I have some very exciting news - the brand new Rainbow Warrior is on its way to Aotearoa!
It will be here in early January next year and we would like to invite you to come aboard for a free tour.
The Rainbow Warrior has a special place in the hearts of New Zealanders and has been the heart and soul of Greenpeace’s global campaigning for over 30 years. She’s been raided, battered, shot at and bombed but the spirit of the Warrior has never been stronger.
The new Rainbow Warrior is our first purpose-built ship. It was funded entirely by donations from Greenpeace supporters. She is at the very cutting edge of clean technology and one of the most environmentally friendly modern ships ever built. We’re very proud of her and very excited because this will be her first visit to New Zealand.
After being bombed and sunk by French Government agents in Auckland the first ship was laid to rest in Matauri Bay. I was a young deckhand at the time and for me it was a tragic day because the blast sunk the ship we called home and caused the death of a friend and crew member Fernando Pereira.
But it was also the beginning of something huge and together we showed the world that you can’t sink a Rainbow. New Zealand declared itself nuclear free and French testing in the Pacific was eventually stopped.
The second Rainbow Warrior soon picked up the baton and led from the front for over 21 years campaigning for peace and justice the world over before having to be retired.
Now the new Rainbow Warrior is leading our campaign for a cleaner, smarter, more innovative future at a time when the world needs a Warrior more than ever.
Her history here means the Warrior has a strong connection to New Zealand and this feels to us like it’s both a homecoming and a visit to her spiritual home.
Please register here to be the among the first to hear about where and when the Warrior be open for visits.
We want to share her with as many people as possible!