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Special Report |
LAST UPDATE July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| July 14-15, 2004 |
Departure of Peace Boat's 46th Global Voyage From
the fires of war to the flames of peace |
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| Greek Ambassador, H.E. Ambassador Kyriakos Rodoussakis welcomes Peace Boat to Greece
for the Olympic Games |
Crowding the docks in Tokyo and Kobe hundreds gathered to cheer farewell for the departure of Peace
Boat's 46th global voyage. The 46th voyage will be the largest voyage in Peace Boat's 21-year history
with over 950 participants, staff, and volunteers. This diverse group will range in age from 2 to
90 years old and represent 17 nations. A special guest for this departure was the Greek Ambassador
to Japan, H.E. Ambassador Kyriakos Rodoussakis, who assured Peace Boat a warm welcome to Greece for
the opening of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. The Ambassador emphasized the importance of Peace Boat's
visit in the hope that this years Olympics will send the message of peace to the world. Of the organization
and participants he said, "You join the flame of your heart, and your spirit, and your soul,
with the flames for peace and for human cooperation." |
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| Peace Boat staff Eric Ellefsen and Mikako Hori host the Tokyo departure ceremony |
As part of Peace Boat Olympic Truce Campaign (calling for a global cease of all hostiles during the
Olympic Games) the "fires of peace" or Peace Flames collected in Nagasaki and Hiroshima
will be delivered half way around the world, first to Athens and then onto New York to commemorate
the third Anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Prior to arriving in Greece, Peace
Boat will also organize events to appeal for an Olympic Truce with local community members and NGOs
in Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. |
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| Peace Boat staff Sachie Nakamura introduces Eritrea's first Ambassador to Japan,
H.E. Ambassador Estifanos Afeworki |
Several other key speakers delivered encouraging speeches for the upcoming voyage, including H.E.
Ambassador Estifanos Afeworki, Eritrean Ambassador to Japan. Thanking Peace Boat for visiting Eritrea
for the last 10 years, he said that, "By truly transcending boarders, you [Peace Boat] have won
many friends in Africa and Eritrea." |
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| Peace Boat participant waves final goodbye to family and friends |
Throughout the 97-day voyage the Peace Boat will call at 22 ports in 19 countries. Other port highlights
will include a youth exchange in Vietnam, learning about the effects of conflict in Sri Lanka, building
youth leadership in Northern Ireland, visiting mangrove restoration and community building in Colombia,
and women's role in peace-building in Guatemala. In addition, to facilitate the onboard education
program throughout the voyage, Peace Boat will host a number of visiting photographers, journalists,
environmentalists, professors, musicians, and NGO activists from all over the world. |
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| Yuki Hirayama and Rika Satake deliver send-off speech from Kobe, Japan |
While at sea participants will have the opportunity to take part in educational activities, dance
lessons, lectures, language classes, media related activities, and education workshops. Participants
can also take part in volunteer-education based programs onboard, such as UPA, which delivers support
goods for sustainable development to our partners in some ports, Peace Ball for sports activities,
P-MAC or Peace Boat Mine Abolition Campaign and SPACE (Share Peace Art Creative Energy)a performance
based dance troupe. |
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