117th Voyage Returns to Japan

In the early morning of July 26, 2024, the Pacific World returned to Yokohama after completing its round-the-world voyage to 21 ports of call in 18 countries. At a press conference held at the port, participants in the Ukraine Youth Ambassador and Peace Boat Hibakusha Project: Global Voyage for a Nuclear-Free World reported back on their activiites during the 105 days of dialogue and peace advocacy onboard the ship and at ports of call.

The press conference was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan, His Excellency Mr Sergiy Korsunsky, whose cooperation was vital to realising the Ukraine Youth Ambassadors project, as well as Captain Victor Alimov who navigated the Pacific World on its global journey.

Advocacy for Peace

At the beginning of the press conference, Peace Boat Founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya expressed his gratitude to Ambassador Korsunsky and Captain Alimov, delivering a strong message that the activities of the Ukrainian Youth Ambassadors will surely bear fruit in the future, saying, “Russia’s aggression is a barbaric act that cannot be tolerated, and the international community must act together to stop it.”

International Director of the 117th Voyage Hatakeyama Sumiko spoke next, elaborating that “this was the second year since we resumed cruising after the pandemic. We worked together to make even more meaningful activities to raise awareness and raise our voices against the unjustices of the world, both onboard the ship and in ports of call.”

She also further explained the two main projects which took place on this voyage. “For the Ukraine Youth Ambassadors, it must be challenging that it is difficult to see results of their activities immediately, as the war continues in their homeland. We hope that the opportunity to learn from the Hibakusha, the atomic bomb survivors, who have been appealing for peace for so many years was meaningful for them.”

Emphasising that the 1500 participants onboard the voyage hailed from 20 different countries and regions around the world, and ranged in age from infants to 95 years old, Sumiko also highlighted the importance of hearing directly from people in other parts of the world, being exposed to personal experiences and details that are not possible to understand merely through the news or television.

The importance of dialogue

Ambassador Korsunsky expressed his admiration for the seven Ukraine Youth Ambassadors who completed their round-the-world journey, and thanked the Captain for the safe voyage. He emphasized that when the ship left three months ago, it was unknown what kind of results would be achieved, but the significance of bringing the voices of Ukrainian citizens directly to people around the world through the ship's journey was very significant. He also explained the essential importance of being able to hear and discuss different points of view in the current world situation, and thanked the young Ukrainian women for their efforts towards that experience.

We can help each other anywhere in the world

Captain Victor Alimov, himself also from Ukraine, has been a Captain of Peace Boat cruises for 15 years. He was in Odesa when the Russian invasion began, and noting the numerous messages of concern and encouragement he received from past Peace Boat participants and crew members, he said, “I realized that we can help each other anywhere in the world.” He also thanked Yokohama, a sister city of Odesa, for the support it had provided since the invasion began.

Captain Alimov described the activities of the Ukraine Youth Ambassadors on this voyage as “true citizen diplomacy,” bringing their voices and discussions directly to people in different parts of the world, and said he was honored to be the Captain of the ship on this occasion.

He also referenced the large banner raised on this voyage calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, confirming the significance of Peace Boat's activities for peace not only in Ukraine but also elsewhere around the world.

Ukraine Youth Ambassadors

Nagayo Kaya, who was one of the staff coordinating the Ukraine Youth Ambassadors programme, reported that the project activities included not only personal testimonies of the war and its effects on the people, environment and animals of Ukraine, but also introductions to Ukrainian culture, such as traditional costumes, language lessons, and summer festivals.

She added, “I hope that those who received the messages from the Youth Ambassadors during this voyage will continue to amplify their messages once they return home.”

Ukraine Youth Ambassador Mariia Borzykh, who studied International Relations, has been involved in providing assistance to Ukraine from Japan since the beginning of the invasion, working as an interpreter for refugees in Nagoya.

During a roundtable held with members of various Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York City, she raised several questions about the war in Ukraine but felt frustrated at the lack of answers. “The United Nations is an organization created to maintain peace, yet now it seems incapable of stopping the war in Ukraine. Despite multiple resolutions condemning Russia's actions, there has been little effective action to stop the attacks.”

On the other hand, based on her experience of talking with people from various countries and gaining their understanding during the voyage, she stressed that “citizens around the world still have a great deal of influence. By encouraging their governments to support Ukraine, people can help end this war. Peace Boat participants also contributed by showing their support and participating in our onboard events.”

After the press conference, Mariia expressed her future aspirations to continue her legal studies and become involved in international organizations.

