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			<title>Interfaith RSS</title>
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			<language>en</language>
			<copyright>Soka Gakkai International (SGI) 2006</copyright>
			<ttl>120</ttl><item>
		<title>Lecture on Lotus Sutra and Interfaith Symposium Held in Spain</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:32:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2013/lecture-lotus-sutra-interfaith-symposium-spain.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On February 22, Francesc
Torradeflot, executive secretary of the UNESCO Association for Interreligious
Dialogue, an
initiative of the UNESCO Center of Catalonia, lectured on the Lotus
Sutra from the perspective of Western culture and spirituality at the SGI-Spain
Culture Center in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, near Madrid. The lecture, sponsored by the
Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP), an SGI affiliate, was attended by some
150 people.
Beginning with an explanation of spirituality
and religion as defined by the UNESCO Constitution, Mr. Torradeflot reported on
the role of religion
in Western Europe today and described the core values expounded in the Lotus
Sutra and its relevance to modern society. Touching on values such as compassion
and altruistic ]]></description>		
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		<title>SGI-Italy Members Join Representatives of World Religions to Greet Pope Francis</title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:23:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2013/sgi-italy-members-greet-pope-francis.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On March 20, representatives of SGI-Italy were invited by
the Vatican to join an audience with the newly installed Pope Francis, Jorge
Mario Bergoglio, at an official meeting with representatives of other world
religions. In a short speech, the Pope stressed his wish to continue the
tradition of involvement in ecumenical dialogue established by his
predecessors, and he then greeted those present. Pope Francis was accompanied
by the Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Father
Miguel Angel Ayuso Guixot.
SGI-Italy women's
division leader Mrs. Asa Nakajima had a brief conversation with Pope Francis,
bringing greetings from the members of SGI-Italy along with some gifts. He
commented on the "juzu" ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2013/sgi-italy-members-greet-pope-francis.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>SGM Participates in Interfaith Dialogue Based on Science and Religion</title>
                <pubDate>Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:17:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2013/sgm-interfaith-dialogue-science-religion.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On November 26, the Quranic Youth Club of the International Islamic
University of Malaysia (IIUM) organized an interfaith dialogue based on the theme
"The Concept of Science and Religion" at the IIUM campus in Gombak,
Selangor, in collaboration with Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM), the Hidayah Centre
and the Selangor Islamic Religious Council. Some 800 IIUM students and
representatives from various religious traditions were in attendance.
SGM Vice General Director Johnny Ng representing Nichiren Buddhism
&nbsp;
In the form of a panel discussion, representatives from Muslim, Christian,
Hindu and Buddhist communities in Malaysia explored different views on the relationship
between religion and science and how the two could work more closely ]]></description>		
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</item><item>
		<title>SGI-Australia Youth Strengthen Interfaith Connections Through Dialogue</title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 31 Oct 2012 14:01:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-australia-youth-interfaith-dialogue-muslim.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On October 31, SGI-Australia (SGIA) youth held an interfaith
dialogue with over 20 youth from the 2012 Muslim Leadership Program run by La
Trobe University's Centre for Dialogue. The dialogue took place at the SGIA
Culture Center in Sydney, with the theme "The Spirit of Contributing to
the Community." This is the fifth time SGIA youth have met with the participants
of the leadership program. A Q&amp;A session provided the youth with
opportunities to ask questions about each other's faith, and small group discussions
provided an intimate setting for dialogue. Personal experiences in faith were
shared, and the event provided a forum for the creation of bonds of ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-australia-youth-interfaith-dialogue-muslim.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>IOP Co-organizes Symposium with University of Malaya's Centre for Civilisational Dialogue</title>
                <pubDate>Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:14:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/iop-symposium-university-of-malaya-centre-civilizational-dialogue.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On October 23 and 24, the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) in Japan
and the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue (CCDUM) at the University of Malaya
(UM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, co-organized a symposium titled "Intercivilisational
Dialogue towards Peace, Harmonious Coexistence and Sustainability" held at the university's
Academy of Islamic Studies. The symposium was sponsored by the Department of National
Unity and Integration in the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Department and was supported by
Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM) and UM's UNESCO Club.
