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On January 19, the Soka Gakkai in Japan donated 150 books to Shirokane Elementary School in Minato Ward, Tokyo, to mark the 150th anniversary of the school’s opening. First Soka Gakkai President Tsunesaburo Makiguchi served as principal of the school from April 1922 to April 1931. Seeing the purpose of education as the lifelong happiness of children, he strove to introduce a more humanistic, student-centered approach. More books will be donated to the school this year, and the initiative will continue for the next five years.   

Watch A Legacy of Empowerment: Makiguchi and the Soka Gakkai to find out more.   

On January 18, the Soka Gakkai Student Division in Japan hosted a Peace Talk event in Tokyo titled “Youth Well-being in the Digital Age: Insights from Daisaku Ikeda’s Philosophy of Peace and Humanism.” Guest speakers were Dr. Devie Rahmawati, an associate professor at the University of Indonesia, and Mr. M. Zaky Ramadhan, an organizational transformation practitioner.

Dr. Rahmawati highlighted how youth mental health is shaped by digital pressure and emotional isolation, stressing the role of education grounded in dialogue and value creation, both themes from President Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophy. Mr. Ramadhan added that meaningful change requires values to be embedded consistently in social systems and everyday practice.

In December, Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) held youth peace cultural festivals across the country, where some 30,000 people attended the 23 festivals held. The festival’s theme, “OMBAK – Be the Wave of Peace” drew on ombak—the Malay word for “wave”—to convey the idea that a single drop of water creates a ripple that grows into a wave. 

On December 18 and 20, Soka Gakkai youth in the neighboring states of Selangor and Sembilan held their peace festival in the city of Nilai. Over the two days, with the support of more than 850 event staff, some 900 young people performed to more than 10,000 SGM members and their guests. The festival was supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) and the Negeri Sembilan state government.

The December 20 event was opened by the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) Director-General Mohd Amran Mohd Haris, who represented the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. Other guests included senior federal, state and local government representatives. In his speech, Director General of the Malaysian Nationhood Academy Dato’ Dr. Roslan Hussin praised Soka Gakkai Malaysia for its contributions to cross-cultural dialogue. The festival program featured gymnastics, traditional dance and a Chinese orchestra alongside talks by invited speakers, before concluding with the theme song “I Am the Wave.” 

Peace festivals were also held in the states of Johor, Kedah and Terengganu.