Peace Boat has sailed on voyages around the world since 1983 under the slogan “Building a Culture of Peace around the World.”
Here are some excerpts from their website.
Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental and non-profit organization that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment.
Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political change in the world. We pursue this through the organization of global educational programmes, responsible travel, cooperative projects and advocacy activities. These activities are carried out on a partnership basis with other civil society organizations and communities in Japan, Northeast Asia, and around the world.
Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages. The ship creates a neutral, mobile space and enables people to engage across borders in dialogue and mutual cooperation at sea, and in the ports that we visit. Activities based in Japan and Northeast Asia are carried out from our eight Peace Centers in Japan.
Please explore our website to learn more about our voyages, activities and projects. You can also download a web version of our introductory pamphlet “Across Borders” here in English, Spanish or French. Other pamphlets and brochures can also be viewed as a PDF on our issuu.com page here.
A variety of videos of Peace Boat's activities can also be viewed here.
Principles
- Cooperation and solidarity
- Work based on civil society movement
- Financial self-sustainability
- Participatory and horizontal working system
- Support and promotion of volunteerism
- Independence from any political party or religious affiliation
Travel for Peace and Sustainability
Peace Boat believes that travel in itself can be a tool for positive social and political change, and seeks to create and implement best practices in responsible travel and what we call travel for peace and sustainability. Socio-political considerations rather than commercial interests largely determine our choice of destinations. Our partnerships with local organizations and travel agencies reflect our effort to utilize tourism in a progressive and educational form so as to contribute to global sustainability and peace.
Peace Boat's use of the ship as a vehicle for our activities has allowed the development of a unique range of tools for our work.
- Forums on board: the ship as a neutral and mobile meeting space
- Using the ship's media appeal
- The power of people to people contact
- Bringing back the world's reality: beyond conventional media