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			<title>Humanitarian Activities RSS</title>
			<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/humanitarian-activities-rss.html</link>
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			<language>en</language>
			<copyright>Soka Gakkai International (SGI) 2006</copyright>
			<ttl>120</ttl><item>
		<title>Soka Gakkai Student Members in Tohoku Hold Second Symposium on Earthquake Recovery</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 12 Jan 2013 15:52:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2013/soka-gakkai-student-tohoku-symposium-earthquake.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On January 12, Soka Gakkai student members in Tohoku held their second
symposium addressing the progress of recovery following the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated
parts of northeastern Japan. The event was held at Ishinomaki Senshu University
in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, an area severely affected by the
earthquake and tsunami.
At the symposium, representatives of the Soka Gakkai
student division reported on the results of a survey conducted from October 1 to
November 30, 2012, examining young people's attitudes about issues related to
the March 11 disaster. Over 3,000 students from a total of 63 universities,
junior colleges and vocational schools in six prefectures took ]]></description>		
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		<title>SGI-Hong Kong Members Join Fund-raising Walk</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 06 Jan 2013 23:51:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2013/sgi-hong-kong-fund-raising-walk.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On Jan 6, over 100 SGI-Hong Kong members participated
in the "Walk for Millions: Hong Kong and Kowloon Walk"--an annual
fund-raising event organized by The Community Chest of Hong Kong, an NGO that provides financial support to a wide range of welfare
service initiatives benefiting vulnerable groups in Hong Kong.
Various organizations, including SGI-Hong Kong, were
invited to the opening ceremony, together with Hong Kong Chief Executive Chun-Ying
Leung.
Walkers, some carrying their organization's banners,
covered a total distance of 10 kilometers, taking roughly three to four hours.
SGI-Hong Kong members of various ages participated,
with some traveling long distances to support the event. In total, they raised HK$60,000
(US$7,740).
The Community ]]></description>		
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		<title>Soka Gakkai Japan Donates Books to Disaster-stricken Schools</title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:15:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/soka-gakkai-donates-books-disaster-stricken-schools.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ At the book donation ceremony at Sakae Elementary School in Sakae Village, Nagano, the area hit hardest by an earthquake on March 12, 2011
In December, Soka Gakkai Japan donated books and bookshelves to several
schools throughout Japan. Each school received some 300 books on various
subjects.
On December 18, an official book donation ceremony was held for Sakae
Elementary and Junior High schools as well as the public library in Sakae Village,
Nagano Prefecture. All were severely affected by a large earthquake centered on
Sakae Village that shook northern Nagano on March 12, 2011, the day following
the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11. As a ]]></description>		
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		<title>Spreading Hope Through Art and Music in Tohoku</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 29 Sep 2012 23:14:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/spreading-hope-through-art-and-music-in-tohoku.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ As part of an ongoing initiative to uplift the spirits of people affected by the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, SGI-affiliated cultural institutions--the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (TFAM) and the Min-On Concert Association--have organized a series of events to spread hope through art and music. 
From September 29, Fukushima Minpo News partnered with the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (TFAM) to host an exhibition at the Fukushima Prefecture Culture Center in Fukushima City. The exhibition, which showcases 100 artworks from TFAM's collection, commemorated the 120th anniversary of the founding of Fukushima Minpo News and marked the re-opening of the Fukushima ]]></description>		
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		<title>SGI Chorus Groups in Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan Contribute to Local Communities</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 28 Sep 2012 23:59:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-chorus-groups-singapore-hong-kong-taiwan.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ In August and September, chorus groups from Singapore Soka Association (SSA), SGI-Hong Kong (SGI-HK) and Taiwan Soka Association (TSA) performed in their respective communities.
On August 17 and 18, in commemoration of Singapore's 47th National Day Celebration, the Singapore Chinese Orchestra organized a concert at the Singapore Conference Hall. SSA's Soka Chorus was invited to perform during the finale which brought together performers of the orchestra and chorus, and included a recitation of a poem in Mandarin Chinese. 
