How did you come to organize this event?
It grew from a desire to set up an exhibition about Human Rights in the centre of the city of Nottingham in 2016, so it’s part of an ongoing ambition. We feel that by expanding human solidarity concerning conditions that affect all of us, such as climate change and the catastrophic damage wrought by nuclear weapons, we hold the key to the alleviation of human suffering.
What is SGI?
The Soka Gakkai International literally means International Society for Value Creation. A global socially engaged Buddhist movement; it evolved from a Buddhist movement, which bloomed from the ashes of post war Hiroshima. SGI is anti-authoritarian, it has no priesthood, and basically is an organically evolving movement, driven by ordinary people who meet in their own homes, all over the world, to share faith and life experiences, encourage and empower each other. SGI is an NGO with consultative status with the United Nations; it is active in awareness-raising and public education, focuses on peace, disarmament, human rights and sustainable development.
What kinds of things are going to be addressed in the talk?
This public forum is for Daisaku Ikeda’s peace proposal – we want to inspire a ‘Philosophy of Hope’ and encourage genuine dialogue. He said that “A great revolution of character in just a single individual will help achieve a change in the destiny of a nation, and, further, will cause a change in the destiny of humankind.”
Robert Harrap’s Talk will be focusing on the ‘re-humanization’ of politics and economics. Other subjects include the abolition of nuclear weapons, and shared responsibility for alleviation of suffering of displaced peoples. Essentially, we’re asking how we become happy, and how we empower and encourage ourselves and each other to create deep rooted, effective change. We’ve invited as many people as possible from diverse age, faith and community backgrounds to share ideas that underlie this movement for dialogue. We want to really open up our understanding of how we define the ‘other’ – the enemy.
We aspire to be non-judgmental, to recognize in ourselves the kind of discriminatory gaze that perceives others as a threat, and how this diminishes us. This is easier said than done. It’s interesting how the more people we've talked to while promoting this event, the more we have come to realize it’s about a passionate desire for unity. It’s certainly not about telling people what or how to think, but about encouraging vision. I guess it takes courage to hope, yet we need hope to take action.
Robert Harrap
Who are Daisaku Ikeda and Robert Harrap?
Daisaku Ikeda is President of SGI. Over fifty years, he has fostered among SGI members a strong ethos of responsibility for global and social issues. This same spirit of global citizenship is a key characteristic of the various educational institutions he has founded. More than simply carrying out a particular religious practice, members see the mission of the SGI as one of bringing Buddhist wisdom to bear on the task of resolving the problems confronting the world, and of building solidarity for social justice and peace. Such activism may be at odds with a popular image of Buddhism as a practice of placid withdrawal from the complexities of society.
Robert is our SGI UK General Leader. In SGI ‘leadership’ really means ‘responsibility’. So in essence he encourages and supports all the members in UK. We asked him to give this talk – because he’s clear and passionate about Ikeda’s Peace Proposal and will bring it alive for us all.
Why is it important for us to meet and discuss peace in the wake of recent worldwide events?
I guess we are at a moment in time where we have the capacity as human beings to either destroy ourselves or transform our common humanity. For this, we need each other. We need to develop our listening skills. We need to learn how to see the infinite potential inherent within ourselves and in others too. We need to become stronger and more confident with our visions and in unity take practical actions to make a difference. To celebrate, rather than fear, our humanity.
I think we need to forge vision that will sustain the step-by-step transformative journey ahead both for future generations and ourselves. I guess we need to keep developing friends – beyond our habitual social boundaries and develop capacity to trust and Courage to Care?
What is the Nottingham Interfaith Council?
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e., "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. SGI are active participants in the Nottingham Interfaith movement. As a Buddhist I find it fascinating to understand how all faiths work. It’s not about making others believe what you believe; it’s about deepening understanding.
If someone can’t make the talk, how else can they get involved?
If anyone wants to know more or get involved specifically with SGI, I suggest they contact SGI UK via the website, to ask about what’s going on in their local area. I promise they’ll get a reply!
Do you have anything else you’d like to say to LeftLion readers?
Please come! Let’s build an all-inclusive movement of dialogue in safe spaces, where people can come together to work towards common humanity through celebrating wondrous individual potential.
"Peace is not some abstract concept far removed from our everyday lives. It is a question of how each one of us plants and cultivates the seeds of peace in the reality of daily living, in the depths of our being, throughout our lives. I am certain that herein lies the most reliable path to lasting peace." - Daisaku Ikeda
"When each of us considers all those who will be affected by our actions and reflects on the weight of our responsibility, this provides an opening for the revelation our authentic self and for polishing our humanity. By sustaining this effort, we can ever more deeply explore the meaning and role of political and economic systems and create the conditions within society for their re- humanization.” - Daisaku Ikeda: 2015 Peace Proposal
“Buddhism is inherently revolutionary. I can’t think of anything more radical than enlightenment.” - Daisaku Ikeda
A Buddhist Proposal for a More Humane Future takes place at Friends Meeting House, 25 Clarendon Street, NG1 6JD at 7pm, all for free.
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