Sensitivity is a personality trait. In and of itself, it is neither good nor bad. But if you have that trait, you can choose to turn it into a plus.

For example, should a friend criticize you, you could turn it into a positive by thinking deeply about what has been said so you can correct a possible fault. Whatever has been said, however, is certainly not something you need to worry over. If you feel stung, take a moment to congratulate yourself on having the capacity for humility and self-reflection. People who are indifferent often lack any perspective for self improvement.

My mentor, Josei Toda, taight me about this, showing me that the best way to avoid losing confidence or falling into needless despair over criticism is to learn to be a good listener. Instead of becoming defensive or thinking immediately that you are hopeless, choose to allow yourself to be stimulated toward further personal growth. Actively listen to what is being said in order to find the positive nugget.

That having been said, after sifting through the criticism for whatever value there might be, it is very important that you are determined not to brood over it or withdraw into your shell.

(Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.)

ANSWER: People who are critical of themselves aften worry about this - it's a sign of sincere, praiseworthy character.

It's difficult to see ourselves objectively. But, remember, no one has only faults or only merits. We all have a mixture of both. Therefore, we should  strive to develop and polish our positive attributes. As we do, our shortcomings will fade  until they are no longer apparent.

Perhaps you could ask someone who knows you well, a friend, parent or sibling, what strong points he or she thinks you have or can develop. I'm sure they'll name many admirable qualities. Also, if someone close to you points out your faults, rather than becoming offended or upset, it is to your benefit to listen calmly and objectively to what he or she has to say and make an effort to take it  as constructive criticism. Once you take your place in society, there won't be many people who will be so honest with you.

(Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.)

ANSWER: I imagine it's a little of both. And, of course, many studies have been conducted on this subject. Essentially, however, we are the architects of our own lives. More important is to know that we are the architects of the rest of our lives.

The word character derives from the Greek charakter. menaing to engrave or make an impression upon. From a scientific standpoint, personality and physical constitution may be determined to some extent by our genes. But knowing that alone won't change anything. What matters is what we do  to improve ourselves.

That is why what we do right now is so important.

Personality is also viewed a number of ways by psychologists. One view looks at personality in terms of concentric circles. At our core lies our most basic nature. Around that is the basic personality shaped during childhood by habit and custom. Surrounding that circle is the part we form to cope with various circumstances.

Though our core personality may remain unchanged, other aspects can sometimes change so much that people around us may comment that we seem like a completely different person. In any event, we have to be true to ourselves. We have to follow our path and do our best to contribute to society. Education equips us with what we need to do that.

(Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.)

ANSWER: Many people believe personality is determined by fate or heredity and there's nothing we can do about it. The fact is, almost everyone agonizes over some aspect of his or her personality. But you have to realize that just worrying about your problems won't change anything. When you become aware of your shortcomings, you are in a position to begin to control them and change your behavior. People's personalities are truly diverse. There is a vast vocabulary to describe personalities and character traits. The English language is said to have as many as eighteen thousand nouns and adjectives that describe character. No one's personality is flawless. We all, without exception, have qualities that render us less than perfect. Inevitably, you won't like aspects of your personality. But it is foolish to become obsessed by such things and succumb to feelings of self-hatred and unworthiness. You will only hinder your growth. Being introverted doesn't make someone incapable, just as being quick-tempered doesn't make a person useless. For example, a person's shyness can be transformed into valuable qualities such as prudence and discretion, while someone's impatience might be transformed into a knack for getting things done quickly and efficiently. We should live in a way that is true to ourselves. So even though our basic personality may be difficult to change, we can bring out its positive traits. Your personality is like a river. At certain points, the river's banks are pretty much fixed. In the same way, the identity of a person doesn't change much. But the quality of the water in the river can vary. It may be deep or shallow, polluted or clean, have lots of fish or none at all. While our river can't become a completely different kind of river, we can, through our hard work, purify it so that many kinds of fish will be happy to swim in it. Our personality doesn't determine our happiness or unhappiness. Rather it is the substance of our lives and how we've lived that decide our happiness. A river meanders but never stops. This is the natural way of things. Similarly, if you make continual efforts, your peronality will improve slowly , steadily. The key is to keep moving forward and never stop. All rivers, irrespective of their differences, flow unceasingly and unflaggingly to the sea. If we, too, continue to make persistent efforts, we will eventually reach the great ocean of happiness for ourselves and others. We will savor boundless freedom and realize our own potential as we celebrate and encourage others' individuality. The important thing is to do everything you possibly can. You'll be more surprised than anyone at how much you can achieve. You possess such unlimited potential! (Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.) 

