On July 6th, representatives of “Peace Boat”, a floating university for peace, paid The Rafto Human Rights House a visit. “Peace Boat” is a Japanese organisation, but the crew changes from voyage to voyage, and represents different nations each time. People from Japan, Germany, Ireland, Palestine and Israel were among the 30 visitors to the Rafto House. They were interested in learning how the Rafto House Foundation works to spread knowledge about human rights. (07-JULY-2005)
About 10 of the visitors came from Tübingen University in Stuttgart, Germany, where they attend a masters’ program in peace studies and conflict solution. They had prepared a paper on how Germany delt with the aftermath of WW2 for their stay aboard “Peace Boat”. The Rafto House Foundation is interested in linking up with German NGOs. We are preparing a conference about the human rights situation in North-Korea, to be held in May next year, and we are looking for participants from Germany. German NGO`s would be able to contribute by drawing upon their experience from the re-unification of East and West Germany.
Professor Frank Aarebrot of the University of Bergen gave the visitors a personal guide through Norwegian politics with emphasis on Norwegian NGOs. Among the issues were the links between NGOs in Norway and the government, and Norwegian production of arms. Professor Aarebrot thought that ethic considerations regarding trade would become more and more important in the future.
The visitors from “Peace Boat” could leave a bit more enlightened about Norway, before they were bound for sight-seeing around Bergen.
By: Tormod Nuland.
