APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016
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CONTENT About Peace Boat
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Peace Boat’s Voyages, educational programmes and advocacy campaigns
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Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Center 22 Ecoship Project
Copyright: Peace Boat. Ecoship images and design copyright Peace Boat and Oliver Design
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PEACE BOAT · A year in review
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ABOUT PEACE BOAT
Established in 1983, Peace Boat is a Japan-based international NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. It promotes peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment through the organization of global educational programmes, cooperative projects and advocacy activities carried out in partnership with other civil society organizations and local communities. Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Peace Boat’s activities – from awareness raising programmes on renewable energy to training programmes for disaster risk resilience – empower participants, strengthen local capacity for sustainability and build people-to-people cooperation beyond borders. Peace Boat’s global voyages are run on a social business model with educational programmes, cooperative projects and advocacy funded by voyage participation fees.
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016
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Educational programmes onboard utilize Peace Boat’s ship as a neutral learning space and mobile classroom. Educational opportunities are offered to all participants on the peace voyages through numerous lectures and workshops, which take place daily on the ship. They cover contemporary global issues including conflict, human rights, climate change and the environment and enable participants to gain a better understanding of how local communities and individuals are affected by, and find creative solutions to, problems that exist around the world. Guest Educators are invited onboard to share their experiences and expertise as part of the onboard education programmes. Activities on land build alliances and promote solidarity with different actors and at different levels of each society. Peace Boat’s activities are environmentally low impact and jointly organised with the communities to answer our partners’ needs and contribute directly to their sustainable economic growth and the promotion of sustainable tourism practices, as well as mobilise participants. Study programmes are organized to highlight particular problems and share innovative local alternatives. This local level learning is then integrated into thinking on a global scale. Exchange programmes bring Peace Boat participants and local people together to share common activities and move beyond the barriers of language and cultural difference, a precondition for peace and sustainability.
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PEACE BOAT · A year in review
ABOUT PEACE BOAT
33 years
of activities 2008 Nobel Peace Prize Nomination
More than 60 global voyages Over 30 regional cruises More than 60,000 participants Visited over 100 ports in more than 80 countries This review provides an overview of the work of Peace Boat from April 2015 – March 2016.
Campaigns and advocacy work are carried out both as part of the global voyages and independent to them. Peace Boat has established a network of partners in communities around the world enabling it to effectively represent civil society as an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the UN. Peace Boat was an official messenger for the Millennium Campaign to End Poverty until the end of 2015, and is continuing to promote the SDGs. Peace Boat aims to contribute to the advocacy work of our local partners through the organization of joint activities in port aimed at raising local, national and international awareness. Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Centre (PBV), established in 2011 following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, builds on Peace Boat’s 15-year experience in disaster relief. It trains and dispatches volunteers to areas in Japan and around the world affected by disasters. As the risk to citizens increases with the threat of climate change and environmental disasters, Peace Boat is actively engaged in developing and implementing programmes focused on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). It is a partner with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) “Making Cities Resilient” Campaign, acting as messenger, venue and vehicle for the campaign. Peace Boat Ecoship Project is a transformative programme to build the world’s most sustainable passenger ship. The project aims to create a ship for Peace Boat’s educational voyages which is in line with its message of sustainability, while sailing as a flagship for climate action and developing sustainable energy solutions for the cruise and shipping industry. The Ecoship’s design was publicly announced at COP21 in December 2015. Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals In 2009 Peace Boat became an official partner of the United Nations Millennium Campaign that was launched in 2002 to support citizen’s participation in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Through the logo of the campaign painted on the hull, Peace Boat not only intensified its existing local and global initiatives to eradicate poverty, but it also became a global awareness raising tool for the campaign. On September 25th 2015, world leaders met again to give another dimension to the goals and launched the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the SDGs. Peace Boat welcomes with enthusiasm this new and holistic approach and wishes to express its renewed and deep commitment to their achievement. 2016 will witness Peace Boat’s shift from campaigning on the MDGs to the SDGs, with the SDGs “The Global Goals” logo being painted on our ship’s hull. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016
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From April 2015 to March 2016, Peace Boat organized three Global Voyages, one East Asia Voyage and one Peace & Green Boat Voyage, this last one in partnership with the South Korean Environmental NGO, Green Foundation.
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PEACE BOAT · A year in review
PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
www. peaceboat.org/english
87th Global Voyage for Peace: April 12 - July 25, 2015 Sailing for 105 days, this voyage took a northern route including Scandinavian and Baltic ports as well as Greenland with 1000 participants onboard.
“Global Voyage for a Nuclear Free world: Peace Boat Hibakusha Project”
Reykjavik Bergen
Stockholm Helsinki Saint Petersburg
Copenhagen
Gdansk
Warnemunde Zeebrugge Le Havre
Lisbon
Motril
Piraeus
Yokohama
Kusadasi
Catania
Kobe
Port Said Honolulu
Willemstad Puerto Quetzal
Concerned about the advancing age of the survivors, Peace Boat has been organizing the Hibakusha Project since 2008. The testimonies of survivors have been key in understanding the devastating humanitarian and environmental impact of nuclear weapons. The project aims for Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) to share their experiences as a step towards nuclear abolition. Since 2008, 160 Hibakusha have travelled with Peace Boat to share their experiences. In 2015, a delegation of eight Hibakusha from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, joined the voyage to share testimonies of their experiences as part of the 9th Hibakusha Project. They were designated as Special Communicators for a Nuclear-Free World by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the bombings, Peace Boat worked in collaboration with the Hiroshima-based network, Mayors for Peace, to produce the “I was her Age” Project. Events were held in member cities around the world that facilitated meetings between child survivors of the atomic bombings, and local parents with children who were the same age as the Hibakusha at the moment of the bombing – between 5 and 11 years old. The project focused on the need to pass on the experiences and message of the survivors to the future generations. Other activities of the Hibakusha included a meeting with the President and speeches at the Parliament of Greece, addressing the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, meeting with World War II survivors in Germany, and receptions by the Mayors of cities including Ypres, Reykjavik and Honolulu.
