Speech of SGI Vice President

Home About Us Our Activities SGI President Links Contact Us Site Map  The World Peace Gongyo Meeting (November 2, 2008) Yasunori Takimoto (SGI Vice President) Good morning everyone! I would like to sincerely extend my thanks to all of you for participating in the November World Peace Gongyo Meeting for coming very early in the morning and traveling from afar, thank you very much! Together with all of you, I have offered prayers to the Gohonzon for the realization of world peace. Aside from this, I have also prayed for the happiness and health of all the participants today. Moreover, I have also prayed for the further prosperity and development of your respective families. Well, as you all very well know, 78 years ago in November 18, 1930, two persons: Soka Gakkai first president Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and later-to-be second president Josei Toda founded Soka Kyoiku Gakkai, the forerunner organization of Soka Gakkai. From that day on, the organization faced persecutions one after another.                                                                Then on July 6, 1943, while doing shakubuku in Shimoda, Izu, Mr. Makiguchi was charged with the violation of the Peace           Preservation Law as well as lese majesty against a Shinto shrine and was arrested.           Similarly, Mr. Toda was also arrested in Tokyo.           Then after being subjected to continuous severe interrogations, Mr. Makiguchi closed his life of fighting for human rights at           the infirmary of Tokyo prison due to old age and malnutrition on November 18, 1944 – mysteriously the same day the           organization was founded. He was 73.           Meanwhile, Mr. Toda was able to survive incarceration and returned to normal life on July 3, 1945. Then, through Mr.           Toda, the brilliant era of Ikeda-Sensei unfolded leading to the Soka Gakkai as it is today.           While we base ourselves on our great history that is November, let us open yet another era of great victory!           In the November issue of SGI Graph, Ikeda-Sensei gave the following guidance:          "Our activities are a movement that empowers people to live humanly and enjoy meaningful lives to the utmost. Let us           enable our cheerful and lively "flowers of dialogue" to fully blossom."           Now, as members of SGI Philippines, let us give our utmost in our endeavor for shakubuku cheerfully and pleasantly           together with our General Director Cabauatan and Women’s Division Chief Rosita!           Thank you very much for listening to me today! TOP  Back Number Go to Home                                                                                                     Photo on the top: Flowers in Nagano (Photo by Daisaku Ikeda) Copyright (c) 2006-2007, Soka Gakkai International of the Philippines, All rights reserved.