06
Apr 2012
Messages of support for the Ishinomaki Technical High School competing in the national high school baseball championships!
Thank you so much for such warm support from around the world. Please see below for messages from the Ambassadors of Panama and Cuba to Japan, as well as former MLB player Bobby Valentine.
30
Mar 2012
A report on the opening of the national high school baseball tournament, in which the Ishinomaki Technical High School was selected for the first time to participate. A public viewing was set up at the Aitopia Shopping Mall/former Coop Miyagi, where local residents and volunteers joined together to cheer on the team.
27
Mar 2012
Peace Boat conducts Disaster Relief Volunteer Training both in Japan (in Tokyo and the earthquake and tsunami affected areas of Ishinomaki, Miyagi) and onboard its ship throughout global voyages. This onboard programme not only equips participants with the knowledge and skills to volunteer in a disaster situation, but also gives them first hand experience of disaster mitigation and relief programmes around the world. This video shows the programme onboard and in Cuba during Peace Boat’s 75th Global Voyage, 2012.
27
Mar 2012
Ishinomaki Technical Highschool (Ishiko) appeared in “the 84th National High School Baseball Championship”, a spring championship at Koshien where heated competition is still taking place.
This was the first time for Ishiko to appear in the National Baseball Championship. Although both their school buildings and facilities were heavily affected by the disaster, leading to poor conditions for training, they managed to win second place in the prefectural championship. Not only playing baseball, the team also was helping the rehabilitation and reconstruction of their community including mud clearance. In late January, a great surprise was delivered to them – an invitation to the national championship in a special “21st-century selection” slot.
16
Mar 2012
On March 13 (Tuesday), the ambassadors of Nicaragua, Colombia, Venezuela and Uruguay from GRULAC (the Latin American and Caribbean Group) visited Ishinomaki and Onagawa once again after their first visit in April last year. Impressed by the progress of recovery and the efforts of the local community and volunteers, they also expressed hope that the coordination model of Ishinomaki can be used in disaster situations worldwide.
12
Mar 2012
Photographs from Ishinomaki on the first anniversary of March 11, 2012.
11
Mar 2012
Today marks the first anniversary since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011.
Peace Boat’s disaster volunteer center extends our deepest sympathy to all those who were affected by the quake, and pledge to continue to work to support those communities/
As of today, the English language report on Peace Boat’s activities in Ishinomaki in 2011 is now available. The Japanese report will be available in mid-March 2012.
We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who has contributed to our work over the past year. We hope we can count on your support in the coming year as the people of Ishinomaki continue to work to rebuild their lives.
09
Mar 2012
After losing its own premises in the tsunami, Minato Daini Junior School is now located in temporary prefabricated buildings on the grounds of another local junior school. However, none of the facilities enjoyed by the students as before are yet available. Upon request from the school, Peace Boat has worked with the PAL System Cooperative Association to provide the school with 13 child-oriented computers for lesson purposes, successfully installed on March 1.
07
Mar 2012
A total of 150 people joined volunteer activities to shovel snow in 30 locations throughout Ojiya City, Niigata Prefecture. This report outlines their achievements and interviews a volunteer and a coordinating staff about their experiences and the system now in place for coordination of disaster relief volunteers through Peace Boat.
Thank you once again to all those who took part and supported this project.
04
Mar 2012
After going to Ishinomaki as a member of Peace Boat’s advance team in March 2011, then working as a volunteer coordinator in Tokyo, Takeda Nobuhiro is now working to coordinate support for Fukushima. He himself is also from Fukushima – from Koriyama City, also deeply affected by the 3.11 disaster. This interview tells of his activities in Ishinomaki, coordinating in Tokyo, and planning ongoing support for Fukushima including youth temporary evacuation projects and opportunities for dialogue amongst citizens.