From the Ship
Learning from Each Other in Solidarity – GPPAC Peacebuilders in Action
As Peace Boat’s 120th Global Voyage travelled through Europe, we were honoured to welcome six peacebuilders from around the world as part of the Time for Peace project. These inspiring individuals joined in shared learning through the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC)—a network of local peacebuilders of which Peace Boat is a founding member and part of its International Steering Group.
Coming from India, Lebanon, Mexico, Palestine, Serbia, and the United States, the participants are members of GPPAC’s Improving Practice Working Group. This group promotes human security across the network through collective learning, co-creation of tools and resources, and initiatives for conflict transformation and community building. Their activities include roundtables, webinars, newsletters, trainings (both in-person and online), resource development, and in-person meetings that strengthen bonds and renew commitment to peace.
During five days onboard Peace Boat, between Porto, Le Havre, and Zeebrugge, the group engaged in intensive and creative discussions on future strategies and joint actions. They also shared their experiences with other voyage participants through public lectures, discussions, and workshops. Topics included sustaining motivation for peacebuilding in the face of ongoing conflict, and strategies for continuing this work amid global trends of shrinking peace funding and rising militarisation.
One particularly impactful event focused on voices from the Occupied Palestinian Territories, highlighting the ongoing suffering in Gaza and the Northern West Bank. Grassroots films produced through participatory methods shared the realities of life under occupation with an audience of more than 400 people, accompanied by first-hand accounts from GPPAC members in Jerusalem and Beirut.
The GPPAC Working Group has also launched the inaugural edition of their newsletter, featuring reflections from their time onboard Peace Boat. Click here to read it and learn more about their experiences and work.
