The Dialogue Studio: Recent Episodes
Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue.
What is genuine dialogue? How can we connect with others more deeply? Tune in to explore the transformative power of dialogue with us in this new podcast series, The Dialogue Studio hosted by the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue. In these episodes, we will talk to members of our Ikeda Center community about their unique stories and how dialogue has played a role in their lives. We will also examine Buddhist leader, peacebuilder, and Center founder Daisaku Ikeda’s approach to dialogue. We invite you to join us in this space to practice a deeper way of engaging with one another and to transform our world one dialogue at a time. To learn more about our Center's mission and programs, visit ikedacenter.org.
In this episode, host Lillian Koizumi continues her conversation with nuclear disarmament activists Molly McGinty and Emma Pike. In part 2 of this conversation, they discuss the importance of engaging in dialogue with those we don’t agree with, why it is so important for youth to get involved, and what gives them hope in these times of conflict and division.
Molly joined the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in 2019 as a Quaker Voluntary Service Fellow and has remained on staff since the completion of the program. She graduated from Salisbury University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Gender & Sexuality Studies, where she engaged in advocacy on police demilitarization and anti-human trafficking policy. It was through these positions that she came to understand the power of grassroots organizing and youth-led movements. As Program Director, Molly coordinates IPPNW's work on educating the public and decision-makers on the medical and humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, promoting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and supporting our medical student movement and youth partners. She is on the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Steering Committee of Youth for TPNW, and Board of the Nuclear Truth Project.
As an undergraduate studying International Relations, Emma was deeply moved by Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophy of peace as a pursuit that begins within each individual, eventually writing her thesis on Ikeda’s philosophy as a model for peace in the nuclear age. As a peace educator and specialist in global citizenship education, Emma is a firm believer in the central role that education plays in building a more peaceful and equitable world for all. Emma holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, a Master of Arts in Development Education and Global Learning from the UCL Institute of Education, and a Master of Education in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University. In her current role at Lex International, she focuses on strengthening the role of international law, particularly in nuclear disarmament and regulation of autonomous weapons systems. She also engages in public education on these topics, highlighting the power that each individual person holds to effect positive change.
Learn more about Molly and IPPNW’s work on their website here: https://www.ippnw.org/about/staff
For educational content on nuclear disarmament, follow Emma on TikTok: @emma_pike_
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, host Lillian Koizumi talks with two nuclear disarmament activists Molly McGinty and Emma Pike about how they started their careers in this field as young people, what they feel are the biggest obstacles to abolishing nuclear weapons at this time, and how their friendship has sustained and deepened their commitment to this work.
Molly joined the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) in 2019 as a Quaker Voluntary Service Fellow and has remained on staff since the completion of the program. She graduated from Salisbury University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Gender & Sexuality Studies, where she engaged in advocacy on police demilitarization and anti-human trafficking policy. It was through these positions that she came to understand the power of grassroots organizing and youth-led movements. As Program Director, Molly coordinates IPPNW's work on educating the public and decision-makers on the medical and humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, promoting the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and supporting our medical student movement and youth partners. She is on the International Steering Group of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Steering Committee of Youth for TPNW, and Board of the Nuclear Truth Project.
As an undergraduate studying International Relations, Emma was deeply moved by Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophy of peace as a pursuit that begins within each individual, eventually writing her thesis on Ikeda’s philosophy as a model for peace in the nuclear age. As a peace educator and specialist in global citizenship education, Emma is a firm believer in the central role that education plays in building a more peaceful and equitable world for all. Emma holds a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of St Andrews, a Master of Arts in Development Education and Global Learning from the UCL Institute of Education, and a Master of Education in International Educational Development from Teachers College, Columbia University. In her current role at Lex International, she focuses on strengthening the role of international law, particularly in nuclear disarmament and regulation of autonomous weapons systems. She also engages in public education on these topics, highlighting the power that each individual person holds to effect positive change.
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, host Lillian Koizumi talks with Dr. Roland Joseph, a member of the “Nonkilling Security & International Relations Research Committee” at the Center for Global Nonkilling. In their dialogue, Dr. Joseph talks about the importance of peace education and promoting nonkilling, the aspects of Daisaku Ikeda’s peace philosophy that inspire him, what it would look like to teach children love instead of war, as well as what gives him hope at this time.
