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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| September 1, 2004 |
Belfast, Northern Ireland – Cultural Event in Belfast |
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| Young girl performing traditional Irish dance |
On the first evening of Peace Boat's visit to Belfast, thanks to the help of many local organizations
including Ballynafeigh Community Development Association (BCDA) and Queen's University of Belfast,
over a thousand residents and Peace Boat participants gathered in Whitla Hall for a celebration of
cultural diversity. Beginning the event, young people from the dance troops Bright Lights and Doherty
School of Dance preformed traditional Scottish and Irish dance. |
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| Pipe band of the Royal Irish Rangers |
Marching into the hall in a traditional formation, the Pipe Band of the Royal Irish Rangers filled
the room with the rich sound of bagpipes. After the performance, with the humming of a solo piper
playing in the background, Peace Boat presented the city of Belfast and the Ballynafeigh Community
Development Association with a Peace Flame kindled from the memorial flames in the peace parks of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. |
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| Peace Boat staff Eric Ellefsen and Katie Hamlon, Director of BCDA |
Peace Boat carried this flame from Tokyo to Belfast to symbolize the continued efforts to strive for
peace around the world. On behalf of BCDA, the organization's director Katie Hamlon proudly accepted
the flame and pronounced her gratitude as a recipient, and was honored to be part of the flame's continued
journey to New York City for a ceremony on the anniversary of September 11th. |
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| Outside Whitla Hall on Queen's University campus |
After the presentation of the Peace Flame, Gerry McCormac, Vice Chancellor of Queens University welcomed
Peace Boat to Northern Ireland and thanked all for supporting the event. Emphasizing that the event
was a celebration of diversity, he drew upon a parallel between Peace Boat and Queens University -
one a global university for peace education, the other serving as an educator for its local community
for 160 years. Closing his remarks he expressed his hope for a peaceful future for Belfast and said, "The
past cannot be changed, but we can work together to shape our shared future. Queen's University, like
Peace Boat, is committed to helping achieve this aim." |
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| Peace Boat participants perform Awadori |
To celebrate the culture of Japan, participants of Peace Boat preformed an energized performance of
Japan's taiko traditional drumming, followed by the time-honored dances of Awadori from Shikoku Island,
and Soran, a fisherman's dance, from Hokkaido. |
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| Community organizations exhibit their crafts |
As music filled the hall displays by local community groups including information
about their projects and work and samples of arts, crafts and pottery were on view. These projects
included the Community Foundation of Northern Ireland, which provides financial support for local
communities, the Cedar Foundation, and the Ballynafeigh Community House.
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| The McPeake Band wrapping up the event |
Nearing the end of the event the band Different Drum performed a series of progressive folk style
songs. To show their ability to break down the historic division of Catholics and Protestants in Northern
Ireland, the musicians blended traditional instruments from both cultures. The McPeake Band soon followed
with rhythmic, culturally rich sounds of Northern Ireland. |
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Additional thanks to Tourism Ireland and the Police Service
of Northern Ireland for their contributions.
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