Daisaku Ikeda offers a message of optimism about our common future by sharing personal glimpses of individuals throughout the world whose perseverance led to extraordinary achievements. Many of these individuals are well known—Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Linus Pauling, Mahatma Gandhi, among them—and others perhaps less so. Yet their struggles for the goal of peace are just as inspirational.
In this collection of essays, the reader is encouraged to examine stereotypes and overcome prejudices, keeping an open mind to the possibility of a world without violence or war. Making the seemingly impossible possible is perhaps the running thread among the essays.
Hazel Henderson, an “ordinary housewife” (her words), became concerned about air quality and through persistent efforts had all local media cover the air pollution index. Torao Kawasaki was a pioneer of Arabic Studies in Japan and compiled the first Japanese-Arabic dictionary. Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to orbit Earth. All have a compelling tale to tell, having triumphed over formidable adversity through intense personal struggle.
Included with the book is a companion DVD of the author’s essay "Another Way of Seeing Things," about British historian Arnold Toynbee and the need to challenge prejudiced ways of viewing “others.” Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham, the DVD won the 2004 Chris Award at the Columbus International Film Festival.
In this collection of essays, the reader is encouraged to examine stereotypes and overcome prejudices, keeping an open mind to the possibility of a world without violence or war. Making the seemingly impossible possible is perhaps the running thread among the essays.
Hazel Henderson, an “ordinary housewife” (her words), became concerned about air quality and through persistent efforts had all local media cover the air pollution index. Torao Kawasaki was a pioneer of Arabic Studies in Japan and compiled the first Japanese-Arabic dictionary. Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to orbit Earth. All have a compelling tale to tell, having triumphed over formidable adversity through intense personal struggle.
Included with the book is a companion DVD of the author’s essay "Another Way of Seeing Things," about British historian Arnold Toynbee and the need to challenge prejudiced ways of viewing “others.” Narrated by Academy Award-winning actor F. Murray Abraham, the DVD won the 2004 Chris Award at the Columbus International Film Festival.