Cristobal
La Guaira
Jeddah
Kochin Singapore
ITINERARY: Yokohama (Japan) Kobe (Japan) Singapore Kochi (India) Limassol (Cyprus) Santorini Island (Greece) Kusadasi (Turkey) Piraeus (Greece) Catania (Italy) Motril (Spain) Lisbon (Portugal) Le Havre (France) Zeebrugge (Belgium) Gdansk (Poland) Stockholm (Sweden) Saint Petersburg (Russia) Helsinki (Finland) Warnemünde (Germany) Copenhagen (Denmark) Bergen (Norway) Reykjavik (Iceland) La Guaira (Venezuela) Willemstad (Curacao) Cristobal (Panama) Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala) Honolulu (United States) Yokohama (Japan) Kobe (Japan)
Calls for Nuclear Disarmament at the United Nations and around the world.
April-May 2015, Peace Boat represented civil society at the United Nations’ 2015 NPT Review Conference (2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons). At the same time, Peace Boat worked to strengthen awareness of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons through multifaceted activities, including a Concert for Disarmament in New York City with 1000 people honouring the legacy of the Hibakusha. Peace Boat also held two parallel events at the United Nations Headquarters during the NPT Review Conference. Peace Boat continued its work as an active member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons (ICAN). APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016
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88th Global Voyage for Peace: 21 August - 6 December 2015 Sailing for 108 days around the world with an average of 1000 participants onboard, it marked Peace Boat’s first visit to the ports of Cebu, Dubai, Doha and Belize City. Venice Marselles Ponta Delgada
Barcelona Gibraltar
Empowering youth: training and education in a global context The 88th Global Voyage was dedicated to empowering youth and preparing them for future leadership. Within the framework of the Change Agents Programme –led by partner organization and Nobel Peace Laureate, World Alliance of YMCA- Peace Boat hosted onboard a group of 150 young people from 60 countries, and supported its programmes in Japan, the Philippines and Singapore. The Change Agent Programme is a two-year international leadership development programme aiming to empower young people to positively impact the life situation of young people around the world. YMCAs operate in a wide range of programme areas addressing injustices against young people through employment, environment, peacebuilding and community engagement. The “Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building for Young Leaders in Asia” programme was co-organized by Peace Boat and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). During the 10-day programme, a group of young leaders from Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore representing governments, NGOs and academia, shared the successes and challenges of reducing disaster risk in their respective countries, with the aim of strengthening regional cooperation and building relations between emerging leaders. The group visited areas in Cebu Island devastated by the Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. “Palestine 2030” was co-organized with Palestinian Vision Organization (PalVision) and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) to bring together twenty Palestinians in their twenties and thirties from the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, diaspora and citizens of Israel for capacity training for emerging future leaders. During the two-week programme the young professionals representing civil society organizations, media, academia worked together to build a vision for the future of Palestine. This voyage was also host to several educational programmes for youth including a Global University programme on sustainability and global security. 8
PEACE BOAT · A year in review
Dubrovnik Kotor Piraeus
Palermo
Kusadasi
Yokohama
Port Said Doha Dubai
Cozumel
Mumbai
Belize City Cebu
Cristobal Singapore
Bora Bora Island
Callao
Papeete Apla
ITINERARY: Yokohama (Japan) Cebu (the Philippines) Singapore Mumbai (India) Dubai (United Arab Emirates) Doha (Qatar) Santorini Island (Greece) Kusadasi (Turkey) Piraeus (Greece) Venice (Italy) Dubrovnik (Croatia) Kotor (Montenegro) Palermo (Italy) Marseilles (France) Barcelona (Spain) Gibraltar Ponta Delgada (Portugal) Cozumel (Mexico) Belize City (Belize) Cristobal (Panama) Callao; (Peru) Papeete (Tahiti) Bora Bora Island (Tahiti) Apia (Samoa) Yokohama (Japan)
PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS 90th Global Voyage: 17 December 2015 - 30 March 2016 Sailing for 105 days around the world and with an average of 800 participants onboard, this voyage followed a route through the southern hemisphere.
Cooperation for Resilience: Contributing to the UNISDR “Making Cities Resilient” Campaign
Yokohama Naha Xiamen Da Nang Majuro
Male Singapore Bora Bora Island Papeete Walvis Bay Rapa Nui (Easter Island)
Following the 2014 partnership agreement with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), Peace Boat has been a proactive member of its “Making Cities Resilient” Campaign. Building on previous meetings and capacity building programmes for young people held in African and Central America, the 90th Voyage was host to an intense programme in South America that combined conferences, workshops and media events onboard and in the ports of Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Valparaiso. In Montevideo, Uruguay, a forum with more that 50 participants was held onboard, with members of the civil society (including Friends of the Earth and the Scout movement of Uruguay) and officials from the government (the National System of Emergencies, the Ministry of Social Development). The forum highlighted the need, but also the commitment, from civil society and the public sector, to cooperate and promote alliances for resilience. In Argentina, an event was organized on the theme of urban resilience and youth empowerment. The lessons learned in the aftermath of the 2013 floods in the North-eastern part of the country, have allowed for a vast raising awareness campaign to take place at the national level. Peace Boat docked in Valparaiso, Chile, the day before the sixth anniversary of the earthquake of February 27, 2010. This was an opportunity to share the lessons learned from this tragic experience, promote the global campaign “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready”, and call for the strengthening of the political commitment to disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change in local governments.
