HR0812 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0812 LRB095 14230 GRL 40101 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Soka Gakkai (Value Creation Society) was founded on November 18, 1930, by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, two educators who were passionately dedicated to reform and whose works have inspired millions of people around the world; and

WHEREAS, The date of November 18th is being celebrated by more than 3,500 diverse members of Soka Gakkai International-USA, Chicago and more than 12 million members in 190 countries and territories around the world as a day that marked the beginning of the movement to inspire people to live "brilliant, hope-filled lives"; and

WHEREAS, SGI President Dr. Daisaku Ikeda and his wife Mrs. Kaneko Ikeda have dedicated more than sixty years of their lives to the promotion of peace, culture, and education through their committed efforts as leaders of SGI; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, a world-renowned Buddhist scholar and peace activist, has made it his personal mission to engage in more than 1,500 dialogues for peace with such noted world leaders as Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Nobel Laureate and former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev, civil rights leader Rosa Parks, and Dr. Elise Boulding; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda and Mrs. Ikeda have received worldwide recognition for fulfilling the dreams of Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda, with the establishment of the Soka Education system, which includes elementary to university-level institutions in Japan, and Soka University of America located in Aliso Viejo, California; the establishment of the Min-On Concert Association; and creation of the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda and Mrs. Ikeda serve as inspiring examples of how one person's committed efforts can transform the lives of millions of people around the world; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we recognize the celebration of November 18 as the founding day of the Soka Gakkai, and do hereby recognize and salute Dr. Daisaku and Kaneko Ikeda's continuous efforts to promote peace, culture and education, and the efforts of the members of SGI-USA, Chicago.