“Which ship goes around the world spreading happiness and love?”
The MV Doulos is sailing the high seas bringing ‘Help, Hope and Knowledge’ (Their Motto) to the world and maybe coming to a port near you!
The Doulos is the world’s oldest ocean going passenger ship. It is also the world’s largest floating book fair and has been compared to a floating ‘United Nations’ due to the diversity of the volunteers and crew on board!
The Doulos:
* Carries 100 tonnes of literature! 500,000 books!
* Has 40 nationalities represented on board!
* Has 1000 meals served daily!
* Uses 3,700 litres of paint annually!
* Over 18 million people visited the book fair since 1978!
This fascinating vessel has now arrived in Hong Kong and will be docked at Ocean terminal, Tsim Sha Tsai, until July 4th 2009. The ship will host an ‘International Night’ on June 26th. The Doulos was last in Hong Kong in 2007 and received over 100,000 visitors. Some of the funds made will go towards projects the ship supports in Cambodia.
The main aims of the ship include:
* BRINGING KNOWLEDGE:
The ship brings books and hence knowledge to places in the world where it is simply too hard to obtain books. Some nations simply don’t have the infrastructure for transportation and delivery.
The Doulos offers over 6000 titles of books which cover a wide range of subjects including sports, cookery and much more!
The volunteer crew onboard are committed to the vision of making practical, useful and educational information available to people around the world.
* BRINGING HELP:
When making port visits, the Doulos tries to help in practical ways. Before coming into a country, the ship sends a team to assess the needs of the community. From the ‘scouting’ reports, the crew can plan accordingly.
Aid work takes the form of medical care, construction, or simply supplying food.
Past projects include: Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) 2001 – 22,000 packs of soap and toothpaste were distributed to orphanages. Red Sea (1994) Doulos offered medical assistance in a rescue operation for passengers on a burning ferry. Kotor (Montenegro) 2004 – 12,000 supply boxes were distributed to needy and individual families.
* BRINGING HOPE:
The concept of the Doulos itself is inspiring for all those whom come into contact with it. The Doulos is represented by over 350 crew members from over 40 global nations.
The diverse crew live in harmony on a ship space no longer than 130 metres and 16 metres. They are great example of how people from all backgrounds can live and work together for a common goal.
Having been on board recently, I was struck by the friendliness of the crew, the authentic nature of the ship and of course the wonderful selection of reasonably priced books! For book lovers and those whom want to experience something different, the Doulos and its wonderful message of love and peace is definitely for you!
Hong Kong Timetable: (Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon)
* June 6th to July 4th 2009 – Closed from June 19th to 21st and June 29th to July 1st 2009.
Opening Times:
* Tuesday to Saturday: 10am to 9pm
* Sunday and Monday: 2pm to 9pm
* Monday June 22nd: 10am to 9pm
* Saturday July 4th : 10am to 6pm
Capt. Harry Nikken-Captain of MV Doulos
i3 Anthology Book signing by featured writers on book ship (MV Doulos), 2nd July 2009
i3 Anthology is a collection of the best-of contributions first published on global news webzine, www.iCUBED.us, and written by over thirty contributors, most of them aged 13 to 21
Venue: on board The MV Doulos (Book Ship) docked at Ocean Terminal, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
Date and Time: Thursday, 2 July 2009, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
(for further details, please contact: INFO@iCUBED.us)
iCUBED.us is a webazine for, by, and about youth aged to 25.
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