SGI Canada Newsletter, No. 119 -November 29, 2024
SGI Canada Newsletter
Issue no. 119
November 29, 2024
Welcome to the 119th issue of the SGI Canada Newsletter, a bi-weekly summary of news, upcoming events and encouragement. If you are not subscribing to the SGI Canada Newsletter, you may do so by clicking on the button below. Subscriptions are free of charge, and the SGI Canada Newsletter will be emailed directly to you.
Encouragement
SGI Activity Outline for 2025
“Year of Soaring Higher Toward a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide”
In 2025, the Soka Gakkai will mark the 95th anniversary of its founding (November 18, 1930). It will also be the 125th anniversary of second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda’s birth (February 11, 1900), the 65th anniversary of Daisaku Ikeda’s inauguration as third Soka Gakkai president (May 3, 1960) and his first overseas trip (October 2, 1960), and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Soka Gakkai International (January 26, 1975).
In these troubled times, the mission of our Soka movement to transform the destiny of humanity is increasingly important. As we approach our centennial in 2030, let us build on our activities in 2024, the Year of Fresh Departure for a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide, and develop them even further next year.
In his novel The New Human Revolution, President Ikeda wrote: “The struggle for kosen-rufu is an endless flight” (vol. 2, “Banner of the People”) and “The spirit of the Soka Gakkai is to always boldly face adversity and steadily advance. As long as this spirit remains, there will be growth and victory” (vol. 24, “Humanistic Education”). Elsewhere, he expressed his high hopes for youth, saying: “Nothing is stronger than young people’s wings of challenge and creativity. Their youthful energy, intelligence, and passion allow them to soar to new heights, undaunted by the fiercest winds of the times” (Essay series “Our Brilliant Human Revolution,” June 2023).
In the five years from our 95th to our 100th anniversary, let each of us live with the Soka Gakkai spirit to never be defeated in the face of even the harshest winds. Warmly nurturing our precious successors in the future and youth divisions so that they may soar onto the stage of their unique missions, let us further develop the youthful Soka Gakkai worldwide and soar to greater heights as a global religious movement. With this determination, let us continue moving forward under the banner of next year’s theme, the Year of Soaring Higher toward a Youthful Soka Gakkai Worldwide.
Specifically, the SGI will carry out its activities in 2025 based on the following five guidelines:
- With youth in the lead, let’s steadily and vigorously advance in our efforts to share and spread Nichiren Buddhism!
- Let’s study President Ikeda’s guidance to deepen our bonds of mentor and disciple!
- Let’s challenge our personal human revolution based on Buddhist study, gongyo, and chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!
- Let’s encourage our future and youth division members and foster new capable individuals!
- Cherishing the vow to carry on the shared struggle of mentor and disciple, let’s spread hope and trust in our communities
News
Announcements from Soka Gakkai and SGI
On November 17, the fifth Soka Gakkai Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the seven-year period leading up to Soka Gakkai’s centennial in 2030 was held in conjunction with an SGI General Meeting at the Tokyo Toda Memorial Auditorium.
Soka Gakkai President Minoru Harada announced that the Constitution of the Soka Gakkai has been amended. The amendments acknowledge Makiguchi Sensei “for founding the Soka Gakkai;” and Toda Sensei “for calling forth 750,000 Bodhisattvas of the Earth” and clarify that the Soka Gakkai regards President Ikeda as “the mentor of worldwide kosen-rufu and the President and spiritual leader of SGI in perpetuity.”
On November 18, the SGI Representative Leaders Conference was held at the Soka Gakkai Headquarters in Tokyo. Yoshiki Tanigawa was selected as SGI general director, succeeding Yoshitaka Oba, who was appointed as counselor to the SGI.
(Adapted from PR Weekly News issue 227, November 22 2024)
Delay in delivery of December publications
At the time of writing, Canada Post workers are on strike and it is not known when they will return to work. This means that mail delivery of our December publications will be late. We hope that the strike will be resolved soon, and that subscribers will receive their publications before the end of the year.
