Peace Boat and the UN DPI organize a “Floating Festival for Sustainability” in New York
On October 20th, the world’s largest passenger ship sailing around the world for peace, sustainability and innovation will be in New York City as part of Peace Boat’s 92nd Global Voyage for Peace. Established in 1983, the award-winning international non-profit organization Peace Boat has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations and is associated with the UN Department of Public Information (DPI). As part of this cooperation, a “Floating Festival for Sustainability” will be held on the evening of October 20. This very special evening will include presentations, music, exhibitions, cultural performances and an Eco-Fashion show.
The event will be an opportunity to highlight the partnership between UN, diplomatic and civil society actors in promoting and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Confirmed speakers include the United Nations Deputy Secretary General H.E. Jan Eliasson, Ambassador of the Maldives and Chairman of the Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) H.E. Ahmed Sareer, Chief NGO Relations Advocacy and Special Events, Outreach Division, United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) Jeff Brez, Peace Boat Director Yoshioka Tatsuya, Cora Weiss of the Hague Appeal for Peace, and more.
A campaigner for the SDGs
Peace Boat is a committed campaigner for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and with the cooperation of the UN DPI is proud to have launched a huge Global Goals logo on the hull of its ship at the departure of the 92nd Global Voyage from Japan on August 18, 2016. This logo is now travelling around the world to promote the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the SDGs throughout a three-month journey, travelling to 25 ports during this voyage, and more than 80 countries around the world annually. The onboard festival will be a celebration of the launch of this campaign and its global impact. During the event, Peace Boat will also introduce its Ecoship Project, the world’s most sustainable cruise ship planned to sail in 2020 as a flagship for climate action.
Climate Change and Disaster Relief
Peace Boat has been working to assist disaster-affected people and strengthen disaster resilience of communities in Japan and around the world since 2011. This work has highlighted how global warming causes devastation, particularly threatening small islands states. The most recent manifestation of this is Hurricane Matthew in Haiti. Peace Boat is now preparing to launch efforts to help those affected, in partnership with New York-based group World Cares Center.
Atomic bomb survivors speak at the UN
Peace Boat’s visit to New York City also coincides with the United Nations First Committee on Disarmament and International Security. As part of Peace Boat’s commitment to creating a nuclear-free world, five atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki are travelling with the ship from Japan and will speak at various side events, including at the United Nations, at the onboard event on October 20, and at schools in New York City.
Event details:
Date: October 20, 2016 (Thurs)
Time: Doors open 6pm; main event 7pm – 8:30pm
Venue: Onboard Peace Boat’s vessel, the Ocean Dream. Pier 90 (corner of 48th St and 12th Ave)
Please contact us at media@ecoship-pb.com for further information about Peace Boat, activities in New York, how to visit the ship and interview opportunities.
