SGI President Ikeda’s new book, “Forging Ties with the World’s Universities” was launched at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) on November 14, 2010. The book is published by the Malaysian Centre for Chinese Studies.

The introduction ceremony of the book was conducted by the President of KLSCAH, Mr Tan Yew Sing. Also present was chairperson of the Centre for Malaysian Chinese Studies, Madam Chew Saw Eng, former Chairman Dr Voon Phin Keong and SGM Secretary-General Koh Sia Feai.

In his speech, Mr Tan commended the book in which Mr Ikeda had described that universities could transcend ethnicities and nations to promote peace through culture and dialogues. Acting also as the Chief Executive Officer of the Inti Education Group, Mr Tan stated that international conflicts often arose from political and economic issues and the most reliable platform to achieve peace was through culture and education.

Madam Chew stated that SGI President Ikeda had been promoting the humanistic spirit for a long time, covering the fields of peace, environment and education. In recent years, the Centre for Malaysian Chinese studies has published works of Mr Ikeda. She also hopes that there would be continuous cooperation between SGM and the Centre in culture and education.

SGM Secretary-General Koh pointed out that since 1960 Mr Ikeda has conducted over 7000 dalogues with world leaders in various fields. More than fifty of these dialogues have been published as a crystallisation of his desire to promote education, culture and peace. “Forging Ties with the World’s Universities” was the result of Mr Ikeda’s visits to seventeen universities worldwide.