Six Senses to host the third S.L.O.W. LIFE Symposium this October

Soneva Fushi, Maldives, 6 – 9 October 2011. Six Senses, the pioneer ofIntelligent Luxury is to host the third S.L.O.W. LIFE Symposium this October.

Convening world-leading thinkers, policy makers and business leaders, the Symposium aims to accelerate progress towards sustainable business practices in the tourism industry.

The very best thinkers and key industry players will join forces with government ministers to confront the principle challenges facing the travel and tourism industry, including low-carbon infrastructure, transportation, resort management and threatened biodiversity.

Seeking a sustainable future for mankind

Attendees will share insights, projections and plans, making connections that could influence the future direction of the tourism industry.

'This is not just any old symposium on eco-tourism, but one where walking the talk about eco-tourism comes naturally and where proven leadership is all around us. I suspect we all believe that the very idea of a sustainable future for humankind may well depend more on this industry than on any other.'
Jonathon Porritt, Founder and Director, Forum for the Future, SLOW LIFE Symposium 2010

Adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild will be attending this year's symposium. A founder of myoo.com, a group that uses exploration and storytelling as a way to give nature a voice, and for his headline-grabbing adventures such as the Plastiki expedition which involved sailing across the Pacific on a catamaran made entirely with reclaimed plastic bottles, de Rothschild will be a big asset in helping communicate the symposium's findings and messages.

Others scheduled to speak include President Nasheed of the Maldives and Sonu Shivdasani, Chairman and CEO of Six Senses, the luxury resort company at the forefront of eco-tourism innovation, Jean Ballandras, Secretary General for the Reunion Islands, Jonathon Porritt, Forum for the Future, Tim Smit, Co-Founder and CEO of the Eden Project; Fabien Cousteau, grandson of Jacques Cousteau and Founder of Plant A Fish, Chris Gorrell-Barnes of Blue Foundation and Mark Lynas, Author and Climate Change Advisor to President Nasheed.

Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Chairman of Six Senses said, 'Tourism does so much good for sustainability. If it wasn't for tourism, most of the fantastic reserves in South Africa or Namibia would be mines or farms. The land would go to waste. It would be stripped of lumber. Animals would be killed and eaten. The thing we can do as individuals is to try and make tourism sustainable. Six Senses has a voice within the travel and tourism industry and we want to use our voice to encourage every level of the industry to be more sustainable in its choices. The travel and tourism industry needs to do more. We want our findings to reach the heart of the industry, going right back to investment and development stages.'

Three days of presentations and debate - 'Progressive solutions for future tourism'

Symposium attendees will engage in three days and three evenings of intimate conversations, insightful presentations and robust panel discussions. Attendees will discuss ways that the tourism industry, small islands and tropical states can join forces to mutually secure prosperous and sustainable economic futures.

Amongst others, discussion topics will include the low-carbon development targets of the Cartagena Dialogue group of progressive countries and the impact this may have on international policy; how to turn a community sustainable;

the coming global energy crisis and how it might affect small island states; protecting marine bio-diversity; engaging local communities in ambitious carbon reduction targets; investing in sustainable technologies and the challenge of adapting transportation in a low-carbon economy; and the consequences of inaction.

Join the Symposium online at www.slowlifesymposium.com (live from early September) or via Twitter @SLOWLIFEsym

Background information on Sonu Shivdasani

A descendant of Indian parents, Sonu Shivdasani was born and studied largely in England. He is an alumnus of Eton College and a graduate of Oxford University, where he received an MA in English Literature.

In 1995, Sonu and his wife Eva opened their first property, Soneva Fushi, in the Maldives, creating a high-end market in what was formerly a mass-market destination. In 2000, Soneva Fushi was awarded 'Best of the Best' by readers of Conde Nast Traveller and Sonu's concept of 'intelligent luxury' has inspired a host of imitators.

Six Senses currently has 26 resorts and 41 spas open or under development. Sonu defines the group's core purpose as creating innovative and enlightening experiences that rejuvenate our guests' love of SLOW LIFE (Sustainable-Local-Organic-Wholesome Learning-Inspiring-Fun-Experiences). He has also declared that the Six Senses group will be decarbonising by 2020.

Sonu's other goals for the next decade include the recognition of Six Senses properties in the top 10 best places to work worldwide and creating the Six Senses Foundation to manage the group's philanthropic endeavours. One developing community was recently given a wind turbine to reduce dependence on traditional power sources, and Six Senses has strong community programmes in every location in which it operates.