ANSWER: You can run away, of course. That freedom exists. But it is a very small, petty freedom. It only leads to a life of great hardship, a life in which you will be powerless, weak and completely frustrated. 

Alongside this small freedom, however, exists a much greater freedom. The Japanese novelist Eiji Yoshikawa writes, "Great character is forged through hardship." Only by polishing yourself through repeated difficulties can you build a self that sparkles as brightly as a gem. When you have developed such a state of being, nothing will faze you. You will be free. You will be victorious. Hardships will even become enjoyable. Daring to take on tough challenges - that in itself is immense freedom. 

Freedom is relative. You may run away from hard work and effort, declaring yourself a free spirit, but you cannot run away from yourself - from your own weaknesses, personality and destiny. It is like trying to run from your own shadow. It is even more impossible to escape from the sufferings of aging, sickness and death inherent in the human condition. The more you try to avoid hardships, the more doggedly they pursue you, like so many relentless hounds chasing at your heels. That's why it's important that you turn and face your troubles head-on. It is impossible to have absolutely everything go your way all the time. In fact, if it weren't for the various obstacles life presents us with, we probably wouldn't appreciate what it is to be free.

The springtime of our youth is meant to be lived with our faces turned toward the sun. As a season of growth, youth is a time of both great joy and great suffering. It is filled with problems and worries of all kinds. But rather than run away from them, the key is to keep seeking the sun, to keep moving in the direction of the sunlight, to challenge the pain and agony that are a part of growing up. 

Never give in to defeat. For a seed to sprout, it must exert tremendous effort to break out of its hard outer covering. That sprout must then valiantly push its way up through a thick layer of soil to reach the blue sky above. The hardships you experience now will all contribute to your growth. Therefore, the important thing is to keep  pressing forward no matter how tough or painful the going may get. 

Youth is the time to develop a spirit of persistence. And those who keep striving for improvement remain youthful no matter what there age. Conversely, those who fail to do so, even if they are young in years, will be old and weak in spirit. 

Life is a battle to win ultimate and unlimited freedom. 

(Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.)

 

ANSWER: Yes, young people often fall into this habit. But I cannot say this too strongly: Do not allow yourself to compare yourself to others! Be true to who you are and continue to learn with all your might. Even if you are ridiculed, even if you suffer disappointments and setbacks, continue to advance and do not be defeated. When you muster this strong determination in your heart, you are already halfway to victory. Rather than comparing your every joy and sorrow to that of others, aim to surpass your limits in your current situation. Those who can accomplish this throughout life are the true victors, the true geniuses.When you hold fast to your beliefs and live true to yourself, your real value as a human being shines through.

(Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.)

ANSWER: "First, please understand, life is long! The way things are now will not last forever. Even if you have problems, even if you have made mistakes or have done things you regret, your whole future still lies ahead of you. Don't worry endlessly over every obstacle or problem. Above all, do not despair or be defeated by your impatience.

Nothing is hopeless. The worst mistake you can make when young is to give up on a dream, to not challenge yourself for fear of failure. The past is the past and the future is the future. Keep moving forward with a steady eye on what is ahead, telling yourself: "I'll start from today!" "I'll start fresh from this moment!"

Happiness in life does not depend on how well things go in your youth. No matter how many mistakes you make, you always have another chance. Be ambitious and keep striving toward the future. If you're not happy with your achievements in high school, then give it your all in college. If that's not to your satisfaction, there's still hope after graduation as you challenge yourself as an active member of society. True success in life does not reveal itself until we reach our forties or fifties. If you experience setbacks along the way, continue with a fighting spirit into your forties, fifties, sixties and seventies.

My experience after more than seventy years of life has taught me to clearly recognize the human patterns that determine victory or defeat.

Many of the most famous people in our history appeared far from outstanding in their youth. Winston Churchill was well known for his many failures at school. Mahatma Gandhi wasn't a remarkable student, either; he was shy, timid and a poor speaker.

So don't be too hard on yourself. You are still young - a work in progress and still developing. To be growing and improving are wonderful things. Just continue to press on tenaciously to find your way forward despite the suffering and pain that are a part of youth and growing up. Indeed, that's the only way to grow.

It is important not to lose hope. Losing hope is, in a way, like living in  a winter of the spirit The English Romantic poet Shelley said, "If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?" No matter how long and bitter the winter may be, spring always follows. This is the law of the universe, the law of life.

The same applies to us. If we seem to be weathering an endless winter, we musn't abandon hope. As long as we have hope, spring is near. It will come without fail.

Spring is a time of blossoming. Every person has a singular mission, his or her individuality and way of living. It's important to recognize that truth and respect it. That is the natural order of things. That is how it works in the world of flowers - and in the world of human beings, different kinds of flowers bloom harmoniously in beautiful profusion."

