Tauranga, New Zealand, Hosts "Gandhi, King, Ikeda" Exhibition - Feb 1-7

Gandhi, King, Ikeda exhibition opens in Tauranga, New Zealand

Tauranga, New Zealand, played host to the "Gandhi, King, Ikeda" exhibition from February 1 through 7. Sponsored and organized by SGI-New Zealand, the small-scale exhibition introduces the human rights and peace activism of three 20th century leaders, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Daisaku Ikeda through panel displays. Tauranga is the fifth venue in New Zealand, following Rotorua, Dunedin, Christchurch and Auckland. At the February 1 opening at the Axion Gallery, Tauranga Mayor Jan Beange expressed appreciation for the city's opportunity to host such a significant, international exhibit.

[When Captain James Cooke (1728-1779) sailed up Tauranga's coast in 1769, he was awe-struck by the breath-taking natural beauty and abundance of foods of the Maori villages he encountered, and named the natural harbor "Bay of Plenty." The Bay of Plenty is known today for its fruit orchards and pristine beaches.]

SGI-New Zealand Women Hold General Meeting - Feb 23

Representatives post for a commemorative photo

On February 23, some 200 SGI-New Zealand women's and young women's divisions members met for a general meeting at the SGI-New Zealand Culture Center in Auckland. An exhibit titled "Women and Peace" introduced New Zealand women who have contributed to peace. Mrs. Kaneko Ikeda, wife of SGI President Daisaku Ikeda, was also introduced. In 1999, Mrs. Kaneko received the Camellia Award from Banks Peninsula District of New Zealand, an award given by the district to women "who work to protect the future generations of the planet through world peace." Women's division leader Jessica Phuang called on the participants to become "suns" for building peace in the family and in society.