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THE VISION
The vision of the Africa Peace Caravan is to promote peace and freedom on the continent, through an annual 4x4 travel across the African continent.
The idea of the Africa Peace Caravan came from the rotating hosting of the Africa Travel Association Congress. Each year, the Africa Peace Caravan travels from the country which have just hosted the ATA meeting to the country where the next will be held, crossing as many ATA member countries as possible, to promote cross-cultural exchanges and freedom of circulation on the African continent.
Like an Olympic Torch, the Africa Peace Caravan travels across the Africa Continent, carrying the Peace Flag.
Unlike other annual rallies that are primarily based on the principles of speed and competition, the Africa Peace Caravan, on the contrary, takes its time and is as inclusive as possible. The aim is to foster international exchanges and to enable the discovery and promotion of the countries involved.
Depending on the wealth and variety of partnerships secured before hand or emerging as the travel unfolds, the Africa Peace Caravan can spend from a few days to some months in any country. It can even stop, come back or take a break to accommodate the developments on the road and on the ground, at country-level or at continent-level. In this sense, the ATA meetings are milestones in a never-ending adventure across Africa.
The purpose of the Africa Peace Caravan is to promote the countries and the peoples of Africa. Based on partnerships built ahead of the Caravan’s departure, African Governments and their Tourism authorities lend political support to the Peace Caravan. In-country, the Caravan works hand in hand with the tourism industry so that the Caravan’s itinerary enables the promotion of the country’s culture and specificities and facilitates the discovery of the country’s geographical beauties and historical heritage. The Africa Peace Caravan welcomes on the bus individuals and groups ready to contribute to the adventure, which will join the caravan for part of or the entire trip.
WHEN and WHERE ?
The 2008/2009 Edition
The first edition of the Africa Peace Caravan started from Malawi on 3rd November 2008, and went through Tanzania, where the 33rd ATA International Congress took place in May 08 with an official departure from the Impala Hotel in Arusha, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Ethiopia again, Soudan and Egypt, hoping to participate at the 34th ATA Congress which was held on 17-22 May 2009 in Cairo. Unfortunately, the Africa Peace Caravan was stopped at Aswan, at the Egyptian border and never reached Cairo ( see Chapter on Egypt for further information ).
The future editions
Each year, the Africa Peace Caravan would travel from the country that would have just hosted the ATA meeting, to the country where it would next be held.
WHO and HOW ?
The Vehicle
The Africa Peace Caravan travels on a Safari Bus, which has been modified to fit the African roads and southern weather conditions. It can contain over 350 litres of petrol, 280 litres of water and has a small kitchen, an air compressor and a luggage compartment. It seats 15 people.
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The Core Team |
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The Africa Peace Caravan core travelling team comprises: |
| 1. The coordinator of the Caravan |
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| 2. One medical doctor |
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3. One mechanic |
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| 4. One journalist |
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| 5. One photograph |
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| 6. One cook |
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Apart from the coordinator, the team could either be permanent or changing for each country or in various sections of the travel |
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Other Team Members |
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In addition to the Africa Peace Caravan core team, 9 seats are available, for tourists and partners to join along. These additional members of the Caravan are able to join in the trip for the whole trip or only sections such as from one capital city to the next one.
If more persons want to join along, this can be possible through the tour operator partners, which could offer sections of the Caravan’s trip on their catalogue of safaris on offer, and provide the necessary transport and other facilities. |
WHAT YOU CAN OFFER
We are looking for a wide range of support to the Africa Peace Caravan. The following provides a
non-exhaustive list of possible support that you can offer to the Caravan.
Africa Governments and Tourism authorities
- Travel authorisation
- Access to national parks
- Political support and attendance at press conferences or other public functions at the
arrival to and departure from the capital cities
Travel industry
- Airlines: Partial or total discount on airfares for the persons joining in the Caravan
- Travel agencies: Designing itineraries in-countries and providing any related facilities
to visit travel sites or game reserves, etc
- Hotels: offering accommodation on the way at agreed rates
- Others: Travel country maps and guides
Petrol industry
- Fuel for the Safari Bus
- Fuel for the generator
Car industry
- Spare parts
- Tyres
- Mechanical support when required
Communication and IT industry
- Satellite link and web site hosting
- GPS
- Radio equipment
- Video and still picture cameras and batteries
- Laptop computer
Camping and food industry
- Camping equipment (tents, camp beds, etc)
- Generator
- Tin food
Bank, credit and insurance industry
- loans at preferential rates
- insurance policy
- general financial support, e.g. to print the brochures or sponsorship clothes
(tee shirts, caps, etc)
Others
- Various supplies and equipment for community work: medication, equipment, school
items, water and sanitation tools, etc.1
1 This would depend on the profile and contribution of the additional members of the Africa Peace Caravan team. Depending on them, the Caravan could link up with community development programmes, e.g through: the distribution of schooling material to local schools (blackboards, clays, notebooks, pencils, etc), the provision of medication or mobile medical clinics and support to remote health centres, the transport of equipment from one project site to another, etc. This, however, would remain the primary responsibility of the additional team members, as the Africa Peace Caravan cannot commit itself to such initiatives in each country involved.
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WHAT WE WILL OFFER
As often as possible, the Caravan links up to the world, to update the traveller's blogs and upload photos and any other relevant material on the Caravan website (www.africapeacecaravan.org) as well as on the partners' sites as agreed with them.
In addition, Africa Peace Caravan enjoys strong media coverage all along, in various medias: print and electronic, general and specialised ( e.g. travel or 4x4 magazines ).
Each partner can expect a positive return on support, including as follow:
African Governments and National Tourism Industry:
We promote your country and introduce to the travellers your tourism facilities and opportunities
- With the African Peace Caravan passing through your country, demonstration made of the freedom of
circulation on your territory and your political support to the Vision and Purpose of the African Peace Caravan.
- The African Peace Caravan collects available tourism promotion material in the countries involved and
distribute it at functions and press conferences in the countries next to the itinerary.
- The Africa Peace Caravan core team comprises a professional journalist and photograph and quality photos
and articles on the countries visited are constantly updated on the African Peace Caravan website.
- Additional members of the African Peace Caravan further include other journalists and photographs from
national travel media, which have multiplier effects on your exposure internationally.
Sponsors in general:
We offer you visibility and materialise your support to the Vision and Purpose of the African Peace Caravan.
- Immediate visibility on the African Peace Caravan Safari Bus, as well as on sponsorship clothes.
- Acknowledgments on the Caravan website and all promotional and information documents related to
the Africa Peace Caravan.
- Media coverage throughout the trip, through: articles in the press, documentary reports, press conferences.
- Networking and participation in the public functions at arrival and departure sites.
Specialised media:
We offer you Adventure to report on, and ready-to-use opportunities to work in a user-friendly environment.
- Joining in the Caravan and benefiting from its logistics and coordination to visit countries and travel sites.
- Opportunities to produce related reports and coverage with minimum hassle.
Individual travellers:
We offer you Adventure throughout Africa, combining the excitement and unforeseen of road travel, together with the
reassurance of an experienced professional team.
- Participate in the adventure of the Africa Peace Caravan.
- Possibility to join in the Caravan at every stage of its itinerary.
- International trip in the company and under the guidance of an experienced and multidisciplinary team.
To schools and tourism vocational training institutes:
We offer you exchanges on Peace and Travel in Africa, and the discovery of the Continent.
- The Africa Peace Caravan is constantly updated and offers first hand information on the countries involved.
- T hrough the internet, interactive communication with education institutions around the world is possible,
with pupils and students having questions and answers sessions with the Caravan's team.
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