ALISO VIEJO, Calif.—The Soka Institute for Global Solutions (SIGS)[1] held the second in a three-part symposia on Peace and Reconciliation in East Asia from April 17 to 19 at Soka University of America (SUA) in Aliso Viejo, California.
The symposium, which centered on approaches to peacebuilding based on East Asia’s historical context, brought together SUA professors and students, as well as scholars from South Korea, Taiwan and Japan.
Among the speakers were professors Roxann Prazniak, of the University of Oregon, Stella Xu, of Roanoke College, and Kyung-Shin Park, of Korea University’s School of Law. Students from Seoul National University also attended the conference.
The symposium opened on April 17 with lectures and exhibitions that explored the role of art in historical understanding. The following day, SUA students presented on the importance of history education, followed by a series of expert lectures.
The final day, April 19, featured three panel discussions and Q&A sessions, where participants affirmed the importance of cultivating a correct understanding of history and initiating grassroots movements for peace.
Keynote speaker Tomoko Watanabe, president of the nongovernmental organization Asian Network of Trust-Hiroshima, spoke of her mother’s experience as an atomic bomb survivor and her own work supporting refugees in Afghanistan.
She emphasized that sharing experiences of war requires tremendous courage and is of profound value, encouraging younger generations to actively learn from history and take the lead in building a peaceful future.
SUA President Edward Feasel, meanwhile, stressed the need to cultivate friendships that transcend national borders through education.
Founded in 2022, the Soka Institute for Global Solutions was established in response to a 1987 proposal by SUA Founder Daisaku Ikeda calling for the creation of a research institute that would bring together the world’s collective wisdom to tackle global issues through scientific and holistic approaches.
Since its inception, the institute has built a strong network with other universities through initiatives, such as educator seminars on global citizenship education and workshops on nuclear disarmament education.
May 16, 2025 World Tribune, p. 4
References
- Soka Institute for Global Solutions held the first Soka symposium “Peace and Reconciliation in East Asia” April 19–20, 2024, at SUA. ↩︎
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