American movie star Danny Glover shared his thoughts with delegates from across the globe during the planning conference for the African Diaspora Heritage Trail.

Mr. Glover, star of The Color Purple and the Lethal Weapon series, spoke of the importance of the trail, which is set to link historical and cultural sites from the Atlantic Slave trade in Africa, the Caribbean and America in order to educate visitors about their significance.

?This is a way of informing people, and inviting them to do something more than just visiting. Travel allows us to embrace this sense of who we are and what our relationship is to our past.

?Honouring that common past is important,? said the actor, who is chairman of the TransAfrica Forum and a UNICEF Ambassador.

His visit on Saturday marked the end of the final round of conference meetings at the Bermuda Wyndham Resort and Spa, which have also been attended by three African tourism ministers and leading academics.

Addressing an audience of 63 including Premier Alex Scott, Mr. Glover spoke of his own extensive travels, which began at a young age.

?I would travel not just to sit on the beach, but to explore the past and present context of my life,? he explained, before going on to outline some of his personal experiences in Ghana, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti and to speak about his community activism and philanthropic efforts.

The conference, which began on Thursday, tackled the goals and logistics of establishing the trail.