Kochi, Oct 9: The Japanese 'Peace Boat', with nearly 1,000 nationals of the country on board, will arrive here tomorrow to promote peace, friendship and sustainability.

Kochi Mayor Mercy Williams will visit the 'Peace Boat' alongwith other officials, at Q6 Berth at Ernakulam Port, Mr Hiromi Kanehara, one of the organisers of the visit, said.

Peace Boat is a Japan-based international organization that travels around the world by a 30,000 tonne ship, which has 'PEACE BOAT' painted in large letters on the side.

The ship will be calling in Kochi for one day tomorrow for a variety of exchange programmes. There are around 1,000 people onboard the ship's 59th 'Around the World Voyage', he said.

The halt in Kochi will be the third port of call on the three-month journey, which started from Tokyo on September 23, 2007, and and will return to Japan on January ten, 2008.

Representatives of the 'Peace Boat' had visited the Mayor earlier and invited her to join the organisations's initiative to ''build partnership with the city mayors''.

The other exchange programmes scheduled for tomorrow include an interaction with the members of the Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad at the Maradu Panchyat, a session of yoga with members of the Art of Living at Sarovaram Hotel and a friendly football match at the Parade Ground in Fort Cochin.

The ship's inmates will also go on a sightseeing tour of Kochi, attend an ''Indian fashion class'', visit a spice farm and take a backwater cruise.


UNI