The Meaning of the Niwano Peace Prize
The Goal of the Niwano Peace Foundation
~' EI, ;f1J..: ~ O) 1:t u tiliJ:j( I±, ~ I ~"I7J: IIi]JW~ 1)':/;' X. The "'lorld in w hich we live today is beset by m an y problems: the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the -C v \ ITo H Ji;, f,if 0) fI1: Hi , 1[1: -tIl: §tit ~" 1= J: .Q ii i}J;[ 0) ;1:'.,[ '1J( , squandering of precious natural resources on "veap 1m 9€:i~ J:. ~ I I=;f:i (t .Q fiJ Lf!Jk C: Pi: ~I, ~ F A J~ (I~ 7J: itit C: :JfPJ±, ons, famine and poverty in the developing nations, )( ~( 0) ;fj ?4~ , 7x [F A 11\J 0) *iHil l 0) j1i}fJ~t , *4 0 social discrepancies and oppression, enviromnental p ollution, and spiJ.'itu al decadence. ::. 0) J: -J 7J: II~Ht 1= ;f3 v \ -C, &) G v9J .Q A 4 0) lin 1= ~;I ~ l li J11l Today, religion is charged with the important duty fiji" C: 1§ ~i~ lJr.. 11 1 Z~ 1J C: ii.:!r: 0) *~ ;- fill ~ :l:.g. v \, :ijZtl I1'-:1: 4':; ~ ~~ 0) of fostering mutual understanding and trust and a ;l~ffjJ: ~ ~¥ < ::. C: I±, ~' B O)*~x 1= r.Ml-tt G ~L t": :bU:7( 7J: jf~~ spirit of coop eration and fellowship among all peo ple so tha t the fOlmdations of a peaceful society may -e &0.Q C: ~~ -tt I L J: -J 0 i- 0)J't~0 ~ ~U..: T t..: &') 1= I±, I be laid , To discharge this duty, people of religion T'*~X15 I ~ 1 G :I){ I ~ I C0)1§T'.Q 7TdfxO)J.;- ~*f!!~ Ht T.Q O)-C' must begin by tearing dow n the walls erected by I± IJ: < , ;f:i lTy ~ hit'" t..:' -C .Q ~I ~ Jf!l. IHL, -::l -c , :iJZtDti each religion's belief that its teachings alone repre 90) t..: &') 1=, -=p, ~ -tj~ X. -C IZh 1J L, lJik ~ T '" ti -c' ib .Q C: ,10.1, sent absolute truth, joinin g hands in wholehearted v\1To cooperation to bring about a peaceful society, We a t the N iwano Peace Foundation hope above ::. 0) J: -J IJ: frJl }~: :/;' G, }E ill} :;:jZ ~;[J !!~. Efl-C- (±, :;:jZ ~; II bI ~ all tha t the ideals and activities of inter-religious co O)~m~&,)~L~*ftm~O)~~c:~%O).# - ~S# operation for the sake of peace and justice will ex tend in an ever-"videning circle and that a growing I), ~ < 0) I j=,J :=~c:O) I ,'W', T .Q ::. C: ~ :!jI~ {, :/;, G J,vf[ -J C: C: t 1= , number of people w ill come forward to devote them :jJ[ I =, u-t..: U' ti 1= * ~x 0) ~'EI I1)]!.fW C: IZh1 J ~ flU!; L , i- 0) selves to this cause, Indeed, we know that many p eo Jilim: ~ jill t -C Ill: W:ijZtn 0)10)10) t..: &') 1= ~f1ik L -c V\.Q *~x ple of religion are already ,.vorking ea rnestly to pro ~O)n~<~~T.Q::,c:~~mT.QtO)-c-T o mote inter-religious lmderstanding and cooperation, contributing to the ca use of world peace thl'Ough J: -::l -C , ~ Hi 1~ 1 -c' I± , r*~lln r~lflll 1= i!.1~-::)-v\ -c , *~l their solidarity, IZh 1J ~ fit)!!; L , *~x I Zh 1J ~ jill t -c tu.- W:iJZtnO) :tf(:j.lli 1= ~f!~: Th e N iwano Peace Founda tion established the 7J: J}) k~t ~ ?jHYt..: A ( I t..: I± I:;[IW) J ~ £Hi~ L , ::. h ~ @J N i"'lano Peace Prize to honor and encourage indi viduals and organizations tha t have contributed IT::'c:I=J: -::l -C , i-0)~ff1' t:/;{ I!I: O)A4~~H€L , *~x significantly to inter-religious cooperation, thereby 0) ~; I ' l li Jill filt C: IZh ~ 0) ~.flil ~ It- f:f -C , :I;'j'· ~~ Ill: 'N ~£ t il 0) ~ JJl.1 = furthering the ca use of world p eace, and to make ~~T.Q~
7 1)1 · /\-+::.t/7-/;('£, ~ 1 4@:IIi:JI);<-7;!t[jj]1* , ~ the Tendai sect of Buddhism in Japan; the seventh to Dr. Norman Cousins of the U.S.; the eighth to Dr. ISlmli7/\ ' :J"--ttT/7"1cil'l1iE-z"To Hildegard Goss-Mayr of Austria; the ninth to Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne of Sri Lanka; the tenth to Neve Shalom / Wahat ai-Salam of Israel; the eleventh to His Eminence Cardinal Paulo E. Arns of Brazil; the tl1! j!& t *iJ!!u';{iifi'iT l.J .::. to) 7J: It, J: -7 ~: ~[@: ~ ~lL 12S :tJ twelfth to Dr. M. Aram of India; the thirteenth to Ms. 00 k:") I , 000 A 0) 1'f ~f& ~ f: 5t :l1i3dill O/{i 0) t(U~ ~ 1£d!f'1L , tfE Marii K. Hasegawa of the U.s.; the fourteenth to the ~~h~~~~~ U ~ , ~ ~ A r ft , 1A7Aft7J:~0) Corrymeela Community of Northern Ireland; and the fifteenth to Sa mdech Preah Malia Ghosananda of ~#*~,;z~i.p Gj~ I ;fht.:: 7 A "CWtlllt ~ ~1l.J 1iBlt~~ ~f:;f3 Cambodia. It' "C , ,*iE7J:ff~ ~ 'b "'J "CittlE ~ ~l iTo Nominations and Selection
Religious leaders and eminent scholars in Japan and )=) , U'~¥.):\:~ 1ilt ', iEj: 41f:if 5 t L "C:l :J:k, MIJ :l t L overseas were asked to nominate candidates for the "Cjt:ili: 2,0 00 7J P:J &lF~J!1Ji;;< 7")viJ{ !! \liG~liT o it.::iJ l sixteenth Niwano Peace Prize. Their nominations
~ ~:jC ~ '~~O/{i f: J: l.J ~G i:~f,~~i!fi iJ{11';b hiT 0 were sent to the Foundation for screening. So that the religions of the world are represented equitably, 1,000 people in 125 counh'ies were asked to submit nominations. All the nominees were screened by a committee comprising seven represen tati ves from Buddlusm, Clu'istimuty, Islam, and other religions.
Presentation
The Niwano Peace Prize is awarded every year in May at a special ceremony. The recipient is presented the main prize of a citation and subsidiary prizes of 20 nUllion yen and a medal. At the ceremony, the re cipient delivers a cOlmnemorative address.
~I~~~~~~.~~ - ~ ·~ ~~~ Soup kitchen of the Community of Sant'Egidio for the destitute
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