Dr. Joseph has been deeply influenced by Dr. Glenn D. Paige, a friend of Daisaku Ikeda, who coined the concept of the nonkilling paradigm in his seminal book Nonkilling Global Political Science. His doctoral research focused on the transformative experiences of scholars and activists promoting nonkilling political science to anti-nuclear weapon activists and realists. As a Haitian living in Massachusetts, Dr. Joseph has initiated nuclear disarmament education within the Haitian community with the collaboration of the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security (CPDCS). He also launched a campaign for peace in Haiti, including a working group on peace education with professors and students from the Université Publique du Sud-Est à Jacmel (UPSEJ), supported by the International Peace Bureau (IPB). Roland holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Institut Supérieur des Sciences Économiques, Politiques et Juridiques (ISSEPJ) in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from UMass Lowell, and a PhD in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in Global Conflict from Nova Southeastern University (NSU). Dr. Joseph has been a good friend of the Center since 2018, following his participation in a Dialogue Nights event on nuclear weapons.
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
This month’s Dialogue Studio guest is the Center's new Senior Peace Researcher, Professor Alexander Harang. In the episode, Lillian talks with Professor Harang about how he got involved in the peace field, his introduction to Daisaku Ikeda’s work, his reflections on the current state of peace, and what he is looking forward to in his new role at the Center.
In addition to his role at the Center, Professor Harang holds the position of Distinguished Adjunct Professor at Soka University of America (SUA), where he specializes in exploring the contributions of Daisaku Ikeda to global peacebuilding endeavors. He is also Senior Research Fellow at SUA’s Soka Institute for Global Solutions. Professor Harang brings more than two decades of leadership experience from the international peace movement, as well as research and teaching experience from peace academia.
This year, we are launching a new series in the Dialogue Studio called What Do We Mean By? where host Lillian Koizumi will unpack different concepts we explore and practice at the Ikeda Center. All of these concepts are informed by the philosophy of our late founder Daisaku Ikeda. In this episode, we kick off the series by examining peace cultures. In it, Lillian delves into the Center and Mr. Ikeda’s perspective on, and approach to fostering cultures of peace. She also invites Executive Director Kevin Maher to share how he is thinking about peace cultures in this current moment, and how we can enact peace cultures in our daily lives.
For more information on peace cultures, visit our website: https://www.ikedacenter.org/resources/what-do-we-mean-peace-cultures
Read Elise Boulding’s piece on peace cultures and living with difference: https://www.ikedacenter.org/resources/elise-boulding-peace-cultures-and-living-difference
Music attribution:
Podcast Music
“Buoancy”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
For our first episode of the year, we are taking a moment to reflect on 2023 as a start to the new year. Dialogue Studio host Lillian Koizumi invites her colleagues Anri Tanabe and Preandra Noel to share their takeaways and learnings from the Center’s 30th anniversary year. They also discuss what continues to give them hope and what building cultures of peace means to them.
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
This month, we are wrapping up our special 30th anniversary series where we unpack themes from Daisaku Ikeda’s 1993 Harvard address, “Mahayana Buddhism and Twenty-first Century Civilization.” In this final episode of the year, our host Lillian explores the theme of dialogue and dignity with renowned scholar Dr. Donna Hicks. In their conversation, Lillian asks Dr. Hicks about the role of dignity in engaging in genuine dialogue; the challenge of having dialogue with those who violate our dignity; how Dr. Hicks continues to maintain hope in her work in the face of an epidemic of indignity in our world; and much more.
