Kungokudabuka okukhulu ukuthi i-International Institute for Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) ithole ngokudlula emhlabeni kuka-Mira Berman ngoJuni 29, 2010. UMira, umsunguli nomongameli we-Bradford Group kanye nomqondisi omkhulu we-Africa Travel Association kusukela ngo-1990 kuya ku-2006. kwaba ugqozi kubo bonke ababemazi.
Ngaphansi kobuholi nokuqondisa kukaMira, i-Africa Travel Association – ngezingqungquthela zayo kanye nezokuxhumana– ikakhulukazi i-Africa Travel Magazine kanye nesizindalwazi, kancane kancane yalinganisela izithombe ezingezinhle zase-Afrika ezivezwa emithonjeni yezindaba esakazwayo ngezithombe ezinhle zamasiko ahlukahlukene nanempilo; izindawo ezinhle zezwe ezinezilwane eziningi zasendle nezinhlobonhlobo; kanye nabantu abanobungane, abamukela izihambi njengoba kufakazelwe kula masonto adlule yibo bonke ababukele imidlalo yebhola likanobhutshuzwayo Lomhlaba.
Umbono nobuholi buka-Mira kube nomthelela omkhulu ekukhuleni okumangalisayo kwezokuvakasha kwamazwe ngamazwe e-Afrika kule minyaka engu-20 edlule - futhi eminyakeni embalwa kweyishumi edlule, isifunda esihamba phambili emhlabeni ekukhuleni kwezokuvakasha zamazwe ngamazwe. Ngamazwi omhleli we-Africa Travel Magazine uJerry Bird, “UMira Berman uzothandwa kakhulu futhi aziwe kakhulu ngempumelelo yakhe emangalisayo 'Ekuletheni Umhlaba e-Afrika - kanye ne-Afrika Emhlabeni.'
Ukuzibandakanya okuqondile kuka-Mira ne-IIPT kwaqala ngokuhlela nokumaketha kwe-1st IIPT Global Summit, lapho uMira kanye ne-Bradford Group babengabalingani ababalulekile, kanye nomxhasi wesihloko i-American Express kanye nomsingathi we-IIPT, uMnyango Wezokuvakasha Nezinto Zasendulo waseJordani. Ubudlelwano obuseduze nobunezithelo be-IIPT baqhubeka kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuyo yonke le minyaka eyishumi ngemicimbi yaminyaka yonke ye-IIPT e-World Travel Market, izingqungquthela ezimbili ezengeziwe, izingqungquthela ezine zase-Afrika, kanye nokuzalwa kwe-Africa Diaspora Heritage Trail. I-IIPT ihlonishwe kakhulu ngokubona amagalelo amaningi ka-Mira emhlabeni onokuthula futhi ozinzile ngomklomelo wayo wokuqala we-IIPT Lifetime Achievement Award owethulwe engqungqutheleni yayo yesi-1 ye-IIPT yase-Afrika, e-Kampala, e-Uganda, ngo-4.
Ethula umklomelo, umsunguli nomongameli we-IIPT, uLouis D'Amore, uthe: “Kuyilungelo elikhulu kimi ukwazi nokusebenzisana noMira iminyaka engu-15 edlule, kanye nokwethula lo mklomelo wokuqala we-IIPT Lifetime Achievement Award ku-Mira Berman wanikela iminyaka eyinhloko yomsebenzi wakhe omuhle ekukhangiseni amazwe amahle, amasiko, nabantu base-Afrika emhlabeni wonke, futhi akhe inhlangano ezoqhubeka nokuthuthukisa ukukhula kwentuthuko yezokuvakasha esimeme ezwenikazi lase-Afrika.”
“Ukulahlekelwa kukaMira kuzoshiya isikhala esikhulu empilweni yethu yobungcweti neyomuntu siqu. Siyazi ukuthi uMira uzokhunjulwa yibo bonke labo abathinte izimpilo zabo ngothando nothando lwakhe nge-Afrika nabantu bayo kanye nokuzibophezela kwakhe ekuqhubekiseleni phambili i-ajenda yokukhulisa ezokuvakasha nokutshalwa kwezimali ezwenikazi ngendlela esimeme nephusile,” kusho uKaren. Hoffman, umongameli, Iqembu leBradford.
“Njengomqondisi omkhulu we-ATA iminyaka eyishumi nesithupha, uMira waba nesandla ekwakheni isisekelo senhlangano yethu, enikela ngesikhathi sakhe, uthando lwakhe, izinsiza namandla akhe ku-ATA. UMira wanikela ngempilo yakhe ekwenzeni umhlaba ube indawo engcono futhi uzokhunjulwa njengomunye wabesifazane abamangalisayo besikhathi sethu,” kusho u-Eddie Bergman, umqondisi omkhulu, i-Africa Travel Association.
UMira waphunyuka ngokuyisimangaliso ekuqothulweni kwesizwe ngeminyaka yawo-1940 efika e-United States nonina nodadewabo eyoqala impilo entsha eNew York City. Wayengumdlali wevayolini oyingane, umbhali, umbhali - futhi maduze nje uzoba uchwepheshe kwezokukhangisa nobudlelwano bomphakathi. UMira ubesebenza emikhakheni eminingi, esebenza njengomqondisi omkhulu we-Academy of Tourism Organisations (ATO) kanye ne-NOAH Awards Luncheon yayo; umqondisi omkhulu weNhlangano Yokuthuthukiswa Kokuhamba Kwabakhubazekile (i-SATH) kanye Nesonto layo Lokuqwashisa Abahamba Ngabantu Abakhubazekile; isekela likasihlalo, IKomidi Lokuhlelela Isidlo Sakusihlwa Sokugubha iminyaka engama-50 seNhlangano Yezizwe; kanye nekomidi eliphezulu le-Celebrity Gala Ball ukuze kuzuze i-United Negro College Fund.
Impumelelo yakhe emangalisayo ibongwe ngezindondo ezihlanganisa i-Advertising Woman of the Year; Indondo Yegolide Yegolide kanye Nomklomelo Omkhulu WoMkhosi Wamafilimu Nomabonakude Womhlaba Wonke; Umklomelo Wobuholi Obuvelele Bezokuvakasha eTanzania; kanye ne-International Institute for Peace through Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award.
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- “It is my great honor to have known and worked with Mira for the past 15 years, and to present this first IIPT Lifetime Achievement Award to Mira Berman – who devoted the prime years of her illustrious career to promoting the magnificent lands, cultures, and peoples of Africa to the world, and building an organization that will continue nurturing the growth of sustainable tourism development on the African continent.
- We know that Mira will be remembered by all those whose lives she has touched for her passion and love for Africa and its people and her commitment to pushing an agenda of increasing tourism and investment to the continent in a sustainable and meaningful way,” said Karen Hoffman, president, The Bradford Group.
- Mira's vision and leadership has been a major contributing factor in the dramatic growth of international tourism to Africa over the past 20 years – and for several of the last ten years, the world's leading region for growth in international tourism.
