Peace Activities in New Zealand
On August 6, SGI-New Zealand (SGINZ) and the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago cohosted their Inaugural Peace Symposium 2022 at the Auckland University of Technology. The first panel discussion was on the theme of “Envisioning Peace in a Time of Uncertainty.” The panel featured young peace activists, Haris Murtaza, cochair of the National Islamic Youth Association, Ashlyn Baines and Olivia Shimasaki, youth coordinators of The Peace Foundation, and Julia Guthrey, youth representative of SGINZ. Kevin Clements, founding director of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and director of the Soka Gakkai affiliated Toda Peace Institute was also a panelist. The second panel session involved scholars and focused more specifically on peace in New Zealand and the Pacific region. On August 5, SGINZ also co-organized the opening of the annual exhibition “Tūmanako! Children’s Art Works for a Peaceful World” at Johnsonville Library in Wellington. Mayor Andy Foster delivered a congratulatory message at the opening ceremony. The exhibition will be shown until August 21, showcasing 290 artworks of students from 10 schools and organizations. The exhibition was also shown from August 6 to 9 at the Auckland University of Technology, featuring 233 artworks of students from 78 schools.