Soka Education Research Centre at University of Guelph-Humber, Canada, Hosts First International Symposium
Soka Education Research Centre Director Paul Sherman gives greetings
On April 8, 2022, the Soka Education Research
Centre on Global Citizenship (SERC-GC) of the University of Guelph-Humber in
Canada held its first international symposium exploring global citizenship and
Soka education theory and practice. More than 130 participants representing 21
countries came together for the virtual symposium, titled “Operationalizing
Value Creating Education Across International Milieu.”
In a message, Daisaku Ikeda remarked that the
symposium’s theme “not only lays out for all who yearn for peace a guidepost
towards which we should aspire, it also provides us with concrete means to
achieve peace.”
Launched in 2017, SERC-GC brings together
students and faculty to conduct research on the philosophy, practices and
application of Soka (value creation) education, with an emphasis on global
citizenship.
Dr. Olivier Urbain, director of the Min-On Music Research Institute gives keynote speech
The symposium opened with a welcome from
SERC-GC Director and Community Social Services Program Head Dr. Paul Sherman
and Soka University of Japan President Masashi Suzuki followed by greetings
from University of Guelph-Humber Interim Vice-Provost Dr. George Bragues.
The keynote address, “Multi-Modal Value
Creating Education for Global Justice Enactment,” was delivered by Dr. Olivier
Urbain, director of the Min-On Music Research Institute. Dr. Urbain described
the practice of value creation and its positive impacts, sharing stories of
students who applied its principles in their lives.
Researchers and educators from countries
around the world, including Kenya, Japan and Canada, and students from Soka
University and UofGH shared presentations. Topics included global citizenship
education, value creating practices in the teaching and learning environment
and student perspectives on models of learning and living.
[Adapted from an article
in the April 15, 2022, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan, and a page on the University of
Guelph-Humber website]
