Soka Gakkai in Italy Marks Tenth Anniversary of Intesa Agreement

On July 20, a commemorative event was held at the Protomoteca Hall—Rome’s city hall—to mark the 10th anniversary of the July 2016 entry into force of the Intesa agreement signed between the Italian government and the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai. The agreement grants full recognition as a religious organization. The event focused on the role of religions in promoting the well-being of society and pursuing the path of peace and dialogue and was attended by former Prime Minister Giuliano Amato and the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri. Some 200 people attended the event in person and over 1,000 people online. A congratulatory message from Italian President Sergio Mattarella was read during the ceremony. The program also included a panel discussion with experts from various fields followed by reflections from youth representatives of three religious organizations.