(Excerpted from The Way of Youth and reprinted with permission from Middleway Press.)

Miami, Florida, November 20, 2003: Trade negotiators from Canada to Argentina had gathered to put the finishing touches--or so they hoped--on the Free Trade Area of the Americas agreement. A huge crowd of ordinary citizens from the affected countries, including me, had also gathered, to oppose the corporate style of globalization that the proposed treaty represented. And keeping the two groups apart, an enormous and heavily armed police force had completely closed downtown Miami.

By legal permit, our large march and rally could go on until 4:00 p.m. At 4:15 the police decided that enough was enough, and began a sweep to force thousands of peaceful protesters off the streets. Firing tear gas and pellets, they advanced on the colorful, jubilant crowd of trade unionists, environmentalists, immigrant rights activists, students and religious leaders. A few protesters tried to slow the police advance by hauling improvised barricades into their path, but the large crowd generally fell back, fearful of the black-suited, shielded, gun-wielding army that had been commanding our movements all day long. Some protesters began to shout and run. It was an unnecessary and dangerous confrontation.

A group of people who obviously knew each other linked hands and walked slowly away from the police. They chanted in a low, soothing tone. Fanning out across the street, they made a stately moving barricade of their bodies, so that protesters who feared the police could get in front of them. They calmed people around them, and others (including me) joined their procession and their chant.

Practicing for Conflict
I suspect that the chanters belonged to an affinity group, and that they had been through some kind of nonviolence training. Nonviolence training has been used for at least 60 years to prepare people to stand up for their beliefs with courage, dignity, humor and creativity. Mahatma Gandhi originated nonviolence training for his most disciplined core of followers. A Methodist missionary to India, James Lawson, observed this and returned to the U.S. to develop workshops in nonviolence for his fellow African-Americans who were challenging legal segregation. Since that time, training has become a requirement before many nonviolent direct actions.

In Miami I helped provide that training. This is something I've been doing for upwards of 20 years. On that occasion my workshops ran for about three hours--a short amount of time, really, for such a huge subject--and concentrated on the most practical and immediate concerns.

We began with a guided meditation that left us feeling centered, calm and determined, knowing that we stood firmly on the side of justice and ecological balance. I encouraged protesters to use the same visualization during the action, if they needed to. We then went on to explore our reactions to common conflicts in demonstrations--hecklers, opponents and undercover police agents (who might try to provoke us into rash or violent actions). I asked some participants to role-play the attackers or hasslers, and other participants to play themselves. After a short exchange we "unpacked" the exercise, to see what behaviors threw the opponents off balance and de-escalated the conflict. Then we reversed roles, so that everyone had a chance to experience both sides. The simple act of role-playing someone we disagree with for five minutes often builds our empathy for those people--and that certainly comes in handy when we meet an opponent in the flesh.

We practiced specific moves to resist police pressure and crowd dispersal tactics, and I explained the trade-offs between being arrested and trying to avoid arrest. Many direct actions rely on civil disobedience for their effectiveness, but in the global justice movement people often decide that they can better advance the cause if they are not caught up in the legal system.

Finally, we explored the importance of affinity groups in nonviolent direct action. These small groups (usually 10 or fewer people) gather because they have something in common--an affinity--and stay together during the action. They may plan an activity such as street theater, or blockading a street intersection, or attempting to deliver a petition to a person in authority. They may simply look out for one another in a very large crowd. If any member of the group is arrested--by accident or by design--the others make sure that person has legal advice and medical attention, and reassure that person's family and friends at home.

Understanding the Issues
In preparing for other demonstrations, I might explore issues around property destruction (Is it violent or not? Is it effective or not?). In Miami this debate didn't figure prominently, because everyone agreed that property destruction would only play into the hands of our opponents, who were already trying to discredit us as terrorists and anarchists.

Before and after the big public march were days of workshops and discussions about global trade. This has been the case at all the globalization actions I've attended, and in some ways I believe these discussions are the most important part of the "globalization mobilizations." Farmers from the global North and global South compare notes. Unemployed auto workers from the U.S. talk with workers who now make autos in maquiladoras. Women form networks against the sex trade. People gather for the public protests, and the dialogues around them shape and inform the movement for years.

In Miami, for the first time, trade representatives who had been working on the draft agreement came out from their heavily guarded hotel to report to the protesters in a nearby church. They represented Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela, and were opposing provisions that favored wealthy and powerful U.S.-based corporations in favor of provisions that benefited the majority of their own people. We listened in amazement as they told us that essentially we are winning, and that they had successfully blocked and watered down many of the proposals put forward. "Your pressure in the streets makes a difference," they said. "Keep it up!"

