TIES PUBLIC FORUM

Indigenous Business Leaders in Ecotourism

6:00 – 7:30pm Wednesday, April 30th 2008 House of Sweden, Washington, DC

Focusing on the roles of Indigenous community business leaders in Ecotourism, the public forum offered dynamic perspectives on conservation and cultural issues by a panel discussion featuring Indigenous business leaders and ecotourism experts.

As key environmental stewards and sustainable business owners and operators, Indigenous peoples around the world play critical roles, enhancing local experience with global knowledge.

As part of the full-day event held in Washington, DC, this evening forum featured the following speakers and topics:

• Sylvie Blangy, an international researcher – Indigenous community business leaders in global ecotourism destinations.

• Dan Jonasson, the Swedish Ecotourism Society and Nature’s Best, Sweden’s premier ecotourism certification program – implementing ecotourism theory into practice, and Sami involvement in the Society.

• Lennart Pittja, an Indigenous entrepreneur representing his company, Vägvisaren-samiska upplevelser (Pathfinder Lapland) – developing ecotourism business strategies incorporating his Sami culture and tradition.

  

The forum, as part of TIES’ ongoing annual public speaker series, was held at the House of Sweden, in Georgetown, Washington DC, in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden and the Ecotourism Society of Sweden.