Dr. Hicks is an Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. She is a leading expert in Dignity and Conflict Resolution and has worked extensively in areas of conflict around the world for several decades. She was a consultant to the British Broadcasting Company where she co-facilitated encounters between victims and perpetrators of the Northern Irish conflict with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. You can read her full bio on her website: https://drdonnahicks.com/
To learn more about Dr. Hicks’ work on dignity, check out her two books:
Dignity: It’s Essential Role in Resolving Conflict: https://drdonnahicks.com/books/dignity/
Leading with Dignity: How to Create a Culture That Brings Out the Best in People: https://drdonnahicks.com/books/leading-with-dignity/
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
This month, we continue our special 30th anniversary series where we unpack themes from Daisaku Ikeda’s 1993 Harvard address, “Mahayana Buddhism and Twenty-first Century Civilization.” In this episode, our host Lillian dives into the theme of human restoration with two Ikeda Center Youth Committee members Kip Clark and Yuko Tsuji. In their dialogue, Lillian invites Kip and Yuko to share reflections on the Center’s recent Dialogue Nights event in August which explored Mr. Ikeda’s perspective on the restoration of humanity. They discussed whether they believe that our humanity can be restored; how we lost our humanity along the way; and what it will take to restore it at this crucial time in our world. In his lecture, Mr. Ikeda writes “The function of the Buddha nature is always to encourage us to be strong, to be good, to be wise; the message is always one of human restoration.” Kip is a podcast producer, improv actor and data analyst who believes that we would all benefit from more sincere, vulnerable conversation and cooperative worldviews. And Yuko is currently pursuing her masters in social work at Boston College. When she's not doing school work (which is all the time) she enjoys watching anime, eating vegetables, trying new types of sriracha sauce, and hand washing her clothes.
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, host Lillian I speaks with two friends of the Ikeda Center, Angie Lu and Sakshi Khurana, about the timely theme of interdependence. Angie is completing her Master of Education at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Sakshi is a Research & Teaching Fellow at Harvard University and a doctoral candidate in Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship at DePaul University. Both Angie and Sakshi are regular attendees of the Center’s Dialogue Nights event series. In their dialogue, Lillian invites them to share what interdependence means to them, how this concept has changed the way they interact with others, and how they think the world would be different if more people lived with a deeper understanding of interdependence.
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In the episode, host Lillian I speaks with Dr. Bernice Lerner about her riveting book, All the Horrors of War: A Jewish Girl, a British Doctor, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen. In their conversation, Dr. Lerner reflects on the experience of writing about her mother’s Holocaust experience, how she sees her writing as an important vehicle for teaching about peace and justice, the transformative power of sharing our stories, as well as her perspectives on Mr. Ikeda’s notion of the greater self.
Dr. Lerner is the author of All the Horrors of War and other writings on the Holocaust and on virtue ethics. She is the former dean of adult learning at Hebrew College, former lecturer on the Holocaust at Boston University, and a senior scholar at Boston University’s Center for Character and Social Responsibility.
If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Lerner and her book All The Horrors of War, you can visit her website here: https://www.bernicelerner.com/. You can also tune into her other talks here: https://www.bernicelerner.com/press.
This episode launches a special, multi-part series exploring themes from Mr. Ikeda’s 1993 Harvard lecture, Mahayana Buddhism and Twenty-first Century Civilization. Stay tuned for our next episode on the theme of interdependence.
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
Welcome back to another year of the Dialogue Studio! On September 24, 1993, Buddhist philosopher, peacebuilder, and educator Daisaku Ikeda gave a lecture at Harvard University titled, Mahayana Buddhism and Twenty-first Century Civilization. On the same day, he established our Center as a tangible commitment to the spirit behind his talk. In celebration of our 30th anniversary, we will be unpacking themes from this lecture throughout the year in the Dialogue Studio.
In this episode, host Lillian I speaks with Ikeda Center Executive Director Kevin Maher about the significance of the Center’s 30th anniversary; how the themes from Mr. Ikeda’s 1993 Harvard lecture have informed the mission and work of the Center over the years; as well as Kevin’s vision for the future of the Center.
Read Mr. Ikeda 1993 lecture here:
https://www.daisakuikeda.org/sub/resources/works/lect/lect-04.html
Music attribution: Podcast Music
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this final episode of 2022, Dialogue Studio host Lillian I speaks with two Ikeda Center youth committee members Anna Liao and Mary Schletzbaum about their experience participating in the 2022 Ikeda Forum, “Our Stories Matter: Dialogue As a Way of Knowing, Being, and Becoming.” Together, they reflect on their key takeaways from the forum, including the power and importance of sharing our personal stories, how to attend to each other’s story, and much more.