Rio de Janeiro
Valparaiso Buenos Aires
Maputo
Port Loius Port Reunion Ehoala
Cape Town
Montevideo
Ushuaia
ITINERARY: Itinerary: Yokohama (Japan) Naha (Japan) Xiamen (China) Da Nang (Vietnam) Singapore Male (Maldives) Port Louis (Mauritius) Le Port (Reunion) Ehoala (Madagascar) Maputo (Mozambique) Cape Town (South Africa) Walvis Bay (Namibia) Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) Montevideo (Uruguay) Buenos Aires (Argentina) Ushuaia (Argentina) Valparaiso (Chile) Rapa Nui (Chile) Papeete (Tahiti) Bora Bora Island (Tahiti) Majuro (Marshall Islands) Yokohama (Japan)
United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, UNISDR’s “Making Cities Resilient” Campaign This year, Peace Boat has actively participated in the UNISDR’s “Making Cities Resilient” campaign after it became an official campaign partner in 2014. The UNISDR seeks to create global awareness of disaster risk reduction benefits and empower people to reduce their vulnerability to hazards. Its “Making Cities Resilient” Campaign aims to raise the profile of resilience and disaster risk reduction among local governments and urban communities worldwide. Particularly exposed to hazards are coastal cities. Not only are they the most populated areas in the world but they will also be the first ones to suffer the negative impacts of climate change. Peace Boat visits around 80 of these coastal areas per year, some of them highly vulnerable. Building on its experience in disaster relief including the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, Peace Boat has organised several education programmes and awareness raising events throughout 2015-2016. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016
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East Asia Voyage: March 21 - April 2 2015. With more than 900 participants onboard, and sailing for 13 days, the East Asia voyage focused on issues affecting the region.
Regional Cooperation for a Sustainable Future This East Asia Voyage visited ports in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. The consequences of climate change, environmental degradation or security concerns, are not limited by national borders. A regional cooperation is necessary to respond to these threats. Participants engaged in programmes, which ranged from concerns raised by a reliance on nuclear power in the region as well as the resurgence of environmental protection through a desire to protect nature and traditional lifestyles.
Launch of the Ulaanbaatar Process for Northeast Asia Advocacy for peace in the Northeast Asian region has been a pillar of Peace Boat’s work for more than 30 years. Since the network’s foundation in 2005, Peace Boat has acted as the Northeast Asia Regional Secretariat for the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC). In 2015, it launched the Ulaanbaatar Process, a civil society-led dialogue for peace and human security in the region. Peace activists and experts from China, Japan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States and Mongolia gathered for a frank and open discussion on challenges and tensions in the region, and the role that civil society can play in addressing them.
Empowering youth from Fukushima To provide a healthy, dynamic and creative retreat for children affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Peace Boat created the Fukushima Youth Ambassadors Programme in which young people come onboard to take part in study and exchange programmes in Japan and abroad. In spring 2015, 12 junior high school students from Minamisoma - a city located on the coast only 25 km from the Fukushima nuclear power plant - joined the ship. In travelling and learning new skills, they gained confidence and a fresh perspective, invaluable to them as they consider their future and that of their disaster-affected community. 10 PEACE BOAT · A year in review
ITINERARY: Kobe (Japan) Ishigaki Island (Japan) Keelung (Taiwan) Naha (Japan) Hakata (Japan) Jeju Island (Korea) Hiroshima (Japan) Kobe (Japan)
PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS Peace & Green Boat 2015 Asian Regional Voyage: 1 – 10 August 2015 1000 participants, half from Japan, half from Korea sailed for 10 days on Peace and Green Boat, a programme organized in partnership with the largest environmental organization in the Republic of Korea, the Green Foundation. The Peace & Green Boat voyages aim to foster cooperation between Japan and Korea to jointly construct a peaceful and sustainable future for the region.
Symposium on the Future Renewable Energy Needs Peace Boat held an onboard symposium on the future of renewable energy needs in both Japan and Korea. One of the speakers in the symposium was Naoto Kan, former Prime Minister of Japan at the time of the disaster at Fukushima nuclear power plant. Having led Japan through the 2011 nuclear crisis, Kan is now campaigning for a nuclear free world. Another participant was Iida Tetsunari, the director of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies in Japan. Following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, he is calling for a decrease in Japan’s reliance on nuclear power and an increase in renewable energy use. Participants took part in a study programme visiting nuclear power plant sites in Busan, (South Korea), Otaru and Hakata (Japan).
