MICA to help Soka Gakkai peace campaigns

MICA has offered their services to Bharat Soka Gakkai design campaigns on peace in India. Recently, a peace proposal symposium based on Soka Gakkai International president, Daisaku Ikeda’s 2018 peace proposal titled ‘Toward an Era of Human Rights: Building a People’s Movement’ was held in the city in which discussions between MICA and Bharat Soka Gakkai chairperson, Vishesh Gupta took place. MICA has also invited them to conduct workshops on peace during the orientation programme from next year.

Confirming the same, Preeti Shroff, Dean, Academics at MICA, said, “We are in talks with them to have their workshops in our orientation programme. Secondly, we have offered them our services to design curriculum on peace for their work and eventually design campaigns for same. Since our strength lies in communications and branding, we can take the proposal ahead.”

Each year since 1983, president Ikeda has been writing peace proposals that diagnose the core issues of the day and suggest concrete solutions. The symposium — which was held at Ahmedabad Management Association — had Vishesh Gupta; Dr Bhushan Punani, executive secretary, Blind People’s Association; Preeti Shroff, dean, MICA, and Kartikeye Sarabhai, founder; director, Centre for Environment Education, apart from professor Errol D’Souza, IIM-A, director as speakers.

“In present times, we cannot depend on agencies like government and all. It is when education and such organization’s come together, it will help. And educational institutes, I believe can take a lead in promoting peace across the country and it will all start with our students. Until and unless we talk about it, the scenario will not change,” said Shroff.

“Gandhiji inspired us to lead and the message of non-violence began from here. Hence, we should be influencing the world for peacebuilding but we all are struggling.”