The honorary President of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), Daisaku Ikeda (1928-), was born on this day in Tokyo, Japan.

"Religion must serve as a means through which human spirituality is revived and blossoms," Ikeda said.

SGI, "Society for the Creation of Value", is a lay Buddhist organization dedicated to peace, education, and cultural exchange. With over 12 million members in 163 countries, the organization's mission is based on the teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist scholar.

A prolific poet and writer, Ikeda has written over 200 books, including The Living Buddha (1975) and The Way of Youth (2000). He once said, "Creativity means to push open the heavy, groaning doorway to life."

A prominent and charismatic leader who has dedicated his life to world peace, Ikeda has received the United Nations Peace Award (1983), the International Tolerance Award of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (1993), and the Rosa Parks Humanitarian Award (1994).

He once said, "World peace is not something that can be realized simply by politicians signing treaties, or by business leaders creating economic cooperation. True and lasting peace will be realized only by forging bonds of trust between people at the deepest level, in the depths of their very lives."

Miracles grow with love & patience.