Unlocking the Power of Human Potential: Exploring Ikeda Sensei’s Visionary Approach to Education at the European Association for Educational Research Annual Meeting
Daisaku Ikeda’s Educational Philosophy Takes Center Stage at European Association for Educational Research Annual Meeting
- Experts from four countries gather in the Republic of Cyprus to discuss the future of education based on Soka’s educational philosophy.
A session at the annual meeting of the European Association for Educational Research where the future of education was discussed based on Soka’s educational philosophy. Participants commented, ”I feel that teaching the pursuit of values is necessary in the current educational field” (University of Cyprus).
The annual general meeting of the European Association for Educational Research, bringing together approximately 2,300 academics and educators from 71 countries and regions, was held from August 27th to 30th at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus, and included an academic session on the educational philosophy of Daisaku Ikeda.
The theme of the session held on the final day of the annual meeting was “Defining Sustainability and Global Citizenship in Higher Education: A Value Creation Perspective and Pedagogical Implications.” Experts from four countries took to the stage.
The event began with a speech from Dr. Namrata Sharma of the State University of New York in the United States. She said that in light of Soka’s educational philosophy, she hopes to think together about how to nurture global citizens who can contribute to the promotion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Next, Hiroko Tomioka, Dean of the Faculty of Education at Soka University, and Michiyo Kakegawa, Professor of the Faculty of Economics at the same university, introduced examples of education at Soka University that foster awareness of global citizenship and sustainability. They outlined an interdisciplinary program and gave examples of how seminar research activities and policy proposals led to the promotion of an environmentally friendly town development project by a local government.
Alejandro Iborra, director of the Daisaku Ikeda Joint Institute for Education and Development at the University of Alcala in Spain, and Ana Belen Garcia Varela, vice director, argued that the purpose of education is not just to acquire skills and knowledge, but also for students to reconstruct their own values regarding social justice, etc. As a concrete initiative, they explained the “Education for Happiness” class at the university, which incorporates the educational philosophy of Soka.
Professor Massimiliano Tarozzi from the University of Bologna, Italy, joined the session and engaged in a lively exchange of opinions.
The University of Cyprus, the venue for this year’s European Association for Educational Research Annual Conference
Meanwhile, at the annual conference of the European Association for the Study of Religion, held at the University of Gothenburg in Gothenburg, Sweden’s second largest city, a subcommittee session was held on August 20th entitled “Buddhist Responses to the Ecological Crisis and Climate Change.” During the session, four experts gave presentations on the significance of the peace movement led by Ikeda and promoted by Soka Gakkai.
Massimo Introvigne, director of the Institute for New Religions in Italy, commented on the importance of the Buddhist perspective that “humans and the natural environment are inseparable and interrelated.” Olivia Fuchs of the University of Winchester in the UK emphasized that the root cause of environmental problems is human greed, and considered that a transformation of the human spirit will lead to a sustainable future.
Rosita Sorite of the European Union for Religious Freedom praised Ikeda for his achievements in making concrete proposals to solve global issues. Nicole Bauer, an assistant professor at the University of Graz in Austria, pointed out that Soka Gakkai members in Austria and Germany are becoming more conscious of environmental protection. She argued that the key to this is a spirit of valuing each individual and female leadership.
A session at the annual conference of the European Association for the Study of Religion, with a Q&A session (University of Gothenburg)
University of Gothenburg