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July 2021 marks 40 years since Ikeda Sensei was declared a poet laureate by the World Academy of Arts and Culture in 1981. The following is an excerpt of Sensei’s June 2005 poem titled “Hold High the Proud Banner of July 3!” This excerpt was republished in the July 3, 2021, issue of the Soka

by David Barol Correspondent TULSA, Okla., May 31, 2021—A century after one of the worst episodes of racial violence in American history, representatives of SGI-USA Oklahoma Region joined survivors, descendants and the greater Tulsa community in a dedication ceremony of a “Prayer Wall for Racial Healing.” The interfaith event, which drew members of U.S. Congress,

Glen Cove, N.Y.

The SGI-USA continues to closely monitor CDC and local government guidelines amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and is eager to reopen Buddhist centers across the country when deemed safe. In the meantime, in-person activities are still on hold, but we will keep you informed of updates and developments. Currently, the SGI-USA bookstores at centers in

SGI-USA member Tricia Elam Walker, of Maryland, won the 2021 Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for her children’s book Nana Akua Goes to School, which teaches that differences can be wonderful and celebrated. This is a national literary award that honors early career authors and illustrators for their achievements. Ms. Walker is a district women’s

March 4—The Back from the Brink national grassroots campaign and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, convened a virtual policy briefing with interactive workshops, themed “Ending Nuclear Weapons Before They End Us: Opportunities Under the Biden Administration to Take Action.” The SGI-USA is a member of the

In January and February, many subscribers experienced delays in receiving the World Tribune and Living Buddhism as an uptick in holiday packages and the COVID-19 pandemic slowed periodical mailings to a crawl. We truly regret these delays and thank you for your patience at this challenging time. The SGI-USA Member Services Department is working closely

Some say Miss Eloise is the secret weapon to Netflix’s most popular show, Bridgerton. She draws the attention of viewers as an independent and strong-minded female protagonist in the period drama set in London in 1813. She is played by Claudia Jessie, an SGI-UK young women’s division member, who will celebrate her 14th year of

KTLA 5 News reporter Gene Kang captured the hearts of viewers throughout Los Angeles during his morning news segment on Feb. 7. Mr. Kang, who is also an SGI-USA men’s region leader, was covering the topic of domestic violence and went on to share his own experience of how he used his Buddhist practice to

The Town of Greenwich, Connecticut, celebrated the 46th anniversary of the SGI’s founding with a proclamation declaring Jan. 26, 2021, Founding Day of the Soka Gakkai International in Greenwich. The citation praises the efforts of SGI members worldwide who strive each day “for the genuine happiness and true prosperity of their respective countries and local

Don’t miss out on this book-bundle deal of The Teachings for Victory volumes 1–2 for $15.90 $12.95 at bookstore.sgi-usa.org. The Teachings for Victory contains Ikeda Sensei’s lectures on Nichiren Daishonin’s key writings that will enable you to bring forth immense wisdom, compassion and courage to realize victory in every aspect of your life. Both books

On Dec. 16, in a monumental change for the sport, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced it was elevating the 1920–48 Negro Leagues to major league status. The “long overdue recognition,” as MLB called it in a news release, will add the names of some 3,400 Negro Leaguers from seven distinct leagues in the 1920s, ’30s

The SGI-USA online bookstore now offers a highly discounted shipping rate for all media mail items (this applies to printed materials, such as books and pamphlets, and sound recordings, including CDs and DVDs). The estimated delivery time is 2–10 business days, or longer if there are USPS delays. Visit bookstore.sgi-usa.org.

The New Human Revolution

The new dawn blooms as we free it For there is always light,if only we’re brave enough to see it If only we’re brave enough to be it. Amanda Gorman, the first National Youth Poet Laureate, closed her poem “The Hill We Climb” with these words on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. On this same day

The Jan. 21 issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper, reported that SGI President Ikeda sent a congratulatory message to Joseph Biden, who was inaugurated on Jan. 20 as the 46th president of the United States. In his message, President Ikeda noted that the Japanese people will never forget how, 10 years

Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo, California, began serving as a mass COVID-19 vaccination site on Jan. 23. The campus became Orange County’s second Super Point of Dispensing location, following Disneyland. Orange County residents must register at othena.com and confirm an appointment time for the SUA site. On May 3, 2001, SUA opened its

A U.N. treaty banning nuclear weapons is now international law. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) went into effect on Jan. 22 for the more than 50 member states that had ratified it. Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada issued a statement, on behalf of SGI members worldwide, welcoming this unprecedented milestone. Nuclear

To all members of the SGI-USA, Our efforts to establish the correct teaching for the peace of the land are centered on expanding a network of people committed to doing their human revolution and thereby transforming society. In light of current events, let us reconfirm the Buddhist principle that our personal security cannot be established

On New Year’s Day, the city of Montgomery saluted Ikeda Sensei’s 93rd birthday (Jan. 2 Japan time) declaring him an honorary citizen of Alabama’s capital. The proclamation, issued by Mayor Steven L. Reed, states that for over 70 years, Sensei has “continuously advanced a movement for peace and social justice through non-violent social change” while