Nonviolence training is the little piece I contribute, and I feel both proud and humble to be able to offerit.
 

As we strive to envision the direction the UN should take in the 21st century, I believe there is much we can learn from the life and example of Dag Hammarskjold, the second Secretary-General of the organization. His achievements shine in the annals of UN history, and his moral force and integrity as the "conscience of the United Nations" command wide respect to this day.

Dag Hammarskjold was a statesman and economist born in Sweden just over a century ago. In the midst of the mounting tensions of the Cold War, Hammarskjold took the lead in expanding the UN's responsibilities beyond a passive role of merely responding to crises, to a more proactive role in the promotion of peace in the world.

His talents were particularly visible in his efforts to resolve the Suez Crisis, as well as conflicts in Lebanon, Laos and elsewhere. His active pursuit of "quiet diplomacy," as he personally led missions to different regions in order to mediate conflicts, remains as his enduring legacy.

There were voices critical of this style of proactive diplomacy on the part of the UN and its Secretary-General. Hammarskjöld's actions were denounced, for example, by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, who demanded his resignation. Hammarskjöld refused to succumb to this pressure and continued to promote UN leadership for the resolution of international crises.

Hammarskjold expressed his unwavering resolve in his book Markings published after his death: "'The Uncarved Block'--remain at the Center, which is yours and that of all humanity. For those goals which it gives to your life, do the utmost which, at each moment, is possible for you. Also, act without thinking of the consequences, or seeking anything for yourself."

Driven by a sense of moral, even religious, mission, he continued to strive until the last moment of his life to empower the UN to respond to the world's expectations.

In September 1961, en route to a meeting with President Moise Tshombe of Katanga in an effort to resolve the Congo Crisis, Hammarskjöld's plane crashed in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), causing his death. He was 56. For his outstanding achievements, Hammarskjold was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1961.

At the time of his death, Hammarskjold was engaged not only in attempting to resolve the conflict in the Congo, but in another important task. Hammarskjold had profound respect for the "philosopher of dialogue," Martin Buber (1878-1965), and was planning to translate his classic work I and Thou into Swedish.

Their friendship began in 1952, a year before Hammarskjold became Secretary-General. As their exchanges and mutual respect deepened, a strong desire arose in Hammarskjold to translate Buber's works. When he shared that wish with the philosopher, Buber suggested he translate I and Thou. This exchange took place just a few weeks before Hammarskjold's fatal mission to the Congo.

Hammarskjold immediately contacted a publisher in Sweden and wrote a letter to Buber telling him agreement had been obtained. As he left New York for the Congo, he had with him the German-language edition of I and Thou personally given to him by the author. He found the time amidst his demanding schedule, in flight and during his short stay in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), to work on the translation of Buber's book. Later, after the plane crash, the first 12 pages of the Secretary-General's manuscript translation were found among his personal effects.

Buber received Hammarskjold's final letter just one hour after he heard the news of the plane crash on the radio. Buber deeply lamented the death of this man of passion and goodwill who had given everything, including his life, for his mission.

Heart-to-Heart

Hammarskjold shared a deep conviction with Buber, which he fervently wished to convey through the translation of Buber's work. This was the firm belief that no matter how dire and challenging the situation may be, humans must engage in sincere dialogue with others; that through this kind of genuine and sincere dialogue it is always possible to bridge the gaps of distrust that divide the world.

One well-known episode illustrates how Hammarskjold put this conviction into practice.

In 1955, in an attempt to secure the release of American prisoners of war captured during the Korean War, Hammarskjöld flew to China--then without a seat at the UN--and tried to meet with Premier Zhou Enlai.

People around him strongly advised him against the visit. Face-to-face with Zhou, without an official entourage and unable to use his own interpreter, Hammarskjöld stated the following during one of their private sessions:

". . .[I]t does not mean that I appeal to you or that I ask you for their release. It means that-inspired also by my faith in your wisdom and in your wish to promote peace--I have considered it my duty as forcefully as I can, and with deep conviction, to draw attention to the vital importance of their fate to the cause of peace. . . . Their fate may well decide the direction in which we will all be moving in the near future--towards peace, or away from peace. . . . [A]gainst all odds, [this case] has brought me around the world in order to put before you, in great frankness and trusting that we see eye to eye on the desperate need to avoid adding to existing frictions, my deep concern both as Secretary-General and as a man."

