30 November 2011

Press Release

‘It starts with one’ theme for sustainable living exhibition

A vision for sustainable living and the power of individuals to initiate positive change is the theme of an international exhibition launched by Wellington Mayor Celia Wade Brown at Parliament on Saturday, 19 November.

Inspired by the Earth Charter, the “Seeds of Hope: Visions of Sustainability, Steps Toward Change,” it has been seen by more than 1.5 million people from 27 countries since first going on display at Johannesburg nine years ago.

For the Wellington Mayor, the exhibition stresses the connection between people and the environment. “I love the way the exhibition embraces a great variety of cultures and issues, whether it is water or reconciliation between peoples. It ties in with the interconnectedness between human beings and the natural world”.

Produced by Soka Gakkai International (SGI) and Earth Charter International, the New Zealand launch of the exhibition has been organised by SGI in New Zealand with the support of UNICEF and the NZ National Commission for UNESCO.

SGI New Zealand Director Jimi Wallace says the exhibition carries the message, “It starts with one,” slogan of a 2010 Earth Charter International campaign.

“A positive vision for sustainable living expressed in the Earth Charter and examples of eight individuals and groups from the Arctic through to Eastern Europe who have successfully taken action for change, are included in the exhibition.”

Charles Chauvel MP, who co-sponsored the launch at Parliament, said “Having the exhibition here in Wellington as a result of SGI sponsorship reminds us that SGI President Daisaku Ikeda was one of the proponents of the UN Decade for Sustainable Development”. With the UN Decade expiring in three years, the exhibition “reminds us that there is so much more work to do until we can say that we have truly taken up the challenge of ensuring that all policy is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.”

SGI New Zealand is part of a world-wide grass roots Buddhist lay organisation which promotes peace, culture and education based on humanism.

What: Seeds of Hope: Visions of Sustainability, Steps Toward Change Exhibition

When/Where: Kilbirnie Library, Wellington, 2 December 2011 –12 January 2012
War Memorial Library, Lower Hutt, 14 – 27 January 2012
Petone Library, 28 January – 10 February 2012
Entry is free.

ENDS

Further information on SGI and SGINZ can be found on www.sgi.org and www.sginz.org.nz.

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