Special Report LAST UPDATE January 26, 2009
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January 15, 2009 Under a Clear Blue Sky, the 64th Voyage Departs for the Clear Blue Sea
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Streamers wave in the wind as friends and family shout their goodbyes from Yokohama harbor
After much anticipation as staff and participants checked in and found their way around the massive M/V Mona Lisa, Peace Boat’s 64th global voyage departed with a burst of cheers both from participants aboard the ship and their friends and family waving goodbye on shore. Shouts of the Japanese farewell greeting "Ittekimasu!" roared from the deck of the ship as loved ones on land replied with "Ittarasshai!" The refrain was punctuated by streams of neon ribbons that flew through the air. Keeping hold of one end of the ribbon, participants onboard threw the other end to friends on land. As the ship inched away and the goodbyes grew fainter, the streamers grew tauter and tauter until they finally snapped, perfectly illustrating the excitement of the upcoming journey.
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A group of farewell wishers on land hold a poster depicting the 64th voyage route
After participants and staff members christened the voyage with a champagne toast, short speeches were made by both participants and the ship's crew, including the Mona Lisa's captain, Nikolaos Stefas, and Peace Boat Voyage Director Inoue Nao. Mr Inoue invited all of the waving landlubbers to return to Yokohama harbor in April, when Peace Boat will return after its 95-day voyage around the Southern Hemisphere. Ismael Patino, a Spanish participant, echoed Mr Inoue's hopeful expectations for the journey: "We're leaving not only to have fun, but to discover the world and share with all its people."
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A banner calling for peace in Gaza hangs on the side of the ship
The aim to not only explore the world but to connect with its citizens was made clear by the Voyage Director’s speech. Amid the gleeful shouting of participants, Mr Inoue mentioned some of the many issues that participants will be investigating on this voyage. Among them were global warming and the recent fighting in Gaza. To show support for those injured and killed in the Gaza attacks, the participants of the 64th voyage have hung a banner on the side of the Mona Lisa that reads, “Stop the Killing in Gaza: Listen to the Voices of the World.” The banner was made by participants on the previous voyage, and it will be displayed at all of the 18 ports on the 64th voyage.
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Communication coordinator Nagai Eri (from Japan) poses with Global English/Espanol Training (GET) teachers Caroline Barrie (from South Wales) and Beck Jones (from Australia) as they say farewell to Japan
The voyage will certainly be one of fun and discovery as Peace Boat travels for the second time to Antarctica, where lectures and activities aboard the ship will focus on global warming and environmental reform. The ship will also make a stop in Cape Town, South Africa, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's election as President of South Africa. To explore the history and consequences of apartheid, Peace Boat will be offering a study programme to Pollsmoor prison, where Mandela was held and where prisoners are now learning nonviolent mediation strategies. All in all, the 64th voyage will visit 16 different countries in areas as diverse as Africa, South America and Australia, and studying everything from indigenous rights to sustainable agriculture to the possibility of eradicating war. At each port, programmes such as home stays with local families, communication opportunities with displaced youth, and nature appreciation tours will be offered, assuring participants the opportunity to make the most of their visit to each country.
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The majestic M/V Mona Lisa, which will be used for the entire voyage for the first time
In addition to the opportunities at port, the 64th voyage will offer many chances to learn from guest educators onboard. Over the course of our three-month trip, we will participate in workshops and hear lectures from a young Japanese woman who cycled over 5,000 kilometers through Africa; a woman who lived through the Viet Nam War and survived to write a memoir and make a movie about her experience; a photographer; a Japanese gospel singer, a representative from the Green Belt Movement founded by Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Mathai in Kenya; and many more. Several special onboard events are also planned, including a forum where African youth will converse about issues of poverty and peace initiatives in their respective countries. Furthermore, as we edge away from Chile and enter the icy Antarctic waters, the Peace Boat will host a film festival highlighting issues of global warming and habitat destruction throughout the world.

Just hours after departure, a feeling of goodwill and comfort settled upon the ship as participants look forward to the first stop in Keelung, Taiwan, where some people will be visiting organic farms, others a quarantine facility for people afflicted with leprosy, and still others will spend the time sightseeing in Taipei and Chofung. This will be Peace Boat's first and final full-length voyage aboard the beautiful M/V Mona Lisa, but its the participants themselves who will make this voyage truly unique.