News Headlines

The first part of the video series “Real Talk” is now available with subtitles in traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Japanese and Spanish. The series features Soka Gakkai youth exploring how Buddhist practice—the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and recitation of portions of the Lotus Sutra—and concepts like human revolution empower people to transform their lives. 

Watch “Real Talk:” How Nichiren Buddhism Changed Our Lives (part 1), How Soka Gakkai Activities Impact Our Lives (part 2), and Nichiren Buddhism and Relationships (part 3).       

On June 5, the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue, an affiliate of the Soka Gakkai, hosted its annual Indigo Talks event, which was held online and joined by some 135 people from 13 countries. Dr. Darren Kew, dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, gave a lecture titled “Reflections on Religion and Peacebuilding.” He emphasized that when efforts to bridge differences increase, significant steps toward peace can be made. Other participants included Dr. Winston Langley, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Boston, and Dr. Sarah Wider, professor emeritus at Colgate University.   

On May 27 and 28, the inaugural Digital Citizenship Education (DCE) Forum “Let’s Act Now!” was held in Strasbourg, France, organized by the Council of Europe. Digital Citizenship refers to the capacity to actively and responsibly participate in society online and offline, through competent and positive engagement with digital technologies.

On May 28, as chair of the NGO Working Group on Human Rights Education and Learning, Elisa Gazzotti of the SGI Office for UN Affairs spoke at a session on tackling online disinformation, fake news and political manipulation. 

Over the course of the two-day forum, resources for DCE were showcased. The documentary “Changemakers: Stories of Young Human Rights Educators,” jointly developed by Amnesty International, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the SGI (Soka Gakkai International), and its accompanying resources were among DCE tools that were introduced.  

On May 25, SGI-Nicaragua held a general meeting in Managua to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of its first chapter. The event featured song and dance performances, and the “Seeds of Change: The Earth Charter and Human Potential” exhibition, jointly created by the Earth Charter International and the SGI (Soka Gakkai International), was also shown at the venue. Government and embassy officials were among guests who attended the event.