Finding Freedom
July 2011
Banner photo: Finding Freedom [© Dariush M./Shutterstock]
News Briefs
Earthquake Memorial Prayer in New Zealand
During March, SGI-New Zealand members held special prayer meetings for lives lost in the Christchurch earthquake on February 22 and in the Tohoku-Kanto earthquake in Japan on March 11. Members in and around Christchurch have been distributing food and water and helping remove rubble from affected areas, as well as participating in the student volunteer army.
Dialogue of Civilizations
In Indonesia, a panel discussion titled "Dialogue of Civilizations on Tolerance and Peace" was held at the Nahdlatul Ulama Headquarters in Jakarta on April 19. The discussion was based on a dialogue of the same name between former President of Indonesia Abdurrahman Wahid and SGI President Daisaku Ikeda. Some 280 attended, including representatives from the Wahid Institute.
Environmental Appreciation in Panama
SGI-Panama held a photo contest themed "Panamanian Flowers" at the SGI-Panama Peace Auditorium in Panama City on March 31. Prizes were handed out to three winners each in the Junior and Senior categories. In the spirit of protecting and appreciating the environment, the SGI exhibition "Seeds of Hope" was shown at the center from April 1-24.
Women in Religion
SGI-Spain participated in an interfaith panel discussion on women's role in religion held at the Nicolás Salmerón Cultural Center in Madrid on April 2. Organized by the Madrid Community Interfaith Dialogue Association (ADIM), this event aimed to propose goals and new perspectives on this topic. In her paper, SGI-Spain representative Inés Vázquez touched upon Nichiren's heritage of promoting an egalitarian spirit.
Chinese New Year Parade in Singapore
Singapore Soka Association (SSA) members performed in the 2011 Chinese New Year Chingay Parade at Singapore's Marina Bay on February 12. This year marks SSA's 30th year of participating in the parade. S. R. Nathan, president of Singapore, was among some 200,000 people attending the event.
SGI-Argentina Holds Culture Festival
SGI-Argentina held a Soka Youth Peace Culture Festival at the SGI-Argentina Peace Auditorium in Buenos Aires from March 5-7. The festival included performances by the organization's music group and fife-and-drum corps and was attended by some 8,500 people from the academic, cultural and legal communities.
