Ikeda Research Institute for Soka Education
Issue 5/ May 18, 2022

Report onIkeda Studies in Education
PurposeThe Report on Ikeda Studies in Education iscompiled and circulated by the Ikeda ResearchInstitute for Soka Education (IRISE) of Soka
University. The Report serves as an informationsharing tool for scholars and researchers of this fieldof study, with the aim of facilitating on a global basis,
further advances in the research of and activities
relevant to Ikeda studies in education.

News Update
CanadaCanada’s University of Guelph-Humber Soka
Education Research Centre on Global
Citizenship holds First International SymposiumOn April 8, the Soka Education Research Centre on
Global Citizenship (SERC-GC) of the University ofGuelph-Humber in Canada held its FirstInternational Symposium online on the theme,“Operationalizing Value-Creating Education AcrossInternational Milieus.” More than 130 scholars,
researchers and students from 21 countries took partin the event.
The symposium opened with a message fromDaisaku Ikeda read out by SERC-GC Director Dr.
Paul Sherman. In his message, Mr. Ikeda explainedthat Tsunesaburo Makiguchi “perceived that lying at
the heart of value is ‘life’” and that is why, in a worldconfronting the most daunting of challenges, “theinestimable worth of all lives, those of young people
and children in particular, must lie at the root of ourevery expression and endeavor.”
Mr. Ikeda goes on to say, “the challenge ofeducation is to safeguard the inherent dignity of eachand every young life and set free their boundlesscapacity for creativity; a task requiring persistent,
often unseen effort, and serving as a beacon of hopethat nothing can dim or diminish.” And he concludes,“The path to a future of peace and harmonious

coexistence … is to be found in amplifying the unionof global citizens as they strive to cast for themselves
and others the light of wisdom and compassion.”
And it was this reason that he remains convinced that
“this symposium represents a step forward that is as
enduring as it is resolute in realizing a century ofeducation, of life, and of peace.”
Following words from University of GuelphHumber Interim Vice-Provost Dr. George Bragues
and Soka University President Masashi Suzuki, Dr.
Olivier Urbain, director of the Min-On Music
Research Institute affiliated with the Japan-based
Min-On Concert Association, delivered the keynote
address. In his address, “Multi-Modal ValueCreating Education for Global Justice Enactment,”Dr. Urbain pointed out that it was not enough to seek
solutions through progressive logical reasoning for aworld riddled by various challenges whose roots lie
in prejudice and discrimination. He argued that inorder to overcome the challenges humanity currently
faces, “this is the exact time when we, the people …
need to stand up in solidarity to create value andtransform all crises into opportunities for individualand collective growth.”
The virtual symposium also featured
presentations and a Q&A session. Dr. Sherman
examined the defining attributes of global citizen
education and spoke on the importance of students toconstantly be aware of the roles and responsibilities
that a global citizen needs to embrace and enact.
CanadaUniversité Laval of Canada Opens Ikeda Studies
Centre for Education to Global Citizenship,Dialogue and PeaceOn April 19, Université Laval held a ceremony
formally establishing its Ikeda Studies Centre for
Education to Global Citizenship, Dialogue andPeace, the first of its kind in the world for a Frenchlanguage institution.
In a message of felicitations submitted for theoccasion, Daisaku Ikeda framed “education as afundamental force that can set free the boundlesspotentiality found within the life of every youth” andby “resolutely choosing dialogue over all else, we areable to transcend the differences that divide us.” Indoing so, it will “inspire in global citizenry new
creative capacities to overcome every crisis” and that
the Centre “represents a message of hope that
education, as a united endeavor, will prevail overwhatever violence or division riddles the world.”
Université Laval owes its roots to a seminary
founded in Québec in 1663, making it the oldest
French-language university in North America
boasting numerous distinguished alumni. In May
2010, Université Laval presented Daisaku Ikeda
with an honorary doctorate of education and, having
taken an active interest in Ikeda studies and research,
it began offering an undergraduate course led by Dr.
Vincent Fauque that centers on the ideals of global
citizenship, dialogue and peace drawing on Mr.
Ikeda’s ideas and works, in January 2022.
The subsequent effort to establish the Centre wasled by Faculty of Education Dean Fernand Gervais,
Faculty of Arts and Humanities Dean GuillaumePinson and Faculty of Theology and Religious
Sciences Dean Guy Jobin. The Centre plans toorganize lecture series for students as well as
seminars on Ikeda studies going forward.
In her address, Université Laval Retor Sophie
D’Amours expressed hope that the vision and ideas
developed by Mr. Ikeda that bring people together inthis divisive era would take firm root at her school,
while Dean Gervais spoke on the importance ofcarrying forward Mr. Ikeda’s thoughts empoweringindividuals to lead contributive lives.
USA“Hope and Joy in Curriculum Studies” Session at
2022 AERA Annual Meeting
On April 22, the symposium session “Hope and Joyin Curriculum Studies: Engaging with Daisaku
Ikeda’s Thought” was held as part of the 2022
American Educational Research Association(AERA) Annual Meeting. The session featured six
scholars from diverse geographies and disciplines
and aimed to: “examine the many places acrosscurricula where hope and joy are and can be strong
and vibrant.” Inspired by and drawing on the thoughtof Daisaku Ikeda, these scholars deliveredpresentations on reinvigorating hope and joy incurriculum studies, as well as in their own

