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Hiro Iwamoto / Global Keynote Speaker, First Totally Blind Sailor to Cross the Pacific

The message he most wishes to convey at the WEF is the power of choice.He lost his sight at the age of sixteen-a moment when he nearly gave up on life itself. Nevertheless, he chose to live. In 2013, he made his first attempt to cross the Pacific with a partner, but the voyage ended in failure after a collision with a whale. The incident drew intense public criticism and plunged him once again into deep despair.

Six years later, in 2019, with a new partner, Iwamoto successfully completed a non-stop Pacific crossing of approximately 13,000 kilometers, sailing from San Diego to Fukushima, Japan. At that point, he made another choice-to move even further forward. That choice led to the launch of this new project.

At the WEF, Iwamoto is scheduled to deliver his speech on January 21, 2026 (Davos, Switzerland time).How did he come to choose this extraordinary challenge? We invite you to listen closely to his words.WEF URL: https://www.weforum.org/

This ambitious project depends on a wide range of support systems that will serve as "his eyes."These include continuous satellite communication via Starlink, high-sensitivity cameras, voice-based navigation systems that convey critical information, a shore-based support center monitoring the voyage, and-most importantly-the collective support of people around the world who will guide and assist him.

Together, these elements aim to create a new form of sailing, gradually transforming what has long been considered an "impossible adventure" for a blind sailor into a possible one.

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Contact

Blind Sailor Single-Handed Pacific Crossing Project 2027Email: [email protected] / [email protected] Phone: +81-90-3100-3976 (Kaori Awamura)

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