World Peace and Sustainable Tourism Development: Promoting Dialogue through the Commerce of Sports- The Case of the Special Olympics By

Today, the commerce of sports is expanding not only the number of international mega sporting events but also the strategic value of sports-related business in the promotion of international dialogue and advancement of world peace. Support of and participation in sports can transcend political, sociocultural, and economic barriers globally. As spectators and athletes come together on a scale larger than ever before, national and local governments must collaborate with non-government, private, and non-profit sectors to develop and implement policies in support of sustainable forms of tourism that benefit local communities, nations, and international alliances alike. This paper examines the potential to facilitate dialogue to advance peace through world sports and identifies past achievements in conflict resolution and increased knowledge exchange following an international sporting event. The research includes comparative critical analysis of several major mega-sports events case studies, such as the development and sustained growth of Special Olympics (SO). This paper highlights the SO for its transformative power on a global scale. Over the past four decades, Special Olympics, and particularly its World Games, had led to increased self-confidence, self-esteem, and socialization of participants – characteristics essential to the foundatio