News
Peace Boat Welcomes Cambodia Mine Action Center (CMAC) Delegation in Tokyo
On August 22, Peace Boat hosted representatives from the Cambodia Mine Action Center (CMAC) at the Peace Boat Center Tokyo, holding an exchange session with volunteer staff.
Since 1998, Peace Boat has run the fundraising initiative “100 Yen Campaign to Remove Landmines from Cambodia” as part of the Peace Boat Mine Abolition Campaign, or P-MAC. Donations collected through this campaign are transferred to CMAC, Cambodia’s national mine action authority, to support demining efforts.
As of the end of August 2025, these efforts have enabled the clearance of more than 2 million square meters of land, with over 1,000 landmines and unexploded ordnance safely removed. Peace Boat and CMAC have long partnered together toward the shared goal of eliminating landmines.
The CMAC delegation, comprised of Deputy Director General H.E. Oum Phumro, Senior Director and Director of Cabinet H.E. Phat Phearak, and Director of International Cooperation Miss. Oum Sopheavy, visited Japan to attend the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), held in Yokohama from August 20–22. At TICAD, the Japanese Government announced its continued collaboration with CMAC and the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) to support mine action in Africa.
Despite their demanding schedule, the CMAC representatives made time to visit Peace Boat. At the exchange session, young volunteers active in street fundraising joined Peace Boat staff to reflect on the long-standing partnership with CMAC. Volunteers shared their experiences from fundraising activities, while others who joined Peace Boat’s global voyages spoke about study tours to CMAC’s operational sites in Cambodia.
Deputy Director General H.E. Oum Phumro offered the following message:
“I was deeply moved to see young volunteers dedicating themselves to fundraising. What you are doing to help the people of Cambodia—especially children affected by landmines—is courageous and truly important. Please continue this work. Through it, you will understand the value of life and peace.
Over the past 30 years, CMAC has cleared 2,000 km² of land and destroyed more than 4 million landmines. Yet thousands of square kilometers still remain contaminated.
Even though we are from different countries and speak different languages, I am grateful for your contribution to Cambodia’s mine clearance and glad that we share the same commitment to a mine-free future.”
Though brief, the session allowed CMAC to witness firsthand the dedication of Peace Boat volunteers to the cause of a mine-free Cambodia. For the volunteers, it was also a powerful reminder that their daily fundraising efforts directly contribute to saving lives and restoring land in Cambodia.
Peace Boat volunteers continue to carry out street fundraising campaigns at Peace Boat Centers in Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. We will keep working hand-in-hand with CMAC until the day when Cambodia is finally free from landmines.
