Set Sail for Dialogue: Seeking Participants!

The Japanese NGO Peace Boat is inviting passionate young people to join a unique scholarship programme aboard its 123rd Global Voyage, between May 26 and June 12, 2026. This is more than a journey—it’s an opportunity to gain unique experience, education and training, and build partnerships.

As a participant, you will:

• Receive specialized dialogue training from an expert from the Nobel Peace Center 
• Experience the powerful onboard exhibition “A Message of Humanity” and meet with an atomic bomb survivor from Hiroshima
• Engage in meaningful conversations with fellow participants from around the world
• Take part in special programmes at ports of call
• Experience life onboard Peace Boat - a unique world voyage that blends travel with lifelong learning

At a time marked by devastating war in Ukraine and the Middle East, rising militarization, nuclear risks, weakening international institutions, and the accelerating climate crisis, the need for dialogue has never been more urgent.

Through this programme, you will:

• Explore real-world political challenges
• Learn directly from experts, activists, and United Nations officials
• Build practical skills in dialogue and peacebuilding
• Connect with a global network of changemakers
• If you’re ready to learn, connect, and make an impact—this voyage is for you.

About Peace Boat

Peace Boat is a Japan-based international NGO which promotes peace, human rights, and sustainability. Established in 1983, it holds Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN). Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a passenger ship that travels the world. Peace Boat’s activities onboard and in port empower participants and build people-to-people cooperation beyond borders.

Since 2008, Peace Boat has worked in cooperation with Nihon Hidankyo (the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations) to bring Hibakusha - atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki - on our voyages to share their testimonies around the world. Further, an outreach edition of the Nobel Peace Center’s Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition honouring Nihon Hidankyo, “A Message to Humanity,” was installed onboard in 2024 and will remain onboard for three years.

Peace Boat is also part of the International Steering Groups of the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. Representatives of both GPPAC and ICAN will also join the youth during this journey. 
 

Programme Details

Organiser: Peace Boat, in cooperation with the Nobel Peace Center

Dates: May 26 morning (arrive in Amsterdam) - June 12, 2026 (depart New York)

Segment: Boarding the ship in IJmuiden (near Amsterdam), Netherlands and disembarking in New York City, United States (with calls to Bergen on May 29-30, and Reykjavik on June 2).

Seeking applicants!

Are you a young activist, student or a community leader based in Europe or North America interested in international politics, nuclear disarmament, building bridges among different nations and cultures, and ready to participate in peace dialogue?

Peace Boat is seeking applicants who are…
a) Strongly interested in international issues, dialogue and peacebuilding
b) Motivated to learn from other participants, and willing to collaborate with others regardless of age or background
c) Between the ages of 20 and 26 at the beginning of the programme
d) Currently based in Europe or North America
e) Able to participate in full between May 26 - June 12, 2026
f) Holding a passport for international travel valid until at least December 15, 2026
g) Able to acquire any required visas.

Costs
A full scholarship will be provided for the selected youth including transport to and from the ship, board and accommodation, and programmes both onboard and in port. 
Participants are expected to cover travel insurance for the duration of the voyage and visa fees as applicable, as well as any personal expenses (laundry, communications etc.) during the programme.

How to Apply

Please fill in the following application form by April 30, 2026: 
https://forms.gle/prU83jCsu9CCd7HA6
Please note, interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. We therefore encourage you to apply early!

The form will also require you to submit the following:

• A 1 page essay in English sharing your background, interests, and motivation for joining this programme; please indicate any particular knowledge or skills you can bring to the programme - including any experience with dialogue processes.
• A brief CV - please list your studies/occupation from secondary school.

Contact

Peace Boat 
pbglobal@peaceboat.gr.jp / +81-3-3363-8047