The symposium explored the themes of sustainability, coexistence,
gender and peace mainly from Islamic and Buddhist perspectives. Speakers emphasized
that in generating solutions to the pressing issues of our times, ]]></description>		
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		<title>SGI-UK Members Strengthen Interfaith Understanding at Jubilee Celebration and Buddhist Convention</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 13 Oct 2012 23:59:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-uk-interfaith-jubilee-celebration-buddhist-convention.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On October 10, SGI-UK members from the London borough of Camden joined civic celebrations
marking the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II hosted by the mayor of Camden.
The ceremony took place at St. Mary Magdalene Church and included a procession,
renditions from the choirs of three local schools and readings and music from
Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and other faith communities. An excerpt from SGI
President Daisaku Ikeda's introduction to The
Record of the Orally Transmitted Teachings, a compilation of notes on
Nichiren's lectures on the Lotus Sutra recorded by his disciple Nikko, was also
read.
SGI representatives at the convention
Meanwhile, members from Manchester represented SGI-UK at the Manchester
Buddhist ]]></description>		
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		<title>Panel at Turin Spirituality Event on "Wisdom of the Smile"</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 30 Sep 2012 23:50:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/turin-spirituality-event-wisdom-of-the-smile.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On September 29, SGI representatives addressed an audience of over 250 at the&nbsp;Teatro La Cavallerizza Reale, as part of the International Annual Conference on Spirituality in Turin, Italy,&nbsp;which brought together representatives of a wide range of different faiths and cultures for exchange and discussion over five days from September 26-30.
The overall theme of the 2012 event was "Wisdom of the Smile" and participants included philosophers, theologians, historians, writers, artists and scientists from throughout Italy and around the world.
Speakers on the September 29 panel on the topic "The Triumph of Humanity in the Buddha's Smile," were Vinicio Busacchi, member of SGI-Italy ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/turin-spirituality-event-wisdom-of-the-smile.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>SGI-New Zealand Co-organizes UN Peace Day Gathering</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 21 Sep 2012 23:50:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-new-zealand-un-peace-day-gathering.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On September 21, Wellington City Council and SGI-New Zealand (SGINZ) co-organized an event to mark the UN International Day of Peace at the Peace Flame in the city's Botanical Gardens. The event, which brought together over 100 people, began with interfaith prayers for peace led by representatives from the city's various faiths,&nbsp;including&nbsp;the Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Bah&aacute;'&iacute; and Jewish communities. 
"Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future" was the theme of this year's Peace Day, celebrated around the world. Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown read a message from Hiroshima Mayor Kazumi Matsui, president of Mayors for Peace, in which he expressed his determination ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-new-zealand-un-peace-day-gathering.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>SGI-Ireland Participates in Dublin City Interfaith Forum</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:33:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-ireland-participates-dublin-city-interfaith-forum.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ The Dublin City Interfaith Forum hosted its first interfaith workshop entitled "Exploring Interfaith Connections" on June 29. Held in the City Council's Civic Offices in Dublin's city center, built on the historic site of the ancient city wall, it was attended by representatives of many different faiths. Four members of SGI-Ireland were among the 50 or so participants.
SGI-Ireland Young Women's leader, Ms. Sin&eacute;ad Lynch, who became chairperson of the Forum at its launch in January 2012, welcomed the participants. She explained that the Forum, which officially comprises 23 people from seven different faith traditions, exists to ensure that faith groups ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-ireland-participates-dublin-city-interfaith-forum.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>Symposium on Medicine and Religion Held in Tokyo</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 24 Jun 2012 16:36:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/symposium-medicine-and-religion-tokyo.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On June 24, a symposium on the theme "Medicine and Religion" co-organized by the European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA) and the Soka Gakkai-affiliated Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) was held at the Josei Toda International Center in Shinjuku.
The main speakers included Dr. Yoichi Kawada, director of IOP, who spoke on "Depictions of Shakyamuni Buddha as Healer" and Prof. Dr. Felix Unger, president of EASA and renowned cardiologist, whose lecture was titled "Ethics in Medicine--Reflections by a Cardiac Surgeon."
