Somme Battlefields for Peace
- 1MVictims of the Battle of the Somme
- 25nationalities
- 1HISTORY
Somme Battlefields for Peace
An ethical association of committed partners for meaningful tourism.
The department of the Somme is home to a wide variety of international First World War memorials. Having suffered badly as a result of the Great War, the Somme cannot forget her past and stand by and do nothing, faced with the many conflicts which continue to shake the world.
In the light of this, Somme Tourisme is looking to draw on Remembrance tourism to generate a movement of solidarity towards the countries affected by the present conflicts. As François Bergez, director of Somme Tourisme underlines, “Great War Remembrance in the Somme must serve a humanitarian cause, so that we never forget, and work together to appease suffering in war-torn countries today.”
And so the Somme Battlefields for peace project came to be.
©Somme Tourisme - Laurent Desbois/Lwood
©Somme Tourisme - Laurent Desbois/Lwood
©Somme Tourisme - Laurent Desbois/Lwood
©Somme Tourisme - Laurent Desbois/Lwood
©Somme Tourisme - Laurent Desbois/Lwood
©Ronan Le BideauWhat:
Ethical finance – ethical tourism
The approach involves raising money from tourists visiting battlefield sites, and sending the funds collected to humanitarian NGOs or those specialised in reconstruction, thereby contributing to bringing peace to war-torn countries. “Somme Tourisme set the wheels in motion and would like to work hand in hand with professionals, associations and elected representatives of the department in the deployment of this charitable cause.”
Objectives: to appease suffering, to give hope to those populations which are still victims of terrible fighting and to bring a form of peace to warring nations.
The association has a global approach, aiming to improve the living conditions of the handicapped and vulnerable through a range of different actions: caring for the wounded, prosthetics and physiotherapy; the clearance of explosives left behind after a war; assisting returns to education or work; disease prevention; calling for changes in national law and international standards…
©Somme Tourisme - Laurent Desbois/Lwood
©Ph Feret
©Ronan Le BideauHow ?
A three-pronged collaboration
Somme Tourisme is working with the endowment fund “Essentiem” who have set up a special campaign for donations and the contributions of patrons. To begin with, for a 2 year period, Somme Tourisme wish that this dedicated fund be used to finance an NGO such as “Handicap International”, which works in war zones, bringing medical assistance and moral support to the victims.
Funds will be raised through different means : donation boxes, merchandise and online participation.
www.sommebattlefieldsforpeace.com
A Date with World History
11th,12th & 13th NOVEMBER
For the second year, Somme Tourisme is organising A Date with World History. The aim is to offer local residents and visitors to the area guided tours of both the renowned and little-known First World War sites. Over 3 days: the 11th, 12th & 13th November, around twenty 1½ hour tours will take place.
The professional tour-guides leading these visits all have the Somme Battlefields' Partner accreditation, and will be pleased to welcome you to Beaumont-Hamel, Mametz, La Boisselle, Rancourt, Fricourt and Bray-sur-Somme. The tariff is set at 2€ per tour. The money collected will be transferred in full to the Somme Battlefields for Peace endowment fund. This is the first event organised to raise the profile of this ethical project.