Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. The organisation carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages as well as through partnerships with other NGOs.

Sewalanka’s affiliation with Peace Boat began in 2004 when the ship first stopped in the Colombo port. Since then, Peace Boat has visited Sri Lanka annually to participate in various cultural exchanges.

The partnership has also seen the establishment of four computer centres in southern tsunami-affected areas and one in the East. The centres provide IT vocational training to coastal communities.

In the Boat’s 2007 voyage to Sri Lanka which took place in March, Sewalanka arranged for 75 of the 750-member international delegation to visit communities in Kalutara and Galle.

A number of the delegation members stayed with tsunami-affected families in their new permanent homes and learned how community members have recovered from the disaster.

The Peace Boat representatives experienced authentic Sri Lankan food and rural life first-hand.

According to one of the Peace Boat team members, “The homestay experience was a once in a lifetime opportunity and provided the group with a good insight into Sri Lankan culture.”