Peace Boat

08/08/2026

August 9 marks 81 years since the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

Join Peace Boat and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) live from 10:50am tomorrow morning, to learn about timeless testimonies from A-bombed survivor trees and together mark a moment of silence at 11:02am, the time of the bombing.

Join the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/live/SJsbGQMrzCI?si=Z9YvS1VS41HR41ot

核兵器をなくす日本キャンペーン

07/08/2026

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/4992/

Atomic bomb survivor harnesses family and AI to keep memories alive

Atomic bomb survivor Yahata Teruko wants to ensure her memories have just as much staying power. She's using all means available, including cutting-edge AI technology and a special family bond.

Yahata is one of five atomic bomb survivors, or hibakusha, who have immortalized their memories of the tragedy using artificial intelligence. The exhibit will be unveiled at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum next fiscal year.

Visitors will be able to ask Yahata and the others about their experiences. The AI selects the most appropriate response from more than 200 pre-recorded memories.

Yahata, now 89, is the only one among the five who recorded her voice in English. She came to realize the importance of communicating with people from other countries while sailing around the world with the Japanese NGO Peace Boat in 2013.

Years later, she started memorizing an English-language translation of her memories. It lasts more than 30 minutes.

"I wanted to convey the sorrow, the smell, and the intense heat of that day... the things we experienced with all five senses," she says. "I felt that those memories could only truly be conveyed if I spoke about them using my own words."

Her efforts have been worth it. These days, Yahata is able to vividly tell her story to tourists and delegates from around the world.

And her story has lost none of its power, even 81 years since the bomb exploded over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

Atomic bomb survivor Yahata Teruko wants to ensure her memories have just as much staying power. She's using all means available, including cutting-edge AI technology and a special family bond.

04/08/2026

When Peace Boat’s 123rd Global Voyage arrived in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, our ship became a powerful space for dialogue, collaboration, and community leadership, together with Fundación Guatemala . We were honored to welcome local community leaders, government representatives, and resilience practitioners aboard for a unique exchange of knowledge. A key highlight was the first-ever Community of Practice on Locally Led Climate Adaptation, where participants gathered to strengthen relationships and explore grassroots responses to climate change across Guatemala.

Among our guests was Andrea Monzón, a dedicated community leader and member of the Guatemala Community Platform of Resilience Practitioners, who joined the voyage as a Guest Educator. Her reflections on community resilience and the vital importance of empowering local voices reminded us all that effective climate adaptation begins with grassroots action. We were also privileged to host members of the Guatemala Community Platform of Resilience Practitioners alongside representatives from Guatemala's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) and the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED).

The day also featured the moving exhibition "A Message to Humanity," presented with the Nobel Peace Center, which honors the Hibakusha and the testimonies of survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For many, this day was a powerful reminder that building a just future requires learning from the past while working collectively. By bridging global and local perspectives, we continue to create spaces where dialogue inspires meaningful action for our planet.

Read more about the visit and the Community of Practice here:
https://peaceboat.org/english/news/guatemala-community-of-practice-locally-led-climate-adaptation

03/08/2026

Join ICAN, Peace Boat and Hiroshima/Nagasaki partners for live streams on the morning of August 6 and August 9, the days the atomic bombs were dropped on the cities in 1945.

Hiroshima Moment of Silence 2026
When: August 6, 07:50am Hiroshima / 08:50am Sydney / 10:50am Auckland / (August 5) 06:50pm New York

Tune in live via social media or on Youtube here:
Hiroshima: https://www.youtube.com/live/T9aAJgQDRL8?si=zOzZVgAqFO9QMA7e
Nagasaki: https://www.youtube.com/live/SJsbGQMrzCI?si=c7xw0ya5_5u6R5wa
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We are very excited to announce that this year, we will be offering two live streams from Hiroshima and Nagasaki for the moments of silence on the 81st anniversaries. The theme for this year’s livestreaming is: “Timeless Testimonies from A-bomb Survivor Trees”.

In August 1945, two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing hundreds of thousands of people and forever affecting countless more. A-bomb Survivor Trees, also known as Hibaku Jumoku trees, have wounds from the bombs etched onto their trunks and branches, making them invaluable survivors who provide war testimonies that transcend time and language.

Please join us to look back at the history we all are working hard to ensure is never repeated.

15/07/2026

📢 Joint Statement: Japan Should Not Possess Nuclear-Powered Submarines

Proposals from members of Japan’s ruling coalition to acquire nuclear-powered submarines mark a dangerous shift away from peace. These submarines are built for long-distance, covert attacks, which grossly deviates from the "exclusively defense-oriented policy" (Senshu Boei) Japan has long maintained under its Peace Constitution. Furthermore, using nuclear energy for military purposes directly contradicts international efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons.

To oppose this move, Peace Boat, the Citizens' Nuclear Information Center 原子力資料情報室 CNIC, and the Japan Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons 核兵器をなくす日本キャンペーン released a joint statement on July 14. Speaking at the press conference, Peace Boat's Watanabe Rika warned that altering Japan's atomic energy laws for military use would change how the world views the nation. She emphasized that it could spark international suspicion that nuclear armament is the next step, severely damaging Japan’s global credibility.

This joint statement is supported by 15 organizations and 115 individuals. See the full text here: https://peaceboat.org/english/news/joint-statement-japan-nuclear-submarines

10/07/2026

The inaugural 'Set Sail for Dialogue' youth program recently took part onboard Peace Boat’s 123rd Global Voyage, in a powerful partnership with the Nobel Peace Center!

Six young people from countries throughout Europe joined the voyage to study dialogue principles and techniques as practical tools for conflict resolution, as the ship sailed between Amsterdam, Bergen, Reykjavik and New York. In a time of rising polarisation and confrontation, Peace Boat organised this programme to highlight the capacity of dialogue to reduce tensions and resolve crises, and provide a further platform for peace education and exchange onboard.

Click on the link below to learn more about the programme, including sessions with Nobel Peace Center dialogue expert Chro Borhan, Hiroshima survivor and artist Tanaka Toshiko, and engagements in ports of call, from local youth-led organisations to the halls of the United Nations Headquarters.

As stated by one participant: “Throughout the voyage, I met people from incredibly different backgrounds who were all connected by the belief that a more peaceful and just world is worth working towards. This gave me something that is often difficult to hold on to in everyday life: hope. It reminded me that there are already countless people dedicating their time, knowledge, and energy to creating positive change.”

Participants of the Set Sail for Dialogue programme returned home not just with new skills and friendships, but with a renewed sense of both responsibility and hope. They carry with them the conviction that dialogue is not merely a tool for communication, but a pathway to peace - one that they are now committed to forging in their own communities and beyond.

Read more: https://peaceboat.org/english/news/set-sail-for-dialogue

04/07/2026

🏳️‍🌈Peace Boat was proud to join the Pride Parade on June 7 as part of !

The Pride Parade has been held in major cities around the world for over 50 years, advocating for the rights and dignity of sexual minorities. It was first held in Japan in 1994, and participation has grown year by year.

Approximately 15,000 people took to the streets for this year's parade under the theme "A Future Opened Up by Diversity and Equality", with about 40 participants from Peace Boat.

This year marks a critical turning point as Japan awaits a landmark Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality. Raising our voices alongside thousands of others during this pivotal moment was a powerful step forward for the cause of equality.

Peace Boat remains committed to connecting people across Japan and around the world to build a future free from discrimination and prejudice.

02/07/2026

02/07/2026

30/06/2026