SGI-HK's Jiyu Choir performing at Castle Peak Hospital 
On September 16, the Jiyu Choir comprised of men from SGI-HK held a mini charity ]]></description>		
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		<title>Taiwan Soka Association Awarded for Community Contribution</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 14 Sep 2012 15:20:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/taiwan-soka-association-awarded-community-contribution.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On September 4, Interior Minister Lee Hong-yuan presented Taiwan Soka Association (TSA) with its 17th Excellent Community Organization Award. TSA Vice General Director Chang Sheng-li accepted the award at the Civil Service Development Institute in Taipei. TSA was recognized for its longstanding grassroots activities to promote peace, culture and education. Among some 10,000 organizations, TSA is the only organization that has been granted the award for 17 consecutive years.
On September 10, TSA was also honored with the "Outstanding Religious Organization" award by the Ministry of the Interior for the 10th consecutive time. At the conferral ceremony, Executive Yuan President Chen ]]></description>		
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		<title>SGI Members in the Philippines and Taiwan Provide Aid After Floods</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 24 Aug 2012 13:28:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-philippines-taiwan-provide-aid-flood-aftermath.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ From August 5-12, heavy downpours in Manila and surrounding areas in the Philippines caused torrential floods, submerging much of the capital underwater. The floods led to numerous fatalities and forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. Many were also affected by power outages.
With relief activities centering around the SGI-Philippines Culture Center in Quezon City, SGI-Philippines leaders and youth members distributed relief goods to people in the area and made efforts to meet with and encourage as many members as possible. 
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda also sent a message of encouragement to those affected by the disaster as ]]></description>		
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		<title>Singapore Soka Association Organizes Family Fun Day and Holds Donation Drive for Flood Victims</title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 22 Aug 2012 23:38:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/singapore-soka-family-fun-day-donation-drive.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ "Family Fun Day" at the SSA Headquarters
On August 20, in celebration of its 45th anniversary, Singapore Soka Association (SSA) held a "Family Fun Day" at its headquarters and the nearby Tampines West Community Club. The event brought together some 17,500 SSA members, their families, friends and local residents.
At the fun day there were activities that people of all ages could enjoy from meridian exercise, line-dancing, manicures, massages and makeovers to cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts, henna painting and performances by SSA cultural groups. There was also a health workshop and a family photo booth. Many guests remarked that the fun ]]></description>		
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		<title>Singapore Soka Association Co-organizes Community Outreach Food Project</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 19 Aug 2012 15:38:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/ssa-co-organizes-community-outreach-food-project.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On the weekend of August 18-19, Singapore Soka Association (SSA) and the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Eldercare Co-operative co-organized a food donation drive. Named "Bags of Hope 2," the initiative collected provisions for, put together and distributed food packs to low-income families in the community. 
Supported by the Central Singapore Community Development Council, the food drive targeted 300 families registered with four NTUC Eldercare Senior Activity Centres. All of the families live in Housing and Development Board one-room flats and have incomes of less than SG$900 (US$725) a month.
Distributing the food parcels
On August 18, Soka Volunteer Group (SVG) members ]]></description>		
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		<title>Seminars on Aftermath of March 11, 2011, Earthquake and Tsunami</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jul 2012 23:59:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/seminars-aftermath-of-march-11-earthquake-tsunami.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ Seminars were held in Tokyo and Iwate in late July to examine the aftermath of the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan.
On July 27, Norio Kanno, mayor of Iidate Village, Fukushima Prefecture, spoke at Soka University in Tokyo, describing the challenges currently facing the people of Iidate. The lecture was sponsored by Soka University and the Tokyo Shimbun.