ITINERARY: Hakata (Japan) Busan (South Korea) Vladivostok (Russia) Otaru (Japan) Nagasaki (Japan)
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016
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In addition to the lectures and workshops offered to all participants on a daily basis throughout the voyages, in 2015-2016, Peace Boat also organized programmes with specific curricula for certain groups of participants. Programmes this year included:
12 PEACE BOAT ¡ A year in review
PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS Global University and International Students programmes Global University and International Students programmes are intensive, advanced, peace and sustainability programmes which challenge participants to confront regional and global issues through workshops, seminars, and in-port exposure programmes. Global University programmes are organized by Peace Boat. They are structured in thematic units that vary according to the itinerary of the ship, and voyage. Between April 2015 and March 2016, Peace Boat organized two separate Global University programmes. The first conducted in Japanese, included participants from youth to retirees, reflecting Peace Boat’s principle of lifelong learning. The second programme over three weeks and conducted in English focused on youth capacity building and brought together students and young professionals from across Asia for a programme on Human Security in Asia. International Students programmes are shorter (an average of 10 days) and are organized in close cooperation with partners, either academic institutions or civil society organizations, many taking place on a regular basis. They have a clear regional focus with participants sharing issues that need a platform for learning, consensus building and joint actions. Some of the programmes organized included the “Palestine 2030” programme, the sixth collaboration with Tübingen University and the fourth collaboration with the Tehran Peace Museum, as well as media students from New York city with Downtown Community Television Center (DCTV), and several Resilient Cities Training Programmes. Learning Languages around the world: GET Programme Peace Boat, through its GET Programme, organizes onboard language programmes to facilitate communication between participants and the people they meet in port and onboard. These programmes focus on oral communication and combine onboard classroom study and a range of language-based activities, with exchange programmes in selected ports of call. This year, more than 300 people between the ages of 18 and 88 participated in this programme. The main languages taught were English and Spanish with additional classes in French, Arabic and Chinese. Students took part in in-port programmes in Apia (Samoa), Cape Town (South Africa), Cebu (the Philippines), Cristobal (Panama), Gibraltar, Hawaii (USA), Kochi and Mumbai (India), Majuro (Marshall Islands), Singapore and Walvis Bay (Namibia). Montessori Programme Peace Boat’s Montessori Programme aims at sowing the seeds for a new generation of peace builders by offering children an environment in which they can see the world and meet people with the most diverse backgrounds. In 2015, the Montessori Programme was held onboard the 87th Global Voyage, during which children between 2 and 6 years old attended the onboard school that follows a peace education curriculum based on the Montessori educational model. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 13
The Global University Programme on Human Security From 19 August to 9 September 2015, Peace Boat conducted an intensive programme on Human Security in Asia. It brought together fifteen young professionals and students from China, India, Japan, Nepal and the Republic of Korea to analyse some of the challenges the region faces today –including natural disasters, climate change, migration, gender inequalities and poverty– and their impact on peace and sustainability in the Asia-Pacific region. As a positive outcome of Peace Boat’s efforts to strengthen strategic partnerships with universities across the region, many students were recruited through Peace Boat’s partner universities: Tokyo University (Japan), Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS), Hanshin University (South Korea), and China University of Foreign Affairs (CUFA). The students also took part in exposure programmes in Tokyo (Japan), Cebu (the Philippines), Singapore and Mumbai (India).
Academic collaboration with Tübingen University A group of MA students from Peace and Conflict Research and International Affairs Division from Tübingen University took part in a programme onboard, framed by Tübingen professors, as part of their official curriculum. The course covered conflict analysis and reconciliation process, focusing on an examination of the war in the former Yugoslavia and including analyses such as the root causes of war, the rise of nationalism and the decision-making processes which led to war. Through seminars and workshops onboard and through field visits in ports of call of Dubrovnik (Croatia), Kotor (Montenegro), Venice and Palermo (Italy), the students looked closely at the character and structure of war and could develop tools that will allow them to identify and create early-alert mechanism to prevent future conflicts.
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PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
Promoting volunteers Peace Boat utilizes its global voyage to promote volunteerism. It has developed volunteering mechanisms to make its voyages accessible to more people while giving them the opportunity to build valuable professional experience. Each voyage, Peace Boat recruits between 8 to 12 professional language teachers to support its language programmes onboard, depending on student enrolment numbers. The language teaching positions are done on a volunteer basis, but the participation fee for the voyage is fully covered by Peace Boat. On this same model, Peace Boat recruits and trains volunteer translators and interpreters. Being at the front line of all the programmes, both onboard and in land, they are instrumental in allowing communication and exchange. Between April 2015 - March 2016, volunteers from countries including Canada, USA, Macao, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the Philippines, the UK, Ireland, Italy, France and Spain joined Peace Boat voyages in this way. Many other volunteer opportunities are available to Peace Boat participants during the voyage. Many aspects of the onboard education system is run by participants themselves on a volunteer basis. Moreover Peace Boat has developed volunteer system through which future participants on Peace Boat voyages can volunteer in advocacy projects and administration in one of the Peace Boat Centers in Japan with each volunteer hour accounting for a discount in the price of the participation fee. During each voyage around 30% of our participants have their fees fully or partially discounted through this volunteer system.Â
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 15