I recall my own encounter with Premier Zhou Enlai in December 1974, a year before his death. Several years earlier, in September 1968, at a time when there were no official diplomatic relations between China and Japan as no formal peace had been concluded between them, I had called for the normalization of relations and urged that China be represented in the UN. Zhou Enlai was aware of my efforts, and despite ill health, insisted on meeting with me at his hospital in Beijing. With intense passion, Premier Zhou shared his thoughts with me. "In this critical period in the history of the world, all nations must stand as equals and help each other." He expressed his strong desire for enduring friendship between China and Japan.

Based on this personal experience, I can easily imagine the kind of intent dialogue, the earnest soul-to-soul exchange, that unfolded between Zhou and Hammarskjöld. The meeting created a bond of trust between the two men which later led to the release of the 11 American airmen.

Whether it be intergovernmental relations or relations between the UN and member states, the most essential element is always encounter and dialogue between individual human beings.

No matter how impossible a deadlock may seem, a breakthrough can always be found if we meet face-to-face and engage in genuine dialogue: I believe this was the conviction that motivated Hammarskjöld throughout his extensive travels as Secretary-General, meeting with and mediating between the parties to conflicts.

Hammarskjöld's passionate and relentless efforts to advance the peace process in the world embody the principles that should guide the UN in fulfilling its mission to build a new human civilization imbued with the spirit of dialogue. His legacy is one that must be passed on to the people of the 21st century.

On February 26, SGI-Canada representatives led a "Victory Over Violence" (VOV) workshop at a teachers' conference held in Winnipeg. They also brought the VOV exhibition to the event. The Associated Schools Project Network (ASPnet), linked to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), organized the conference. Some 80 principals, teachers and national and provincial government representatives attended. Participants reported that the workshop enabled them to better understand the effects of passive violence, and many expressed interest in bringing the VOV exhibition to their local schools.

On April 2, the Hon. Douglas Roche, O.C., delivered the inaugural lecture of SGI-Canada's Distinguished Speakers Series at the SGI-Canada Toronto Culture Centre. Mr. Roche, a Canadian parliamentarian and diplomat, spoke about the importance of shifting from a culture of war to a culture of peace and of "believing that we can make a difference," basing his remarks on two of his recent books, The Human Right to Peace and Global Conscience.

Mr. Roche served as the Canadian Ambassador for Disarmament and as chair of the United Nations Disarmament Committee. From 1998 to 2008, he headed the Middle Powers Initiative, an international network of eight nongovernmental organizations specializing in nuclear disarmament issues.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Nonviolence is a way of life for courageous people
Nonviolence seeks to win friendship and understanding
Nonviolence seeks to defeat injustice, not people
Nonviolence holds that suffering can educate and transform
Nonviolence chooses love instead of hate
Nonviolence believes that the universe is on the side of justice
"We aren't going to march with any Molotov cocktails. That isn't our movement. We aren't going to march with any weapons. That isn't our movement. We aren't going to march with bricks and bottles. We are going to march with something much more powerful than all of that. We are going to march with the force of our souls, mobilized bodies in concern for justice. Somehow we are going to step out. We are going to take the ammunition of determination, we are going to move out with the weapons of courage, we are going to pull the breastplate of righteousness and the whole armor of God and we are going to march."

"Democracy can only be saved through non-violence, because democracy, so long as it is sustained by violence, cannot provide for or protect the weak. My notion of democracy is that under it the weakest should have the same opportunity as the strongest. This can never happen except through non-violence . . . Non-violence cannot be preached. It has to be practised."

Zoughbi Elias Zoughbi

"Nonviolence is not passiveness, weakness or surrender. It is an empowerment and an ongoing struggle requiring inner strength and perseverance.

"We are looking for a new spirituality, one which deals with the etiology of hate and finds a suitable remedy for it: a spirituality of transformation on the personal level, community level and cross-cultural level. Such spirituality satisfies the needs of all concerned. Arms of Dialogue should replace Dialogue of Arms. This kind of spirituality requires us to shift from blame, guilt and victimhood to collective responsibility."

--Zoughbi Zoughbi is founder and director of the Wi'am Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center.

Dr. Arun Gandhi

"Nonviolence is a philosophy that appeals to the goodness in human nature. It fosters in the individual a love and respect for all of God's creation; an understanding of the nature of life; an acceptance of the physical and ideological differences that exist between people; and an appreciation of the need to let compassion be the cornerstone of one's life."

--Dr. Arun Gandhi is founder and president of the M.K. Gandhi Institute and grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi

Dr. Kamla Chowdhry

"The practice of nonviolence calls forth the greatest of courage. Gandhi often said you cannot practice ahimsa (nonviolence) unless you are moral and spiritual, and you cannot be moral unless you are fearless, and you cannot be fearless unless you have experienced being a zero.

