Europe
Iceland
SGI-Iceland members at annual gay pride parade
In late 2008 and 2009, the SGI-Iceland group held a special "encouragement campaign" to give hope and courage to people affected by the country's severe economic difficulties. The youth of SGI in Iceland regularly participate in activities promoting appreciation of diversity, such as the Gay Pride march and the Action Week Against Racism. Members also assisted with the clean-up of areas affected by the Eyjafjallajökull volcanic eruption.
Italy
Human rights education in ItalyThe core message that SGI-Italy members aim to promote in their local communities is that all living beings share a common destiny.
To communicate this message SGI-Italy has promoted a series of lectures, where specialists in human rights, environment, nonviolence and intercultural fields share their insights. These conferences were addressed particularly to young people and students.
Since 1996, SGI-Italy has held a series of exhibitions on human rights and sustainability, sometimes with accompanying youth forums, as well as the collection of signatures calling for the abolition of the death penalty. All these activities are grounded in one-to-one dialogue.
Spain
Interfaith discussion on the role of women in Lieida, Catalonia, SpainSGI-Spain is active in interfaith initiatives with a focus on sustainability and peace. In 2004, SGI-Spain chaired a symposium on different religious traditions working for peace at the Parliament of the World's Religions held in Barcelona. In 2007, they showed the "Seeds of Change--The Earth Charter and Human Potential" exhibition at a conference on the Earth Charter and the commitment of religions, held at the University of Alicante. On February 11, 2008, a series of symposiums titled "Crossroads of Religious Beliefs 2007-2008--The Future of Planet Earth" was held at the SGI-Spain Culture Center in Barcelona. In 2009, the Institute of Oriental Philosophy's "The Lotus Sutra--A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence" exhibition supported by SGI-Spain was the opening event for the fourth Catalan Parliament of Religions.
UK
Three Faiths Community Education Conference held in U.K.SGI-UK has been active in the Buddhist community in the UK, hosting the "British Buddhist Landscape" conference at its Taplow Court Center in June 2008 and participating in the Network of Buddhist Organisations. SGI also worked together with Muslim and black Christian communities in Tooting, South London, to develop the Three Faiths Project in order to address concerns about racial discrimination. A group of young people from each faith joined intensive workshops aimed at exploring concepts of race and identity and learning about each others' beliefs.
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