Read about the 2022 Ikeda Forum here:
https://www.ikedacenter.org/events/ikeda-forum/2022-stories
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, Dialogue Studio host Lillian I speaks with two doctoral students who participated in the 2022 Global Citizens Seminar at the Ikeda Center: Jonathan Jacob of Brandeis University and Olivia Fitzpatrick of Harvard University (their full bios are below). During the discussion, they reflect on their experience participating in the seminar; what dignity and agency looks like in their respective research; the role dialogue plays in their work and personal life; and more.
Jonathan Jacob is a doctoral student pursuing a joint degree in Social Policy and Sociology at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. His research interests include issues of labor, social inequality, and culture. Jon’s current research examines the inverse relationship between the usefulness of certain jobs and their pay in modern capitalist societies, and focuses on developing a metric to assess the social value of work. Prior to joining the Heller School, Jon worked as a high school educator in Los Angeles County.
Olivia Fitzpatrick (she/her) is a clinical psychology doctoral candidate in the Lab for Youth Mental Health at Harvard University. She originally hails from Ohio and received her B.A. in psychology and public health from the Ohio State University in 2017. Prior to joining the lab, Olivia managed a research program and urgent care clinic at UCLA designed to disseminate brief interventions for adolescents at risk for suicidal behavior.
Read about the Global Citizens Seminar here: https://www.ikedacenter.org/events/scholar-student-seminars/global-cit-2-aug-22
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Golden Hour", Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
This month, we are joined by Dr. Melissa Bradford who is a Professional Lecturer in the Department of Leadership, Language and Curriculum at DePaul University. She teaches educational leadership, research methods, and value-creating education and directs the Internship Program for Principal, Superintendent, General and Higher Education Leadership Preparation. In 2008, she founded Tallgrass Sudbury School in Riverside, IL and currently serves as the president of its board of directors. Melissa was also a past fellow in the Ikeda Center’s Education Fellows Program. In this episode, host Lillian I talks with Melissa about her personal journey with dialogue; insights from her research on Daisaku Ikeda’s philosophical perspectives and practice of value-creative dialogue; what it means to have a dialogic disposition; the importance of dialogue today, and much more.
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode of the Dialogue Studio, host Lillian I welcomes back her colleagues, Anri Tanabe and Preandra Noel, to discuss some of their necessary ingredients for genuine dialogue. In their conversation, they also examine some key foundations of successful dialogue emphasized by Mr. Ikeda. In addition, they explore the connection between dialogue and peace considering the current moment we are in.
Here’s a write-up on our recent virtual Dialogue Nights where we discussed the ingredients of dialogue with youth in our community: https://www.ikedacenter.org/events/dialogue-nights/may-2022
Read about Mr. Ikeda’s Foundations of Dialogue here: https://www.ikedacenter.org/thinkers-themes/themes/dialogue/ikeda-four-foundations
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", “Golden Hour”, Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode of the Dialogue Studio, host Lillian I talks with two Ikeda Center Youth Committee members, Cameron Morose and Dr. Saloni Dev, about the role that dialogue has played in their inner growth; how to engage in dialogue that brings forth each person’s “inherent goodness;” and their thoughts on the positive impact dialogue can have on our society right now. Saloni is Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and her research interests are in public mental health. Cam just graduated with a masters in psychology and will be starting a new chapter as a psychologist in a Boston-area school.
