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Special Report |
LAST UPDATE October 4, 2005
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| September 6, 2005 |
Departure of the 51st global voyage |
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| Peace Boat supporters wave goodbye to participants departing from Yokohama |
Hundreds of well wishers and a hot summer’s day provided a festive backdrop on September 3, 2005 as participants onboard Peace Boat’s 51st voyage departed from Yokohama on their way around the world on a global exchange. |
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| H.E. Mr. Mustapha Jebari of the Moroccan Mission to Japan addresses the crowds |
H.E. Mr. Herminio Lopez Diaz, Counsellor at the Cuban Embassy in Japan wished participants well on their voyage, which includes a two-day visit to Cuba, the first in over three years. The Deputy Head of the Moroccan Mission to Japan, H.E. Mr. Mustapha Jebari also sent participants off with words of hope and encouragement for the further strengthening of relations between the people of Japan and Morocco. |
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| Captain of TSS the Topaz, Konstantinos Christoforidis, addresses participants and their supporters |
On the ship side, several hundred people were filled with anticipation and excitement as they bid farewell to family and friends. Peace Boat’s Departure Ceremony featured Vietnamese guest educator, My Doan Takasaki, who will give a series of lectures onboard Peace Boat about the effects of Agent Orange on Vietnamese people during and after the US – Viet Nam War. Documentary film-maker John Junkerman, another guest educator, who will talk about his recent works Japan’s Peace Constitution, and Chomsky 9.11, offered the farewell toast. The Master of TSS the Topaz, Captain Konstantinos Christoforidis, also addressed the crowd for the exciting Bon Voyage. |
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| Youngest participant onboard, 11 year old Koki Yoshida, farewells friends and family in Kobe as the 51st Peace Boat voyage leaves Japan |
Festivities increased as hundreds of colourful ribbons were thrown from Peace Boat participants to family and friends back at port. Peace Boat then headed to Kobe, where 350 more passengers embarked, bringing the total number of participants onboard to well over 900 people, one of the largest passenger capacities in Peace Boat’s history.
Participants (including staff and volunteers) onboard the 51st Voyage come from a variety of countries, and range in age from 11 to 90 years old. Nearly half of all participants, the majority of whom are Japanese, come from the Kanto region, with others coming from as far as Hokkaido and Okinawa. |
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| Peace Boat’s Voyage Director, 28 year old Endo Hiromi, bids farewell on behalf of the 51st voyage |
The 105-day journey will include visits to 17 countries, including Kenya, Greece, Chile, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea and a three-day stopover in Peru. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of global issues through cultural exchange and study tours in each port of call.
The overarching theme for the Voyage is “Creating a Just and Sustainable Society Without War”. Onboard the ship, as many as 50 guest educators from around the world will help raise awareness of a diverse range of topics. Some of these include: peace and security in Northeast Asia; gender equality and gender-based violence; alternative models of development; organic farming and ecologically sustainable living; and the passing of traditional knowledge. Participants will also utilize the space on the ship to hold daily workshops and events – ranging from dance classes to fundraising projects and political debates. |
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| Peace Boat (a.k.a. TSS the Topaz) departs Yokohama Bay on its September – December 2005 global voyage |
Through this unique mix of hands-on interaction with many different cultures, and learning through exposure about political, environmental and social concerns, participants can work together onboard the 51st Peace Boat voyage to promote international understanding, and ultimately a more peaceful future.
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