"To change the world, to move toward peace and nonviolence, we must listen to Gandhi: 'things of fundamental importance to the people are not secured by reason alone but have to be purchased with suffering . . . the appeal of reason is more to the head, but the penetration of the heart comes from suffering.' Writing about nonviolence, he said, 'Just as one must learn the art of killing in the training for violence, so one must learn the art of dying in the training for nonviolence.'

"Gandhi's view of progress was defined in terms of nonviolence, compassion and respect for life. He also pointed out that we have enough for our needs but not for our greed.

"In his footsteps have walked many, in all corners of the world, fighting for peace, justice and development with ahimsa, and with nonviolence."

- Dr. Kamla Chowdhry is a Gandhian disciple and co-chair of the Earth Charter Commission

 

 

Football isn't a matter of life and death--it's much more important than that." (Bill Shankly, former manager of Liverpool Football Club)

Around the world billions follow it on television, and hundreds of thousands regularly make the pilgrimage to watch it in person.

Some clergymen in the U.K. have begun to fret that football is taking over as the nation's principal religion. They point out troubling similarities. Football, like religion, involves an elaborate set of rules and rituals. Like religion, it brings the community together in a regular act of worship, feeding a need for something greater than people can find in their daily lives. And like some religions it can be supported for long periods by little more than blind faith.

But why is football so popular around the globe--to the despair of all those who felt the World Cup would never end? And does it really threaten to become the new religion?

A clue can be found in the word itself, which is commonly thought to derive from the Latin "religare," meaning "to bind." Religion is what binds people both to some transcendent truth and, crucially, to each other. The historian Arnold Toynbee went so far as to argue that civilizations rise and fall according to the ability of their dominant religions to motivate people to overcome--together--the challenges that confront them.

Football certainly has this power "to bind." Teams are always a focal point for a community loyalty--whether they're stuffed with foreign stars or staffed by part-timers. Witness how "cup fever" grabs a small town when its team draws a top side in a knock-out competition, or how "the nation" rallies behind its team in international championships. There are few social phenomena that share this power, which these days is dramatically magnified by television.

Of course, football can also divide people. The most famous example is the so-called Football War between El Salvador and Honduras--a five-day war in July 1969 that is supposed to have started after a dispute over a World Cup qualifying match between the two countries. (In reality, it arose because of Honduran objections to El Salvadoran migrants.) More locally, hooliganism between rival fans is still with us, and racism and sectarianism are rife in some clubs.

But the central point holds. Football's power to bind has not gone unnoticed by those whose business it is to build peace, and there are many "Football for Peace" initiatives around the world. During a recent visit to FIFA headquarters, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan remarked: "I can't think of anything that can bring people together like football. I've seen countries torn apart by war put their differences to one side to watch a match. For 90 minutes at a time, people become one nation." In fact the sport was actually nominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize by a Swedish politician.

Football "binds" not just because it's an entertaining and accessible game, but because of something in people themselves--a deep desire to act together in a common cause; to share in large, emotional events; to experience together the dramatic ups and downs of life that can be represented by a sporting contest. It is the same desire, I believe, that draws people to concerts and plays and--yes--to certain religions.

As a football fan and a practicing Buddhist, I see many Buddhist principles at work in the game. "Many in body, one in mind"--a team of different individuals, with varied skills and roles (many bodies), all working in unity toward a single end (one mind). The power of "ichinen"--of focusing one's whole intent and determination on achieving a desired result. And the vital need for the oneness of mentor and disciple--manager and team--in forging this unity and determination. Perhaps Bill Shankly's famous remark isn't so far from the truth after all.

I am a writer and editor by trade and a social justice activist by instinct. I am grateful that the profound power of my 21-year Buddhist practice has led me to the right place at the right time for best using my determination and my capacities to help create a fairer world.

I've been privileged to be part of two community-based, justice-seeking initiatives that started in Ottawa, Canada's capital, and grew to be important catalysts in fostering major systemic change at either the national or local level.

On July 3, 1986, I was one of 21 lesbians and gays gathered in a downtown home who had decided to form Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere (EGALE) to seek sexual orientation protection in the Canadian Human Rights Act. That accomplished (it took 10 years), the nationwide group increased its equality-seeking advocacy work, expanded its mandate to include transgendered persons and changed its name to Egale Canada.

Responding to Violence

The murder in 1989 of a young man who was perceived by his murderers to be gay led to the gay and lesbian community organizing and demands for the Ottawa police to do crime prevention work with the targeted community. Dialogue led to the establishment of the Ottawa Police Liaison Committee for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Communities which I worked with for many years, and action plans to work on community-identified problems. This has transformed community fear and mistrust (based on past harassment) into trust of progressive leadership based on a genuine willingness to work in partnership on hate crime, school bullying and other concerns.

