During our family afternoon tea, my eldest grand-daughter, Kakpah who came back home for weekend break from her boarding school up north, enquired the significance of my Newsway article published on 13 April 2026 entitled “Ikeda Sensei said, ‘Youth are the sun of hope and the jeweled sword of justice. They can dispel any darkness.” I responded to her “Dr. Daisaku Ikeda (1928-2023) was a highly significant Japanese philosopher, peacebuilder, educator, and author who served as the third President of Soka Gakkai organization and as the Founding President of Soka Gakkai International (SGI).” (www.sgi.org)
I added, “He is best known for expanding Soka Gakkai into a global movement for over 12 million members in 192 countries, promoting a philosophy of ”The New Human Revolution" focused on peace, culture & education. He began writing this concept & rationales of this philosophy, on 8 August, 1993, and completed it three years on the same date in 2018. He has described this 25-year battle to finish the series within his lifetime as an intense struggle. 6 August is the anniversary of atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. From 2010 onwards, the central focus of Dr. Ikeda's activities became his mission."
I am thankful to my good friend, Johnny Ng, President of Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) for exposing me with Dr. Ikeda's many popular books. I learned by reading the book entitled ‘A youthful Diary: One Man’s Journey From the Beginning of Faith to Worldwide Leadership for Peace'. Johnny also shared with me the series of annual peace proposals dedicated to nuclear abolition that Dr. Ikeda submitted to the United Nations Assembly for the past 40 years.
I am amazed of Dr. Ikeda as the Founder of Soka Gakkai Education System has based on the value-creating educational principles of his predecessors, he founded a non-denominational school system such as, Soka Kindergarten, Soka International School, Soka University Japan & Soka University of America.
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