| April 29, 2009 |
In Pictures I – What’s Happening onboard Peace Boat? |
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A large proportion of participants’ time onboard Peace Boat is spent making new friends and getting to know others better. To help accelerate this process, participants made and decorated name cards in groups while talking about what they hoped to achieve during the voyage. The name cards have been a great help to everyone in making new friends. |
site design imagesparkle.com |
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Many people enjoy Peace Boat so much that they embark on various voyages. Jackie, (pictured on the right) currently on his third voyage, is a gifted artist and has been busy creating caricatures of many participants and staff onboard. He has also been making the most of Peace Boat’s social events, joining in the Peace Ball soccer tournament and singing in the talent show. ‘I like Peace Boat because there are so many things to do and many interesting people to talk to’. |
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On the first day at sea after departure, participants and staff were invited to the Captain’s Welcome Party, held outside on the Pool Deck. Staff and participants dressed to impress, and danced the night away under the open roof to the ship`s band. Pictured from left to right are Peace Boat international team members Izu Yuuka, Andrea Fischer, Mauricio Arango, Pania Lincoln and Hiramatsu Yuta. |
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During the ceremony Captain Georgios Antonellos explained the history of the SS Oceanic to participants before introducing his crew to the partying crowd. Participants then all lined up to say ‘cheers’ to the Captain and his crew and toast to a successful voyage. |
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Joining the cruise from Yokohama until Singapore was the inspirational Peace Boat co-founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya, pictured here left, with Voyage Director Hidaka Shinsuke.
Participants were treated to Mr Yoshioka’s motivational speeches as he gave lectures on the history and future of Peace Boat, and the current state and causes of conflict around the world – including Peace Boat's participation in the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC – www.gppac.net). |
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The first Guest Educator to join the 66th Global Voyage was Takahashi Kazuo, a Professor at the Broadcasting University of Japan. Mr Takahashi, participating in his 16th Peace Boat Global Voyage in ten years, is a specialist on Middle East affairs and will be lecturing on a variety of topics during the segment from Yokohama until Port Said. His mission and passion in life is to raise awareness of world issues, and he hopes to improve the situation of the world today. ‘My voice is small but…I do what I can.’
Mr Takahashi has his own television programme in Japan, and hopes to make people aware of the bias and vested interests in mainstream media, as well as conveying the truth about the situation in the Middle East. He is currently writing a book about US-Iran relations and looks forward to participating in more Peace Boat Global Voyages in the future. |
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After the call to Singapore, the second port for the 66th Global Voyage, the Global English/Español Training (GET) programme will begin their intensive courses onboard. In the meantime GET teachers have been busy making themselves known around the ship, doing introductory presentations and holding International Chat Seminars. Pictured above is the ship-renowned GET introductory dance, with teachers dressed in their national attire. |
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Onboard Peace Boat, it is the participants who contribute most to the atmosphere of the ship, themselves co-ordinating many activities, and assisting in a variety of preparations, including lighting, writing the onboard newspaper and assisting with the P/A system. Pictured here is a team of participants making a piñata for the Latin Fiesta held onboard. |
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On this voyage, Peace Boat will visit five Spanish-speaking ports. To remind participants that there will be lots of Spanish spoken onboard the ship as well as in these ports and give some insight into Latin culture, a fiesta (party) was held on the open pool deck, complete with sangria, piñatas and merengue. Pictured here are participants enjoying dancing salsa, a favourite past time of many people in Latin America. |
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