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)

This week on SGI YouTube Channel -Mexico Antinuclear Exhibition

http://www.youtube.com/user/SGIVideosOnline

Nov 18: Celebrating the founding of the Soka Gakkai

November 18 is the anniversary of the establishment of the Soka Gakkai.

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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.
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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

Contribution towards flood relief efforts in Taiwan

Members of the SGI Hong Kong raised HK$300,000 for the people in Taiwan affected by the flooding caused by Typhoon Morakot.

Morakot brought torrential rain to Taiwan on August 7-8 that led to disastrous damage to the eastern and southern parts of the island.

On August 11, a typhoon-spawned mudslide engulfed a mountain village in Kaohsiung, burying most of the villagers – one of the worst disasters in the past 50 years.

The day before, rescue command centres were set up at all Taiwan Soka Association community centres.

In Hong Kong, fund raising boxes were available at all culture centres to collect members’ donation between August 14 and 31 to help the relief efforts in Taiwan.

A cheque of HK$300,000 was presented to Chung Hwa Travel Service’s Managing Director Jeff Yang and Senior Manager William Pao on September 17 by SGI Hong Kong General Director John Ng, who was accompanied by Hon. General Director Lee Kong-sau, Women’s Division Leader Stella Wo and Young Women’s Division representative Candy Kwong.

Both Mr Yang and Mr Pao expressed their gratitude to the active humanistic spirit embraced by the SGI Hong Kong under the guidance by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda.

On the same day, SGI Macau, represented by General Director Lei Loi-tak, Executive Vice Director Chan Chi-kai, Young Men’s Division Leader Alberto Lei and Young Women’s Division Leader Shiu Heng I, submitted a donation of HK$100,000 through The Red Cross of Macau. The donation was received by its director Samuel Mak.

Photo caption: SGI Hong Kong General Director John Ng presents the cheque to Jeff Yang, Managing Director of Chung Hwa Travel Service.

The Chief Executive’s Award For Teaching Excellence (2008-2009) awarded to three teachers at Hong Kong Soka Kindergarten

Three teachers of Hong Kong Soka Kindergarten are presented the “Chief Executive’s Award For Teaching Excellence (2008-2009)”. This is an award of recognition in outstanding teaching and in promoting professional development. The three recipients of the award, Shek Lai Yee, Chow Kit Yee and Fung Ka Wing are praised for their role modeling in best practices and methodology of teaching by Chief executive and Head of Government of Hong Kong, Mr Donald Tsang.

“The Chief Executive’s Award For Teaching Excellence (2008-2009)” award ceremony was held on 10th July in the afternoon at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Jockey Club Auditorium. The Chief Executive’s Award For Teaching Excellence has been divided into Award for Teaching Excellence and Certificate of Merit respectively since November of 2003. Teachers with the Award for Teaching Excellence were presented the trophies at the same time, having obtained scholarships for professional development and related subsidies. The three teachers of Hong Kong Soka Kindergarten Shek Lai Yee, Chow Kit Yee and Fung Ka Wing received the “The Chief Executive’s Award For Teaching Excellence ” in the “pre-primary education” after a stringent series of class observations and assessments. They received the award from Chief Executive Tsang at the ceremony. (Teacher Fung Ka Wing was absent due to confinement)

Teacher Shek Lai Yee introduced the school founder Mr Daisaku Ikeda’s principles of humanistic education and elaborated on how Soka teachers focus on unleashing the innate potential of every individual which in turn supports positive development in the students. School supervisor Lee Kong Sau, Principal Wong So Yuk, School Manager Ng Chor Yuk and Law Ying Choi, all previous parents and teacher committee chairpersons together with HKSGI leaders came to offer their congratulations.

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.

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