Singapore Soka Association
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Singapore Soka Association or SSA is the Singapore constituent and affiliate of Soka Gakkai International (SGI). SGI is a 12 million strong multi-ethnic Buddhist association in 190 countries and territories worldwide promoting and practicing the Nichiren school of Mahayana Buddhism.
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[edit] History
[edit] Early years
Founded in 1967 and registered in 1972 as Singapore Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Association, its membership has grown steadily over the years to 25,000.
Koh Kian Boon was the first general director and under his leadership the rapidly expanding association grew to be one of Singapore's active grassroots-based bodies contributing to the newly independent nation's community and social fabric, most notably through the participation in the annual National Day Parade [1] and Chingay Parade[2] performances .
[edit] Name change
Following the excommunication of Soka Gakkai in 1991 by the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood, the association renamed itself the Singapore Soka Association. The change was made to affirm its commitment to create value (which is called Soka in Japanese) for society.
[edit] Soka Renaissance
Together with SGI, the Singapore Soka Association embarked on a program titled Soka Renaissance, a period of reformation which aimed at developing a more humanistic and embracing organisation. Its stated goals included emphasizing enlarging spheres of mutual trust, friendship and positive engagement first within the association and as well engaging in numerous dialogues and exchanges with various youth, religious, educational, arts and community groups.
[edit] Organisation
[edit] Membership
Currently led by Ong Bon Chai, the association is organised into the adult arms of the Men's (MD) and Women's Divisions (WD), and the youth arms of Young Men's (YMD) and Young Women's Divisions (YWD).
The youth arm also involves the Student Division (SD), consisting of students from the tertiary and pre-university institutions, the Future Division (FD), consisting of students from the secondary schools, and the Primary Division (PD), consisting of primary school students.
Collectively, the YMD, YWD, SD, FD, and PD are known as the SSA Youth Division.
[edit] SSA Youth Division
The Association's 7000 strong Youth Division [3] seeks to provide all youths with platforms to engage in activities and services that foster leadership, responsibility and service to community, guided by its core values of respect for the dignity of life and value-creative living.
The Division's members also operate the Soka Youth Centre in Pasir Panjang catering to youth outreach activities, notably its Friday Rendevous concerts.
In July 2005, the Division was conferred its inaugural Singapore Youth Award (Team) 2005 for Community and Youth Services in recognition of its role in fostering the spirit of youths serving the community. [4]
- SSA Youth Camp
- SSA Youth Camp was held from 13 to 15 October at MOE Adventure Campsite at Changi. The purpose of the Youth Camp was to foster youth leaders for the organisation and the society.
[edit] Peace and Education
- The Division is actively involved in local peace and education projects, having organised the annual Youth Peace Conference since 2001 and the inaugural Student Conference in 2005.
- Youth Peace Conference
- The tragedy of September 11, 2001 led to an initiative by the Division to promote learning and dialogue among youths on issues pertaining to peace, culture and education.
- It was a prelude to the inaugural Youth Peace Carnival in December 2001, held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium with a gathering of 10,000 youths from all walks of life, including 25 youth grassroots organizations and youth culture groups, united in a peace concert in a declaration for peace.
- The annual peace conference has since continually provided a channel for inspiring youths to play an active and contributive role in building peace in society. [5]
- SSA Student Conference
- The Division's SD (Student Division) held its 1st SSA Student Conference on 5 February 2005.
- Minister of State for Education, Chan Soo Sen, the guest-of-honour shared his views on global citizenship and provided practical advice to the youthful audience in the keynote speech.
- Associate Professor Agnes Chang Shook Cheong (Psychological Studies Academic Group: National Institute of Education, the distinguished speaker, chaired the conference on the theme “Education for Global Citizenship”. [6]
- Buiding A Culture of Peace for the Children of the World
- The exhibition was held in conjunction with the 55th anniversary of the Young Women Division in 2006. It was held from July 3rd to 9th at the National Library. It was first conceived by SGI-USA in 2003 in support of the UN culture of Peace.
- Gandhi, King, Ikeda: A legacy of Building Peace Exhibition
- The Exhibition was hald at the SIngapore Management University Gallery from June 10 to 14. First conceived by Dean Lawrence Carter, Dean of Martin Luther King Jr International Chapel, Morehouse College, the exhibition has inspired many throughout the world, on how these individuals has worked for peace. Each of us is able to do our own part for peace. The Exhibition was held again at Tampines West Community Club which is located near the SSA HQ. It will be held until October 20.
[edit] Culture
- The Division is also actively engaged in Singapore's cultural activities, representing the Association in participating annually in her National Day and Chingay Parades.
- The Division has also organised and performed its own Youth Peace Culture Festivals (YCF) in 1985, 1990 and 2001. In July 2005, the youth held its YCF over 3 consecutive weekends at the Singapore Expo and Toa Payoh Sports Hall, bringing cultural performances to the heartlands.
[edit] Community
- Since 2002, the Division's youth representatives have participated in Youth Expedition Projects (YEP), an initiative of the Singapore International Foundation, with other local NGO, notably with Mercy Relief [7], to various countries in the region. The YEP seeked to inspire youths in making a difference to the lives of others through meaningful overseas community service.
[edit] Centres
Instead of temples, the Buddhists of the association gather in community buildings known as Soka Centres. It has eight Soka Centres[8], distributed throughout the island state. Each provides a place of worship, and its own specific function: one is a Women's Centre, one a Youth Centre, one a Training School, one a Cultural Centre, one a handicraft/ costume/ prop making centre, one a memorial cum columbarium, one a kindergarten and one the overall headquarters.
The association takes pride in the fact that its headquarters was officially opened in January 1993 by the then Prime Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong. This was an event unprecedented in SGI.
The centres also provide venues for inter-faith exchanges, educational seminars, arts and performances, and other roles such as being disaster relief collection centres during the Indian Ocean Tsunami which struck in December 2004.
[edit] Schools
The association also runs the Soka Kindergarten [9], an affiliate of the Soka School System [10][11], which opened in January 1993, with an international population comprising Chinese, Indian, Malay, Japanese, American, Australian and Korean students.
