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SGI News: Global activities for peace, education and culture

Cultural Exchange Efforts Recognized

photo Ambassador Bely presents the Order of Friendship  [©Seikyo Shimbun]

On February 19, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda was awarded the Order of Friendship of the Russian Federation at the Russian Embassy in Tokyo.

Presenting the award in recognition of Mr. Ikeda’s contributions to the development of Russo-Japanese relations over the past 30 years, Ambassador Mikhail M. Bely paid tribute to his efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties through cultural exchange, and his deep understanding of different philosophies and cultures.

Mr. Ikeda has visited the former U.S.S.R. and Russia six times in order to engage in dialogue with leaders and cultural figures. He has promoted extensive educational and cultural exchanges and the showing in Russia of exhibitions devoted to peace such as "Nuclear Arms: Threat to Our World," hosted in Moscow in 1987.

Over 1 million people have been exposed to Russian culture through tours by over 40 dance and music groups invited to Japan by the Min-On Concert Association founded by Mr. Ikeda. And since Soka University signed an exchange agreement with Moscow State University in 1975, over 500 students have participated in the two-way educational exchange.

The awarding of the Order of Friendship was announced in a presidential decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on January 9. Mr. Ikeda was nominated by former president Mikhail Gorbachev, Moscow State University Rector Dr. Viktor Sadovnichy, former cosmonaut Dr. Aleksander Serebrov and author Chingiz Aitmatov.

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