Daisaku Ikeda Children’s Stories on YouTube Channel

On March 16, 2016, a YouTube channel introducing the animations of president ikeda’s Children’s stories is launched.
For English, there are 16 stories, 18 episodes.
And there are other languages, including Spanish, Mandarin (with Tranditional Chinese subtitles) and Cantonese  (with Tranditional Chinese subtitles).

Click the following link and watch the animations!!
https://www.youtube.com/c/DaisakuIkedaOrg_ChildrensStories/

HARMONY - January 2013

DEAR MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF SGI,

Happy New Year and happy Year Of Victory For A Youthful SGI!
The Harmony team would like to thank you for all your support in 2012 and we look forward to helping you deepen your understanding of Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism in 2013.
This year’s theme is one that should be embraced by all members of the SGI, not just the youth division. A youthful SGI has nothing to do with age but everything to do with spirit; an attitude of optimism and hope, not pessimism and despair. One working tirelessly, not only for one’s own happiness, but also for the happiness of others. Fully embracing the spirit of the oneness of mentor and disciple is a key component to this youthfulness. If you want proof of this, just look at President Ikeda. I am sure that everyone would agree that he is the embodiment of victory and a youthful spirit.
The Fountain of Youth is a legendary spring that reputedly restores the youth of anyone who drinks of its waters. Tales of such a fountain have been recounted across the world for thousands of years. We, in the SGI, have access to such a fountain, anytime we want; it is our Buddhist practice. By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with a correct attitude, reading the works of Nichiren Daishonin, the encouragement of President Ikeda, and participating in SGI activities, we are able to tap this fountain of youth and lead fulfilling and happy lives..the Month
President Ikeda reminds us of the following:
“The real meaning of youth has nothing to do with physical age. In Buddhist terms, youth means to consistently maintain an open, flexible and tolerant mind.”
“Life loses its dynamism from the moment we lose the passion with which to live it. No matter what our age, we cannot afford to let the flame within our heart grow dim. We do not become unhappy because we grow old. We become unhappy only when we grow ever more unwilling to change as we age.”

“Youthfulness is not determined by age. It is determined by one’s life force. One who possesses hope is forever young. One who continually advances is forever beautiful.”

(http://www.ikedaquotes.org/youth-aging)

Let’s set big goals for 2013, chant to our hearts’ content and take courageous action to make our wildest dreams become reality.
Happy Year Of Victory For A Youthful SGI!
Skip Williams

Available at all HKSGI Culture Centres

Peace Proposal by SGI President Daisaku IKeda

In his 30th annual peace proposal, released on January 26, Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist association, calls for a nuclear abolition summit to be held in 2015 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki to ensure that the growing momentum toward abolition of nuclear weapons becomes irreversible.

Holding this summit on the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of these cities, and in the year of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, would bring home to world leaders the terrible destructive capacity of nuclear weapons and help ensure the necessary action toward their abolition, thereby marking the effective end of the nuclear weapons era.

In this year’s proposal, titled “Human Security and Sustainability: Sharing Reverence for the Dignity of Life,” Ikeda points to the possibility of a more hopeful phase in the struggle to realize a nuclear-free world, seeing signs of a tipping point where a “cascade” of governments will support adoption of a Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC) to comprehensively ban nuclear weapons.

Ikeda, who has been engaged in the antinuclear movement since the late 1950s, strongly reaffirms his endorsement of the idea of an NWC, stating that we must take “the determination … that humanity and nuclear weapons cannot coexist, and give it concrete form as a binding legal agreement expressing the shared conscience of humankind.”

He calls for formation of an action group for an NWC, comprising supportive governments and NGOs, and urges that if arguments from the perspectives of human rights and sustainability are mustered alongside those from international humanitarian law, this will expand the groundswell of grassroots efforts pushing for nuclear weapons abolition.

Reflecting on the Fukushima nuclear disaster in March 2011, Ikeda urges Japan to make a rapid transition to energy policies not reliant on nuclear power generation, and to intensify its involvement in renewable energy technology and research, both domestically and to support efforts in developing countries. He calls for a strengthening of the global role of the IAEA in dealing with the impacts of nuclear power plant accidents and the decommissioning of obsolescent reactors.
Considering the suffering caused by an increasing prevalence of natural disasters around the world, Ikeda calls for responses to be centered on a human rights approach and proposes that UNHCR’s mandate be officially expanded to include provision of relief for people displaced by such disasters. He also stresses the importance of empowering women to play a greater role in disaster prevention, mitigation and recovery efforts.
Toward the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development being held this year in Rio de Janeiro, Ikeda calls for a broader debate on the concept of Sustainable Development Goals to follow the Millennium Development Goals from 2015. He urges a comprehensive approach that will address the full range of sustainability and human security concerns in both developing and developed countries.
Read a synopsis of the proposal at: http://www.sgi.org/sgipresident/proposals/peace/2012.html

Daisaku Ikeda, 84, has issued proposals analyzing the key issues facing humankind on January 26 every year since 1983, commemorating SGI’s founding on that date in 1975. He offers insight from a Buddhist perspective and makes concrete suggestions in a spirit of contribution to the global dialogue centered around the United Nations. Many of his proposals have borne fruit.
Soka Gakkai International is a socially engaged Buddhist association with over 12 million members around the world.

