Recollection on President Daisaku Ikeda Honorary Awards Conferral Address (The Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia)
In this article, we would like to recollect the conferral
addresses on Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai
International (SGI) from three different Universities in three
different countries – The Philippines, Thailand and
Malaysia.
“Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, the Philippines, has bestowed a degree of Honorary Doctorate of Humanities on Dr.Ikeda. The conferral was held on June 6, 2004 at the Soka International Friendship Hall in Sendagaya, Tokyo. Among those attending were university founder Madame Laureana San Pedro Rosales, president and director Casimiro B. Juarez Jr., and his wife Dr. Fe Rosales-Juarez, executive vice president and member of the board of trustees.
At the ceremony, Dr. Rosales-Juarez delivered the conferral address, and President Juarez declared the bestowal of the honorary degree upon the SGI leader. Madame Rosales presented Dr. Ikeda with the diploma and accompanying academic regalia. The honorary doctorate was awarded by the unanimous decision of the university’s board of trustees, and certified by the Philippines’ presidentially appointed Board of Higher Education.
In her address, Dr. Rosales-Juarez remarked that the SGI leader’s antiwar ideals are based on a profound respect for his predecessors, who maintained their convictions even while suffering persecution by national authorities. She affirmed that Dr. Ikeda believes that in order to achieve world peace, it is necessary to cherish soft power and promote dialogue, which bring people together. Noting that the Soka schools founder is well versed in various fields such as the arts, music, philosophy, and photography, Dr. Rosales-Juarez suggested that Mr. Ikeda views culture as a living expression of people’s basic rights and a medium shaped by education, which is the most essential means for developing human creativity. She mentioned that Capitol University upholds culture and education as precious values that are indispensable to peace. In closing her address, she lauded Dr. Ikeda for giving people hope through his significant contributions and accomplishments as an advocate of the idea that individual human revolution leads to global peace.” - Capitol University, The Philippines.
“Thailand’s Maejo University has bestowed an honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Administrative Science upon SGI President Ikeda, the founder of Soka University, in recognition of his efforts to build peace and foster young people based on the philosophy of Buddhist humanism. The conferral was held on July 3, 2006 at Soka University’s Central Tower in Hachioji, Tokyo. Maejo University President Thep Phongparnich led a delegation of educators from his school who traveled to Japan to deliver the award.
In his conferral speech, Dr. Phongparnich affirmed that President Ikeda has engaged in a wide variety of activities aimed at creating peace, such as holding dialogues with global leaders and thinkers, giving speeches and addresses at various academic institutions, supporting exhibitions on peace and humanism, and presenting annual peace proposals to the United Nations in commemoration of January 26, SGI Day.
Dr. Phongparnich also mentioned that since September 2004, the university’s radio station has been broadcasting a program titled “Creating Value in Life” that introduces audiences to Dr. Ikeda’s philosophy and writings. He said that young people in particular find the program to be extremely inspiring.
Lauding the SGI president as a man of great erudition and character who values the arts and culture, education, and lasting peace, Dr. Phongparnich commended Mr. Ikeda for his tireless efforts in carrying out praiseworthy activities around the world based on a deep understanding of Buddhist philosophy.”- Maejo University, Thailand
“In 2000, President Ikeda was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Associate Professor Kamariah Abu Bakar, Dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies, delivered the citation for the honorary degree. She spoke in Malay, of course, but at the close of her remarks she said in fluent Japanese: “Sekai heiwa to iu Ikeda Kaicho no shogai no yume ga tassei saremasu you ni”—“May your lifelong dream of world peace, President Ikeda, be achieved.” - Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
After reading the above mentioned reports, I’ll like to share my thoughts:
When I first joined Soka Gakkai, I did not really know who Daisaku Ikeda is even though I always hear members saying how great this person is. I began to want to know more about him. I was introduced to reading the novel – The New Human Revolution, written by President Ikeda on the history and encounters of the Soka peace movements. I was impressed and touched by this novel, more so by President Ikeda’s actions towards humanity, members and non-members alike, from a little school kid to an elderly person, he always shows them with utmost respect and encouragement just as Nichiren Buddhism teaches.
The more I read this novel, the more I could feel his warmth and comfort in encouraging another person and to give hope, thereby leading to peace. As just President Ikeda points out: "A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation, and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind." He further adds: “Human revolution, in other words, refers to raising one's gaze beyond one's restricted, ordinary, everyday world and striving for and dedicating oneself to achieving something more lofty, more profound, more all-embracing.”
President Ikeda is like a father to me, a mentor in my life to show me how to practice this Buddhist faith of Nichiren Buddhism correctly and how to live as a human being. I learn from him that to always place humanity first and to create value in one’s life and other people lives. This, I thought, is the noblest purpose of our existences. At the present age of 84, President Ikeda is still working hard on this noble cause for humanity through dialogues and in writing.
It is indeed heart-warming after reading the above conferral address from three different Universities from three countries. These are great recognition to President Ikeda for his selfless dedication of time and energy for world peace. These are definitely actual proofs of Soka Gakkai and SGI under his leadership. No one on earth could have received these awards more than President Ikeda.
Nichiren Buddhism was established in chaotic 13th century Japan. Nichiren’s sole wish was to alleviate people sufferings and to give hope. We are also living in a world today with humanity facing many challenges. The reason why Soka Gakkai and SGI have developed and continue to grow today, I thought, is that this wish of alleviating people from sufferings and to give hope has never changed.
“Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, the Philippines, has bestowed a degree of Honorary Doctorate of Humanities on Dr.Ikeda. The conferral was held on June 6, 2004 at the Soka International Friendship Hall in Sendagaya, Tokyo. Among those attending were university founder Madame Laureana San Pedro Rosales, president and director Casimiro B. Juarez Jr., and his wife Dr. Fe Rosales-Juarez, executive vice president and member of the board of trustees.
At the ceremony, Dr. Rosales-Juarez delivered the conferral address, and President Juarez declared the bestowal of the honorary degree upon the SGI leader. Madame Rosales presented Dr. Ikeda with the diploma and accompanying academic regalia. The honorary doctorate was awarded by the unanimous decision of the university’s board of trustees, and certified by the Philippines’ presidentially appointed Board of Higher Education.
In her address, Dr. Rosales-Juarez remarked that the SGI leader’s antiwar ideals are based on a profound respect for his predecessors, who maintained their convictions even while suffering persecution by national authorities. She affirmed that Dr. Ikeda believes that in order to achieve world peace, it is necessary to cherish soft power and promote dialogue, which bring people together. Noting that the Soka schools founder is well versed in various fields such as the arts, music, philosophy, and photography, Dr. Rosales-Juarez suggested that Mr. Ikeda views culture as a living expression of people’s basic rights and a medium shaped by education, which is the most essential means for developing human creativity. She mentioned that Capitol University upholds culture and education as precious values that are indispensable to peace. In closing her address, she lauded Dr. Ikeda for giving people hope through his significant contributions and accomplishments as an advocate of the idea that individual human revolution leads to global peace.” - Capitol University, The Philippines.
“Thailand’s Maejo University has bestowed an honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Administrative Science upon SGI President Ikeda, the founder of Soka University, in recognition of his efforts to build peace and foster young people based on the philosophy of Buddhist humanism. The conferral was held on July 3, 2006 at Soka University’s Central Tower in Hachioji, Tokyo. Maejo University President Thep Phongparnich led a delegation of educators from his school who traveled to Japan to deliver the award.
In his conferral speech, Dr. Phongparnich affirmed that President Ikeda has engaged in a wide variety of activities aimed at creating peace, such as holding dialogues with global leaders and thinkers, giving speeches and addresses at various academic institutions, supporting exhibitions on peace and humanism, and presenting annual peace proposals to the United Nations in commemoration of January 26, SGI Day.
Dr. Phongparnich also mentioned that since September 2004, the university’s radio station has been broadcasting a program titled “Creating Value in Life” that introduces audiences to Dr. Ikeda’s philosophy and writings. He said that young people in particular find the program to be extremely inspiring.
Lauding the SGI president as a man of great erudition and character who values the arts and culture, education, and lasting peace, Dr. Phongparnich commended Mr. Ikeda for his tireless efforts in carrying out praiseworthy activities around the world based on a deep understanding of Buddhist philosophy.”- Maejo University, Thailand
“In 2000, President Ikeda was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Associate Professor Kamariah Abu Bakar, Dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies, delivered the citation for the honorary degree. She spoke in Malay, of course, but at the close of her remarks she said in fluent Japanese: “Sekai heiwa to iu Ikeda Kaicho no shogai no yume ga tassei saremasu you ni”—“May your lifelong dream of world peace, President Ikeda, be achieved.” - Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
After reading the above mentioned reports, I’ll like to share my thoughts:
When I first joined Soka Gakkai, I did not really know who Daisaku Ikeda is even though I always hear members saying how great this person is. I began to want to know more about him. I was introduced to reading the novel – The New Human Revolution, written by President Ikeda on the history and encounters of the Soka peace movements. I was impressed and touched by this novel, more so by President Ikeda’s actions towards humanity, members and non-members alike, from a little school kid to an elderly person, he always shows them with utmost respect and encouragement just as Nichiren Buddhism teaches.
The more I read this novel, the more I could feel his warmth and comfort in encouraging another person and to give hope, thereby leading to peace. As just President Ikeda points out: "A great human revolution in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation, and, further, will enable a change in the destiny of all humankind." He further adds: “Human revolution, in other words, refers to raising one's gaze beyond one's restricted, ordinary, everyday world and striving for and dedicating oneself to achieving something more lofty, more profound, more all-embracing.”
President Ikeda is like a father to me, a mentor in my life to show me how to practice this Buddhist faith of Nichiren Buddhism correctly and how to live as a human being. I learn from him that to always place humanity first and to create value in one’s life and other people lives. This, I thought, is the noblest purpose of our existences. At the present age of 84, President Ikeda is still working hard on this noble cause for humanity through dialogues and in writing.
It is indeed heart-warming after reading the above conferral address from three different Universities from three countries. These are great recognition to President Ikeda for his selfless dedication of time and energy for world peace. These are definitely actual proofs of Soka Gakkai and SGI under his leadership. No one on earth could have received these awards more than President Ikeda.
Nichiren Buddhism was established in chaotic 13th century Japan. Nichiren’s sole wish was to alleviate people sufferings and to give hope. We are also living in a world today with humanity facing many challenges. The reason why Soka Gakkai and SGI have developed and continue to grow today, I thought, is that this wish of alleviating people from sufferings and to give hope has never changed.