Following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant disaster, Iidate&nbsp;was designated as part of the official evacuation zone, and all the inhabitants were evacuated. In his lecture, Mr. Kanno reported the struggles they have faced since the incident, and emphasized ]]></description>		
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		<title>Soka Gakkai Relief Efforts in Response to Kyushu Floods</title>
                <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jul 2012 16:43:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/soka-gakkai-relief-efforts-kyushu-floods.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ At the start of July, the southwestern island of Kyushu in Japan experienced record downpours which caused torrential floods and landslides, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate their homes. SGI President Daisaku Ikeda sent a message of encouragement to those affected by the disaster as well as to those engaged in relief activities: "Our admirable members in the affected areas are doing their utmost to assist in any way possible, serving as a great source of support and strength in their communities . . . &nbsp;Let's all send a rousing cheer of support to our fellow members in ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/soka-gakkai-relief-efforts-kyushu-floods.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>Celebrating Mandela Day In South Africa</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jul 2012 14:47:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/celebrating-mandela-day-south-africa.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On July 15, members of SGI-South Africa in Johannesburg visited the Ithlokomeleng Senior Citizens Home and adjacent Sediba Sathuto (Well of Learning) Childcare Centre. They delivered donations of clothing, toys, cleaning materials, blankets and other items and spent time interacting with the residents of the senior citizens' home, providing manicures and massages as well as performing music.
The visit was held in commemoration of Mandela Day, an international campaign to encourage people to devote time to community service and humanitarian activities, upholding the legacy of Nelson Mandela on his birthday. On July 18 the elder statesman celebrated his 94th birthday.
Nurses at ]]></description>		
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		<title>SGI-Malaysia Helps Raise Cancer Awareness and Promote Organ Donation</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 23 Jun 2012 23:59:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-malaysia-raise-awareness-cancer-organ-donation.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On June 23, SGI-Malaysia (SGM) members in Penang participated in a 24-hour relay event, Relay for Life 2012, hosted by the Penang Branch of the National Cancer Society of Malaysia at Penang Municipal Park to honor the lives of those affected by cancer.
Relay for Life is an international cancer fundraising event that was initiated by an American surgeon in the mid-1980s, who began a 24-hour marathon to raise funds for his local American Cancer Society office and show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. Since then, the event has spread to 20 countries worldwide, including the ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-malaysia-raise-awareness-cancer-organ-donation.html</guid>
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		<title>TSA Women's Chorus Perform at Taoyuan Women's Prison</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:59:59 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/tsa-womens-chorus-perform-taoyuan-womens-prison.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ The Duanwu Festival, also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, is a Chinese cultural event celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of each year, traditionally spent racing dragon boats and enjoying "zongzi" glutinous rice dumplings. In accordance with the Chinese lunar calendar, this year the festival was held on June 23.
On June 22, the eve of the Duanwu Festival, Taoyuan Women's Prison held a Duanwu Festival celebration and invited Taiwan Soka Association's (TSA) Women's Chorus Group to perform. The group sang more than 20 songs for the prisoners in several languages, including&nbsp;Taiwanese, Chinese, English and Japanese. 
Prison ]]></description>		
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		<title>Soka Gakkai Student Members in Tohoku Hold Symposium on Recovery from March 11, 2011, Disaster</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 16 Jun 2012 17:10:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/soka-gakkai-student-members-tohoku-symposium.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On June 16, Soka Gakkai student members in Tohoku held a symposium on how academic research can assist people in the recovery and rebuilding of their lives following the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami which devastated northeast Japan. The symposium was held at Sendai Mediatheque in Miyagi Prefecture and included a panel discussion on the same topic which highlighted the importance of scientific endeavor being based on the value of the dignity of life. 