The second session included presentations on Buddhism and healing from Reiko Inamitsu, director of the Odawara welfare society and senior adviser ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/symposium-medicine-and-religion-tokyo.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>Interfaith Dialogue in Action at Singapore Soka Association</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 03 Jun 2012 23:59:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/interfaith-dialogue-in-action-at-singapore-soka-association.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On June 3, Habib Hassan Al-Attas, imam and head of the Ba'alwie Mosque in Singapore, together with a delegation of some 30 people, including representatives from the mosque and the Muslim community, were welcomed to the Singapore Soka Association (SSA) headquarters for an inter-religious exchange. In past years, SSA representatives have visited the Ba'alwie Mosque for such exchanges and the two groups have participated in various interfaith events together.
After a guided tour of the headquarters, the group viewed a video titled Introduction to SSA and Mr. Tan Wei Lan, SSA vice youth leader, outlined the philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism and ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/interfaith-dialogue-in-action-at-singapore-soka-association.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>SGI-Germany Participates in Vesak Festival</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 06 May 2012 17:18:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-germany-participates-in-vesak-festival.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On May 6, SGI-Germany, together with 17 other Buddhist organizations, was invited to participate in a Vesak festival celebrating Shakyamuni Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death. The event was hosted by the city of Frankfurt and was attended by some 2,000 people. 
Each Buddhist group had the opportunity to introduce themselves in the form of cultural performances, talks and presentations. 
&nbsp;
Dr. Becke
Professor Dr. Wolf Singer, a renowned neurophysiologist gave a lecture on the positive effects of meditation on the human brain. An SGI-Germany representative explained the history of Nichiren Buddhism and its development from the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. They ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-germany-participates-in-vesak-festival.html</guid>
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		<title>SGI-USA Participates in Interfaith Summit at White House</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:59:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-usa-interfaith-summit-at-white-house.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On April 20, SGI-USA Director of Public Affairs Bill Aiken and Young Women's Leader Amber George attended an interfaith summit at the White House in Washington, DC. The summit was cohosted by the Hindu American Seva Charities, the White House Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Agencies, and the White House Office of Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The SGI-USA Office of Public Affairs helped organize the summit.
Under the banner "Community Building in the 21st Century with Strengthened Dharmic Faith-Based Institutions for the Dharmic Religious Leaders," some 90 representative leaders from 52 Buddhist, Hindu, Jain and Sikh faith groups came ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-usa-interfaith-summit-at-white-house.html</guid>
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		<title>Launch of Centre for Applied Buddhism at SGI-UK's Taplow Court</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 31 Mar 2012 17:02:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/launch-centre-for-applied-buddhism-sgi-uks-taplow-court.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On March 31, the launch of the Centre for Applied Buddhism (CfAB) was held at SGI-UK's Taplow Court culture center. The CfAB will expand on and continue the work of the UK branch of the Institute for Oriental Philosophy, which closed in 2011. At the launch of the center, CfAB Director Jamie Cresswell explained that the center will focus on Buddhism and its application to people's lives in order to understand and develop humanity's place in the modern world. It will look into the relation to Buddhism of topics such as psychotherapy, war and peace, economics, science, the digital world, ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/launch-centre-for-applied-buddhism-sgi-uks-taplow-court.html</guid>
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		<title>Interfaith Concert in Luxembourg</title>
                <pubDate>Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:28:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/interfaith-concert-in-luxembourg.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ SGI-Luxembourg participated in the 3rd Interfaith Concert at the Protestant Church of Luxembourg on March 25. The event also coincided with the 20th anniversary of the interfaith organization Action Groupe Inter-Religions (AGIR) within which SGI-Luxembourg has been a representative member of the Buddhist Community for over three years. 
SGI-Luxembourg's chorus performed at the event and sang a song written by SGI President Daisaku Ikeda titled "Human Revolution." 
AGIR believes that dialogue and cooperation among different faiths is indispensable to confronting global issues. It aims to address topics such as human rights, the reconciliation of unity and diversity, and promoting peace ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/interfaith-concert-in-luxembourg.html</guid>
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		<title>SGI-Spain Hosts Interfaith Discussion on Ecology and Religions</title>
                <pubDate>Sat, 24 Mar 2012 23:59:59 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/spain-interfaith-discussion-on-ecology-religions.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ SGI-Spain hosted the 9th Interfaith Discussion organized by the Madrid Community Interfaith Dialogue Association (ADIM) at the SGI-Spain Soka Culture Center in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Madrid, on March 24. Discussions centered around the topic of ecology and religions and the role of religions in promoting sustainability. 