professional lives and in the lives of their students
and communities. With the session, the scholars
sought to advance Ikeda studies as a necessary andnew—uniquely Eastern and quintessentiallyuniversal—framework for addressing the mostpressing issues facing society and education today.
Presenters included Jason Goulah of DePaul
University, who also chaired the session; Isabel
Nuñez of Purdue University, Fort Wayne; Nozomi
Inukai of DePaul University; Francyne Huckaby ofTexas Christian University; Joe Ohlinger of Purdue
University, Fort Wayne; and Johnny Lupinacci ofWashington State University.
In his overview, Dr. Goulah explained that thesession was inspired by and featured contributors tothe book Hope and Joy in Education: EngagingDaisaku Ikeda Across Curriculum and Context(Teachers College Press, 2021). He also shared that
the Society of Professors of Education had recently
announced it was recognizing the book with its 2022
Outstanding Book Award at its annual meeting held
concurrent with AERA (see below).
Thereafter, Drs. Nuñez and Inukai reported on
their chapters and the impact Daisaku Ikeda’s
philosophy has in their research and practice. In herpresentation, Dr. Huckaby acknowledged that while
she tends to be more pessimistic, she was struck by
the underlying joy and hope found in Daisaku
Ikeda’s work and thinking and called for individuals
to come up with imaginative ways in which toamplify means to achieve peace. Dr. Lupinacci notedin his presentation that value creation in Ikeda’s
thought takes hope as a point of departure, which hefelt was particularly important and aligns with focus
on the wisdom and capacity of Earth’s diverse
species to facilitate healing. In his presentation, Dr.
Ohlinger noted that writing his chapter for Hope andJoy in Education involved “a personal reeducation,”that while scholarship and related achievements havebeen associated with self-esteem, self-worth andconfidence, Mr. Ikeda’s notion of “the greater self”
lies in a much deeper realm derived from a
realization of self.
The session ended with questions from theaudience on such topics as the importance ofdialogue and the role that education must play during
the pandemic.
USASociety of Professors of Education Awards Hopeand Joy in Education

On April 23, Hope and Joy in Education: Engaging
Daisaku Ikeda Across Curriculum and Context(Teachers College Press, 2021) received the 2022
Society of Professors of Education Outstanding
Book Award. The multi-author book was edited byIsabel Nuñez (Purdue University, Fort Wayne) andJason Goulah (DePaul University) and developed inassociation with the Ikeda Center for Peace,Learning, and Dialogue.
The award was conferred by the chair of the bookaward committee, Pamela Konkol of Concordia
University Chicago, at the Society’s annual meeting.
The full list of awardees can be foundhere: https://societyofprofessorsofeducation.com/20
13/08/15/society-of-professors-of-education-bookaward/
The Society of Professors of Education is one ofthe oldest and most respected academic associationsin the United States. Established in 1902, its
founding members include John Dewey, Charles
DeGarmo, and Walter B. Jacobs. It strives “to serve
the diverse needs and interests of the education
professoriate” and aims “to provide a forum forconsideration of major issues, tasks, problems andchallenges confronting professional educators.”
Japan
Soka University’s IRISE releases “SokaEducation” No. 15
Soka University’s Ikeda Research Institute for Soka
Education (IRISE) recently published Volume 15 ofits journal Soka Education. The latest annual
publication features “What Ikeda Daisaku Learned at‘Toda University’” (translated into English by
DePaul University’s Dr. Nozomi Inukai) as well as
the keynote address by former Soka University
President Yoshihisa Baba delivered at the 11thDaisaku Ikeda International Philosophy Academic
Symposium held in November 2021.
Click here for:Publications - Ikeda Research for Soka Education(IRSIE)JapanSoka University’s IRISE to host the 1stInternational Symposium on Global Citizenship
Education in 2022
The Ikeda Research Institute for Soka Education(IRISE) of Soka University will be holding the 1stInternational Symposium on Global Citizenship

Education on October 22-23, 2022. The symposium,
which has adopted “Restoring Learning to Daily
Living: Global Citizenship and John Dewey” as its
theme, will commemorate the 15th anniversary ofthe opening of the Center for Dewey Studies at Soka
University. IRISE has begun to accept papers (inEnglish only) from both established and emerging
scholars and researchers on this theme. Due date forthe abstract submission is on June 28, 2022. Eachabstract will undergo a blind peer-review process,and a notification of acceptance will be sent out
within one month. For further information, please
visit
theinstitutewebsiteat:https://www.soka.ac.jp/en/edu/lec_sympo/gce_sympo

Daisaku Ikeda on Education
Realizing a Sustainable Future Through the Powerof Education (On the occasion of the 2002 World
Summit on Sustainable Development)This Issue’s Selected Writing“History and Overview of Soka Education: PracticalImplications”
Hiroko I. Tomioka,
Ikeda Research Institute for Soka Education,
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education
Soka University

Announcement
Soka University names new president
On April 1, 2022, Masashi Suzuki was appointed
Soka University President, succeeding Yoshihisa
Baba, who served in that post since 2013. President
Suzuki previously served as university vice president
and dean of the Faculty of Education.
Link:
https://www.soka.ac.jp/en/news/2022/04/10848/

Postscript⚫

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We welcome comments regarding this Report aswell as suggestions on specific material that itshould feature in future issues. Contact: Ikeda
Research Institute for Soka Education (IRISE) ofSoka University (IRISE-access@soka.ac.jp)
This Report is issued on a bimonthly basis, withthe next release tentatively scheduled for July 18,2022