Daisaku Ikeda
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Daisaku Ikeda (池田 大作, born January 2, 1928) is the president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist association of more than 12 million members in more than 190 countries and territories, and founder of several educational, cultural and research institutions.
He was president of the Soka Gakkai from 1960 to 1979, when he was succeeded by Hiroshi Hojo. Ikeda was named the president of SGI (Soka Gakkai International), upon its founding in 1975 and remains in that position to the present (as of 2005).
Outside of the organization, he remains a controversial figure, sometimes linked with various accusations that have been made about Soka Gakkai's activities.
He is a prolific writer, poet, peace activist, and interpreter of Nichiren Buddhism. He has traveled to more than 50 countries to hold discussions with many political, cultural and educational figures. Topics he has addressed include the transformative value of religion, the universality of life, social responsibility, and sustainable progress and development.
As a leader of SGI, he has founded several institutions, such as the Soka schools (from kindergarten through university level), the Min-On Concert Association and the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, in order to promote educational, cultural and artistic activities and conduct exchanges with like groups and institutions on a global scale. Ikeda has also initiated a wide range of grassroots exchange programs and delivered speeches at a number of institutions of higher learning around the world, including Harvard University, the Institut de France and Beijing University.
Mr. Ikeda has received honorary doctorates from numerous universities, including University of Glasgow (UK), Moscow State University, Sofia University (Bulgaria), University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Ankara University (Turkey), University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of the Philippines. He has honorary professorships from many universities, including Beijing University and National University of San Marcos (Peru).
For his humanitarian endeavors in a range of fields, he is the recipient of numerous awards, including the United Nations Peace Award, National Order of the Southern Cross of the Republic of Brazil, Honorary Cross of Science and the Arts from the Austrian Ministry of Education, Medal of the Grand Officer of Arts and Letters from the French Ministry of Culture, and the World Poet Laureateship from the World Poetry Society.
Major books that he has written include: The Human Revolution (12 volumes), Choose Life: A Dialogue with Dr. Arnold J. Toynbee; Dawn After Dark with Dr. René Hughye; Before It Is Too Late with Dr. Aurelio Peccei; A Lifelong Quest for Peace with Dr. Linus Pauling; Dialogue of World Citizens with Dr. Norman Cousins; Choose Peace, with Dr. Johan Galtung; The Snow Country Prince, The Cherry Tree, The Princess and the Moon and Over the Deep Blue Sea (children's books translated into over ten languages).
External link
- List of Published Works (http://www.sgi.org/english/President/published.htm)
- Official Page for SGI President Daisaku Ikeda (http://www.sgi.org/english/President/president.htm)
- Official SGI Page (http://www.sgi.org/)
- Official Soka Gakkai Page (http://sokagakkai.info/)ja:池田大作