05
Jan 2013
The Peace Boat Center Ishinomaki opened on June 2, 2012. In the six months since then, many people have visited every day from near and far, interested in events, using the internet and other facilities there, or visitors coming to Ishinomaki for the first time since the earthquake. In this time, there has been more than 5000 visitors and participants in various events. This report details the events held in this time.
12
Dec 2012
The March 11 disasters in Japan resulted in an outpouring of concern, support and solidarity from the United States, which has been truly inspiring and encouraging, and made a tangible impact on the lives of people affected by the disaster in the Tohoku region. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Peace Boat travelled to New York together with Ishinomaki residents to assist in the volunteer and relief effort coordination efforts, to reciprocate the support that we received in Tohoku from the people of the US.
21
Nov 2012
Following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, overnight emergency drills are being held at 180 high schools throughout Tokyo.
Peace Boat has been invited to participate and give lectures at drills held at three schools, most recently the Momijigawa Public High School in Tokyo.
The Board of Education hops that such drills “will not only help students learn to be able to take care of themselves during an emergency, but also help them to be able to play an active role contributing to society, such as through supporting evacuation center operations.”
16
Nov 2012
On October 17, with the cooperation of NGO/NPOs and corporate partners, Peace Boat hosted an event focused on creating a network to quickly and efficiently provide support after disasters in Japan.
The event was organised by Peace Boat’s Disaster Volunteer Centre, with the help of sponsors including the Civilian Disaster Prevention and Disaster Area Support Network; corporate partner IBM Japan; intermediate support organizations such as Just Giving Japan; and NGO/NPO On the Road.
15
Nov 2012
A severe earthquake of M 7.4 struck the western region of Guatemala on November 7, causing great damage throughout the region, including the loss of over 50 lives. Although more than a week has passed since the disaster, many citizens are still suffering greatly, with a total of 1.2 million people thought to be affected. A Peace Boat staff member travelled to Guatemala on November 12, 2012 to survey potential support for the relief efforts continuing in in San Pedro, San Marcos and surrounds. This visit and support is being conducted in coordination with the Guatemalan NGO CEIBA, a partner organisation of Peace Boat.
13
Nov 2012
Volunteering at disaster-affected areas requires volunteer coordinators and leaders to consider many different situations. However, it is not easy to imagine these challenges and difficulties without real-life experiences.
This“case study”training has been organized by Peace Boat in cooperation with several university professors and students. The course offers a study programme where participants can learn through recreated scenarios which are based upon the actual experiences of volunteer leaders at disaster sites.
The participants will gain an ability to “imagine” and “make judgements” through discussions and workshops, and also have a chance to meet and learn from the experiences of people directly affected by disasters.
12
Nov 2012
The Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Centre (PBV) has dispatched two coordinating staff members today (November 12, 2012) to consider and begin potential support for the ongoing relief efforts in New York and surrounds following Hurricane Sandy.
Messages of support and donations have also been generously provided by the citizens of Ishinomaki City, expressing gratitude and solidarity in turn to the people of the United States who provided so much material and emotional support to those affected by the March 11, 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.
31
Oct 2012
Originally from Iwate Prefecture, Anbai Yuhiro now lives in Tokyo. He has volunteered in each of the three prefectures that make up the Tohoku region, and he currently volunteers in the Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Centre office in Tokyo.
It has been over a year and a half since the disaster struck Eastern Japan, and many volunteers have been involved in the relief efforts in the disaster-affected region, as well as many others searching for ways to get involved in rebuilding the future of Tohoku. Mr Anbai, the subject of this interview, is one of them. We asked him about his reasons for continuing to volunteer, and why he started to volunteer in the first place.
22
Oct 2012
Peace Boat is proud to announce the launch in September 2012 of the Disaster Volunteer Training programme, designed to help prepare for future disasters. This is a four-step program composed of both introductory and intermediate-level courses.
By hosting these classes around the country and offering online certification, we hope to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to learn these skills and knowledge.
12
Oct 2012
Create a musical with 100 people in 100 days!
At the Peace Boat Centre Ishinomaki, people are now talking about rehearsals for a musical which is going to be performed in Miyagi in January next year.
This musical programme was set up by the NPO Common Beat. After the disaster struck last year, the group has been arranging ‘volunteer buses’ to take many of its members to volunteer in Ishinomaki.
The musical which they will perform, COMMON BEAT, was originally started by a non-profit group in the US. As young people from all over the world came together to perform the musical, they learned about each others cultures and lives. It has since come to be used in international-based education.
The next aim of Common Beat, which has thus far carried out programmes onboard Peace Boat and sent volunteers to Ishinomaki, is to carry out the first Tohoku Project on January 19-20, 2013. Since it was difficult to find a suitable venue in Ishinomaki, it will be performed at Taga City’s Culture Centre, also in Miyagi Prefecture. The important thing in starting out with this project was to get local people in Ishinomaki to become interested in joining the cast. Working with the Peace Boat Centre in Ishinomaki, central members of Common Beat have gone to Ishinomaki many times to give trial performances at local events and festivals.