Keynote speaker Professor Yoshinori Yasuda of Tohoku University, where he teaches environmental management and sustainable technology solutions, introduced one of Nichiren&rsquo;s major writings: &ldquo;Rissho Ankoku ]]></description>		
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		<title>Fukushima Prefecture Awards Soka Gakkai for Relief Efforts</title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:55:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/fukushima-prefecture-awards-soka-gakkai-for-relief-efforts.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On June 6, on behalf of the Fukushima Prefectural Government and Governor Yuhei Sato, Vice Governor Masao Uchibori presented awards of appreciation to Soka Gakkai Fukushima for their relief activities and contributions to society following the devastating March 11, 2011, earthquake and subsequent tsunamis. The ceremony was held at the Soka Gakkai Fukushima Culture Center in Koriyama City. 
Soka Gakkai Fukushima Leader Masahiko Endo and representatives of six Soka Gakkai centers received awards on behalf of Soka Gakkai members in Fukushima. The centers represented were the Fukushima Culture Center, Fukushima Peace Center, Iwaki Peace Center, Haramachi Culture Center, Sukagawa Center ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/fukushima-prefecture-awards-soka-gakkai-for-relief-efforts.html</guid>
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		<title>SGI-Italy Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Hospital</title>
                <pubDate>Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:40:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-italy-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-hospital.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On June 4, at the San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital in Rome, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the hospital and seven diverse religious organizations, including SGI-Italy. The Memorandum, achieved after several months of dialogue, aims to allow hospitalized patients of non-Catholic faiths to have access to representatives of different faiths, assuring them freedom of worship. 
Dr. Aldo Morrone, General Director of San Camillo-Forlanini Hospital, stressed that the hospital is devoted to satisfying patients&rsquo; needs while protecting their rights and respecting their dignity. A series of seminars will be held at the hospital by the Italian &ldquo;Health for All&rdquo; organization on ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-italy-signs-memorandum-of-understanding-with-hospital.html</guid>
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		<title>SGI-Paraguay Provides Aid in Flood Aftermath</title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 17 May 2012 23:01:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/sgi-paraguay-provides-aid-in-flood-aftermath.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ In Paraguay, flooding caused by torrential rains beginning in March 2012 affected 70,000 people and caused the government to declare a state of emergency. In April, in the capital city Asunci&oacute;n, flooding of the Paraguay River forced more than 1,500 families to evacuate their homes. It was estimated that it would take over one month for the water to recede in Asunci&oacute;n.
In response, Asunci&oacute;n City Mayor Arnaldo Samaniego helped galvanize citizen volunteer groups to aid in recovery efforts. SGI-Paraguay members collected relief items for those in the affected areas. Some 300 members donated items including food, blankets, shoes and clothing ]]></description>		
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		<title>Soka Gakkai Members Participate in Tornado Relief Activities in Japan</title>
                <pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 16:01:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/soka-gakkai-participate-tornado-relief-activities-japan.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On May 6, a tornado struck Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture and Moka City, Tochigi Prefecture, causing widespread damage to buildings, killing one person and causing serious injuries. Soka Gakkai members living in these cities have been engaged in cleanup efforts to aid the quick recovery of the devastated areas.&nbsp; 
On May 7, Soka Gakkai leaders visited members living in the areas that were most affected by the tornado to give moral support and encouragement. They also shared a message from SGI President Daisaku Ikeda to all those who were affected. 
Soka Gakkai members from Fukushima clearing rubble at a ]]></description>		
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		<title>Youth Festival and General Meeting Held in Fukushima Prefecture</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 08 Apr 2012 14:07:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/h-relief/relief2012/youth-festival-general-meeting-in-fukushima.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ Soka Gakkai youth members in Fukushima Prefecture held a Soka Youth Festival titled "The Light of Happiness" in Tamura City on April 1. The festival, attended by some 3,000 people, aimed to give hope and impart a "never-give-up" spirit in the people of Fukushima. 
Many of the performers were people who had personally been affected by the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit northern Japan on March 11, 2011. Several youth members shared their experience of losing loved ones on that fateful day and how they have been able to expand their hearts to empathize and care more ]]></description>		
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