|
|
|
| |
| |
Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
August 27, 2007
|
|
| site design imagesparkle.com |
| May 17, 2007 |
Article 9:Foundation for Peace – Roberto Zamora and Satoko Norimatsu |
|
| |
 |
| Article 9 discussion onboard 56th Global Voyage |
Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution
“Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.” |
site design imagesparkle.com |
|
The above-mentioned Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution is an international oath declaring No to War. A recent bill was passed that will set the rules for a national referendum required for any constitutional revisions - meaning the amendment of Article 9. Roberto Zamora, a Peace Boat staff member and activist from Costa Rica was onboard to discuss his own country's Peace Constitution, the meaning of Article 9, and how changes to this Article 9 would affect Japan as a nation and the impact it has on an international scale. |
| |
Satoko Norimatsu is a facilitator of the Center for Intercultural Communication at the University of British Columbia, Canada. She is also founder of the Peace Philosophy Center, a community-based association that conducts events, workshops and lectures on peace, sustainability and education. She joined the 56th Global Voyage to speak on two main topics. Firstly, Ms Norimatsu led several workshops on intercultural communication, demonstrating the way that different backgrounds, expectations and cultures can lead to difficulties in communication, and ideas of how to overcome these obstacles. She facilitated many discussions onboard related to Article 9, giving participants a chance to think about various sides of the debate and consider the relevance to their own lives. Ms Norimatsu also presented the activities of the Vancouver Save Article 9 (VSA9) group she is involved with, the first group outside of Japan working for the protection of Article 9. VSA9 participated in the World Peace Forum held in Vancouver in 2006, presented various events, and continue to provide information and collect signatures for a petition calling on the Japanese government to uphold Article 9. This group aims to educate people on the issues surrounding the possible amendment of the article and its international relevance.
www.article-9.org
www.peacephilosophy.com
www.vsa9.com |
| |
|
|
|