Guest Educators - professors, journalists, musicians, community activists, artists and experts in their fields – are invited to join Peace Boat voyages to share their experience and knowledge as an essential part of the onboard education programme. An average of 25 Guest Educators take part in each Global Voyage and organize lectures, seminars and workshops in collaboration with participants and staff. Guest Educators onboard voyages 2015-2016 included: · Tsina ENDOR, NGO Azafady International Volunteer Coordinator · Nenad FISER, Analyst at the International Criminal Tribunal of the former Yugoslavia · Eckhardt FUCHS, Historian and Deputy Director of Institute for International Textbook Research · FUKATSU Takako, Association Montessori International Certified Teacher and Advisor · Ela GANDHI, Peace Activist · Soren HERMANSEN, Renewable Energy innovator · HOSOKAWA Kayoko, Chairperson of NPO Wings of Courage · ISEZAKI Kenji, Professor of Area Studies for Graduate School of Global Studies at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies · ITO Chihiro, Journalist, Asahi Shinbun · ITO Shoichi, Special Visiting Research Fellow at National Astronomical Observatory of Japan · KOBAYASHi Kazuko, Tour Guide and Educator on Japanese aggression in Singapore · Monica KOGISO, Representative of the Panamerican Nikkei Association · KOTOBUKI, Musical Duo · Taryn LANE, Community Energy Advocate · Binka LE BRETON, Writer, Environmentalist and Activist · Steven LEEPER, Peace Activist, Former Chairman of the Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation · MAKISHI Yoshikazu, Okinawan activist · Jon MITCHELL, Journalist
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· Duduzile NKABIND, Japan International Volunteer Center (JV) South Africa Project Coordinator · Carmelita NUQUI, Executive Director of DAWN (Development Action for Women Network) · John PERKINS, Activist, Economist and Author · Francis SILVA, Samba Musician · Andri SOREN MAGNASON, Environmental Activist · SHIRANE Zen, Photojournalist, Carnival Reviewer · SUMA Akira, Director/Producer for NHK Enterprises UNESCO · Kathleen SULLIVAN, Programme Director of Hibakusha Stories · Lisa SULLIVAN, Coordinator of the Kaikauri Peace Center · Kumar SUNDARAM, Senior Researcher and Campaigner, Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace · TABEI Junko, Alpinist · Faumuina TAFUNA, Media Specialist · TAKASE Tsuyoshi, Freelance Journalist · TANAKA Yu, Environmental Activist · Coco TERAO, Artist · Gabriel TETIARAHI, Founder of NGO Hiti Tau · TOMITA Toko, Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) South Africa Project Manager · Rosa Paoa TUKI, Teacher and Dancer of Rapa Nui dance · Mark WEISS, Education Director of Operation Respect · YAGI Nobuyo, Musician & Author · Peter YARROW, Singer/songwriter, Founder and President of Operation Respect · YOSHII Yutaka, Photographer · YOSHIOKA Atsushi, Representative of Café Slow
PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS Binka Le Breton: Researching and restoring the Atlantic Rainforest The 90th Global Voyage was the fifth time for environmental activist, Binka Le Breton to travel onboard Peace Boat. Born in the UK, she decided to settle in Brazil 25 years ago where she leads an NGO called Iracambi. She works to restore the Amazon Rainforest, research its ecosystems, develop sustainable communities and manage natural resources. During her time onboard, she gave several lectures focusing on the difficult issues the country is dealing with including environmental degradation and modern day slavery.
Tsina Endor: Improving education conditions in southeast Madagascar Since 2005, Tsina Endor has been working for Azafady, a local NGO dedicated to poverty alleviation, community development, and biodiversity conservation in southeast Madagascar. Azafady operates at the grass-root level by empowering some of the most economically marginalized people in the region to establish sustainable livelihoods. Onboard the 90th Voyage, she talked about Azafady’s activities, as well as about the culture, politics and environment of Madagascar, along with the status and lifes of its women. During Peace Boat’s visit to Ehoala, a group of participants took part in a study programme to learn about their projects and assisted in building desks and benches to accommodate more students in one of the schools.
Rosalina Tuyuc: The world through the eyes of a well-known Mayan activist During the 87th Global Voyage, Mayan activist, Rosalina Tuyuc was invited onboard to give a series of special lectures retracing her life and struggle. She spoke about her experiences during the civil war and work to raise awareness of the genocide and activities as a spokesperson for the indigenous community in Guatemala struggling against the impact of mining. She shared the wisdom, knowledge and traditions of Mayan culture, their belief in the importance of coexistence with nature and the role of indigenous knowledge in tackling contemporary issues including climate change and the destruction of nature for short-term resources.
Ela Gandhi: Creating peaceful waters for the future Ela Gandhi is the granddaughter of one of the world’s greatest advocates of non-violent civil disobedience, Mahatma Gandhi. A champion of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and a leader in the struggle for universal equality. Gandhi came onboard the 88th Global Voyage to share the experiences of her lifetime of activism and the teachings of her grandfather. Onboard Peace Boat she talked about her two priorities today: developing alternatives to nuclear power in South Africa and improving moral education in schools.
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 17
A wide range of optional programmes were organized on Peace Boat’s voyages 2015-2016. Exchange programmes took place in a variety of locations from schools, community organisations and centers supporting children in poverty in Spain, India, Vietnam and Guatemala. Study programmes included topics as diverse as indigenous rights, democracy building, sustainable agriculture, climate change, and the effects of Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines. Participants visited community wind farms, eco-villages, refugee support centers and met with local groups including indigenous communities in Latin America and the Pacific, human rights organizations and social business cooperatives. 18 PEACE BOAT ¡ A year in review
PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
Facing climate change in the Marshall Islands
For the first time in its history, on March 2016, Peace Boat docked in the port of Majuro, in the Republic of the Marshall Islands as part of its 90th Global Voyage. A symposium on nuclear issues was organized together with the Marshallese NGO REACH-MI (Radiation Exposure Awareness Crusaders for HumanityMarshall Islands). Amongst the participants of this event were members from the environmental organization Jo-Jikum, students from the College of The Marshall Islands and other local community members. Among the group there was a young Marshallese woman, Kathy Jetnil Kijiner. Kathy became well known internationally after giving a moving spoken word presentation during the opening ceremony of the UN Climate Leaders Summit in New York in 2014. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 19
Cleaning the beach in the Maldives
In January 2016, Peace Boat’s 90th Global Voyage visited the Maldives where a group of participants spent the day learning about waste management, the frontline effects of climate change and other issues facing the island nation. They joined youth volunteers in the capital, Malé, for an event called ‘Walk to clean’, organized by Junior Chamber International Kaafu (JCI Kaafu), a local organization affiliated with JCI Maldives aiming to empower young people to create positive change. Peace Boat participants and local volunteers took part in the clean up of an artificial beach where large amounts of trash accumulates, especially plastic bottles and bags. The local volunteers were pleased to receive international support for their work and for Peace Boat participants it was a valuable opportunity to learn about grass-roots youth initiative.
