by Anri Tanabe
Special to the Tribune
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 14, 2021—The Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue hosted its second virtual Dialogue Nights event, “Unpacking COVID-19: What We Learned, What We Lost, and What We Will Carry Forward.”
This theme was inspired by Daisaku Ikeda’s 2021 Peace Proposal, “Value Creation in a Time of Crisis,” in which he calls for a “beyond COVID-19” youth summit “to discuss the kind of world they would like to see in the aftermath of this crisis.”[1]
In her welcoming remarks, Ikeda Center Program Manager Lillian I acknowledged that “we are all coming into this space with our own unique experiences,” observing that “for many of us, this past year may have been the most challenging one of our lives.”
In small groups, participants reflected on their various challenges, what they’ve learned and how they’ve changed over the last year. In addition, the discussion explored the spirit of transforming “challenges into the energy to create positive value,”[2] as emphasized in Mr. Ikeda’s peace proposal.
During the open mic session, one participant said they were encouraged by how, during the pandemic, many people have cultivated concern and care for others, “never forgetting … there are people in our lives who are struggling alongside us.” Another mentioned that trust is key during times of challenge, saying that believing in yourself will inspire others to do the same and will then encourage us all to take action “to make the world a better place.”
To read the full article, visit ikedacenter.org.
References
- https://www.daisakuikeda.org/main/peacebuild/peace-proposals/pp2021.html<accessed on June 9, 2021>. ↩︎
- Ibid. ↩︎
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