Peace Stories
April 2003
Banner photo: Nara, Japan [©SEKAI BUNKA PHOTO]
SGI-USA Florida Nature and Culture Center (FNCC)
FNCC
Since its opening in 1996, the Florida Nature and Culture Center (FNCC) has become a focal point for lectures, seminars, cultural exchange, education and exhibits designed to stimulate interaction among people and enhance their understanding of our shared humanity. While FNCC is primarily a venue for conferences bringing together SGI members from all corners of the U.S.A., visitors also come from every continent where Nichiren Buddhism is practiced to spend long weekends at this retreat 20 miles west of the Atlantic Ocean near Fort Lauderdale in Broward County, Florida.
FNCC is located on 125 acres of untouched or restored grasslands, one mile long and one-quarter mile wide, near Florida's Everglades. Fifty-five acres have been allotted for dormitories and other facilities, 20 acres for a man-made lake and 50 acres for a nature reserve. In 1996, more than 5,000 indigenous trees and shrubs were planted on the grounds, and over 15,000 native fish were released into Toda Lake.
FNCC has been selected as a site for releasing birds and animals from the Wildlife Care Center in Fort Lauderdale. FNCC is pleased to aid this unique nonprofit organization in its widely respected efforts to care for injured animals and birds and protect the wildlife of southern Florida.
UN Under-Secretary-General Anwarul K. Chowdhury and his wife, Mariam, visiting FNCC to attend a conference on building cultures of peace (December 2002)
FNCC's facilities include the Friendship Auditorium which seats more than 1,000; a community center for use by local members; a dining hall; a gymnasium; four dormitories, each with a sleeping capacity of 188; a guest house; a reception hall and a gift shop. There is also an outdoor swimming pool in addition to a 1,500-capacity outdoor amphitheater. The campus-style complex is set amid live oaks and sabal palms native to the Florida landscape. These provide a perfect backdrop for the discussions on philosophy, global issues and daily-life challenges that take place among conference participants from North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Australia/Oceania, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
During his visit to Miami in 1993, SGI President Ikeda suggested that a large training center be established in Florida so that the SGI members attending conferences for their spiritual development could enjoy good weather, especially in winter. He commented, "People should leave energized and filled with hope."
FNCC conducts various conferences throughout the year with annual participants totaling around 5,500. The themes on offer include the arts and culture, academics' and educators' conferences; women's and men's conferences; summer courses for youth; and conferences conducted in languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, French, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Japanese, to address the needs of the ethnically diverse membership of the SGI. There are also meetings which unite SGI-USA members of African descent, or gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members, and new themes include Buddhism and health, and family.
Conferences are generally held from Thursday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. There are presentations on topics relevant to the theme of each conference, study sessions on Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism and opportunities for encouragement from Buddhist leaders as well as dialogue with other participants. During free time the participants can relax and enjoy FNCC's beautiful grounds and facilities.
Visitors learning about wildlife protection
One SGI-USA member said that she appreciated the conference on raising children she attended because it helped her "take a good look at myself and recognize that I need to stand up for my feelings and ideas through engaging in heartfelt dialogues and go through any resulting conflicts or struggles in order to grow as a human being. . . ." Many participants in other conferences have also found coming to FNCC provided a good chance for reflection and a fresh start.
In addition to holding conferences to encourage SGI-USA members in their Buddhist practice, FNCC has sponsored community events and conferences in collaboration with other organizations.
The December 9, 2002, conference "Building Cultures of Peace: Moving from Conflict to Dialogue" was jointly sponsored by SGI-USA; the SGI's International Committee of Artists for Peace (ICAP); Carlos Albizu University, Puerto Rico and Miami; and the Center for Advanced Studies for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The conference brought together 150 leading thinkers from North and Latin American countries. Participants included scholars, educators, religious leaders, business executives and representatives from peace and human rights organizations. The keynote speaker was UN Under-Secretary-General Anwarul K. Chowdhury, a key proponent of the UN's Culture of Peace Program, who stated in his address that the culture of peace must not remain a mere ideal but, rather, that it must penetrate people's hearts and actually transform their lives. In addition to a panel discussion, there were workshops on "Reversing Cycles of Violence," "Culture and Diversity" and "Human Potential and Quality of Life Issues."
Members of South Asian descent gathering for a conference (January 2003)
On December 8, "Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace," an exhibition introducing the human rights and peace activism of these three individuals, opened at FNCC. The exhibition was sponsored by Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia, and SGI-USA. At the opening, Dr. Lawrence E. Carter, Sr., dean of the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, delivered a commemorative lecture entitled "Leap for Peace."
The "Building Cultures of Peace" Concert
On the same evening, over 1,200 people from all over the Americas and the Caribbean gathered at FNCC to hear vibrant musical performances sponsored by the International Committee of Artists for Peace to help promote cross-cultural understanding. Featured performers included keyboard player George Tandy and Latin Grammy Award-winner Nestor Torres.
