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Port of Call |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
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| A view of Peace Boat from gondola over Singapore's Harbor Front |
When arriving into Singapore's bustling Harbor Front terminal the country's economic success,
as an ultra modern city-state, immediately stands out. In recent years Singapore has undergone many
political reforms, and as the middleclass grows so does its desire for social and governmental change.
While the government of Singapore still enforces strict socio-political regulations over its people,
it is considered by many to be a government of a clean corporate mind-set. |
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| War Memorial Park |
After winding through the modern airport-like-terminal a group of participants set off to visit The
Sun Yet San Nanyang Memorial Hall. The museum is an important educational tool for Peace Boat, because
for many years it exhibited a part of Singapore's history known to few in Japan – namely
the Japanese occupation and the subsequent murder of thousands of Singaporean civilians of Chinese
descent. However, to the surprise of Peace Boat staff member Mr. Nohira, who has been teaching the
group about Japan's imperialist past, the exhibit was no longer on display. The museum's guide
explained to Mr. Nohira that in his opinion the exhibit had been removed, so as not upset the Japanese
Government. The tendency to revise history or ignore the past often seems logical to governments when
trying to improve a countries image, but Peace Boat believes it is important to remember the mistakes
of the past so they are not repeated in the future. |
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| Students from SMU welcome Peace Boat participants |
Building on the philosophy of taking responsibility for the past to build a peaceful future, the Peace
Boat selected Singapore's War Memorial Park for the location of the night's Olympic Truce peace
event. The memorial was built in 1967 under the pressure of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to commemorate
the Chinese killed during the 1940's Japanese invasion. Mistakenly found while
digging an apartment complex foundation, the remains of those killed are now memorialized by a beautiful
towering white statue. |
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| Addressing event, Mr. Edie Tei, Director of United Nations of Singapore |
Continuing the Olympic Truce campaign, the event was the third in a series scheduled before Peace
Boat's arrival into Piraeus for the opening of the Athens Olympic Games. In Piraeus, Peace
Boat will continue the campaign of calling for nuclear and missile non-proliferation, and for the
world to honor the historical tradition of ceasing all hostilities for the duration of the Olympic
Games. During Singapore's event Peace Boat presented the "flames of peace" from
Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the students of SMU (Singapore Management University), guest speakers, and
others in attendance. Mr. Edie Tei, Director of United Nations of Singapore, addressed the opening
of the event by saying that by, "remembering the past we strive for peace and prosperity." He
continued to emphasize that as a peaceful nation Singapore has found happiness, and emphasized the
importance of Peace Boat's Olympic Truce campaign. |
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| Lighting candles from the flames of peace |
Before singing a fitting song titled "Pass it on" a group of SMU students lit candles
from the Hiroshima and Nagasaki flames and passed candles out to the crowd. Soon all in attendance
were holding the flames of peace, and with two young children taking the lead the students of SMU
sang to those in attendance. The singing was then followed by a traditional Macedonian dance. |
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| Fumiko Amano and Le Ly Hayslip greet each other after the event |
When the dancing ended a speech by Fumiko Amano closed the event. A survivor of
Hiroshima bombing, Mrs. Amano was 14 years old when the infamous atomic bomb was dropped on her
city, and even today she can recall the harrowing details of the bombing with piercing clarity.
In a soft but powerful tone she discussed the reason for remembering the past and explained that
the flame of Hiroshima says to the victims of war to please sleep, while at the same time it is
a reminder that as long as war continues, the victims of war will be unable to sleep in tranquility.
Together with Peace Boat members, Mrs. Amano will carry the Hiroshima and Nagasaki flames to Piraeus
to honor the victims war and continue the spirit of peace.
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