Hate crimes do not occur in a vacuum. As a result, they are one of the easiest crimes to prevent--through education and strong community standards concerning prejudice. A hate-crime approach exposes the root cause (motivation) of an incident and challenges the community at large, including schools and the mainstream media, to work on solving the underlying problem of prejudice.

My Buddhist practice was invaluable in helping me to keep my cool and keep going whenever the progressive work was under attack from individuals either within or without the police service (including the media).

Now I am involved in a community group that is seeking an expanded mandate for the new Canadian War Museum, scheduled to open in downtown Ottawa in May 2005. We want the museum to add examples of efforts to resolve conflict without violence.

The heart-to-heart connections which are at the core of the nonpolitical, multi-faith Committee for an Expanded Mandate of the Canadian War Museum ignited spontaneously following a February 23, 2004, dialogue on "An Inclusive Vision of Peace" attended by about 100 people.

Our year-old, volunteer initiative now has cross-Canada support and an advisory board. Our dialogue-based process itself demonstrates the type of human interaction necessary to foster genuine peace. Immediate next steps include a website (which will make it easier to tap into the country's strong peace pulse); a workshop on creating disarmament and other exhibit proposals for the temporary exhibit area in the museum; and a public meeting.

In all of this work, I am mindful of another grassroots-led project that produced the inspirational Canadian Tribute to Human Rights in Ottawa which was unveiled in 1990. (I was a community relations worker with the project.) Architect Melvin Charney designed the Tribute to be in dialogue with the nearby National War Memorial, both of which are on the same downtown Ottawa street. Figures that are bent over and struggling in the National War Memorial are upright in the Tribute, raised arms holding granite plaques proclaiming "Dignity," "Equality" and "Rights."

Which way will we go from here? The outcome rests with us.

Community initiatives that lead to shared problem solving, accountability and trust (as in the police service work) are crucial to achieving the dignity, equality and rights that define peace. Each achievement fosters hope, countering oft-prevailing feelings today of hopelessness and inertia.

The Soka Gakkai Youth Peace Conference (YPC) was launched in 1979 to serve as the axis for promoting a youth movement dedicated to building a peaceful society underpinned by the Buddhist philosophy of the sanctity of life. The Soka Gakkai youth division sees its peace activities essentially as an educational movement to awaken in individuals the spirit of global citizenship, a goal upheld by the Soka Gakkai ever since its founding.

Abolishing War
The Soka Gakkai was founded as an educational reform study group in 1930 by Tsunesaburo Makiguchi and Josei Toda, who became its first and second presidents. Both were educators. During World War II, Makiguchi and Toda were imprisoned for their opposition to the Japanese military government and its abuse of religion and education in support of its war of aggression in Asia. Makiguchi died in prison in 1944, but Toda, his closest follower, emerged from prison after the war to rebuild the Soka Gakkai as a lay Buddhist association. In 1957, in his "Declaration for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons" delivered at a gathering of 50,000 youth, he called on young people to take responsibility for establishing the principle of respect for the dignity of human life as a basic social standard. This declaration, one of the last instructions of Mr. Toda, who passed away the following year, became the starting point of the Soka Gakkai youth division's peace movement.

In 1973, the youth members of the Soka Gakkai in Japan adopted the Youth Division Appeal for the Protection of the Right to Live. In this they confirmed their commitment to work toward lasting peace and the well-being of all people by persistently calling for the abolition of war, upholding environmental protection, and opposing all forms of oppression and violence. Today the Youth Peace Conference wages various campaigns based on the annual peace proposal issued by SGI President Ikeda. One of the basic directions that the proposal provides is support for UN initiatives. The goal of the YPC's activities in this regard is to raise public awareness around global issues also identified as key concerns of the UN. In this, the YPC adopts an educational approach.Public EducationPeace promotion initiatives include international exhibitions such as "Nuclear Arms: Threat to Our World," first presented in 1982 during a special session on disarmament at the UN Headquarters in New York in cooperation with the UN Department of Public Information and the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It has toured 39 cities in 24 countries. To preserve a record of people's experiences of World War II, Soka Gakkai youth also compiled 80 volumes of more than 1,000 individual accounts. Many of these accounts have also been recorded on video. In 1975 and 1998, anti-nuclear-weapon petition drives collected 10 million and 13 million signatures which were presented to the UN Headquarters and the Abolition 2000 movement respectively.