Fellow UYA Natalia Makohon stated that “at the beginning of the cruise, we promised passengers that we will visit one more country on our voyage - Ukraine. Although we couldn't physically take them there, we've brought Ukraine to Peace Boat. Over the past three months, we've organised over 50 Ukrainian events on board, where passengers had the opportunity to feel and see our culture, learn our traditions and rich heritage.”

Just before the ship arrived at port in New York City, a banner action was held on the open deck, attracting more than 400 participants to come together to call for peace in Ukraine, wearing blue and yellow colours. A charity auction was also held onboard which raised a total of 1.7 million yen for medical and humanitarian aid in Ukraine, including a large donation by a passenger from Taiwan.

Natalia, whose close friend has been a prisoner of the Russian military for two and a half years, concluded her activities on the boat trip by saying, “When my friend is still in Russian captivity, it’s really crucial to see and feel such support.  So, we worked hard and did our best to reach every heart and touch every soul.”

After the press conference, Natalia reflected on the many heartwarming experiences she had, such as the time she cried when a 6-year-old child gave her a card with the Ukrainian flag and “NO WAR” painted on it, while also expressing her wish to have made even more impact. Recognising the importance of conveying information, Natalia hopes to pursue journalism, which she is currently studying, and be involved in international reporting in the future.

Peace Boat Hibakusha Project: Global Voyage for a Nuclear-Free World

Hashimoto Mai, coordinator of the project onboard the 117th Global Voyage, provided an overview of the project and its participants, including Hibakusha to Tanaka Toshiko and Ogawa Tadayoshi, the two youth communicators, Nagasaki survivor Tanaka Terumi, and Mary Dickson, a downwinder impacted by nuclear testing in Nevada, United States.

The project was implemented onboard Peace Boat for the first time in four years, and activities were held in twelve ports of call around the world. Reflecting on the events onboard, Mai mentioned that “for the future, we would like to continue to also examine the history of Japan's aggression against Asian countries, creating a form of common understanding with participants from different countries.”

She also spoke of initiatives implemented during the voyage to pass on the message of the Hibakusha beyond just their testimony of the time of the bombing, 79 years ago. “In order to make sure Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the last cities to be bomed, we need to convey the message to young people in different ways.”

Tanaka Toshiko, who was exposed to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima when she was six years old, has given testimony on many occasions both in Japan and abroad, as well as in English language.

Speaking of her experience of the voyage, she shared “On the deck, when we saw a whale blowing water, there were exclamations of joy in various different languages. Being able to share that moment and emotion together, transcending nationalities, I felt that peace is an inherent part of human nature.”

She also expressed her determination for future activities, not forgetting the past Japanese military invasions of Asia, and continuing to pursue heartwarming exchanges as well as conveying the horror of nuclear weapons.

In conclusion, Ms Tanaka also shared her hope that young people who share the same passion, such as the two Youth Communicators who travelled together as part of the project and Mr Ogawa’s granddaughter who also joined the voyage, will use the tools at their disposal to continue their work for nuclear abolition.

Ogawa Tadayoshi, who survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, reported that he had given 14 speeches in 11 countries, attended by about 1,000 people, and received a warm welcome at each location.

Amongst the many activities during the voyage, he introduced an interaction in New York City.
When giving testimony around the world, Mr Ogawa is often asked his thoughts about the United States, as the country which dropped the bomb on Japan. So, conversely, he asked the audience what they, as citizens of the US, thought of Japan.

After a moment of silence, a woman responded, “I like its culture and scenery, but I cannot respect the Japanese government, which is not taking action for nuclear abolition, and is just like the United States in this respect, a nuclear weapon state.”

While this answer may not have been what he expected, it was still a memorable episode for Mr Ogawa.

He also stated that he would like to look back on the activities of the past three months and apply them to his future work.

Huang Rongyuan, who joined the voyage as a Youth Communicator, is originally from China. She shared the words of the Hibakusha that ““peace is as essential to humanity as water is to fish.”

She shared some memorable experiences in ports of call at her presentation during the press conference. In Shenzhen, China, a local partner reflected on the importance of dialogue even amongst difficult political circumstances, such as the relations between Japan and China: “like in any marriage or relationship, you can't just move out if you fight from time to time, so you have to deal with the relationship between the two countries.” In France, she learned that many citizens support nuclear weapons, while more money is allocated to nuclear weapons research than to medical care or education.

In conclusion, she shared that after the three month voyage, she came to believe that it is important to “first cultivate critical thinking to consider the background of opinions that differ from one's own when encountering them, and then to actively participate in political activities and aim to take part in decision making.”