21/05/2024 14:15 - 16:30

HALL: FATESI - STURZO

Proponent: Introvigne M.

Chair: Rigal-Cellard B.

Speaker: Introvigne M., La Spina A., Rigal-Cellard B., Soryte R., Zoccatelli P.

Daisaku Ikeda (1928-2023), the third president and charismatic leader of Soka Gakkai, died on November 15, 2023 at age 95. He left at his death a globalized Buddhist religious movement, which in the West had obtained a considerable success in Italy. With some 96,000 members, Italy is the country with the highest percentage of Soka Gakkai practitioners outside Asia. The panel will explore the reasons of its success and focus on the personal role of Ikeda, his trips to Italy, and his interest for Italian culture and art. While no figure contributed as much as Ikeda to the globalization of Buddhism in the 20th century, his special relationship with Italy deserves to be explored.