Johor Youth Peace Culture Festival: Choosing Peace through a Single Individual’s Accumulated Actions

On 20 and 21 December 2025, SGM Johor held three Youth Peace Culture Festival shows at its state culture centre. Through an original time-travel drama, the event illustrated how young people make choices in their daily lives and illuminates the path to peace through their actions.

The specially created drama integrated a live band, choral singing, dance, gymnastics, flag dance, drumming and diabolo performances. It tells the story of a young man burdened by real-life troubles, who, after being gifted a copy of The New Human Revolution by a friend, travels back in time to the discussion meeting where Daisaku Ikeda first met his mentor Josei Toda. From this encounter, he gains the wisdom and courage to overcome obstacles, ultimately affirming peace as the supreme path of humanism.

Johor Calligraphy Association deputy chairperson See Hwa Win remarked that the production’s exquisite choreography and moving plot profoundly conveyed the aspirations and mission for peace embraced by the youth, showcasing their inner strength. 

Guests Lee You and Lee Shin Lin from BNI-Business Network International shared that they were “infected” by the youthful energy upon arriving. Both were moved by the mutual trust and cooperation displayed throughout the programme, realising that peace is built upon the accumulated choices and actions of every individual. They expressed hope that this spirit of “life touching life” would transcend borders and ethnicity, continuing to be passed down through generations.

Junior Chamber International Iskandar president Tan Kian Siong praised the performance for its high standards and soul-stirring artistic form, which allowed the intergenerational concept of peace to demonstrate extraordinary vitality. He noted that through this “from one person to another” approach, the seeds of peace have sprouted on stage and in the hearts of the audience. 

Another guest, Tan Ezer, exclaimed that the performers’ superb skills and the authentic plot were deeply moving, showcasing the vitality of youth and sparking his own deep reflection on the value of life.

The three shows attracted over 1,800 visitors and involved a total of 680 performers and event staff.

Youth Transformed Through Challenges

Ng Wei Sen, who played the lead role, endured a rigorous test of both physical and mental strength as he travelled between Northern and Southern Malaysia throughout the two-month rehearsal period. This demanding journey fortified his will and deepened his appreciation for the meaning of steadfastness. He recalled witnessing a gymnastics team member fall, only to resolutely return to the stage; that spirit of never giving up and the power of many in body, one in mind moved him profoundly. Furthermore, a simple word of encouragement from his partner became a source of enduring motivation in his heart.

Another core member, Fong Jun Yi, who served as both director and recruitment lead, underwent a significant turning point in her own growth. Having recently moved to Johor, she faced the challenges of an unfamiliar environment and bottlenecks in the preparation process. She learned to use wisdom and sincerity to unlock the team’s potential, guiding the youth to transition from being “participants” to “protagonists” who take full ownership. Whether it was the building of rapport within the dance troupe or the professional synergy among the actors, she witnessed the boundless potential of the youth as they took up the baton of their mentor’s legacy.

Reported by Khor Yu Wei and Leu Bae Huey, photographed by Charlie Low Teck Seng, Cheong Zhi Xiong, Ho Teck Fook and Winz Yap Wei Yin