the great African Icon, Nelson Mandela, when I speak about the fight against discrimination and the drive to instil RESPECT as the driving force of our industry. President Nelson Mandela said:- ‘For to be Free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to love in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others’.
“As an industry we need to fight discrimination based on the colour of the skin, of religious beliefs, of political affiliation, of sexual preferences such as the LGBT, of gender, of Woman’s rights, of Disability etcetera, and today I invite every one of the six candidates vying for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO to stand up and to commit to this fight against discrimination as I do as the Seychelles Candidate” Alain St.Ange said.
