“I feel as if I have met the future today, and that future is filled with the light of great hope.”

Shin’ichi first visited the Malaysia Soka Kindergarten in December 2000.

“Thank you!” said Shin’ichi. “Are you all studying hard?” The children answered in happy voices. “Let’s sing a song!” suggested Shin’ichi, and the children’s enthusiastic voices soon filled the room. Shin’ichi waved his hands and swayed his body in time to the music. The children watched him with excitement.

Hearing from the principal that the children could speak Malay, Chinese, and English, Shin’ichi said with a smile: “That’s remarkable! In the future I hope you’ll be able to be productive citizens anywhere in the world.”

Shin’ichi said to his wife Mineko: “What cheerful, happy children. I’m so glad to see this. I’ll always remember their faces. I’ll never forget them. I feel as if I have met the future today, and that future is filled with the light of great hope. I’ll watch over the students at the Malaysia Soka Kindergarten, and all the children of Soka education around the globe, as long as I live!”