German Edition of Dialogue with Dr. Jutta Unkart-Seifert of Austria Published
The German edition of the dialogue between Dr. Jutta Unkart-Seifert and Daisaku Ikeda
VIENNA, Austria: Licht des Lebens: Das Lied der Mutter (tentative translation: “The Light of Life: Songs of Mothers”), a dialogue between Dr. Jutta Unkart-Seifert, former undersecretary of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, the Art and Sports, and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda (1928–2023), was published on May 9, 2025, by Ibera Publishers in Austria. This marks the third language edition of the dialogue, following its original Japanese publication in 2015 and the traditional Chinese edition in Taiwan in 2023.
To commemorate the publication, a launch
event was held on May 10 at the OSGI (Austria SGI) Culture Center, Villa
Windisch-Graetz in the capital city of Vienna. The event was attended by Dr. Unkart-Seifert,
other distinguished guests and members of Austria SGI.
Dr. Unkart-Seifert, who earned her doctorate in philosophy from the University of Vienna, is a renowned soprano and a passionate advocate for youth education through the arts. As founding president of the European Youth Culture Association, she has worked to integrate music into youth education. She has also contributed to fostering friendship between Austria and Japan, having performed solo concerts in Japan on five occasions at the invitation of the Min-On Concert Association founded by Mr. Ikeda.
Dr. Seifert speaking at the event commemorating the publication of her dialogue with Mr. Ikeda
Dr. Unkart-Seifert
first met President Ikeda in July 1989. A few months earlier, a friend had
introduced her to his writings, and she was deeply moved by his philosophy.
Their first meeting, held in Japan, lasted over two hours—far longer than
originally scheduled. Following
that first meeting, they met a total of nine times in both Austria and
Japan.
Beginning in
October 2013, a dialogue series between Dr. Unkart-Seifert and Mr. Ikeda was
carried in the Seikyo Shimbun, the Soka Gakkai’s daily
Japanese newspaper. The series continued through May 2014 and was later
compiled and published in Japanese as Inochi no hikari—haha
no uta, in May 2015. In their wide-ranging discussions, The authors
explore the roles of music and education, their hopes for young people and the
deeper philosophical question of life and death. They emphasize the importance
of living with a clear philosophy and sense of purpose, guided by a spirit of
altruism.
At the
commemorative event for the German edition, excerpts from the dialogue were
read aloud. Dr. Unkart-Seifert reflected on her encounters with Mr. Ikeda and
his wife, Kaneko, noting that Mr. Ikeda’s profound compassion for youth and
unwavering commitment to peace serve as a guiding light for humanity.
Mr. Ikeda
treasured the arts and believed deeply in the boundless potential of each
individual—a view shared and carried forward by Dr. Unkart-Seifert. The release
of their dialogue in German is expected to serve as a “compass” for nurturing
solidarity and hope among readers throughout the German-speaking world.
[Adapted from an article in the May 19, 2025, issue of the Seikyo Shimbun, Soka Gakkai, Japan]
