The Peace Boat, an international peace mission run by a Japanese NGO, arrived on Thursday in Zeebrugge, Belgium, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Since 1983, the mission has travelled the globe on a cruise ship promoting peace, human rights, sustainable development, and nuclear disarmament.
According to the organisation, at a time of rising geopolitical tensions, increasing defence budgets, and renewed nuclear threats, the Peace Boat presents a powerful alternative narrative.
On board are two survivors of the World War II atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, who shared their stories and called for a world without nuclear weapons while in Zeebrugge on Thursday.
The ship docked on Thursday afternoon at Zeebrugge’s Rederskaai, greeted by a musical performance from a choir. Notable attendees included Brugge’s Mayor Dirk De Fauw, whose city has been a member of Mayors for Peace since 2007.
Mayor De Fauw highlighted the importance of local peace initiatives in addressing global threats.
