Wishing You a Peaceful New Year 2024 from Peace Boat

Warmest greetings from Tokyo! We would like to wish you a peaceful New Year in 2024.

As 2023 draws to a close we reflect on the events of the past year. Our thoughts are with all those who are suffering from the impacts of conflict and disasters.

In 2023, we were delighted to celebrate forty years of Peace Boat’s activities. It is thanks to all the friends, supporters and partners of Peace Boat around the world that we have been able to continue our work and we truly cherish the connections we have built over these four decades of voyages. We held celebrations onboard our new ship MV Pacific World when it was docked in Tokyo and New York. an opportunity for friends old and new to reconnect, highlight the importance of grassroots diplomacy and efforts for peace, and commemorate the many friendships and partnerships created through our voyages!

Peace Boat's 40th Anniversary in Tokyo

2023 also saw the restart of our global voyages onboard Pacific World and we have already completed two voyages. We are able once again to use our ship as a platform for educational programs and advocacy. The first voyage this year sailed with a message calling for peace in Ukraine, and a group of participants who had been involved in fundraising activities in Japan for Ukrainian refugees took part in a study programme to Romania to learn more about the work of partner organizations that donations have been supporting and share their experiences onboard.

Like so many around the world, Peace Boat has been horrified at the situation in Palestine and Israel. Distressed at the escalation of violence and the unprecedented loss of life, Peace Boat has been using its ship to call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to all violations of international law and for full access for humanitarian aid in Gaza. A 30m x 5m banner with the words “Stop Killing Gaza” was displayed on the ship with media and public appeals held in ports, and a press conference was held with the Palestinian Ambassador to Japan and members of the diplomatic corps upon the 115th voyage’s return to Yokohama.

The restart of our onboard educational programs included a new initiative to build capacity for SDG14 (Life Below Water), an endorsed contribution to the UN Ocean Decade which took place in the Arctic and Latin American segments of the 114th Voyage. Alumni of the program joined the Peace Boat delegation at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai with side events focused on youth engagement and capacity building.

Peace Boat continued our role as Regional Secretariat of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) in Northeast Asia, building cooperation and joint action by civil society in the region. 2023 marked the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement. Peace Boat joined partners in Korea and beyond as part of the Korea Peace Appeal, calling for an end to the unfinished Korean War and efforts toward dialogue and peace.

Our work on nuclear abolition continued throughout the year with Pacific World sailing with the logo of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) on the hull. With the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, efforts focused on getting the message of Hibakusha across to world leaders, coordination of the Hiroshima G7 Youth Summit, and promoting dialogue for a nuclear free world. In November, Peace Boat together with other ICAN partners took part in the Second Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) with a particular focus on amplifying the voices of people and communities impacted by nuclear weapons, and linking activities of Japanese campaigners and experts to global movements.

As we look towards the new year, we commit to working with our partners and friends for a peaceful future for all.