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", “Space”, Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode of the Dialogue Studio, host Lillian I talks with Dr. Sarah Wider, Dr. Giulia Pellizzato, and Valentina Frasisti about how they have been fostering creativity during the pandemic. They also reflect on their experiences engaging in dialogue with others and the natural world as well as the power of making connections. Dr. Wider is Professor of English and Women's Studies at Colgate University. Dr. Pellizzato earned her PhD in Italian Language, Literature and Culture from Università della Svizzera italiana and is now an Associate Researcher at Harvard. She also serves on the Center’s Youth Steering Committee. Valentina is currently a PhD student in Romance Languages and Literature at Harvard. Cheat Sheet:
7:01 Sarah, Giulia, and Valentina team up for a special project
15:44 An excerpt from Daisaku Ikeda’s essay “The Flowering of Creative Life Force”
17:15 On living a creative life
29:35 How to live true to ourselves
41:10 Dialogue stories
52:20 A piece of advice for navigating these times
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", “Space”, Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
This month, we are joined by Andrea (Andy) Rehani who is an Assyrian-Iraqi-American prose and poet writer. Her writing has been published in Grist: A Journal of the Literary Arts, MAKE: A Literary Magazine, and elsewhere. For the last five years, Andy has taught English and ESL to multilingual students in higher education in virtual and non-virtual spaces. Currently, she is working on her PhD in Curriculum Studies at DePaul University. In this episode, Lillian speaks with Andy about her experiences attending the Center’s virtual Dialogue Nights; how she is engaging with Daisaku Ikeda’s writings in her research; her reflections on “the poetic spirit”; and the role that dialogue plays in her life–both personally and professionally. Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", “Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, host Lillian I welcomes back Center staff Anri Tanabe and Preandra Noel to share reflections on Daisaku Ikeda’s 2022 Peace Proposal, “Transforming Human History: The Light of Peace and Dignity.” Some of the themes from the proposal they explore include the importance of fostering empathy; healing and community; the preciousness of all life; and creating a world where every individual feels the joy of being alive. Since 1983, Mr. Ikeda has issued an annual peace proposal offering a Buddhist perspective on and solutions to global problems. The full text of the 2022 Peace Proposal can be found on daisakuikeda.org. Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", “Space”, Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
Happy 2022! In this first episode of the new year, host Lillian I speaks with two members of the Center’s youth steering committee Anna Lane and Jason Henriksen. They share their perspectives on how dialogue can help us navigate the many challenges we are currently facing. Tune in to hear their favorite quotes on dialogue, tips for engaging with others during the pandemic, and their personal experiences with dialogue! Some helpful takeaways for dialogue in 2022:
- Dialogue takes practice so though it might not come naturally to us, by doing it over and over again we become more comfortable with it and also grow as individuals.
- We can feel a sense of appreciation if we focus on the connections we’ve been able to make during this pandemic.
- The transformative power of dialogue can be experienced in our daily interactions with others. Try reaching out to a colleague or friend and open up a little more than you usually would or ask a question you’ve been wanting to ask them. These small engagements can actually be life-changing!
Music attribution:
“The Falls”, "Kitten", “Space”, Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this special, end-of-the-year episode, host Lillian I looks back on the first season of the Dialogue Studio with her colleagues Anri Tanabe and Preandra Noel. They discuss highlights from producing the podcast series together, including what stood out to them from the interviews; their own experiences with dialogue in 2021; and what they are looking forward to in 2022! Listen to the end of the episode to hear Anri and Pre share their inspiring perspectives on why we should practice dialogue in our lives more often.
Music attribution:
"Peace Settings", "Kitten", Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode of the Dialogue Studio, host Lillian I speaks with Ikeda Center youth committee members Ana Pediet and Isaiah Moon about their experiences attending the Center’s Dialogue Nights event series, which launched in 2017. As regulars of Dialogue Nights, Ana and Isaiah share memories of their first event, highlights over the years, and how their understanding and practice of dialogue has evolved since first coming to events at the Ikeda Center.
Key points on dialogue in this episode:
- Genuine dialogue is not always about what we say but how we show up for the other person in a fully present and open way.
- Bringing forth our courage to reach out to another, whether to a friend or stranger, can actually change someone’s life.
- Engaging in dialogue is like going to a pharmacy where you can get some hope vitamins to revitalize your life!
Music attribution:
"Peace Settings", "Kitten", Peas Corps”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this special episode of the Dialogue Studio, host Lillian I speaks with Ikeda Center’s recently appointed Executive Director Kevin Maher about the Center’s work and mission; memorable moments from his 19 years at the Center; how dialogue has played a role in his life; and much more. Listen to the end to hear one of Kevin’s favorite quotes from Center founder Daisaku Ikeda!
