CategoryOn the Cover

When Ikeda Sensei first visited Hawaii in October 1960, he established the first overseas district, creating a framework for members to carry out their Buddhist practice centered on the district discussion meeting. As the membership expanded, the first Hawaii Community Center opened in Honolulu in January 1966, with Sensei in attendance. The address, 2729 Pali

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a world-class center for botanical and horticultural research, conservation and education. A group of “public-spirited citizens” established the botanic gardens in 1859. After being handed over to the colonial government in the late 1870s when Singapore was part of British Malaya, the park was used to support the colony’s rubber

Bahla has been an oasis in the Gulf of Oman desert since the medieval period. Standing as both a fort and settlement, it served as the capital for the Banu Nebhan tribe from the 12th to the 15th centuries. The walls and towers, along with the dwellings of the settlement, are built from unbaked brick

On the most remote inhabited island on the planet, architectural and artistic traditions developed independent of external influence for the good part of a millennium. Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, was first inhabited by a group of Eastern Polynesian settlers around a thousand years ago. They constructed the island’s famous moai statues, which

When the SGI-USA Washington, D.C., Buddhist Center opened on June 25, 2008, it was coined the “SGI Embassy” for its location among the stately foreign embassies that line Massachusetts Avenue on Embassy Row. SGI Vice President Hiromasa Ikeda traveled to the U.S. to officiate the opening ceremony on behalf of Ikeda Sensei, who in a

Old Havana, founded in 1519 as a springboard for the Spanish conquest of the Americas, boasts the title of the most notable historic city center in the Caribbean. The Havana Bay was an obligatory stop on the maritime route to the Americas during the colonial era, making military fortifications a necessity to protect the city.

Thebes, now the city of Luxor, was the city of the god Amon and capital of Egypt during the period of the Middle and New Kingdoms. With the temples and palaces at Karnak and Luxor, and the necropolises, large elaborate cemetaries, of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, Thebes is

On the northern island of Luzon, the living cultural landscape of the Ifugao Rice Terraces stretches across the face of the Philippine Cordillera mountains. For over 2,000 years, the Ifugao people have passed the terraces down from generation to generation, alongside intricate irrigation and farming systems and ritual practices that remain virtually unchanged—an enduring representation

Looking north from the top floor of the SGI-USA San Francisco Buddhist Center, you can spot Coit Tower, a landmark Ikeda Sensei visited on October 5, 1960, two days after he first set foot in the continental United States. Along with a group of local members, Sensei took in the panoramic view of San Francisco

La Grand-Place, in Brussels, Belgium, showcases the “architectural jewel” that blends styles of Western art and architecture. While the earliest written reference of the spectacular market square dates to the 12th century, the plaza was destroyed in 1695 by the troops of Louis XIV. Under the supervision of the city magistrate, a rebuilding campaign restored

Latte stones are an example of ancient CHamoru architecture. The monoliths usually consist of two parallel rows of pillars comprising two stones: the haligi, the supporting stone erected vertically from the ground, and the tasa, a hemispherical capstone. These structures, unique to Guam and other neighboring islands in the Marianas, were used by the CHamorus

The port city of Cartagena de Indias—found on the northern coast of Colombia facing the Caribbean Sea—is home to the most extensive military fortification in South America. The colorful colonial city stands as an eminent example of Spanish military architecture in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Its strategic location made it an essential link

Over a century after 7 East 15th Street first opened in 1887, the SGI-USA restored the building, earning the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award in 1995. Designed in the Romanesque Revival style, and originally containing 27 class-rooms, a library and an auditorium, this five-story building first served as a branch of the Young Women’s Christian

The Taj Mahal, a universally admired masterpiece, sits on the right bank of the Yamuna River in Uttar Pradesh, India. The Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built this white marble mausoleum between 1631 and 1648 in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Many consider the Taj Mahal to be the greatest Indo-Islamic architectural achievement, and it

On the morning of Jan. 2, Ikeda Sensei’s 95th birthday, World Tribune photographers captured the first light of dawn casting its hope-filled rays over the United States—first, in Guam, then Puerto Rico, and on to the mainland cities of New York, Washington, D.C., Miami, Chicago and Los Angeles, before touching the crystal shores of Hawaii—charting

Named a national park in 1951 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, Serengeti National Park covers nearly 6,000 square miles of savannah in northern Tanzania. It is home to the great migration, the world’s largest animal migration, in which 2 million wildebeests, gazelles and zebras embark on a 600-mile trek across the

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designates cultural and natural sites around the world that demonstrate exceptional value to humanity with the aim of protecting and preserving them. Today, these World Heritage Sites number 1,154. Starting this month, the World Tribune will highlight one UNESCO World Heritage Site in every issue. Venice

The new SGI Guam Ikeda Peace and Culture Center opened in August 2022. Located adjacent to the Guam International Trade Center, site of the SGI’s founding, this 15,000-square-foot center features a main room with a 275-seat capacity. A stormwater management system, hurricane-resistant design, large fans, all LED lighting and a rooftop covered with solar panels

Established in 1916, Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California is home to boiling mud pots and hissing fumaroles (openings in the earth’s surface that emit volcanic gases). Lassen Peak, the best-known feature of the park, is the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, located on the northern tip of Wisconsin, includes 21 islands and 12 miles of mainland coast. It is home to the largest collection of historic lighthouses in the nation. Each island has its own character and features the natural beauty of sea caves, sandstone cliffs and pristine beaches. For many, the