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
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.
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.
15
Feb 2012
A live performance was held by renowned singer Kato Tokiko in Ishinomaki.
“There may be times when you find it hard and bothersome to talk to others. But that’s when you should try to have as much fun as you can, keep warm and overcome the harsh winter by making friends within temporary housing and uniting your powers . Get inspired by people from outside and have them listen to your story.”
12
Feb 2012
Due to an unusual cold wave, a record snowfall has been reported at various locations in Japan. In Ojiya city of Niigata Prefecture, snow shoveling operations have not been able to keep up with snow accumulation. The lives of the elderly and children in the area are in danger and such conditions are casting a burden over their daily lives.
Based on such conditions, the Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Center (PBV) has started recruiting volunteers to help shovel snow!
07
Feb 2012
We have received the good news that the wakame seaweed grown in the sea of Ishinomaki over the past 3-4 months will be able to be harvested !
So, we would like to invite volunteers to harvest this together with the local community.
The new project, “Volunteer Experience Fishing in Ishinomaki” mainly focuses on “exchange and experience,” rather than the provision of labour for the harvest. This including spending time together with local fishermen, sharing a homemade dinner on the coast, and and experiencing gill nets.