by Shota Okajima
SGI-USA Young Men’s Leader
From as far north as Portland, Oregon, and as far south as Jamaica, young men’s leaders traveled to Florida with incredible seeking spirit. They gathered to refresh themselves and unite at the April 21–23 Young Men’s Division Leaders Conference held at the SGI-USA Florida Nature and Culture Center.
Under the theme “Young Men’s Division Leaders of America—Become Lion-Hearted Disciples Who Will Open a New Era for American Kosen-rufu!,” the participants renewed their spirit to open a new path toward the Soka Gakkai’s centennial in 2030.
We kicked off our conference with great performances from the SGI-USA Brass Band, an inspiring experience in faith and a torch-lit open mic at the athaneum, where we heard the goals and dreams of each participant.
We were joined by SGI-USA Senior Vice General Director Tariq Hasan, who gave a powerful presentation on Ikeda Sensei’s lecture from the April 2023 Living Buddhism. Together we studied about Nanjo Tokimitsu, Nichiren Daishonin’s young disciple who validated his mentor’s teachings by showing actual proof in all areas of his life.
The territory leaders led workshops on three topical areas for young men: career, relationships and mastering time. Afterward, we broke out into small groups for a leadership workshop. We used our organizations’ membership lists and racked our brains on how to raise successors and expand our network of active members.
On the final day, we competed in a sports tournament and held a Young Men’s Division Academy meeting. The conference concluded with unstoppable determinations from the participants on how they will respond to Ikeda Sensei and what they will accomplish in this Year of Youth and Triumph!
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