Dialogues with Mr. Wahid, Dr. Harding and youth published in simplified Chinese
BEIJING, China: People’s Publishing House (PPH) has released simplified Chinese editions of two dialogues between Daisaku Ikeda and global thinkers and the first volume of Discussions on Youth (trade edition). The state-run publishing house is known for its books on philosophy and the social sciences.
The Wisdom of Tolerance: A Philosophy of Generosity and Peace is a dialogue between the late Abdurrahman Wahid (1940–2009), the first democratically elected president of the Republic of Indonesia, and Daisaku Ikeda. The book is a compilation of discussions that took place through a series of written correspondence that began after their first encounter in Tokyo in 2002.
Meeting with former Indonesian President Wahid at the Tokyo Makiguchi Memorial Hall (Tokyo, April 2002)
A long-time president of Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Islamic organization in Indonesia, Mr. Wahid was a champion of interfaith dialogue. In The Wisdom of Tolerance, the two interlocutors discuss ways in which Buddhism and Islam could work together for the sake of humanity’s peace and security.
America Will Be!: Conversations on Hope, Freedom and Democracy is a dialogue between American historian Vincent Harding (1931–2014) and Daisaku Ikeda. Dr. Harding served as chairperson of the Veterans of Hope Project at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado and was also a social activist who worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr. as a friend and confidant.
Reunion with Dr. Vincent Harding at Soka University in Hachioji (Tokyo, April 1996)
Dr. Harding and Mr. Ikeda first met in Tokyo in 1994 and the idea
of publishing a dialogue together grew out of their discussions at that time
and was continued through written correspondence. Their dialogue illuminates
the historic events of the American civil rights movement as the authors share
their views on the struggle for human rights and how humanity can learn to live
in harmony.
In the third book, Discussions
on Youth, Mr. Ikeda responds with understanding, humor and compassion to
the various issues troubling young people today, addressing topics such as
friendship, love, challenging hardships, history and literature.
[Adapted from an article in January 9, 2021, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan]
