This year marks the 50th anniversary of Soka Gakkai Successors Day, established on May 5, 1976, by Ikeda Sensei. On that day, he expressed his profound trust in the future division, entrusting young people with the great mission of carrying forward the movement for peace, culture, and education.
Sensei emphasized the immeasurable importance of young people. Regarding the future division members, he shared that they are a crucial generation, as they will be the core members of the youth division at the centennial of the Soka Gakkai’s founding in 2030. (see The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, pp. 407–10)
With this spirit, the National Future Division and Parent Group teams would like to warmly invite families across the country to celebrate this meaningful milestone together during the month of May.
One simple and joyful way to commemorate Successors Day is to hold a family discussion meeting centered on the future division members in your home. Each family can choose a day and time that works best and create an encouraging environment where children and youth feel supported and celebrated.
A parent or guardian might begin by sharing something like this:
Today we are celebrating the day when Ikeda Sensei reminded us that SGI members of your age are the most important leaders for our movement for peace. We want to support you in every way we can. This is a time to celebrate you and to hear about your dreams. Before we do gongyo and chant daimoku together, we would love to hear about your goals and what you would like us to chant for with you.
From there, families can enjoy doing gongyo and chanting daimoku together, studying a short passage from Nichiren’s writings or encouragement from Sensei, and engaging in heartfelt dialogue. This can be an opportunity to listen to what future division members wish to share, including their dreams for the future, the people they care about, their hopes for our world, or anything that is important to them.
A simple format might include:
• Expressing appreciation for one another and sharing the significance of Successors Day
• Doing gongyo and chanting daimoku together
• Studying a short passage from Nichiren’s writings or encouragement from Sensei
• Engaging in heartfelt dialogue about each child’s or youth’s dreams and hopes
• Having parents and guardians share the prime point of their mentor-disciple relationship with Sensei, and renewing your family’s shared vow for kosen-rufu.
We also invite families to take photos of their discussion meetings and share them through the link you can access from the QR code here. Some of these photos may be featured in future publications celebrating the vibrant spirit of our future division.
As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Soka Gakkai Successors Day, let us continue to treasure and encourage the precious young people entrusted with the future. Together with our future division members, let us advance with renewed determination toward 2030 and beyond.
With deep appreciation,
National Future Division Team and Parents Group Team
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