Learning about renewable energy in Denmark and Iceland
In June 2015, as part of Peace Boat’s visit to the Nordic countries, study programmes on the subject of sustainable energy were organized in Denmark and Iceland. In Denmark, participants visited a wind farm and met with organizers of community cooperatives to learn how the country had shifted its energy policy to produce 30% of its electricity by wind. In Iceland, one group of participants learned about the role of geothermal power in tackling climate change at a geothermal power plant while another spent the day at Sólheimar Ecovillage which uses solar and geothermal energy. In preparation for the programmes in ports, participants were joined onboard by Soren Hermansen the director of Samso Energy Academy who explained how Samso island had cut its carbon emissions by 140%, writer and environmental activist, Andri Soren Magnason and community energy advocate, Taryn Lane.
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PEACE BOAT’S VOYAGES,EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS
Musical instruments for Venezuela
Since 2007, Peace Boat has been working with the Venezuelan youth orchestra, Fundación Musical Simón Bolívar (FMSB), otherwise known as El Sistema, and has invited more than 50 young musicians onboard the ship and brought musical instruments from Japan to Venezuela. Peace Boat participants on the 87th Global Voyage joined cultural exchange programmes with the young people of the orchestra, and learned about the role of music in youth education and empowerment in Venezuela. In 2015, 200 musical instruments were delivered to Venezuela.
Support goods for sustainability
Peace Boat, through its Project Team United People’s Alliance (UPA), delivers support goods for sustainability. These goods, such as computers, school supplies and bikes are gathered by volunteers from across Japan and transported onboard the ship. Contributions reflect the actual needs of local communities, as determined through consultation with Peace Boat’s partner organizations. In 2015-2016, goods were delivered to communities around the world including in Ehoala (Madagascar), Maputo (Mozambique), Valparaiso & Rapa Nui (Chile), St. Petersburg (Russia) and Warnemünde (Germany), including stationery, tools, musical instruments, cameras, soccer balls and boots and clothes.
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 21
Peace Boat has carried out disaster relief operations around the world since the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Kobe, when Peace Boat sent approximately 1000 volunteers to the affected areas. In 2011, in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Center (PBV) was established as a specialist organization to assist disasteraffected communities worldwide.
22 PEACE BOAT ¡ A year in review
PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER CENTER www.pbv.or.jp/en
PBV has three main lines of work:
GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI: ACTIVITIES IN TOHOKU
DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL DISASTER RELIEF
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 23
GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI: Activities in Tohoku
Since its establishment, PBV has carried out activities in the Tohoku region to support its recovery. In 2015, five years after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, activities continue to strengthen the economic and social well-being of the region. The following are a selection of PBV’s ongoing programmes.
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PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER CENTER
Connecting Producers and Consumers: supporting the recovery of disaster-affected businesses Many companies in coastal Tohoku were devastated and experienced challenges in restarting their operations after the tsunami. PBV has organized seminars for business owners and entrepreneurs to support their recovery. This led to the establishment of the “Nombiru Marche de Net�, an on-going online platform for e-commerce service which links Tohoku producers with nation-wide consumers. Imacoco Project: connecting people to support fisheries The fishing industry is one of the major industries in Miyagi Prefecture, and the fisheries are crucial to the community and play a crucial role socially and economically. However, the number of young people working in this industry has been in decline in recent years. Whilst the lack of human resources in Tohoku’s fishing industry poses a major challenge, there are many people from outside the area who are interested and willing to assist. The Imacoco Project connects volunteers with fishing communities who need their support. This system ensures mutual benefits: the volunteers gain the unique experience of living and working in the fisheries, whilst the fishing communities gain outside help for their work. This kind of exchange programme also helps to promote long-term involvement and interest in the fishing industry. Ishinomaki and Onagawa Study Programmes: learning through site visits and hearing first-hand accounts PBV conducts study programmes for a wide range of groups who are interested in learning about the disaster and the situation in Tohoku post-2011. Study programmes include first-hand accounts from survivors, as well as visits to numerous sites in the area. The programmes allow local survivors to continue to share their experiences, and for visitors to gain a strong understanding of the post-disaster context and learn lessons in disaster recovery that can be applied in other communities engaged in similar processes. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 25
DISASTER RELIEF ACTIVITIES Since 1995, PBV has implemented emergency relief operations in over 15 countries around the world. PBV’s principles for relief center on providing resources in four main areas: volunteers, supplies, funds, and information.
26 PEACE BOAT ¡ A year in review
PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER CENTER Cyclone Pam Relief in Vanuatu In March 2015, PBV’s initial response team was dispatched to Vanuatu after Tropical Cyclone Pam. Although the capital, Port Vila (population approx. 50,000), had many essential services and infrastructure restored, some of the outer islands were badly affected and lacking basic lifelines. According to a Member of Parliament, 90% of homes on Tongoa Island were damaged or destroyed by the cyclone, and all 8 schools were wiped out. In Vanuatu, PBV staff worked closely with local governments, national government agencies, INGOs and NGOs, and civil society on the ground. PBV took part in the UN cluster meetings, to ensure that its activities were part of the larger international community’s movements to provide assistance and to ensure that all information was shared as much as possible to reduce duplication of efforts.
