Green Destinations
 
On March 7, 2023, at the ITB Berlin Travel Conference, Alberta SouthWest Crown of the Continent was awarded second place in the “Business and Marketing” category of Green Destinations Top 100 Sustainability Stories for 2022!! 
 
(The “People’s Choice” award went to a more populated area, but we did just fine for a small destination, and thanks to all the Lethbridge Sunrisers who voted! )
 
This link lists all the award winners in each category.
 
If you scroll down the page to the “Business and Marketing” category, you can read the Alberta SouthWest Crown of the Continent story “Dark Skies… Bright Future!”
It is the story of community commitment that led to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park being named the world’s first transboundary International Dark Sky Park in 2021.
This celebrates our unique landscape and creates the opportunity to develop our visitor economy in harmony with our natural assets.
Dark Sky Guiding is a new activity in Waterton. Check it out!
 
Did you know?
 
Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the world’s first International Peace Park, established in 1932 and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
In 1979 Waterton was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, one of 19 in Canada.
 
And, Rotary had a key role in establishing Waterton-Glacier as the WORLD’S FIRST International Peace Park.
It is a fascinating story of two Park Superintendents, John George “Kootenay” Brown, in Canada, and Albert “Death on the Trail”  Reynolds, who spent the long mountain winters agreeing that “where no border is seen, no border should be”.
 
It was after World War 1, and Rotarians in Alberta, led by the Rotary Club of Cardston, and in Montana, led by the Rotary Club of Great Falls, agreed that this would be an important initiative to symbolize peace between two nations.
Rotarians in Canada and the USA advocated to their respective federal governments, and, amazingly, in only 11 months, Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park was established in 1932, and is the model for 146 peace parks in the world today.
 
We are proud that each year Rotarians in Alberta and Montana gather for the Peace Park Assembly that features the “Hands Across the Border” ceremony, pledging to not take up arms against one another.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ALBERTA SOUTHWEST CROWN OF THE CONTINENT.pnghttps://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/waterton/activ/experiences/etoile-star
 
Here is the Parks Canada link if you wish to add it to the newsletter.