On October 23 (Tuesday), at the Central Tower building, an “Honorary Professorship” was conferred upon Soka University Founder Dr. Daisaku Ikeda by China’s Beijing Film Academy. The ceremony was attended by Chairman Hou Guangming of the academy, who was welcomed by Soka University Board of Trustees Chair Yasuhiro Tashiro, President Yoshihisa Baba, and representatives of faculty, staff, and students.

The Beijing Film Academy was founded in 1950 as the “Performance Art Institution of the Film Bureau of the Ministry of Culture” and later changed its name to the current one in 1956. Ever since the establishment of the government’s vision for a “new China,” approximately 70% of all films in the nation are produced by the academy’s faculty, alumni, or current students. Today, approximately 3,000 students attend studies in the school’s five departments for literature, supervision, filming, film studies, and image technology.

In his citation, Chairman Hou shared the reason for the conferral as follows: “To confer an honorary professorship upon Dr. Ikeda signifies the awarding of scholars and social activists both within and outside the country—those who have significantly impacted society through outstanding, moving images. The honor also signifies the deep respect that grew in the hearts of faculty and students at our academy after watching Dr. Ikeda’s animations for children. While feeling a consistent passion in Dr. Ikeda’s work in this regard, we also consider his works to be significantly different from animations that commonly lack philosophy or that are based on commercialism. Dr. Ikeda is conveying to the world, through moving images, the importance of peace and persevering in one’s convictions, as well as friendship, which are crucial for children in their growth and development. The conferral of the honorary professorship not only expresses respect to Dr. Ikeda from our faculty and students but also our appreciation to him for his many years of dedication for the promotion of mutual understanding and friendship between the people of China and Japan.”

Soka University founder Dr. Ikeda shared in his acceptance speech, which was read out on his behalf: “In this golden autumn that marks the 40th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China, I would like to share this honor with our predecessors, who I love and respect and who have dedicated their lives to the friendship of these two nations, as well as my treasured friends from Soka around the world, who deeply love the culture and art of the great country of China.” Thinking of Premier Zhou Enlai and Ms. Deng Yingchao, he shared, “I wholeheartedly pray for the eternal prosperity of the Beijing Film Academy.”