New Century, ère nouvelle and From Today Onward are all available online right now to subscribers with an SGI Canada online account. We are currently working on also making Chinese New Century available online.
To read your publications online, simply go to sgicanada.org and click on the Online Portal button at the top right corner of the screen. If you are an SGI Canada practitioner and you do not yet have an online account, this is the right time to sign up! See below for all the details.
By creating your own personal SGI Canada accounts, you can subscribe to publications and make secure online donations. You can also use your online account to read the English and French-language publications to which you subscribe, and access your tax receipts and personal information.
How to set up your online account:
- Go to the SGI Canada website at org and click on the Online Portal button near the top right corner of your screen.
- Click on I have not created an online account and then Submit
- Fill out the personal information fields and click on Submit
- You will receive an email from accounting@sgicinfo.org . The email will confirm your username and password (which you can change once you log into the site the first time). For assistance with setting up your account, please contact support@sgicinfo.org.
- Once your username and password have been confirmed, you will be able to log into the online portal from the SGI Canada website at any time.
Many SGI Canada members have already registered. We hope you will also take advantage of this convenient method of making online donations, subscribing to SGI Canada publications, and reading them online.
Level 2 Study Exam results
Thank you for all your efforts to support the Level 2 Study Exams in your districts!
A total of 1,116 participants wrote the exam in person or online. The exams have all been marked, and the marks are now being recorded. Certificates and marks will be sent out by email to participants in December.
The exam questions and an answer key are contained in the December issue of New Century, ère nouvelle and Chinese New Century.
Golden Memories on the Journey of Mentor and Disciple: Niagara Falls, Canada (part 3)
Seikyo Shimbun is featuring a series of articles on places in the world mentioned by Ikeda Sensei in his writings. In an article which appeared on October 24 2024, Sensei’s visit to Niagara Falls is described. Here is the third and last part of that article:
The Victory of this Land is Proof of Kosen-rufu of the World
Canada is known for being the first in the world to adopt multiculturalism and equally respecting diverse cultures.
In the poem titled, “A Rainbow over Niagara” by Sensei which was gifted to members of SGI Canada in June 1987, he says:
The land of Canada,
The stage of your activities,
Is filled with people of many different races
From around the world.
This is why I believe the kosen-rufu of Canada
Is proof of kosen-rufu of the world.
You must treasure each and every friend,
No matter what,
For everyone has his or her own supreme mission;
By working together we cultivate and
Bring it to fruition—
This is the formula for our advancement.
Burning with the passionate determination that “kosen-rufu of Canada is proof of kosen-rufu of the world,” the members have continued in their efforts to contribute to society.
In May and June of 1989, they held “The World Boys and Girls Art Exhibition” and in September 1993, the exhibition “Toward a Century of Humanity: An Overview of Human Rights in Today’s World” was held. Canada became the first country outside of Japan to hold these two exhibitions.
Ikeda Sensei’s third visit to Canada was realized on September 27, 1993. Sensei visited the two cities of Montreal and Vancouver where he had unforgettable meetings with many individuals.
Université Laval conferred an honorary doctorate to Sensei in May, 2010. The university established the “Ikeda Study Center for Education for Global Citizenship, Dialogue and Peace” in 2022. Also, in 2019, University of Guelph-Humber founded the “Soka Education Research Centre on Global Citizenship”, the first Soka Education Research Centre in Canada. The efforts of every single member’s actions rooted in their community have blossomed into flowers of Soka peace, culture and education across the whole nation.
On October 6th, general meetings commemorating October 12, “SGI Canada Day” were held in cities across Canada. There were 187 participants at the Toronto West Area’s meeting. A Young Women’s Division member, Riya Sirkhell shared her encouraging faith-based experience which spread joy amongst the audience.
With youth in the lead, SGI Canada is making waves of “daimoku” and “dialogue” to solemnly commemorate the 65 th anniversary of Sensei’s visit to Canada next year in 2025. A rainbow of hope shines in the members’ hearts.
We hope you found this newsletter beneficial. Please email your questions or comments to contact@sgicanada.org. Please note that the next SGI Canada Newsletter will appear on December 13, 2024. See you then!