January 26: SGI Day

It was on January 26, 1975, that Soka Gakkai International (SGI) was inaugurated at the First World Peace Conference on the island of Guam (more)

Learning about dignity by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda

Learning about dignity

On Dec. 19 the United Nations General Assembly, meeting in New York, adopted a historic new U.N. Declaration on Human Rights Education and Training. (more)

October 2: SGI World Peace Day

October 2 is celebrated within the SGI as World Peace Day, marking a key milestone in the international development of Nichiren Buddhism, with its goal of contributing to building lasting peace throughout the world.
Read all

Daisaku Ikeda Words of Wisdom Site–NEWLY LAUNCHED August 2011

You will find a most inspirational selection of SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s quotes, together with hope-filled essays and podcasts as well as “Words of Wisdom” Facebook page and easy-to-use “Share” function.

Daisaku Ikeda Words of Wisdom Site: www.ikedaquotes.org

Words of Wisdom Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/wordsofwisdom.daisakuikeda

The ‘Rendezvous with Nature – Photography Exhibition by Daisaku Ikeda’ Held at the Northeast Normal University, Jilin Province, PRC

The Northeast Normal University conferred an ‘Outstanding Contribution Award for Photographic Arts’ to SGI President Ikeda

The sun was shining brilliantly as the opening ceremony was held at the Library Piazza of the Main Campus of the Northeast Normal University. Guests attending the ceremony included: Ma Yong-Ming, Deputy Secretary-General of the Jilin Provincial People’s Government, Gu Chang-Chun, Former Deputy Secretary of Provincial Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Provincial People’s Congress, Liu Xi-Lin, Former Executive Vice Governor, Provincial Standing Committee member and Provincial Executive Vice Chairman of the Provincial Political Consultative Conference, Feng Xi-Ming, Former Provincial Standing Committee member and Secretary of the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, Ren Jun-Jie, Former Provincial Standing Committee member and Deputy Director of the Provincial People’s Congress, Gao Wen, Former Executive Vice Governor and Executive Vice Chairman of Provincial Political Consultative Conference, Zheng Long, Former Vice Chairman of Provincial Political Consultative Conference, Lin Jun, Director of Jilin Provincial Department of Culture, Liu Zhong-Shu, Former President of Jilin University, Guo Yi, Secretary-General of the Changchun Photographers, Sheng Lian-Xi, Party Secretary of the Northeast Normal University, Zhang Shao-Jie, Vice President of the Northeast Normal University, together with over a thousand teaching staff and students of the University, representatives from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Changchun, Sun Li-Chuan, Deputy Chief Editor of the Cosmos Books, Lee Kong Sau, Vice President of the Soka Gakkai International and representatives from HKSGI.

Professor Zhang Shao-Jie, the Vice President of the Northeast Normal University delivered the welcoming speech followed by Mr Lee Kong Sau, Vice President of Soka Gakkai International, who also gave his speech and read out the congratulatory message from President Ikeda. The award was conferred upon the speeches offered separately by Mr Lin Jun, Director of Jilin Provincial Department of Culture and Ms Li Yi-Lin, a representative from the undergraduate students of 2006 of the School of Journalism at the Northeast Normal University. Mr Lee Kong Sau received the ‘Outstanding Contribution Award on Photographic Arts’ on behalf of President Ikeda presented by Sheng Lian-Xi, Party Secretary of the Northeast Normal University.

The opening ceremony was concluded with ribbon cutting by officiating guests and subsequently, all guests, teaching staff and students proceeded to the exhibition venue at the first floor of the University Gallery to admire the works of Mr Ikeda. The opening ceremony was broadcast at the evening news of the Comprehensive Channel (CTV-1) of Changchun TV and Jilin TV, as well as being reported on the Changchun Evening News the next day.

“Dialogue with nature “-Daisaku Ikeda Photo Exhibition was held in Liaoning Normal University

Liaoning Normal University awarded President Ikeda the “Highest Photographic Art Prize”

Greeting the warmth of early summer on 15th June morning, the opening ceremony of Daisaku Ikeda Photo Exhibition-“Dialogue with Nature” was held in Liaoning Normal University, which is located in the beautiful coastal city in northern China. The exhibition was jointly organized by the Dalian Municipal Culture Bureau, Liaoning Normal University and Hong Kong Soka Gakkai International.

After the president of Liaoning Normal University, Qu Qingbiao (曲慶彪校長) delivered his speech, the honorary director of HKSGI, Mr. Li Kong Sau read out a message from SGI honorary president Mr. Daisaku Ikeda. The former deputy director of Dalian Municipal People’s Congress, Dalian Sino-Japan Education & Cultural Exchange Association, Mr. Zhao Yaping (趙亞平先生) also expressed his congratulations on the success of the photo exhibition.

Liaoning Normal University awarded the “Highest Photographic Art Prize” to Mr. Ikeda-the honorary president of SGI, in recognition of his excellence in photographic art. The president of Liaoning Normal University, Mr. Qu Qingbiao presented the honorary certificate, which was accepted by HKSGI honorary director Mr. lee Kong Sau on behalf of Mr. Ikeda.

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, the HKSGI honorary director Mr. Li Kong Sau lead all guests to enjoy Mr. Ikeda’s photographs.