Peace Boat staff and volunteers at Tokyo Pride 2023
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Peace Boat at Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2023
April 22-23, Peace Boat took part in the first Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade in four years, and joined around 10,000 participants in a colorful celebration of diversity. More than 65,000 people came together at events and activities organized over the weekend which marked the beginning of ‘Pride Week 2023’ in Japan.
Peace Boat staff and volunteers joined forces with the initiative ‘Get In Touch’ which promotes the notion of an inclusive world where people with disabilities and other minorities are valued members of society. 'Get In Touch' was started by Japanese actor and activist Chizuru Azuma, one of Peace Boat’s partners and regular guest educators.
Although significant progress has been seen in recent years, when it comes to the protection and rights of people of the LGBTQ+ community, the world remains divided. While providing a safe and inclusive space for all on board is paramount to Peace Boat, not all countries we visit are welcoming to everyone. During our voyages, we organize lectures and workshops to raise awareness of the social and legal discrimination many LGBTQ+ people around the world experience, as well as challenge existing norms by asking the questions “What is ‘normal’?” and “What is ‘love’?”
Japan is the only G7 country that still does not recognize same-sex marriage, and this year’s Tokyo Rainbow Pride came less than a month after Tokyo hosted the first-ever Pride 7 Summit, where LGBTQ+ activists and leaders from across the globe gathered to discuss current issues and formulate policy recommendations ahead of the G7 summit in Hiroshima in May.
Offering entertainment as well as educational content, Pride Week was a great opportunity to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in Japan and to boost the continued effort for a truly equitable and inclusive future society, where diversity is celebrated, and all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
