| May 25, 2006 |
| Soka Gakkai Delegates Attend Jiangsu-Japan People's Friendship Exchange Week Opening Celebrations |
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| Jiangsu-Japan People's Friendship Exchange Week launches |
On May 22, Soka Gakkai delegates attended the opening for Jiangsu-Japan People's Friendship Exchange Week celebrations at the China-Japan Friendship Hall in Nanjing City, at the invitation of the Jiangsu People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. Jiangsu Provincial Governor Liang Baohua warmly welcomed Soka Gakkai Vice General Director Hiromasa Ikeda and his party. In a congratulatory message sent for the occasion, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda noted that China's leaders have continued to engage in dialogues and exchanges that have strengthened bilateral Sino-Japan relations and stated that exchanges between people across the wide open seas will become the driving force for an open exchange of political and economic ideals and the furthering of friendship. Others attending the opening event were Vice President Wang Xiaoxian of the China-Japan Friendship Association and President Wu Xijun of the Jiangsu People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
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| Soka Gakkai Delegates Visit Nanjing Massacre Museum |
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On May 22, Soka Gakkai Nanjing Delegation visited the Memorial Hall of the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre and received a personal tour from museum curator Zhu Chengshan. Words of former premiers Zhou Enlai and Jiang Zeming, "Don't forget the past for it is a lesson for the future" and "History is a mirror for the future," respectively, are displayed in the museum. Between December 1937 and January 1938, hundreds of thousands of Chinese were slaughtered at the hands of the Japanese Imperial army. Established in 1985 as a museum to promote an accurate history of the tragic event, the memorial hall is located in the southwestern corner of Nanjing known as Jiangdongmen, a former execution ground and mass burial site. Curator Zhu said it was important for humanity to learn from the past for the sake of peace in the future. Soka Gakkai Vice General Director Hiromasa Ikeda expressed hopes for using the day's event as a fresh departure for creating a new history of friendship between China and Japan.
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| Nanjing Arts Institute Honors SGI President |
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| Nanjing Arts Institute President Feng Jianqin (right) entrusts certificate to Mr. Hiromasa Ikeda (left) |
During Jiangsu-Japan People's Friendship Exchange Week, Nanjing Arts Institute (NAI), with a time-honored history spanning 94 years, presented SGI President Daisaku Ikeda with an honorary professorship, the first conferred upon a foreigner. The conferral took place May 22 at the institute's small theater. NAI President Feng Jianqin affirmed that despite the impression that Jiangsu citizens have a negative image of the Japanese because of the dark history represented by the tragic Nanjing incident, they, more than anyone, have a desire to strengthen friendship with Japan. NAI Vice President Liu said Mr. Ikeda was being honored for his wide-ranging contributions to Sino-Japan friendship and world peace. Concurring with Mr. Ikeda's belief that dialogue is key to creating intercultural understanding and trust among humanity, Mr. Liu said he, too, would continue to pray and make efforts for lasting peace. Dr. Feng entrusted a certificate, together with commemorative items, to Soka Gakkai Vice General Director Hiromasa Ikeda, who accepted them on behalf of his father.
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| Nanjing Arts Institute students |
In a message, SGI President Ikeda expressed appreciation for the honor. He said art has the power to transcend barriers, foster hearts of peace in people, and is a lofty struggle to uphold human values against the brutish force of wars and violence. He also stressed that we must never forget the history of atrocities committed by the Japanese military government against China, Japan's cultural benefactor, beginning with the Nanjing Massacre. Introducing his mentor Josei Toda's belief that culture and education are the only means to triumph against war and violence, Mr. Ikeda affirmed his resolve to further exchanges of culture, arts and education.
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| Chinese and Japanese musicians perform in joint concert
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President Wu Xijun of the Jiangsu People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and other guests joined 300 students of the school for the conferral ceremony. The Chikuho Symphonic Orchestra from Japan, with a ten-year history of friendship exchange with the Chinese institute, joined music students performing on classical Chinese instruments, such as erhu--2-string fiddle, pipa--4-string lute and guzheng--zither, for a commemorative recital.
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| Soka Gakkai Vice General Director Hiromasa Ikeda (2nd from left) meets with NAI President Feng (2nd from right at table), administrators and teachers |
[The art institute traces its roots to the Shanghai Arts Institute established in 1912, which later merged with art departments of various universities. Nanjing Arts Institute has established itself as a prestigious training institute for fostering exceptional artists in various genres, such as fine art, music, design, audio-visual media and film.]
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