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A delegation of the Peace Initiative «Year of Cyprus 2014» participated
in the welcoming of the Peace Boat
The Peace Boat, arrived today Sunday 7th September 2014 in the port of Piraeus, Greece coming from Malta. The vessel is travelling around the world with its message of a nuclear weapon free world, a world of peace, and having 1.400 passengers.
Among the passengers, are citizens of Hiroshima & Nagasaki as well as Japanese activists who are making an international campaign for the abolishment of nuclear weapons and in defense of article 9 of the Japanese constitution that speaks of full demilitarization of the country.
After Piraeus, the Peace Boat, will visit Istanbul and from there to the Black Sea ports of Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine (Odessa) and Russia.
From Piraeus to Istanbul there will board a 6 member team of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot young people, which will inform – in relevant events on board – the participants of the vessel on the Cyprus problem and the efforts to achieve peace and re-unification in Cyprus.
Receiving the Peace Boat was the Mayor of Piraeus Giannis Moralis, the deputy-chairman of the Attica Prefecture Giorgos Gavrilis, and many organizations and peace initiatives The main slogans at the reception meeting were for the abolition of nuclear weapons, against the war in Gaza and Ukraine, and in favour of Peace and Re-unification in Cyprus. A Cypriot folklore dance group also performed.
Actress and MP Mania Papadimitriou read a joint declaration of the Peace Boat organizers, of the Acropolis Appeal for Peace, Life and Civilization, of the Observatory of International Organizations and Globalization (PADOP), of IPPNW/Greek affiliate, of the Initiative “Year of Cyprus 2014”, of the United Cyprus Platform of overseas Cypriots, of the Federation of Cypriot Organizations in Greece – OKOE, of the Turkish Cypriot KIBES of Istanbul, of the Anti-Racist Citizens Movement. The declaration includes, a call for the full abolishment of nuclear weapons, in support of article 9 of the Japanese Constitution that speaks of the demilitarization of Japan, for the end of hostilities in Ucraine, for the end of the war in Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state, about the dangers of the fundamentalist crisis in the Middle East, for Peace and Re-unification of Cyprus, so that it becomes a bridge of peace and co-operation in the troubled Eastern Mediterranean.
Similar reception is organized in Istanbul by the Global Peace & Justice Coalition, the Nazim Hikmet foundation and the Turkish Cypriot KIBES.
