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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE January 18, 2007
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| June 28, 2006 |
Vancouver, Canada – The World Peace Forum |
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| The World Peace Forum held on the University of British Columbia campus |
In 2003, the peace and justice community of Vancouver had a dream. The dream was to harness the energy and momentum of the anti-Iraq war movement and put it towards a grander vision of ending all wars and building a peaceful world. That dream came to fruition as the first World Peace Forum was held in Vancouver, Canada on June 23rd to 28th. Peace Boat sailed into Vancouver to participate in the final day of the forum.
“The first international gathering of cities, communities, government, and civil society organizations, collaborating on a common goal: to end war and build a peaceful, just and sustainable world” drew 5000 people from around the world to participate in over 350 panel discussions and workshops. Held on the beautiful campus of University of British Columbia, thirty minutes from downtown Vancouver, the WPF's workshops, lectures, and discussion covered a range of peace related issues: from addressing racism and sexism, learning techniques to overcome mental and emotional damage caused by war, to the gathering of global movements for Departments of Peace. For the past two months, Peace Boat participants and Global University students have been preparing performances and presentations to give at the inaugural World Peace Forum. |
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| “Ending the US War and Occupation in Iraq: Organizing in the United States” panel discussion |
42 Peace Boat participants took part in an open discussion called, “Ending the US War and Occupation in Iraq: Organizing in the United States.” Organized by American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and United for Peace and Justice(UFPJ,) the discussion included panelists Judith LeBlanc (UFPJ,) Joseph Gerson (AFSC,) Peter Lems (AFSC,) and Kelly Campbell (September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.) They discuss strategies of mobilizing the US peace movement of the war in Iraq through creating a peace vote, holding candidate forums, strategically targeting and boycotting weapons and military corporations, and exploring divestment campaigns. Judith LeBlanc said that in the few short years of the anti-Iraq war movement groundbreaking work has occurred. “We've been able to reach out to people who never thought they would pick up a protest sign or get arrested for peace,” she said. |
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| Hiroshi Tanaami shares how his experiences on Peace Boat changed him |
When the discussion opened up to to the wider audience, it evolved to include the United States history of nuclear weapons programs and general US foreign policy. Activists shared successful actions they had taken at their local level. 19 year old Peace Boat participant Hiroshi Tanaami stepped to the mic and encourage activist to involve more young people in the peace movement. “Before I got on the Peace Boat, I never thought about peace. I didn't study article 9 of the Japanese constitution and all I knew about 9-11 or the War in Iraq was what I saw on TV.” He encouraged US organizers to provide young people with opportunities to visit places of past conflicts and to hear experiences of war veterans to foster their desire for peace. “Going around the world and talking with people in each port, I have started to think more about peace,” he shared. |
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| SPACE dance team performs at the World Peace Forum closing ceremonies |
Global University students, who had been preparing for the World Peace Forum since New York, went to a presentation given by Dr. Hans Blix on the Weapons of Mass Destruction Commission in the morning and then gave a presentation at the “Youth, Peace Culture and Nuclear Disarmament” discussion in the afternoon. Together with youth from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France and New Zealand, they presented how they are working towards nuclear disarmament in their respective countries. Yusuke Kitagawa, representing Japan and Global University, shared the 31step action guide that GU students had been working on for weeks. “ We believe that the first step is to get to know how issues affect your life. Next is to inform others and then to appeal to organizations and governments for change.” The 31 steps also included visiting related nuclear sites such as nuclear facilities or visiting peace museums and joining peace marches. |
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| The Peace Walk through downtown Vancouver. |
In the evening, World Peace Forum participants gathered at the Art Gallery in downtown Vancouver to close out the five-day forum. There, WPF organizers presented the Vancouver Appeal for Peace, an appeal written by participants throughout the week. It read, “At this critical juncture in history, the World Peace Forum concluded that a world without war is achievable. To that end we will build a just peace based on social justice, human and democratic rights, and economic equality.”
Peace Boat's dance team SPACE and taiko drumming group gave their final performance on the steps of the Art Gallery. Peace Boat participants unfurled a quilted banner sown together by pieces of cloth with messages of peace collected from each port of call.
After the celebrations, all those gathered walked through the streets of Vancouver to send Peace Boat off to their next port of call. As the Vancouver World Peace Forum came to a close, all those who participate felt that the forum was first of many more to come. |
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