Condolences for Ikeda Sensei from Thinking People Around the World

Translated from Seikyo Shimbun Article on November 27, 2023 

Many condolences have poured in to pay tribute to Ikeda Sensei’s contributions. Following the article published on 23 November Seikyo Shimbun publishes some of these condolences from thinking people around the world (not published in order): 

Dr. Ela Gandhi 

“The philosophy of Mr Ikeda and the teachings of my grandfather, Mahatma Gandhi, share many similarities. His life has inspired all of us. Over the years, I have been fortunate to learn and understand through the SGI family many valuable lessons about Mr Ikeda’s life and his humanistic philosophy. Mr Ikeda’s achievements, woven like a majestic tapestry, will continue to encourage us and future generations.” 

Dr. Ela Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter  

 

Dr. Asle Toje, deputy leader of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, talks at Soka University of America, Aliso Viejo, California, January 31, 2023

“I cannot fully fathom the extent of grief that all within the Soka Gakkai have gone through. However, I want to make it known for Mr Ikeda’s achievements to continue to live on. Let’s pay our tribute to Mr Ikeda by living our lives to work for world peace from our respective positions. I’ve never met Mr Ikeda, but when I reread his messages that I once received that are imbued with kindness and sincerity, I was feeling refreshing, akin to drinking water from a mountain spring. Mr Ikeda held a youthful heart more than anyone. Right now, I feel that we are entrusted with a great responsibility by Mr Ikeda.”
Asle Toje, deputy leader of The Norwegian Nobel Committee 

On the 22 November, condolences were conveyed from Liu Jianchao, Head of the International Liaison Department of the Chinese Communist Party to Mr. Natsuo Yamaguchi, representative of the Komeito party, who was visiting China.

Ira Helfand who was awarded the Gandhi, King, Ikeda Community Builder’s Prize on April 13, 2023, at a ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia.

“President Ikeda was a great figure who struggled for justice and world peace. His unwavering belief and actions in building a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons serve as a magnificent exemplar and an inspiration for us to continue thereafter. His wisdom, compassion, and courageous spirit will live on in the written works he left for us, continuing to inspire us.” 

Dr. Ira Helfand, Co-Founder of IPPNW (International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapon) and Past President of Physicians for Social Responsibility 

 Condolences were also received from former President of the Republic of Palau, Tommy Remengesau; British Ambassador to the Japan, Julia Longbottom; Chargé d’Affaires Pranthip of Thailand; Carlos Pere, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Panama to Japan; Mr Ritter N. Diaz, Former Ambassador of the Republic of Panama and Tania Canelas, Counsellor Political South African Embassy in Tokyo. 

Furthermore, condolences were extended by various individuals including Chairman, Yang Wanming and Former Chairmen Chen Haosu, Li Xiaolin and Lin Songtian of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC); Honorary Chairman, Song Jian, Chairman, Tang Jiaxuan, Executive Vice President, Cheng Yonghua (former Chinese Ambassador to Japan), Vice President Wang Xiuyun, Secretary-General Yuan Mindao, Former Vice president Wang XiaoXian, Director Wu Ruijun, Director Li Tieming and Director Wang Yuntao of China-Japan Friendship Association; Former President Zhao Ya Ping of Dalian China-Japan Educational Cultural Exchange Association, Former Advisor Ni Jian of  The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) and Former Secretary-General Li Liangzhou of  Guangzhou People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. 

Shoko Hanzawa, Head of Delegation in Japan International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); Professor Azza Karam, Former Secretary General of Religions for Peace International; Shannon Shah, Director of Faith for The Climate; Professor Siddhartha Singh, former Director of Vivekanada Cultural Centre, Embassy of India; and Mr Chaiyapol Suk-iam, Inspector General of Director-General of the Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture Thailand. 

From the education and academic fields, there were condolences from: Shi Ningzhong of Institute of Japanese Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Former President of Northeast Normal University, China; Xiu Bin, Director of Center for Japanese Studies, Ocean University of China; Professor Liu Aijun, Dalian University of Technology ‘Ikeda Research Institute for Soka Education (IRISE)’; Professor Sun Jianzhong, Chairman of Hebei Foreign Studies University; Vice Chancellor Gao Yuelun, Director of the ‘Liao Chengzhi and Daisaku Ikeda Research Center’ at Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering (ZUAE) in Guangzhou, Guangdong; Jia Huixuan (former professor) and Niu Dayong, professor of Peking University; Liang Guiquan, Chairman, and Wen Xian, former Vice Chairman of the Guangdong Daisaku Ikeda Research Center of the Chinese Culture University (CCU); Prof. Huang Shunli and Mrs. Ye Saimei from Xiamen University; Professor Wang Lirong; from Sun Yat-sen University; Hong Gang, Head of the Daisaku Ikeda Research Center at Dalian Maritime University (DMU); Ge Jianhua, Associate Researcher of Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, Research Institute for Northeast Asia; Dr. Florentina Dumlao, former President of Nueva Vizcaya State University in the Philippines; Stein Tønnesson Norway, Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) in Norway; Dr. Namrata Sharma, adjunct professor from the State University of New York; and Dr. Nantarat Charoenkul from Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University. 

Additionally, condolences were extended from various individuals including Lou Marinoff, President of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association; Dr. Aksinia Djurova, an art historian from Bulgaria; Vasha Velinova, Director of Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Science; Myroslav Vantukh, President of the Ukrainian National Folk Dance Ensemble; Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Vice Chair of the Simon Wiesenthal Center; William and Mrs. Broidrick, founders of Broidrick & Associates; Jonathan Granoff, President of the Global Security Institute; Laura Hassler, representative of Musicians Without Borders; Rebecca Wildsmith, daughter of the British children’s book illustrator Brian Wildsmith; Shen Qing, Chairman of the Dunhuang Academy and the Beijing Lu Xiangyu Charitable Foundation; Sun Lichuan, former Editor-in-Chief of Tiandi Books; Zhou Lingfei, Chairman of the Lu Xun Cultural Foundation, including the Bingxin Literature Museum, Bingxin Research Institute, and the Silk Road Art Exchange Association; Gao Qing, daughter of Gao Zhanxiang, former Chairman of the Chinese Cultural Promotion Association; Zhang Shaotong, former Vice Chairman of the Fujian Provincial Federation of Literature and Art; Lin Chang, Chief Editor of the ‘Journal of Japanese Studies’ Publishing Department; Chen Jianzhong, President of the Huangshan Art Society; Masaaki Ohashi, Chairperson of the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation; Mihoko Kashiwakura, Japan Resident Representative of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Fletcher Harper, Executive Director of the international environmental NGO GreenFaith; Yuuta Jitsukawa, Chairman of the Minamata Forum; filmmaker Masaaki Tanabe; Rieko Suzuki, Chairman of SDGs Promise Japan; and Tetsuji Tanaka, Executive Director of the Global Solidarity Tax Forum. 

Source:  https://www.seikyoonline.com/article/A5B3744CC5332B4E6187760530C3A388 

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