July 31st, 2025 by Seward Folly Staff
On Monday, Seward bustled with a unique wave of visitors: passengers from the Peace Boat, a Japan-based international non-governmental organization (NGO). The cruise ship is dedicated to promoting peace, human rights, and sustainability. The 1,700-passenger vessel carries not just travelers, but a mission: to advance global nuclear disarmament.
The Peace Boat began its three-month, around-the-world journey in Yokohama, Japan, with plans to visit approximately 20 communities. Seward marked one of its day-long stops.
The visit was made possible through a partnership with Rotary International.
Seward Rotary President, Lori Landstrom, explained that Rotary International shares the Peace Boat’s values of global peace and conflict resolution.
“Our pillars of guidance closely match those of the Peace Boat,” she said.
The two organizations worked together to arrange the docking and to offer Seward residents spots on two special onboard tours.
Guests were greeted with traditional Japanese hospitality by Rika Watanabe of the Peace Boat, who offered refreshments and a warm welcome. Watanabe emphasized that the Peace Boat is “much more than a cruise ship with an anti-nuclear exhibition onboard.” It’s a moving classroom, educating passengers about peace initiatives and supporting global efforts for disarmament.
The Peace Boat’s history stretches back to 1983, when a group of Japanese university students chartered a ship to visit neighboring countries in response to government censorship concerning Japan’s past military aggression in the Asia-Pacific. Their goal was to learn firsthand about the legacy of war and to foster dialogue between citizens of Northeast Asia, focusing on issues like history education, nuclear disarmament, and territorial disputes.
A central part of the Peace Boat’s mission is sharing the personal testimonies of atomic bomb survivors, known in Japan as hibakusha. On Monday, Ms. Kuramori Terumi spoke to attendees about her experience as a survivor. Exposed to the bomb as a one-year-old in Nagasaki, Ms. Kuramori described both the physical and social scars left by the bombing. Her father and siblings died from radiation effects, and she herself faced discrimination throughout her life. “People didn’t want to hire survivors because of their health problems, nor did people want to be in relationships with them,” she explained. She recalled how her marriage was called off when it was discovered she was a hibakusha.
Ms. Kuramori shared conversations with friends who had witnessed the horrors of the bombing.
“Ordinary life of families living together is peace. Mass destructive weapons and humanity cannot co-exist. I have met many that have suffered and I advocate for peace and the eradication of the atomic bomb.”
– Ms. Kuramori Temuri, Nagasaki A-Bomb Survivor
The Peace Boat is an active partner in the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. In 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, organizer of the Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, recognizing the tireless efforts of hibakusha to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and to ensure that their devastating legacy is never repeated.
Watanabe reminded the audience that neither the United States nor Japan has signed treaties to eliminate nuclear weapons. “If nuclear war were to happen in the future, none of us are safe. No one can be protected from radiation fallout. It will change the world’s environment. If the USA and Japan would sign a treaty, we could change the world and eliminate weapons of mass destruction.”
Seward locals who toured the exhibition found the experience deeply moving.
“The hand-drawn pictures by survivors reminded me of the drawings after the tsunami at the museum. The message was very impactful and it is very important,” said Taiyo Reimers.
Katja Mocnik added, “It’s so crazy humans would do this to its own species.”
As the Peace Boat continues its journey, it leaves behind a resonant reminder: peace requires action, and the stories of survivors are a call to end the threat of nuclear weapons forever.
For more information about the Peace Boat, go to https://peaceboat.org/english/.
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