Greenpeace hands over the iconic Rainbow Warrior II to Friendship

On 16th August, 2011, the inauguration ceremony of Rongdhonu took place in Singapore. Rongdhonu, formerly known as Rainbow Warrior II, is a Greenpeace International vessel that has contributed greatly to history, being an integral part of the organization’s various campaigns.

It was handed over to Friendship, to be converted into a floating hospital. The Rongdhonu will enable Friendship to bring healthcare to vulnerable and marginalized communities living along the coastal belt of Bangladesh. The floating hospital will provide primary, secondary and emergency healthcare to these populations that have little or no access to basic health care facilities.

Rongdhonu will set sail from Singapore to Bangladesh and is expected to reach the Chittagong port in September 2011.

        
 

Friendship has been working in Bangladesh for a decade, specializing in working with communities at risk in various parts of Bangladesh including the isolated chars of the Bramhaputra and Jamuna rivers of Gaibandha and Kurigram districts of northern part of Bangladesh, and in cyclone affected areas in parts of the southern districts of Bagerhat, Patuakhali and Barguna. Friendship’s journey started with the Lifebuoy Friendship Hospital (LFH), the country’s first floating hospital. In 2008 the Emirates Friendship Hospital (EFH), a second floating hospital was commissioned to serve the healthcare needs of these areas.

Friendship is working to provide a holistic way of uplifting the quality of life of the ultra poor and disaster prone communities by providing integrated support in healthcare, education, sustainable economic development, disaster risk management and cultural preservation.

Click here to view media coverage of the handover Rainbow Warrior II.

Click here to read the speeches made during the handing over of the Rainbow Warrior II.

For the press release in English and Bangla please find the following attachments

For English: Press Release of Greenpeace International hands over the iconic Rainbow Warrior II to Friendship

For Bangla: Press Release of Greenpeace International hands over the iconic Rainbow Warrior II to Friendship

To view the historic ceremony live please go to: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/ships/.

For more information please see the following links:
http://www.friendship-bd.org/therongdhonu
http://anewwarrior.greenpeace.org
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/about/ships/the-rainbow-warrior/The-current-Rainbow-Warrior/