Special Report LAST UPDATE May 30, 2009
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April 23, 2009 The 66th Global Voyage begins on a new ship!
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Streamers unite participants onboard the Oceanic with their loved ones on Yokohama's Osanbashi Pier.
With high expectations and huge excitement, the 66th Peace Boat Global Voyage departed Yokohama’s Osanbashi port on a glorious spring day. Leaving behind hundreds of friends, families and well-wishers, passengers threw streamers to their loved ones, invoking an old maritime tradition symbolising their close ties. As the champagne flowed for the farewell toast, a chorus of ittekimasu ( I’m off!) and itterasshai (Goodbye!) could be heard could be heard amidst raucous cheering and emotion.

The 66th voyage will be a momentous one for Peace Boat, entailing a number of first time experiences. The 106-day voyage, visiting 21 ports 20 countries, will be the first onboard the 1964 Maltese ship, the SS Oceanic. The 240m long Oceanic is the 22nd and largest ship ever chartered by NGO Peace Boat in its 26 year history. At the departure ceremony, Captain Georgios Antonellos spoke of the auspiciousness for his ship, crew and himself, to not only to be involved in the ship's first cross-Pacific voyage, but also to be involved with a non-profit operation such as Peace Boat for the first time. Voyage director Hidaka Shinsuke made an inspirational speech, stating that ‘three months may seem a touch on the long side, but 106 days from now, we will make our way home…[with our] experiences…and full of energy’.
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Voyage Director Hidaka Shinsuke, Ship Captain Georgios Antonellos and International Director Emilie McGlone enjoy the festivities.
As the celebrations continued into the evening, Peace Boat Co-founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya regaled participants with tales from the Peace Boat’s colourful 26-year history, including its origins when he and three other young university students in 1983 started an NGO that would open the eyes of over 50,000 participants. Mr Yoshioka’s highly contagious energy captivated the audience as he emphasised the importance of self-belief, stating that ‘world peace begins with belief… as soon as we think we can’t, it is already impossible.’

The voyage will no doubt be filled with fun and adventure, as well as learning and discovery. Involved in the voyage will be over 20 Guest Educators from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. With a huge array of experiences and interests, the Guest Educators all have one thing in common: they all strive to make the world a better place. Ranging from an aromatherapist to wrestlers, journalists, lawyers and many more, the Guest Educators will help participants understand the context and background of the ports Peace Boat will visit, and also help to create an open atmosphere of awareness, discovery and learning. A team of nine Global English/Español Training (GET) teachers is also onboard the ship, giving all participants the opportunity to learn or improve their English or Spanish.
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Peace Boat participants begin the voyage in colourful fashion.
It is not only participants who will be given the opportunity to learn onboard the SS Oceanic. Peace Boat’s International Student (IS) programme offers groups of students from regions of conflict or groups focusing on a particular theme such as environmental issues, the chance to participate in onboard study programmes to develop the knowledge, skills, motivation and means to return to their home countries and initiate concrete steps to build a better world.

On this voyage, a group of students from the Baltic region, including Sweden, Poland, Russia, Latvia and Ukraine, will join Peace Boat during the segment from Stockholm to Reykjavik, participating in a study programme on sustainable development. From Singapore, a youth activist from Lebanon will join the ship to contemplate issues affecting the Middle East region, and possible means of resolution, together with Peace Boat participants. The students will share their discoveries and insights with Peace Boat participants during their shared journey.
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A group of Peace Boat volunteer staff from Nagoya pose against the striking Yokohama skyline.
At this time of global change, themes for the 66th Global Voyage will concentrate on pressing contemporary issues from around the world. Stopping in Aqaba, Jordan, Peace Boat participants will be given the chance to better understand the conflict situation in the Middle East via Peace Boat co-ordinated Study Programmes. Visiting a Palestinian refugee camp, participants will meet Palestinian refugees living in Jordan face to face and listen to their tales of survival, hardship and hope.

After passing through the Suez Canal, the Peace Boat will tour extensively through Europe, visiting for the first time the Baltic ports of Stockholm, Helsinki and St Petersburg. With a study focus on linking peace with the environment, Peace Boat will learn from its European partner-organizations about sustainable development and living in harmony with the earth. In Stockholm on World Environment Day, Peace Boat plans to hold a special event onboard to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable development and peace.
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Passing under Yokohama's Bridge is the last distinctive view of Japan participants will have until returning in August.
Other themes to be explored on the voyage include: the impact of the current economic crisis and the influence of President Obama in the US; Venezuela’s socialist policies under President Chavez and other social reforms throughout South America; the relevance and importance of the Japanese peace constitution’s anti-war clause (Article 9) and other countries' similar efforts – notably Costa Rica; and finally how to implement concepts and ideas learned onboard Peace Boat into daily life and become a Change Maker!