EXHIBIT ON NUCLEAR ABOLITION AND HUMAN SECURITY OP

01-05-2008 GENEVA, May 1 /PRNewswire/
"From a Culture of Violence to a Culture of Peace: Transforming the HumanSpirit," an exhibition examining the nuclear weapons issue through the lensof human security, opened yesterday at the UN Office at Geneva. Held inconjunction with the second session of the Preparatory Committee of theTreaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the opening wasattended by numerous diplomats and nuclear disarmament activists.Despite the end of the Cold War almost 20 years ago, the spread ofnuclear weapons technology has actually increased the threat that they may beused. The exhibition's 36 panels highlight the dire realities of nuclearweapons, the pitfalls of a militarized way of thinking and the human needsthat could be met by reducing spending on weapons. The exhibition was createdby Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a Buddhist organization with a 50-yeartrack record of efforts for nuclear disarmament.Speaking at the opening, chairperson of the second session AmbassadorVolodymyr Yel'chenko of Ukraine commented, "This exhibition is good proof ofwhat NGOs can do to promote the NPT principles." Other speakers were Sergiode Queiroz Duarte, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and SusiSnyder, president of the Geneva NGO Committee on Disarmament.In a message, SGI President Daisaku Ikeda stressed the importance ofdialogue at all levels, which inspires and strengthens human qualities suchas empathy, solidarity and responsibility that are essential to developingand sustaining a lasting culture of peace.The exhibition has been shown in New York, Malaysia, Canada and at NewZealand's parliament building, and it is slated to be seen in 30 countries in8 languages. The current showing, the first in Europe, continues until May 9.Soka Gakkai Vice President Hirotsugu Terasaki comments, "Nucleardisarmament is the ultimate human security challenge. It is vital to inspirepeople, especially youth, to engage in the work of ridding the world of theseabhorrent weapons. We hope to help generate a groundswell toward nuclearabolition."SGI is a Buddhist association with 12 million members in over 190countries and territories around the world. Its efforts to promote peace,culture and education are part of the longstanding tradition of Buddhisthumanism.Contact: Joan AndersonOffice of Public Information
Soka Gakkai International Tel: +81-3-5360-9482 Fax: +81-3-5360-9885www.sgi.orgWeb site: http://www.sgi.orgSoka Gakkai International