Life Onboard LAST UPDATE  September 19, 2006
site design imagesparkle.com
August 25, 2006 International Students Programme Introduction
image
The 54th Voyage IS group: (from left to right) Jasna Bastic (IS coordinator), Ilil Bartana (Israel), Luna Kalas (Bosnia), Basel Nasr (Palestine), and Vladimir Milovanovic (Serbia) in Asmara, Eritrea
Peace Boat first invited a group of international students from conflict areas onboard the 33rd voyage, five years ago. The purpose of the programme is to provide a safe and neutral environment for nonviolent conflict resolution and learning through dialogue for young NGO activists from opposite sides of a conflict. Peace Boat believes that new options may be among young people, because the future is in their hands. As an NGO Peace Boat is aware that there is a great wealth of activists and alternative new ideas in NGOs all around the world.

Since that voyage, Peace Boat has invited youth from various areas including Northern Ireland, India, Pakistan, Colombia, the Balkans, Israel, Palestine, China, South Korea, Taiwan and the US. A particular effort is made to allow the participation of young people from conflict areas who cannot afford to travel because of lack of resources and difficulty in obtaining visas. It is becoming increasingly important to provide youth from these areas a chance to get out of the conflict, to travel, see other countries and study other conflicts.

As for Peace Boat participants, they are privileged to interact on a very personal level with young people who have experienced a life very different from their own and to hear first-hand testimonies that they otherwise may not have the opportunity to hear. “Chat” sessions are organized so that participants have a chance to ask more casual questions outside of the formal lectures which are meant to provide a background of the conflict, as well an analysis of post-conflict societies.

On the 54th voyage, four inspiring young activists joined Peace Boat from Cochin, India until Barcelona, Spain for an intensive month-long exchange of culture, experience and friendship. During their time on Peace Boat Ilil Bartana (19 years old from Israel), Basel Nasr (25 years old from Palestine), Luna Kalas (25 years old from Bosnia) and Vladimir Milovanvoic (25 years old from Serbia), along with their dynamic and experienced coordinator Jasna Bastic, organized a profound series of lectures and events to share their experiences with each other and with participants.
site design imagesparkle.com