Emergency Relief in Nepal Earthquake On 25 April, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck 80km northwest of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The strong tremor caused severe loss of life and widespread damage across the country; thousands of casualties were reported and critical infrastructure sustained significant damage. PBV’s team landed in Kathmandu on 3 May 2015 in order to conduct a rapid needs assessment and provide immediate relief to affected communities. After meetings with partner organization, Shapla Neer, the decision was made to take joint action on addressing food security issues in some of the worst hit areas. In addition, PBV assisted communities through building temporary learning centers, providing supplies for children, and distributing emergency shelter kits.
Floods in Japan In September 2015, PBV launched an emergency relief programme in response to the flooding that affected parts of Japan. Described as a “once-in-50-years” event, exceptionally heavy rains caused by Typhoon Etau severely impacted communities across Ibaraki, Miyagi and Tochigi Prefectures. The Flooding and landslides that occurred on 10 September claimed lives and damaged thousands of homes. On 11 September, PBV dispatched a team to the affected areas to conduct a rapid needs assessment and deliver effective assistance with other organizations on the ground, including local Social Welfare Councils, non-profits and government agencies. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 27
DISASTER RISK REDUCTION:
Building disaster-resilient communities globally Training communities and volunteers to respond to future disasters helps to save lives, livelihoods and assets. PBV is also actively involved with a number of networks to promote cross-sector cooperation in Disaster Risk Reduction.
28 PEACE BOAT ¡ A year in review
PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER CENTER PEACE BOAT DISASTER RELIEF VOLUNTEER CENTER Peace Boat hosted the 1st Assembly of The Community Practitioners’ Platform for Resilience in Guatemala On 30 June 2015, Peace Boat hosted the “First Assembly of The Community Practitioners’ Platform for Resilience” in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. In partnership with Fundación Guatemala and Huairou Commission, Peace Boat welcomed over 30 representatives from Guatemala and El Salvador, all working in Disaster Risk Reduction and resilience building, onto Peace Boat’s ship. 10 Lessons from Fukushima Peace Boat, as part of a coalition of civil society groups, cooperated to create the “10 Lessons from Fukushima” booklet, which was launched in spring 2015 to coincide with the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai. The booklet, translated into 10 languages, is based upon the experiences and testimony of local people and outlines the reality of the disaster and ten lessons, which should be shared for considering future response and prevention. Peace Boat and UNISDR Joint Programme – Resilient Youth in Asia In August 2015, young leaders from Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore gathered to share experiences and best practices related to disaster risk reduction onboard Peace Boat’s ship as it sailed from Japan to the Philippines and onwards to Singapore. The “Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building for Young Leaders in Asia” programme, co-organized by Peace Boat and UNISDR, was held during the first segment of the 88th Global Voyage for Peace. Disaster Volunteer Coordination Training in Chile In November 2015, PBV conducted training in Disaster Volunteer Coordination in Talcahuano, Chile, for 100 representatives from the police, fire department, civil defence, Red Cross and volunteers. The training was held at Inacap College in conjunction with Talcahuano City, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and Precorp. Talcahuano City was severely affected by the 2010 Chile Earthquake and tsunami shares many of the same experiences as coastal towns across Japan. Youth Disaster Resilience Leadership Training On 30 and 31 January 2016, PBV co-organized the TOMODACHI Disaster Resilience Leadership Training Programme in Tokyo in partnership with TOMODACHI Initiative and Japan IsraAid Support Programme (JISP). Thirteen youth from different parts of the Kanto and Tohoku regions, gathered for the 2-day intensive training programme, which focused on disaster preparedness, disaster relief volunteerism, stress management, and providing psychological support to disaster survivors. PBV in South America: Disaster Risk Reduction Events In Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay In April 2016, Peace Boat hosted a series of conferences and press events in South America as part of its commitment as a partner in the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) “Making Cities Resilient” Campaign. In Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Valparaiso, Peace Boat’s ship was utilized as a space for local groups working on disaster risk reduction and response to come together to discuss and share ideas and resources on community preparedness and resilience. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 29
30 PEACE BOAT · A year in review
PEACE BOAT ECOSHIP PROJECT www.ecoship-pb.com
A SHIP READY FOR THE FUTURE During 2015, as a result of this consultation process, feasibility studies were carried out on the following technological aspects: From the marine sector: • Hull shape and hull design • Natural ventilation • Best fuel options • LNG bunkering alternatives • Sails, sails retractability and sails resistance From the non-marine sector: • Wind energy generation when alongside (retractable wind poles) • Heat recovery onboard • Solar energy efficiency • Garden and available botanical choices
Building the planet’s most environmentally sustainable ocean-going cruise ship implied a radically different approach, and a particular emphasis on the development of the concept and the choice of the technologies. The design of the ship was finalized in 2015, after a threeyear process involving an international team using an integrative design procedure. It harnessed the expertise of many specialties and both marine and land-based industrial sectors, such as naval architecture, marine engineering, renewable energies, land architecture and biomimicry among others.
