Ocean Going Ship Topaz AKA Peace Boat Berths In Auckland
Info courtesy of Evan Audley and also Ports Of Auckland.
A first-time visitor to New Zealand, Topaz is chartered to Peace Boat, a Japan-based non-governmental organisation that
works to promote peace, human rights, sustainable development and respect for the environment.
The Topaz was launched in 1956, so is one of the oldest cruise vessels still in regular operation. However she is well
maintained and is a good-looking ship, 195m long and weighing 32,327 tons, with a classic profile.
Each year Peace Boat organises several peace voyages during which participants take part in educational and exchange
programmes on board and in port. Topaz will have around 1000 passengers, at least 80% of whom are Japanese, on board for
the 47th Global Peace Voyage. She will depart from Tokyo in October 2004, and call at 16 ports in 14 countries in Asia,
Africa and South America before arriving in Auckland from Tahiti on 12 January 2005. Passengers will spend the day at
Manukau Marae. The ship will continue to Sydney before returning to Japan via New Guinea.
Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental and non-profit organization that works to promote peace,
human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment.
Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political change in the world. We
pursue this through the organization of global educational programmes, responsible travel, cooperative projects and
advocacy activities. These activities are carried out on a partnership basis with other civil society organizations and
communities in Japan, Northeast Asia, and around the world.
Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages.
The ship creates a neutral, mobile space and enables people to engage across borders in dialogue and mutual cooperation
at sea, and in the ports that we visit. Activities based on Japan and Northeast Asia are carried out from our eight
Peace Centers in Japan.