José Abueva, a devout Catholic, educator and pacifist from the Philippines, and Daisaku Ikeda, a Buddhist thinker and peace activist from Japan, collaborated on Global Citizenship: Toward a Civilization of Wisdom, Love and Peace as a legacy for the “youthful global citizens—in Asia and around the world—who bear the weight of our collective future.”
Both authors were born in 1928 and lived through the tragedy and horrors of war in their youth. In October 1944, when Abueva was just 16, his parents were taken from their home, tortured and killed by the Japanese military for participating in the Philippine resistance and refusing to submit to the Japanese-backed government. Three months later, in January 1945, Ikeda lost his eldest brother in battle in Burma, present-day Myanmar. These experiences left an indelible impression on their young lives and fostered in both a deep revulsion toward war and killing.
As a prelude to their discussion, Ikeda expressed his heartfelt sorrow over the tragic killing of Abueva’s parents at the hands of the Japanese military and his appreciation for the Abueva family’s openness toward the people of Japan: “I believe we Japanese must never forget the spirit of tolerance that the Abueva family and, indeed, all Filipinos have extended us.”
For Abueva, his friendship with Ikeda symbolized the reconciliation between their two countries. Ikeda, he said, was one of only two Japanese people he had met who “reached out and expressed genuine contrition over the tragic events of the past.”
In Global Citizenship, the authors discuss a broad spectrum of issues close to their hearts, drawing on their combined life experiences and wisdom. They delve into such topics as fostering tolerance and understanding among peoples through interfaith dialogue and cultural exchange; cultivating global citizens through education; eliminating violence against women and promoting gender equality; mitigating pervasive poverty; developing communities and bonds of kinship that nurture human character; and exploring the role of religion in peacebuilding. Underlying their dialogue is a shared commitment to promoting the philosophy of “nonkilling” and transforming a culture of war into a culture of peace.
Throughout their dialogue, the authors emphasize that young people, especially, must draw lessons from history and present-day realities while learning from other faiths and cultural traditions in order to build a nonkilling society. They repeatedly return to the ideal of transformational leadership that they hope to inspire among youth: leadership that is not mired in self-serving politics or personal aggrandizement but is dedicated to working with the people to identify needed change and develop a shared vision for concrete, measurable and sustainable transformation, together with committed partners.
Abueva observes:
“All nations need ‘transforming leaders’ as well as functional political and economic institutions to fulfill their citizens’ hopes and aspirations. Furthermore, peace is about establishing humane relationships, not those that breed hate in one another, but those allowing human beings to coexist and be ennobled.”
Ikeda similarly emphasizes:
“Our hearts are not moved by mere words; we are inspired by the cries of truth that rise from a profound sense of responsibility to the body politic. Those who are able to encourage citizens by clearly articulating the vision and ideals to shape the future, even in the darkest times, possess a certain power of words.”
Through their dialogue, Abueva and Ikeda call on young people to carry forward the work that their generation began. Global Citizenship is both a testament to the reconciliation and friendship possible between people once divided by war and an appeal to future generations to build a nonkilling society and a civilization founded on wisdom, love and peace.
