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by World Tribune staff LOS ANGELES—Wayne Shorter, the legendary American jazz saxophonist and composer, and a devoted SGI-USA member for five decades, died on March 2, 2023, at 89. Mr. Shorter earned worldwide recognition for his mastery of the saxophone, including 12 Grammy Awards, culminating in a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 for his

Asle Toje, deputy leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the council tasked with selecting the annual Nobel Peace Prize recipient, visited Soka University of America (SUA) in late January to tour the campus, speak with faculty and work closely with students. After several days, he sat down for an open dialogue with Alexander Harang, an

On Jan. 20, 2023, the day before the grand opening of the SGI Guam Ikeda Peace and Culture Center, the Soka Gakkai delegation attended a series of public events congratulating the SGI on its new departure. At the Guam Congress Building in Hagåtña, the territory’s capital village, the Guam Legislature recognized the Soka Gakkai International

TOKYO—On Jan. 11, 2023, peace builder and Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), issued a statement decrying the cruelty and misery of war, calling for action aimed at restoring peace in Ukraine and steps to lessen the risk of the use of nuclear weapons. Mr. Ikeda, 95, calls for the

by Daisaku IkedaPresident, Soka Gakkai International The Ukraine crisis that erupted in February last year continues with no prospect for cessation. The intensified hostilities have inflicted great suffering in population centers and destroyed infrastructure facilities, compelling large numbers of civilians, including many children and women, to live in a state of constant peril. More than 7.9

On Jan. 2, Daisaku Ikeda, Buddhist philosopher, peace builder, educator, author and poet, celebrates his 95th birthday.  He was born on Jan. 2, 1928, in Ota Ward, Tokyo, as the fifth of eight children. Beginning in 1937, his four elder brothers were drafted into the Japanese military. Though as a teenager he suffered from tuberculosis

Jan. 1 World Tribune Hearts Ever Youthful and Filled With Limitless Hope Ikeda Sensei opens 2022 in his New Year’s message by praising SGI members as “treasured friends” who chant and take action for the happiness and well-being of others amid the serious challenges facing humanity. He also encourages us to “make dynamic strides in

Soka Heritage Hall, which chronicles the history of Soka University of America (SUA) and the heritage and founders of Soka education, opened on campus this October. “Visitors to the hall will embark on a journey of SUA’s heritage and the vision of the founders of Soka education, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Josei Toda and Daisaku Ikeda,” SUA

by Mitch Bogen Special to the Tribune  “We are storied into being,” said Shirley Tang toward the end of the 2022 Ikeda Forum for Intercultural Dialogue. These words, first spoken by Vincent Harding in his dialogue with Daisaku Ikeda, America Will Be!, captured the spirit of the event. The forum, called “Our Stories Matter: Dialogue

Don’t have time to read the publications amid all your competing demands? We get it. But it’s time to reclaim your courage and hope, and you can do so by using this one simple tool: Audio playback of all articles on the recently updated World Tribune website and mobile app. This new feature allows you

by Mitch Bogen Special to the Tribune The most crucial element of dialogue, listening, is also the most difficult to practice. This was the focus at the most recent Ikeda Center Dialogue Nights, called “The Courage to Listen: What It Means and Why It Matters.” Held on Friday, Sept. 23, this second Dialogue Nights since

Soka University of America (SUA) continues to rank highly among liberal arts institutions, achieving national rankings in Best Colleges, Campus Ethnic Diversity, Best Value Schools and Most International Students, according to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2023.” U.S. News & World Report ranks SUA: #29 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges (tie) #1 Financial

by Alexander Harang Alexander Harang is the co-president of International Peace and Understanding, an organization that brings together various parties to strengthen public support and the political will needed to fundamentally change the role of nuclear weapons in security policy and prevent nuclear war. The potential for nuclear confrontation (be it by design or accident)

Say “hi” to Globie, our new World Tribune mascot, who travels across the country to celebrate our kosen-rufu history and share the latest and greatest in our publications! Globie’s home will be on our SGI-USA social media accounts, starting on Oct. 2 to help us celebrate World Peace Day. Follow Globie on Instagram and Facebook

Adapted from an article in the Sept. 1, 2022, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily newspaper. Ikeda Sensei sent a condolence message on the passing of former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in Moscow on Aug. 30, 2022, at 91. The two men first met at the Kremlin in Moscow in

by Mitch Bogen Special to the Tribune On July 29, after two years of virtual Dialogue Nights, nearly 30 Boston-area university students and young professionals returned to the Ikeda Center for an evening of engaging dialogue.  In her introduction to the event, which was called “Revitalizing Our Relationships: What Does That Look Like Now?” Ikeda

The Soka Gakkai recently launched “Transforming Human History,” a campaign to encourage engagement and inspire confidence that change is possible. It covers three areas that will determine the future of life on our planet: nuclear weapons abolition, education for all and climate action. These issues are the focus of Ikeda Sensei’s 2022 peace proposal. The

Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Societal Change

The Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue is accepting applications for its Education Fellows Program now through Sept. 1, 2022. Established in 2007, the program honors the educational legacy of Center founder and SGI president, Daisaku Ikeda. It aims to advance research and scholarship on the internationally growing field of Ikeda/Soka studies in education.

by Mitch Bogen Special to the Tribune On Saturday, July 16, the Ikeda Center hosted its first in-person event since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. This event launched the 2022 Global Citizens Seminar in which seven doctoral students are gathering for two discussion sessions and engaging in a collaborative project based on