News Headlines

On April 13, the second Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the seven-year period leading up to Soka Gakkai’s centennial in 2030 was held at the Kansai Toda Memorial Auditorium in Osaka, Japan. The meeting commemorated May 3, Soka Gakkai Day, the anniversary of second president Josei Toda’s inauguration in 1951 and the inauguration of Daisaku Ikeda as third president of the organization in 1960. It is also celebrated as Soka Gakkai Mother’s Day. The meeting was attended by 128 leaders from Soka Gakkai constituent organizations from 17 countries and territories. In his speech, Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada stressed the importance of dialogue in nurturing youth.

On April 9, representatives from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) visited the Soka Gakkai Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Dominique Hyde, director of external relations at UNHCR, together with Ayaki Ito, UNHCR Japan representative, and Masayuki Kawai, executive director of Japan for UNHCR, met with Soka Gakkai Senior Vice President Yoshiki Tanigawa. Ms. Hyde described the various challenges faced by refugees, including the loss of educational opportunities for children. She thanked the Soka Gakkai for its long-standing support.

On March 31, SGI-Argentina (SGIAR) youth held a peace festival at the Stadium Luna Park in Buenos Aires. The festival was attended by some 6,800 people, including youth leaders from Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, and was livestreamed to over 21,000 people. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and his wife also attended the event. The festival featured a musical on key episodes from President Daisaku Ikeda’s life created by renowned director Ana Frenkel and performed by SGIAR members and friends. As part of “Acción Solidaria Soka,” a social engagement initiative led by the SGIAR youth, donations of nonperishable food were collected at the entrance to the event for those in need.       

On March 24, SGI-New Zealand (SGINZ) youth hosted an event to promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the SGI-New Zealand Culture Centre in Auckland. The event, held under the theme “Creating a Hopeful Future,” was attended by some 100 SGINZ members and guests. Alastair Thompson, co-founder of the Scoop online news service, gave the keynote speech and joined the panel discussion. Other panelists including, Olivia Shimasaki, youth programs coordinator at The Peace Foundation, Nabeela Ahmed, youth worker at the Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand, and Joycelyn Raffills of SGINZ, shared peace activities conducted by thier respective organizations. The event also highlighted the need to empower youth to be agents of change in their communities.