News

15
May 2015

Nepal Earthquake 2015: Emergency Relief

PBV’s team landed in Kathmandhu on 3rd May 2015 in order to conduct a rapid needs assessment and provide immediate relief to communities affected by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal. At the time of writing, the disaster has claimed over 8500 lives, destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes, and has crippled critical infrastructure across the country. An estimated one million children are unable to attend classes due to damage to schools, and many hospitals have sustained severe damage. Upon arrival, our staff checked in at the Reception and Departure Centre (RDC) at Kathmandu airport, where humanitarian agencies check in, receive a briefing, and provide information on their respective missions, […]

26
Apr 2015

Nepal Earthquake 2015: Emergency Relief

On 25th April, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck 80km northwest of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The strong tremor has caused severe loss of life and widespread damage across the country; thousands of casualties have been reported and critical infrastructure has sustained significant damage. The toll is expected to rise as more information from affected areas becomes available. PBV ‘s response team is deploying to Kathmandu on 2nd May in order to carry out a rapid needs assessment and assist affected communities through the provision of emergency supplies. The team is in contact with partners on the ground and is working closely with community stakeholders, UN agencies, governmental groups and NGOs to […]

25
Mar 2015

Vanuatu: Cyclone Pam Relief

PBV is currently conducting a needs assessment in Vanuatu after Tropical Cyclone Pam, working closely with local governments, national government agencies, INGOs and NGOs, and civil society on the ground. PBV is actively taking part in the UN cluster meetings, to ensure that our activities are part of the larger international community’s movements to provide assistance and to ensure that all information is shared as much as possible to reduce duplication of efforts. Although the capital, Port Vila (population approx. 50,000), has had many essential services and infrastructure restored, some of the outer islands are badly affected and lacking basic lifelines, according to some reports and information here in Port […]

06
Feb 2015

Making Cities Resilient: Global Campaign Promoters Strengthen Their Work Onboard Peace Boat

After four days on Peace Boat and activities in the ports of Valparaiso, Chile and Callao, Peru, the “Road to Sendai 2015: Making Cities Resilient,” program organized by Peace Boat and the Latin American office of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), concluded successfully. During the Chile to Peru segment of the program, seven Promoters of the global campaign “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting ready!” participated in sessions about lessons learned from disasters that have occurred in Japan and Latin America over the past 20 years. During these sessions, they also shared experiences regarding the strengthening of community resilience, partnerships between the public and private […]

05
Jan 2015

Africa Resilient Youth and the “Ocean Dream Declaration”

Between December 18– 23, Peace Boat partnered with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) to carry out the “Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building for Youth Leaders in Africa” Programme. Six exceptional young leaders from Madagascar, Mozambique & South Africa, along with 2 United Nations-related special guests from Kenya, joined us onboard as the ship sailed from Mozambique to South Africa.　(Read their profiles here). Combining workshops, seminars, presentations and a field visit, we explored some of the most pressing issues in Disaster Risk Reduction, and identified ways in which youth can take a leading role in making communities more resilient. Field Visit – Maputo, Mozambique (19 December) […]

16
Dec 2014

Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building for Youth Leaders – Africa Programme

Between Dec 18-23, 2014, NGO Peace Boat, in cooperation with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), will host a special capacity building programme on Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building for youth leaders from Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa and Kenya. With the goals of building the capacity of young African leaders and strengthening regional cooperation on disaster risk reduction to reduce the impact of disasters and enhance community resilience, Japan-based NGO Peace Boat, in cooperation with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) through its Regional Office for Africa, will welcome young leaders from countries visited in Africa to take part in workshops onboard Peace Boat’s passenger […]

14
Oct 2014

“Making Cities Resilient” in Brazil

On Aug. 15th, Peace Boat arrived in Belem, Brazil. Disaster Risk Reduction is a topical and important issue in Brazil, given that the nation faces a wide range of natural hazards, including landslides, floods, and drought. In Belem, Peace Boat held a press conference and symposium with 19 government officials and DRR professionals onboard the ship, along with official representation from UNISDR. After an introduction to the “Making Cities Resilient” campaign (of which Peace Boat is an official campaign partner), the participants engaged in a lively discussion on how to achieve disaster resilience in their local areas. This event served as a prime opportunity to exchange opinions, share information and […]

11
Oct 2014

Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience Building for Youth Leaders – Central America

In 2014, Peace Boat became an official campaign partner of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction’s (UNISDR) “Making Cities Resilient” campaign. Since the campaign’s launch in 2010, over 2000 cities have pledged to take action on disaster resilience, climate change adaptation and enhancing disaster risk reduction measures in their areas. The “Ten Essentials for Making Cities Disaster Resilient” has been provided as a practical guidance towards building resilience in these cities. Through Peace Boat’s global voyages, the chartered passenger ship visits approximately 60 cities worldwide and the organisation conducts an array of in-port programmes with a range of stakeholder groups, making it a strong candidate to raise awareness […]