A historic sailboat touring the Pacific Northwest will dock in town just in time for the Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair on Sept. 14 at Esther Short Park.
The Golden Rule peace ship originally set sail in 1958 as the first environmental and peace vessel to go to sea. Activists on the boat attempted to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Marshall Islands, an island country in the Pacific.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s arrest of the Golden Rule’s crew led to public outrage against nuclear weapons and the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963. It inspired more peace ships to follow, including ones from the environmental organization Greenpeace International.
Veterans For Peace recovered the Golden Rule and fully restored it in 2015. The group has sailed it ever since.
IF YOU GO
What: Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 14
Where: Esther Short Park, Sixth and Esther streets in downtown Vancouver
Cost: Free
Information: Vancouverpeaceandjusticefair.org
What: Golden Rule docking
Boat tours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 13 and 14
Boat sailing: 1-4 p.m. Sept. 13 and 14
Boat tours and sailing cost: Free
Information: vfpgoldenruleproject.org
“We talk about sailing for a nuclear-free world and a peaceful, sustainable future,” said Helen Jaccard, Golden Rule project manager. “We give people a chance to see this historic vessel.”
In 2016, the sailboat joined the Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair for the first time. This will be the Golden Rule’s second appearance at the fair.
The Golden Rule will tentatively arrive at Vancouver Landing on Sept. 12. Community members can tour and sail the historic boat Sept. 13 and 14. The schedule is available on the Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair’s webpage.
“People just love to touch this piece of history and see what she looks like,” Jaccard said.
Organizations tackling hunger, homelessness, LGBTQ+ rights, climate change and animal welfare will have booths at the fair. The Golden Rule crew will staff a Washington Against Nuclear Weapons Coalition table.
“Before I started being on the committee, I was always so impressed by all the power of these nonprofits gathering in one space,” said Christine Maitland, a Vancouver Peace & Justice Fair committee member and volunteer. “So to me, that’s the exciting part of it. All of these different nonprofits are there and showing the work that they do.”
Performers will take the stage, including a drum circle, Native American flutist and Sikh dancers.
Reenactors portraying Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, abolitionist Harriet Tubman and other heroes will stroll Esther Short Park.
Organizers called the fair “a homegrown gathering of our community’s most forward-thinking citizens and peacemakers.”
