Evening of ‘Inner Dialogue’

by Lillian Koizumi
Special to the Tribune 

On Jan. 30, the Ikeda Center held its first Dialogue Nights of 2026, kicking off the ninth year of this series. The event explored the theme “Leaning Into 2026 With Inner Dialogue!” In light of the current state of the world and how many youth feel about their personal goals and dreams, Ikeda Center staff wanted to create a space for young people to challenge these struggles together. In her opening words, Preandra Noel, the center’s program and office assistant, spoke about the importance of dialogue in these difficult times and shared the following quote from Daisaku Ikeda: “Everything begins with dialogue. Dialogue is the initial step in the creation of value. … Dialogue is the starting point and unifying force in all human relationships.”^[1]

The evening began with a round of speed-connecting, where attendees responded in pairs to the question “One month into the new year, are you where you thought you would be? Why or why not? What can you do to change that?” Following the ice-breaker, attendees reflected on something they want to strive for in February and created a 30-day challenge/vision calendar.

Participants then broke into small groups and discussed the following questions: As you go through the month of February, there may be times when accomplishing your goals will be difficult. When accomplishing your goals becomes difficult, what kind of “inner dialogue” will help you achieve your goals in your 30-day challenge? They also reflected on Ikeda’s quote: 

When we stop looking at ourselves, when we no longer question ourselves, we become self-righteous and dogmatic. Our discourse becomes a one-way street: We cannot hear others, and real dialogue becomes impossible. The kind of dialogue that can create peace with others must start with an open and earnest “inner dialogue.”^[2]