Liter of Light joins Peace Boat’s 100th voyage

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Marking the milestone of their 100th voyage, Peace Boat, a non-government organization in Japan teams up with Liter of Light (1LL). In this voyage, both Peace Boat and 1LL are set on crossing borders to spread awareness about their causes, which includes promoting peace,  human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment, with 1LL focusing on addressing energy poverty.  The journey will start in Yokohama Japan on December 26 and will circumnavigate the world for a hundred days.

One of the journey’s highlights is a workshop from 1LL Executive Director Illac Diaz. Passengers on board will learn about making sustainable solar lights, and the finished products will be donated to communities accessible from the ports where Peace Boat will dock.

The organizations discovered each other’s activities during the World Future Energy Summit held in Abu Dhabi last January 2016. The idea of working together on a joint project came up immediately, with Peace Boat being an active campaigner for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This collaboration between the two agencies will help create awareness about SDGs, with 1LL focusing on renewable energy.

The trip not only serves as an avenue for both organizations to widen their reach, but it also gives both a chance to share their humble beginnings. Peace Boat started out with four students who were curious about Japan’s role during World War II. In 1983, they chartered a ship and went around Asia and the Pacific to reach out to different countries and hear people’s stories about their experiences during the war.

When Liter of Light started in 2011, its mission and focus was simple, to provide solar lighting that is accessible and sustainable for grassroots communities. Redesigning solar lighting for the developing world, 1LL’s simple, two-step technology creates local jobs, teaches green skills, and empowers energy-poor communities. Rather than depending on imported, patented, and expensive technologies, this grassroots green lighting movement makes it possible for anyone to become a solar engineer.

From Yokohama, Japan, the voyage will cover a southern hemisphere route, docking in 19 ports around Asia, Africa, and South America, including Madagascar, South Africa, Brazil and Patagonia. They will also visit Mauritius, Rapa Nui, Tahiti and Samoa, where participants will learn about the issues faced by the indigenous people of these islands. The joint activities with Liter of Light will constitute one of the main themes of this voyage, alongside the celebration of the 35th anniversary of Peace Boat.

 

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