All problems can’t be solved but it’s a process: Ex-diplomat

Soka Gakkai International’s (SGI) Indian affiliate, Bharat Soka Gakkai (BSG) in collaboration with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences organised a symposium on Saturday. At the symposium, Prakash Shah, India’s former permanent representative to the United Nations, said “While we may not be able to solve the serious problems we face now, the reduction of those problems itself is a process by which we can fashion a better society.-"

Entitled ‘Universal Respect for Human Dignity: The Great Path to Peace’, the symposium was based on SGI president Daisaku Ikeda’s 2016 peace proposal.

“We don’t believe we can completely solve the serious problems we face now. However, I do hope that there will be solutions,” said Mr Shah. “As president Ikeda says, that while we cannot eliminate the problems the reduction itself is a process by which we can move towards elimination whether it is poverty, suffering of children, HIV or the Ebola virus, the reduction is a step towards elimination,” he added.

Apart from Mr Shah, other speakers who took part in the symposium were Dr Ajit Ranade, chief economist to the Aditya Birla Group, Shaheen Mistri, founder and CEO, ‘Teach for India’ and professor K.M. Parivelan, chairperson and associate professor at the Nodal Centre for Human Rights Education, School for Legal Rights and Constitutional Governance, Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

“It is important to touch the life of each person. We need to ask ourselves what is it that I can do in this single minute, day or night to help others. If we want to change our society and to stop violence around us then we should follow this concept,” said Ms Mistri.

Mr Ikeda is the president of SGI, a Buddhist association of more than 12 million members in 192 countries and territories. Mr Ikeda is a staunch proponent of dialogue as the foundation of peace.