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On November 18, the Fifth Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the decade toward 2030 was held at the Tokyo Toda Memorial Auditorium in Sugamo, Japan. The meeting celebrated the release of the new edition of the Japanese language Gosho Zenshu (The Complete Works of Nichiren Daishonin), which includes 32 writings of Nichiren discovered after the publication of the previous edition. President Daisaku Ikeda contributed the foreword to the new edition. The meeting also celebrated the launch of the new Women’s Division in Japan, which merges the women’s and young women’s divisions. President Ikeda sent a congratulatory message, commending all members around the world for their efforts. The Soka Gakkai theme for 2022 has also been announced as the “Year of Youth and Dynamic Progress.” 

Meetings have been held across the world to commemorate November 18, Soka Gakkai Founding Day. On November 7, the SGI-Argentina Youth Division spotlighted the organization’s contributions to society at a meeting at the SGI-Argentina Soka Women’s Peace Center, also connecting with other venues across the country. On November 14, SGI-Bolivia held an online meeting at which a member shared her faith experience as a doctor working amidst the pandemic. On the same day, members in Austria gathered online. SGI-Austria General Director Larry Williams encouraged the participants to have heart-to-heart dialogues with their friends.

On November 18, Soka University and the Japan delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) opened the exhibition “Humanitarian Principles Here and Now” at the university’s Global Square. Head of Delegation in Japan of the ICRC Régis Savioz and Minister Markus Reubi of the Embassy of Switzerland delivered speeches. The exhibition, also sponsored by the Maison Franco-Japonaise, the French National Institute of Japanese Studies and the UNHCR Office in Japan, will run until December 12. 

On October 25, Vice General Director of SGI-Panama Paul Bocanegra participated in a roundtable meeting with faith leaders. The event was hosted by Panama’s President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen at the Presidential Palace. On September 30, Mr. Bocanegra also participated in an online interfaith forum organized by the Bahá’í Faith in Panama on the topic of science and religion. On November 3, Cecilia Nakatsui of SGI-Argentina joined a panel discussion on women and religion at the “IV Congreso Mundial de Diálogo Intercultural e Interreligioso” conference on intercultural and interfaith dialogue held in Buenos Aires. Ms. Nakatsui presented a Buddhist perspective and showed a video that highlighted the contribution of women members of the Soka Gakkai to peace.