Valori

The word soka (“value creation”) is in itself a statement of the mission embraced by the Soka Gakkai: to contribute to society.

For the universal principle of respect for the dignity of life — at the heart of Buddhist humanism — to become a concrete foundation for building a peaceful and harmoniously coexisting society, each individual must be able to experience it in their own daily life. On this basis, the Soka Gakkai promotes a global movement that contributes to building peace worldwide, supporting development and protecting humanity from hunger, poverty and disease. This commitment also takes shape through support for the purposes and guiding principles of the United Nations, recognised as a body that promotes dialogue on an equal footing among nations.

Every year from 1983 to 2022, Daisaku Ikeda, honorary president of Soka Gakkai International, presented an annual Peace Proposal to the United Nations and to leaders around the world, exploring how Buddhist principles can offer responses to the challenges of the contemporary world.

This same intent guides the commitment of the Soka Gakkai in Italy, which understands peace not merely as an ideal, but as an ongoing process of construction grounded in culture and education. These are seen as two essential pillars for awakening people’s awareness of their own value and of their responsibility towards others.

Building peace through culture and education

In this perspective, Soka Gakkai Italy uses the funds received through the 8×1000 as a tool to generate social value and to translate its values into concrete, coherent and measurable actions. For this reason, all funded projects are required to meet a set of cross-cutting criteria that reflect this approach to peacebuilding. Projects must:

promuovere il dialogo e la tutela dei diritti umani

promote dialogue and the protection of human rights

foster creative coexistence

sostenere l’empowerment delle persone, in particolare di chi vive situazioni di vulnerabilità

support the empowerment of individuals, particularly those in vulnerable situations

tutelare l’ambiente, riconoscendone il legame con la vita umana

protect the environment, recognising its intrinsic link with human life

encourage collaboration and partnerships

promote an ethical economy

recognise and support good practices

mantenere una prospettiva di lungo periodo per costruire risultati duraturi

maintain a long-term perspective in order to achieve lasting outcomes

peace

Peace is a responsibility that begins with each of us, here and now, grounded in the awareness that everyone has the power to transform their own environment and contribute to change.

culture

Culture is an expression of the human spirit. It has the power to bring together different peoples in the search for a shared humanity and in the recognition that no community is superior or inferior to another.

education

Education is a tool for empowerment and a fundamental means of awakening each individual to their inherent dignity. It nurtures the innate wisdom within every person and promotes an open and universal sense of humanity.

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