SGI-Spain General Director Enrique Caputo and ADIM President Margarita Pintos Cea-Naharro gave opening remarks. A talk titled "Rivas-Vaciamadrid: Sustainable City" was given by Fausto Fern&aacute;ndez D&iacute;az, deputy mayor of Rivas-Vaciamadrid. Alicia Puleo Garc&iacute;a, professor of Moral Philosophy at Valladolid University, next&nbsp;spoke on "Eco-feminism for an Alternative World."&nbsp;
In a session focused on the contributions of religion to ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/spain-interfaith-discussion-on-ecology-religions.html</guid>
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		<title>6th Asia Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue Held in Indonesia</title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:34:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/6th-asia-pacific-regional-interfaith-dialogue-indonesia.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ From March 11-15, the 6th Asia Pacific Regional Interfaith Dialogue (RID-6) was held in Semarang, Indonesia. The theme was "Strengthening Collaborative Communities to Promote Regional Peace and Security: Interfaith in Action" and the dialogue included discussion about vision, aspirations and practical cooperation towards this end. 
The opening ceremony was held at the Central Java Governor's Hall and included a welcome from Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. Dr. R.M. Marty M. Natalegawa. 
The 116 participants in RID-6 included religious leaders, scholars, civil society and media practitioners from 15 countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Laos, ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/6th-asia-pacific-regional-interfaith-dialogue-indonesia.html</guid>
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		<title>World Interfaith Harmony Week in Geneva</title>
                <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:02:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/world-interfaith-harmony-week-geneva.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ On February 6, representatives from the SGI UN Liaison Office in Geneva, Switzerland, and Soka Gakkai Suisse members gave a presentation on Nichiren Buddhism at an event celebrating World Interfaith Harmony Week at the Ecumenical Centre Chapel in Geneva.
The event, organized by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), was attended by representatives of various Christian groups, including the World Council of Churches and the World Communion of Reformed Churches, as well as a representative from Christian Aid Norway. Dr. John Taylor of the International Association for Religious Freedom, Geneva, and Mr. Abdul Amier Hashom of the Al-Hakim Foundation of Iraq also ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/world-interfaith-harmony-week-geneva.html</guid>
</item><item>
		<title>SGI-UK Members Attend Holocaust Memorial</title>
                <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:50:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-uk-members-attend-holocaust-memorial.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ SGI-UK members took part in Holocaust Memorial Day titled "Space for Peace" at Winchester Cathedral on January 26. All the pews from the cathedral were removed temporarily to allow space for a large standing audience.
A total of seven choirs, amounting to 200 people, performed individually and were also assembled together to sing 'Peace Vigil Chants at Close'. Participants included SGI-UK members and representatives from the Jewish, Muslim and Hindu faiths.
The SGI-UK representatives were allotted a space in the Cathedral where they offered prayers for peace by chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and reciting portions of the Lotus Sutra.
[Adapted from an article in the ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2012/sgi-uk-members-attend-holocaust-memorial.html</guid>
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		<title>The Institute of Oriental Philosophy Hosts Interreligious Dialogue</title>
                <pubDate>Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:58:00 +0900</pubDate>
		<link>http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2011/the-institute-of-oriental-philosophy-inter-religious-dialogue.html</link>
	        <description><![CDATA[ The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) hosted an interreligious dialogue about Christian and Buddhist civilizations at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria on November 25. The event coincided with the 50th anniversary of the IOP's founding.
Participants in the event included Todor Dichev, former Bulgarian ambassador to Japan; Vera Stefanova, former Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Bulgaria in Japan; Vasja Velinova, director of the Ivan Dujcev Center for Slavo-Byzantine Studies at the University of Sofia; and Assoc. Prof. Emil Vasilev Ivanov from the University of Sofia. In addition, some 100 scholars attended.
In his message to the symposium, SGI President Daisaku ]]></description>		
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.sgi.org/news/interfaith/faith2011/the-institute-of-oriental-philosophy-inter-religious-dialogue.html</guid>
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