By the end of 2015, the General Arrangement Drawing, a technical specification for the vessel and a hull form optimization programme of the Ecoship were finalized. Its technological overview include: Radical energy efficiency • 20% cut of propulsion energy • 50% cuts on electricity load • Integrated heat recovery and reuse system • Fuel adaptability and future readiness Boundary defying use of renewable technology • 10 retractable wind generators • 10 retractable photovoltaic sails • 6,000 m2 / 750 Kw of solar power generation • Kinetic floors
Nature-inspired technology and design • Aerodynamic shape and hydrodynamic hull inspired by the whale (Biomimicry) • Air bubble hull lubrication system • Natural ventilation • Biophilic design for comfort and inspiration Real ecosystems onboard • Onboard plant kingdom and vertical farming • Closed loop water system • Zero discharge / zero waste operation
Resulting in 40% cut in CO2 emissions
Peace Boat’s global voyages for peace and educational programmes in port and onboard combined with the Ecoship’s environmentally sustainable technologies will enable Peace Boat’s Ecoship to function as a model to minimise the threat to the oceans and planet from the rapidly growing cruise sector. As a transition model towards carbon-free and circular economies, the Ecoship will be a flagship for change. APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 31
COP 21 and the Ecoship The Ecoship was officially introduced to the public in December 2015 at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21, in Paris with the main message: “ How can a passenger ship contribute to global sustainability?” The announcement was made within the framework of a press conference that called for the integration of shipping within the general Paris Agreement. Green House Gases (GHG) emissions from bunker fuels were not integrated within the reduction targets expected from the individual countries in spite of shipping being presently accountable for 3 % of the total of GHG and with an expected annual growth of 3 to 5 % per year, but Peace Boat believes awareness of the problem and the risk of jeopardizing the efforts made by countries and local populations was raised through this call to action. 32 PEACE BOAT · A year in review
Peace Boat Founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya on the significance of CO2 reductions in shipping at the COP 21 Climate Change Conference in Paris, December 2015
PEACE BOAT ECOSHIP PROJECT www.ecoship-pb.com
Gathering momentum for change Where the future is being created: the World Future Energy Summit and Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Ecoship participated in the World Future Energy Summit and the Ecoship design was displayed as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, showing its whole-system plan for the optimization of renewable energy in a marine context. Abu Dhabi is home to Masdar City, the first urban development that relies solely on solar and other renewable energies. Masdar City hosts the head office of IRENA, the International Renewable Energy Agency as well as the Masdar Institute, a worldclass research centre on renewable energies and sustainability. Through participation of the Ecoship Project in Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Peace Boat has begun collaborating with pioneers in new energy fields and expects to draw inspiration from the pioneering work of Masdar.
Engaging the industry: Global Seatrade Cruise (Fort Lauderdale), Seatrade Cruise Asia (Toyko), Green Ship Technology-GST (Copenhagen) The cruising industry has an important role to play in being a game changer for the whole marine industry. Cruising is the most publicly visible interaction between modern shipping and the public and thus has the greatest potential to raise awareness and effect change across the shipping industry as a whole. The global shipping industry is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, and while the cruise industry represents only a tiny fraction of world shipping, it must contribute to the agenda of solutions. Engaging the industry is essential to bring about change. Following its initial announcement in December 2015, the Ecoship was introduced to the industry through Peace Boat’s participation in main events on cruising and shipping.
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 33
A PROJECT WITH INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
During the design phase of Ecoship throughout 2015 until its public announcement in December, Peace Boat worked to bring together the NGO world, industry, academia and even governments, embodying the potential for worldwide, multi-stakeholder cooperation in exploring the potential for renewable energy and finding solutions for climate action. This project, which even in its design-phase is bringing together the NGO world, industry, academia and even governments, embodies the potential for worldwide, multi-stakeholder cooperation in exploring the potential for renewable energy and finding solutions for climate action. Partnerships for research between Ecoship Project and both land and marine-based green-tech providers will advance innovation possibilities. As a concrete, mobile and beautiful example of climate solutions, Ecoship delights, engages and inspires people. This adventure is not only about changing the industry. It is about helping design the future of humanity.
“An exciting vision of a ship that fits the needs, and inspires the people, of the planet it travels. Projects with this ambition seem impossible until they are done, but doing them transforms the industry”.
“Peace Boat’s Ecoship sailing the oceans and cooperating with communities in port will be a wonderful symbol of the interconnectedness of peace and sustainability.”
“The Ecoship Project is an attempt to break through boundaries and bring in new sustainable technologies in to the shipping industry. It will move the whole industry, setting examples of what can be achieved.”
Dr. Amory Lovins, Ecoship Advisor; Co-founder and Chief Scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute.
Wanjira Mathai, Ecoship Supporter; Chair of the Board of the Green Belt Movement.
Tomas Kåberger Japan Renewable Energy Foundation
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PEACE BOAT ECOSHIP PROJECT www.ecoship-pb.com
NETWORKS In 2015, Peace Boat became a member of the International Windship Association (IWSA). IWSA’s mission is “to promote wind propulsion for commercial shipping worldwide and brings together all parties in the development of a windship sector to shape industry and government attitudes and policies”. The Ecoship is committed to further strengthening its partnerships with the private and public sectors for the launching of a “Green Cruising Initiative” in the Asia-Pacific region.
Ecoship Project Sailing as a flagship for climate action and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
SCHEDULE TO SAIL IN 2020:
DEC 2016 Shipyard Selection
APRIL 2017 Contract enters into force
APRIL 2017 TO FEB 2020 Building period
MARCH 2020 Ship Delivery
APRIL 2020 Maiden Voyage
APRIL 2015 TO MARCH 2016 35
B1, 3-13-1 Takadanobaba, Shinjuku Tokyo 169-0075, Japan Tel: +81 (0) 3-3363-8047 pbglobal@peaceboat.gr.jp info@ecoship-pb.com relief@peaceboat.gr.jp
www.peaceboat.org www.ecoship-pb.com www.pbv.or.jp/en/
36 PEACE BOAT · A year in review