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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE January 18, 2007
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| June 6, 2006 |
New York, USA – People Building Peace Concert |
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| The Taiko drumming performance at the “Peace Building Peace” concert. |
Just a few block from the United Nations, Peace Boat and its counter-part organizations, the Hague Appeal for Peace and International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA,) held it's second annual concert “People Building Peace” on June 6th, 2006. Peace Boat participants, human rights activists, and local New Yorkers crowded the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza to listen to world music and watch dance performances. The musicians included: Asiko, a Nigerian Afrobeat band; Yuca Seca which provided Afro-Cuban beats; the Blue Vipers, a Dixie and Swing music band; and the band Kheswa played South African folk music. The 2004 World Entertainer of the Year Kim Chang Haeng wowed audiences with his amazing juggling feats and the Salaam Debkah Troupe danced to Arabian music. Voyage Director Nao Inoue prefaced Peace Boat's dance team with these few words: “For the past two months, we have been traveling the world performing and sharing our culture. We've danced for Tsunami survivors in Sri Lanka and Palestinian Refugees in Jordan.” |
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| Campaign for Article 9 booth |
Interspersed between the musical and dance acts, representatives from various NGOs came and spoke about their campaigns. Peace Boat Founder Tatsuya Yoshioka reminded everyone about the importance of keeping Article 9 of the Japanese constitution alive. A representative from NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security spoke of progress that has been made since the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 was implemented in 2000. IANSA representative talked about the need to control the reckless trade of small arms. |
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| Street action to educate pedestrians about the Control Arms campaign |
Peace Boat participants took the campaign issues to the surrounding streets, asking local pedestrians to take action. Since Europe, a group of participants concerned with the Arms Trade Issue have been taking photo petitions for the Million Face Campaign. At the concert, they proudly wore their “Control Arms Campaign” t-shirts and approached concert-goers to participate. Flyers and buttons from Nuclear Weapon Free Zones, Students Against Nuclear Insanity for Tomorrow's Youth and other various organization were available at nearby booths. |
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| View of Manhattan's skyline as the Topaz departs New York waters |
The Peace Building Peace concert concluded the 53rd Voyage two-day stopover in New York. After spending the day visiting the United Nations, meeting with Brooklyn's diverse community, and enjoying New York's many sights, participants returned to the TSS Topaz resonating in the human power to create a peaceful world. |
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Resources:
Peace Boat USA www.peaceboat-us.org
Article 9 Campaign www.article-9.org
Million Face Petition www.controlarms.org
Nuclear Weapons Free Zone www.disarmament.org
NGO Working Group on Women Peace and Security www.womenpeacesecurity.org |
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