Mr Daisaku Ikeda is the first president of the Japanese Soka Gakkai International, a worldwide Buddhist organisation. He was born to a poor family in Tokyo in 1928 and in addition to joining the Soka Gakkai movement in 1947 founded the Democratic Music Association and the East Asian Philosophy Research Institute in 1965, and founded the Soka University in 1971. He is the author of many books on Buddhism and related subjects, together with being an author of children's literature, and has received many awards, including the United Nations Peace Award in 1983 and China's Peace and Friendship Trophy in 1986. Married and with two sons, Mr Ikeda has honorary degrees or visiting professorships from numerous universities, among them are Peking University, the University of East Asia and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In recognition of his contributions, the University has resolved to confer upon him the degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa.
