In 1998, for the first time « IGAD Peace Rally » took place between Djibouti, Ethiopia and Eritrea. For a few years the brand « IGAD Peace Rally » has been used in the different IGAD countries in different editions.

In 2007, it became the « COMESA PEACE RALLY ».

In 2008 the « AFRICAN PEACE CARAVAN » was born in Arusha (Tanzania).

The AFRICAN PEACE CARAVAN aims at promoting peace and freedom on the continent, through an annual 4&4 track through the African continent.

The idea of the AFRICAN PEACE CARAVAN came through the fact that the Congress of the African Travel Association (ATA) takes place every year in a different country. Each year the African Peace Caravan is thus travelling from the country hosting the ATA Congress, in order to promote intercultural exchanges and freedom of circulation/ travel on the African continent.

Following the example of the Olympic torch, the trucks of the African Peace Caravan will travel through the African continent, waving High the flag of peace.

Contrary to other annual rallies based on the principle of speed and competition, the African Peace Caravan will take the time necessary to be as much participative as possible. The objective of the Caravan is to encourage international exchanges and 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 ).

2010

In 2010, the “Peace Journey in Africa” joint the “Africa Peace Caravan” to participate at the “Arta Peace Walk International” in Djibouti, where they obtained a remarkable result. The 2010 Caravan heads towards the south: Djibouti-Addis Ababa-Nairobi-Kampala-Kigali- Bujumbura following the lake Tanganyika to arrive in Malawi, final destination, where it will rest waiting for its next journey in 2011

WHO and HOW ?

The vehicle

The Africa Peace Caravan will travel on board of a Safari Bus, which has been modified to fit the African roads and southern weather conditions. The bus already travelled from Djibouti to Malawi, through Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. 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 seat up to 15 people.

The Core Team

The Africa Peace Caravan core travelling team comprises:

1. The coordinator of the Caravan

2. One medical doctor

3. One mechanic

4. One journalist

5. One photograph

6. One cook

Apart from the coordinator, the other members of the team could either be permanent or changing for each country or in various sections of the travel.

Other Team Members

The Peace Caravan will be open to all : in addition to the 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, either by the own vehicles or 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.

PARTNERS

The African Peace Caravane is looking for different types of support. The following provides a
non-exhaustive list of possible support that you can offer to this adventure:

Africa Governments and Tourism authorities

  • Travel authorisation and visa’s
  • Access to national parks
  • Political and moral 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 preferential rates
  • Others: Travel country maps and guides, etc…

Petrol industry

  • Fuel for the Safari Bus
  • Fuel for the generator

Car industry

  • Spare parts
  • Tyres
  • Mechanical support when required .
  • Further more considering the increasing age of the bus/vehicle, it would be good to consider its replacement any time soon.

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

  • Replacement of the vehicle
  • 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

 

WHAT WE WILL OFFER

At the end of each day, the African peace Caravan will communicate with the world, through satellite, to update the traveler’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 plans large media coverage all along, in various medias: print and electronic, general and specialized ( e.g. travel or 4×4 magazines ).

Each partner can expect a positive return on support / (return on investment i.e in business terms), including as follow:

African Governments and National Tourism Industry:

We promote your country and introduce to the travelers your tourism facilities and opportunities

  • With the African Peace Caravan passing through your country, demonstration will be made of the freedom of circulation on your territory and of your political and moral 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 media events and press conferences in the countries next to the itinerary in the countries of its 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 international exposure.

Sponsors in general:

We can offer you visibility and communication space for your support to the Vision and Purpose of the African Peace Caravan, as well as integrating your support in the principles of the 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.

Specialized 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 travelers:

We offer you Adventure throughout Africa, combining the excitement and unforeseen of road trips, 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 the possibility exchanges and an internet forum on Peace and Travel in Africa as well as the discovery of the Continent.

  • The Africa Peace Caravan’s website is constantly updated and offers first hand information on the countries involved.
  • Through the internet, interactive communication with education institutions around the world is possible, offering the with pupils and students the possibility to have question and answer sessions with the Caravan’s team.