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In Society

For PreK-12 Teachers, a Lesson in Global Citizenship

Photo by Soka University of America.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.—The Soka Institute for Global Solutions (SIGS) hosted its 2025 Global Citizenship Education Conference from July 10 to 13 at Soka University of America (SUA). The conference brought together 80 pre-K through 12th grade educators from 11 countries, united by a shared mission: to build a community of practitioners seeking to implement global citizenship education practices inspired by Daisaku Ikeda’s humanistic philosophy of education. 

Educators, school counselors and administrators engaged in vibrant dialogue and hands-on workshops led by 25 different presenters, all focused on developing an educational philosophy grounded in non-violence, service to others, respect for cultural differences, environmental stewardship and personal reflection and growth. 

Keynote speakers included Fernando Reimers, the Ford Foundation professor of international education at Harvard University and director of the Global Education Innovation Initiative; Monte Joffee, chairperson and founding principal of the Renaissance Charter School in New York City; and Melissa Bradford, senior professional lecturer in the department of leadership, language and curriculum educational leadership at DePaul University. 

The heart of the conference was a powerful presentation by 12 SUA alumni—now educators—who have spent the past two years crafting a practical framework for global citizenship education. Drawing on the vision of SUA founder Daisaku Ikeda, they shared curriculum materials and lesson plans that teachers can adapt to their unique classroom environments.

Sessions addressed timely topics such as antiracism, social-emotional learning and interdisciplinary inquiry. Teachers from Brazil, Malaysia and Japan—including several who work at Soka elementary, middle and high schools—joined U.S. educators in offering real-world examples of fostering global citizens.

“It’s really important to put this theory into practice,” said Ryan Hayashi, a ninth grade math teacher from Chandler, Arizona. “We need many more examples of putting Ikeda’s philosophy of education into practice in different subjects, different contexts and different schools.”

Energized and equipped with new tools, these passionate educators return to their classrooms ready to do just that—cultivating the next generation of global citizens committed to living contributive lives.

August 15, 2025 World Tribune, p.12

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