Time for Peace: 120th Voyage in New York City

As the 120th Global Voyage was docked in New York City, Peace Boat hosted "Time for Peace: For Future Generations," an event marking eighty years since the end of World War II and the foundation of the United Nations. Co-hosted with the Nobel Peace Center and in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the event aimed to amplify voices, connect individuals, and foster a collective commitment to peacebuilding and disarmament. The evening also featured viewing of the Nobel Peace Center's Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition, "A Message to Humanity," onboard the Pacific World.

Following opening remarks by Peace Boat Founder and Director Yoshioka Tatsuya, the event began with a keynote speech by Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, United Nations Under Secretary General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. Referring to the urgency of the message of the Hibakusha, High Representative Nakamitsu emphasised that “remembrance is not only about honoring the past but also about shaping a future free from nuclear threats. We need to connect the past, present, and future—a responsibility for all of us.”

Highlighting the important anniversaries marked this year, Ms Nakamitsu noted that “eighty years ago the first use of nuclear weapons changed the world forever. Generations have now grown up in the shadow of the atomic bomb. But future generations need not share the same fate. Working together, I believe we can identify and implement creative solutions to the challenges before us. I am convinced that many of these solutions will come from the young people themselves who will be part of that better future and some of whom are not yet even born. It is through you, through all of us, that we keep the legacy of Hibakusha alive and carry it forth.”

Following this inspiring call to action was the poignant testimony of Ms. Kuramori Terumi, a Hibakusha who experienced the atomic bombing of Nagasaki as a small child. Ms. Kuramori, currently traveling onboard Peace Boat’s global voyage, shared her first-hand experience, underscoring the profound humanitarian cost of nuclear weapons. Her final appeal to the audience was that “through my activities as a Hibakusha, I’ve come to know that there are people all around the world striving for a world without nuclear weapons. Together with these companions, for as long as I live, I will continue to speak out: “Let Nagasaki be the last atomic-bombed city.” Let us pass on to our children a peaceful Earth without war or nuclear weapons.”

Ms. Helena Boyden Lamb, Director of Program Strategy and Partnerships at the Nobel Peace Center, the event’s co-host, then addressed the audience, introducing the partnership between Peace Boat and the Nobel Peace Center to share the work of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Nihon Hidankyo, worldwide through the outreach edition of the Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition "A Message to Humanity" onboard the Pacific World.

The first panel discussion, "Disarmament Education and the Role of Youth," was moderated by Takao Momoko, a Peace Boat staff member who is also part of a youth-led peace organization based in Hiroshima and works as a Peace Guide in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The esteemed panelists included Her Excellency Ms Shorna-Kay Richards, Ambassador of Jamaica to Japan and Chair of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters; Saana Annala, Associate Political Affairs Officer, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs; Alisher Khassengaliyev, Operations Coordinator for Youth for TPNW / Steppe Organisation for Peace, Kazakhstan; and Hosaka Ryuku, a youth representative travelling onboard Peace Boat’s 120th Global Voyage. The discussion explored ways to empower the next generation in the pursuit of a nuclear-weapon-free world, as a chance for all to think about how disarmament is not only about getting rid of weapons, but also about respecting human dignity, ensuring justice, and building a culture of peace—by listening to voices from different places and backgrounds.

Ambassador Richards kicked off the discussion by calling for a transformative approach towards peace, disarmament and non-proliferation, with three particular elements: a paradigm shift from abstract but deadly theories like nuclear deterrence towards an evidence-based, human-centered approach; diversity of participation and perspective including civil society and gender perspectives; and an intergenerational approach: “the road to a nuclear-weapons-free world is not only a marathon but also a relay race.”

The following speakers in the panel emphasised the important work already being done by young people, not just for the future but as part of the present. Qazaq youth activist Alisher Khassengaliyev shared an encouraging message for fellow young people: “Don’t wait until you feel ready. Your voice matters. Forge new paths of peace through education and bold actions, and keep survivor stories alive because their struggle is our struggle too. For decision-makers: Please listen to youth and survivors. Take bold action, ratify and implement the TPNW, and fully fund survivor assistance. Prioritize human security. Only together can we achieve lasting peace.” As summarised by facilitator Momoko, “young people are already taking action—in classrooms, in communities, and in movements. What gives me hope is the way we connect across borders, generations, and languages—with care, with courage, and with questions. Let us keep walking together, choosing peace not as a one-time event, but as a way of life.”

The diverse leadership and action of young people was embodied in the musical performances featured during the evening. The Senior Quartet from the New York-based Children's Orchestra Society moved the audience deeply, as did the group’s directors Yeou Cheng Ma and Michael Dadap, who shared an original piece which featured a very special voice: a violin which survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The violin is travelling onboard Peace Boat, accompanied by Anthony Drago, grandson of the violin's owner Sergei Palchikoff, a music teacher in Hiroshima at the time of the bombing.

The powerful choral piece "To Dream of Life Once More," inspired by atomic bomb survivors, also left a great impression on all present. This powerful piece, part of the opera ‘Staring at the New Sun’ based on Sadako Kurihara's poem ’Let Us Be Midwives’, was created by composer Valdivieso and poet Neronessa and performed by an ensemble of young voices from New York City, accompanied by visuals created by Anastasia Dor.

The second and final panel, "Upholding International Law in times of turmoil," was moderated by Akira Kawasaki, Executive Committee Member of Peace Boat. Today we are witnessing wars continuing and escalating in many parts of the world, and everyday we hear horrifying reports of violent attacks on civilians in armed conflicts, which are nothing but violations of international humanitarian law. The panelists Matthew Breay Bolton of Pace University, Brady Mabe of the International Committee of the Red Cross Delegation to the United Nations, and Johnson Asante-Twum of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA), delved into questions such as whether, at the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, we entering into an era of war and disorder, or if there is any way to restore the rule of law in defending human rights to live in peace around the world.

Panellists highlighted how much of the progress on disarmament in the last 30 years has happened by placing those most affected by armed conflicts and militarism at the center of the conversation, including survivor networks on landmines and cluster munitions or small arms, and listening to victims and survivors of nuclear testing and production. Matthew Bolton encouraged us to think about what a just, decolonized, and affected-person-centric view of security looks like, and the need to establish official mechanisms and platforms to place affected communities and indigenous people at the center of conversations about peace—a peace that includes everyone, not just the few.

All contributions throughout the evening underscored the critical importance of upholding international law, especially in times of turmoil such as today, and the indispensable role that different actors including civil society, youth, survivors and multilateral organisations play in this endeavor. These issues will continue to be throughout the remainder of the 120th Peace Boat Voyage as part of the Time for Peace project. We thank all speakers, partners, artists and volunteers who made the event possible, and hope that the strengthening of partnerships for peacebuilding, disarmament education, and sustainable development fostered during the event will continue to be strengthened as we move forward together for peace.