Another focus of the Youth Peace Conference has been the promotion of human rights education in support of the UN Decade for Human Rights Education (1995-2004) and the World Programme for Human Rights Education that started at the beginning of 2005. Initiatives include exhibitions such as "Toward a Century of Humanity-Human Rights in Today's World," which has toured some 40 cities in eight countries, an antiapartheid exhibition and lectures and seminars on peace issues. The YPC has also created exhibitions promoting education for sustainable development and campaigns aimed at stopping bullying in Japanese schools.

Humanitarian Relief
The Youth Peace Conference has also been actively engaged in humanitarian activities, including refugee relief and postwar restoration assistance overseas. It has undertaken annual awareness-raising and fund-raising campaigns in support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and, between 1973 and 2001, it conducted 21 such campaigns to facilitate provision of medical care, food, education and other services administered by UNHCR and related organizations. In 1993, the YPC coordinated the collection of 300,000 secondhand radios and donated them through the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) to the people of Cambodia to help them stay informed about that country's first-ever democratic election.SGI President Daisaku Ikeda has written: "The empowerment of the people, by the people, for the people, to inspire and enlighten the spirit of each individual, will be the fundamental force for truly changing the world.

"The purpose of our movement is to create a culture of peace; it is to plant a seed of peace in every person's heart and cultivate the spiritual soil in which peace can be built. Dialogue is the actual tool in this endeavor. It is our firm conviction that building a fortress of peace within the heart of each person through effective dialogue is the most unfailing path to peace.

Victory Over Violence (VOV) is a youth-driven initiative to help young people identify and counteract the root causes of violence in their lives and in their communities. Its aim is to help inspire positive change in the culture of schools and communities.

On October 26, 2005, Reporoa College became the first school in New Zealand to take part in the program. Students participated in workshops coordinated by a group of voluntary facilitators that were aimed at building respect, for themselves and others.

VOV is based on a personal pledge by participants to value their own life, to respect all life, and to inspire hope in others. Through simple exercises, the students were encouraged to think about new ways of communicating and responding to one another and to daily life situations of violence. They took part in discussions and listened to powerful experiences.

The VOV format was first established by the youth of SGI-USA in response to the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, in 1999. Although violence in schools in New Zealand is less extreme, there are various other forms of "passive violence," manifest in high rates of depression and suicide.

Through the VOV exercises, the students become more aware of passive violence, how it fuels physical violence, and ways they can take action to change this. Participants in VOV workshops have made comments such as: "I thought violence was just fighting and bullying; after VOV I know that people have a reason for why they do it," and "It has changed the way I deal with problems."

One 19-year-old young man wrote about how his participation in the program inspired him to contact the man who murdered his father during a petty robbery and who is now serving a prison sentence. "Since my involvement in VOV, I have learned many things about the cycles of violence, that anger is all-consuming. It is the most active of the negative energies. In particular, during the workshop, I was challenged by the students to understand the difficulties of forgiving people. They inspired me to write to the young man in prison. Violence is cyclic; we choose to break the cycle. You have to be tough, it takes more effort to respect people and forgive people, to find empathy for them, than it does to remain angry!"

SGI-NZ will continue to work with Reporoa College and aims to have VOV running in all 12 high schools in the Reporoa area by 2010. From that solid base VOV will be introduced in high schools across New Zealand.

• I will value my own life. Today, again, I will reach beyond my doubts, taking concrete steps to uncover my unlimited potential. Recognizing that a lack of self-identity and hope for the future are at the root of all violence, I will fight to realize my dreams, even if they seem impossible. 
• I will respect all life. Through understanding, tolerance and respect for diversity, I will see beyond superficial differences. I will awaken to a deeper sense of interconnectedness with those around me by reflecting on the common humanity I share with all people.
• I will actively pursue dialogue. With care and consideration for the dignity inherent in others, I will make continual efforts to reach out to people each day, especially those different from myself. Through genuine friendship, I will break through feelings of isolation and hopelessness that can lead to acts of violence.
• I will inspire hope in others. With courage, I will resolutely stand up against violence, be it passive or physical and teach others through my own example. I will support others and encourage them to follow their dreams.

• The relationship between passive violence and physical violence 
•  The value of dialogue
•  The need for each of us to stand up and take full responsibility for the violence in our environment.

I’d like to close by reiterating that I am just one ordinary person…but the crisis of violence in our world is one that ordinary people like me … like us … and millions of others around the world must stand up and take full responsibility for at the grassroots level. Through VOV, this ordinary person is going to do everything that he can to bring us all one step closer to the realization of a Culture of Peace. Thank you for joining me on the journey of my personal peace movement. I look forward to joining you on yours as well.