Cheat Sheet:
4:45 Kevin’s experience working for the Center shortly after 9/11
9:32 The mission of the Ikeda Center
13:10 The role dialogue has played in Kevin’s life
20:48 Memories with the late Dr. Vincent Harding
33:25 Kevin’s vision towards the 30th anniversary of the Center
37:10 Kevin’s advice to young people who are working for peace
42:45 Kevin’s favorite quote from center founder Daisaku Ikeda
Music attribution:
"Peace Settings", "Kitten", Peas Corps”, “The Falls”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, host Lillian I continues her conversations with individuals who participated in a 6-month long dialogue project the Ikeda Center organized in 2019. This time, Lillian speaks with not one but two of the participants: Julie Olesky, who is currently pursuing her masters in peace studies in Finland and her dialogue partner, Dr. Catia Confortini, Associate Professor of Peace and Justice Studies at Wellesley College.
Key points on dialogue in this episode:
- When having a dialogue with someone you don’t agree with, it helps to approach it with genuine curiosity and the determination to create something good out of it.
- The things that we need to do to improve our lives and our planet often take time and intentionality, like composting. Similarly, you may not see the results of dialogue right away, yet those efforts have a lasting impact on our lives and society.
Music attribution:
"Peace Settings", "Kitten", Peas Corps”, “Lake Victoria”
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode, host Lillian I continues her dialogues with youth who participated in a 6-month long dialogue project the Ikeda Center organized in 2019. This time, she speaks with Ikeda Center Youth Committee member Burcu Gulec who is a singer, composer, and improviser. In their conversation, Burcu reflects on how she felt before entering the dialogue experiment, her key takeaways, and how the project influenced her art and her relationship with her dad. Tune in to hear Burcu’s thoughts on why dialogue can be our passport to global citizenship!
Key points on dialogue in this episode:
1) Just like musicians have to practice their instruments in order to master their artistry, human beings have to practice our instrument of dialogue to master our humanity.
2) Our shared suffering enables us to connect with anyone.
3) An important aspect of dialogue is the willingness to listen and learn from the other person.
4) One conversation can become a powerful catalyst for change.
Music attribution:
"Peace Settings", "Kitten", "Lake Victoria", Peas Corps".
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
In this episode of the Dialogue Studio, host Lillian I speaks with Ikeda Center Youth Committee member Nandini Choudhury about her experience participating in a 6-month long dialogue project the Ikeda Center organized in 2019. In their recent conversation, Nandini reflects on what she learned about dialogue through participating in the project, how it impacted her life at the time, and how she continues to practice dialogue in her daily life.
Key points on dialogue in this episode:
1) Asking personal, deeper questions allows us to create intimacy with the other person.
2) We all have something to offer and to learn when in dialogue with others.
3) Through dialogue, we can know ourselves and others more deeply, which helps us grow and transform our own tendencies.
4) Having the courage to be vulnerable with others allows us to create safe and brave spaces for dialogue.
Music attribution:
"Peace Settings", "Kitten", "Lake Victoria", Peas Corps".
Podington Bear
Soundofpicture.com
To learn more about the Ikeda Center, visit ikedacenter.org or email us at podcast@ikedacenter.org
On this first episode, Dialogue Studio host Lillian I kicks off the series with an introduction of the Ikeda Center: its work, mission, and founder Daisaku Ikeda. Lillian then explores Mr. Ikeda’s dialogue philosophy, unpacking what it means for us as a Center and why Mr. Ikeda believes that dialogue is the surest path to peace.
Cheat Sheet:
00:00 Introduction
1:20 Ikeda Center background and founder Daisaku Ikeda
4:10 The Buddhist emphasis on Dialogue
5:59 What does dialogue mean for Daisaku Ikeda?
6:42 Shakyamuni Buddha and the “invisible arrow”
10:40 Episode summary
11:40 Episode conclusion: how to contact the Ikeda Center and details on future episodes
Resources: Mahayana Buddhism and Twenty-first Century Civilization (Harvard University, 1993)
Music attribution: "Peace Settings", "Kitten", "Golden Hour", Peas Corps"., Podington Bear, Soundofpicture.com
Welcome to the Dialogue Studio! To learn more about our Center's mission and programs, visit ikedacenter.org.