SGI President Awarded 300th Academic Honor From University of Massachusetts Boston

TOKYO, November 22, 2010 - Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International Buddhist
association and founder of Soka University, was awarded the degree of Doctor
of Humane Letters, honoris causa, from the University of Massachusetts Boston
at a ceremony held in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on November 21.

This brings to 300 the total number of honorary doctorates, honorary
professorships and equivalent titles conferred upon Mr. Ikeda by institutions
of higher education in some 50 countries for his efforts to build peace and
promote cultural exchange and humanistic education.

University of Massachusetts Boston Chancellor Dr. J. Keith Motley headed
a delegation including Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr.
Winston E. Langley and Associate Provost and Director of International and
Transnational Affairs Professor Eunsook Hyun which was visiting Japan to sign
an academic exchange agreement with Soka University and present the honorary
doctorate to Ikeda.

The University of Massachusetts Boston is part of the University of
Massachusetts system. A research-intensive public university, it enrolls
11,000 undergraduate and 4,000 graduate students.

In his citation, Dr. Motley introduced Ikeda as follows: "Inspiring
Buddhist leader, peacebuilder, writer, educator, and global founder of
institutes to better humanity," and lauded his advocacy of individual
empowerment and social engagement.

Ikeda commented: "I am deeply honored. The academic honors I have
accepted have all been on behalf of the members of SGI around the world. This
is recognition of their multifaceted contributions. As a private citizen, I
will redouble my efforts to promote peace, cultural exchange and education."

Ikeda and Dr. Motley agreed that, particularly in times of great turmoil
and confusion, the role of education must be to foster people dedicated to
the welfare of humankind.

Ikeda received his first honorary doctorate in May 1975 from Moscow State
University in recognition of his educational endeavors, efforts toward
nuclear abolition and philosophical writings. He has since been awarded
academic honors from a wide range of institutions including Tsinghua
University, the University of Hong Kong, Denver University, the University of
Glasgow, the University of Delhi, the University of Sydney, the Federal
University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of Ghana.

Daisaku Ikeda (1928- ) was president of the Soka Gakkai Buddhist
association from 1960 to 1979. In 1975, he became the founding president of
Soka Gakkai International (SGI) which now has 12 million members around the
world. He is also founder of the Institute of Oriental Philosophy, the Min-On
Concert Association, the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, the Soka education system
from kindergarten to university level, the Toda Institute for Global Peace
and Policy Research and the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue.
He is the author of numerous works on Buddhist philosophy as well as over 50
published dialogues with leading thinkers from different cultures around the
world.

See: www.daisakuikeda.org

    Contact:
    Joan Anderson
    Office of Public Information
    Soka Gakkai International
    Tel: +81-3-5360-9482
    Fax: +81-3-5360-9885
    E-mail: janderson[at]sgi.gr.jp

Joan Anderson, Office of Public Information, Soka Gakkai International, +81-3-5360-9482, fax: +81-3-5360-9885, janderson[at]sgi.gr.jp