Check out this compelling message from Matt Damon to Conde Nast Traveler's 2008 World Savers Congress. Matt explains why the $8 trillion travel industry holds the power to improve our planet.

Now that Michael Kinsley is off and running (finally!), his tech issues resolved (hopefully!), I can get back to what happened at the magazine's 2nd annual World Savers Congress in NYC last week. Thing is, by now so many other reporters have covered it--all in wildly different ways--that I think what is most interesting is to share their takeaways. A round-up of the best Congress coverage:

Loved Mediabistro's take because it highlighted two of my favorite messages from the Congress:  Leading global economist and poverty fighter Jeffrey Sachs saying, "The one billion travelers every year can be one billion ambassadors." And Conde Nast Traveler editor-in-chief Klara Glowczewska telling the leaders of the travel industry that they have the power to effect change because "Nothing opens people's eyes like traveling. Travel breeds empathy." Exactly.

Daily Traveler live-blogged the entire 7-hour event, of course, including poignant speeches by actress/activist Ashley Judd, a fervent ambassador for Population Services International who traveled with my ed-in-chief to Rwanda last spring, and Jordan's magnetic Queen Rania, who announced the addition of nine more ecotourism-friendly parks in her country.

Nerd's Eye View's Pam Mandel touched so beautifully on the speakers and panelists whose passion most impressed her that she inspired those gungho Traveling Mamas to spread the word about Conde Nast Traveler's Five & Alive Fund, run by Population Services International. The Fund, which the magazine started only a year ago, has raised nearly $1 million so far.

At left, CNT's editor-in-chief holds an award she's about to present to Andrea Ross of Journeys Within (at the podium). Photo: Elliott Ng of Uptake.   

Wondering what a week in NYC in the life of Queen Rania of Jordan is like?  Read the fascinating diary that ran in Slate. My favorite quote: "My husband told me that Hashem, my 3-year-old, has been coughing all night and has a temperature, and my stomach lurched with guilt for not being there to cuddle and soothe him. Why do they always get sick when I'm away?  It kills me." Boy, can I relate.

If you're interested in the panel I moderated entitled "Is Social Responsibility Smart Business?" (transcript to be available on cntraveler.com soon; I'll let you know when it's up), check out TravelMuse's thoughtful take on it, as well as Travelocity's blog The Window Seat, which came away with this good advice: "Be a change ambassador wherever you go by making an effort to support the community, reach out to locals, and share a bit about your home as well."

Last but not least, a big thank-you to Uptake's Elliott Ng for snapping nifty photos of the Congress as well as this shot of a few of us recovering in Bryant Park afterward. Left to right: Donna Airoldi of TravelMuse, Pam Mandel of Nerd's Eye View, and me, Sept. 23, 2008.