VICTORY MANUAL

How to Achieve Victory Toward Sept. 23, 2018

50,000

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INTRODUCING THE SGI-USA 50K YOUTH SONG:

“Lions of Justice Vow”

The world is raging You can’t deny it Re-vo-lu-tion The people are cryingTo be the changeI’ll be a lion (3x)

The world is wakingWe can’t be silentThe ground is breakingJustice is rising To break the chainsWe are the lions (3x)

We will never give up We will never back down This is our vow, this is our vow

The place is here andThe time is now To live our vow

Around the worldWe are unitedKo-sen ru-fu Forever ignited With our mentorWe are the lions (3x)

We will never give up We will never back down This is our vow, this is our vow

The place is here andThe time is now To live our vow, to live our vow

We will never give up We will never back down This is our vow, this is our vow

The place is here andThe time is now To live our vow

“Lions of Justice Vow” is a soulful song of which you are justifi ably proud—a spiritual ode that my wife, Kaneko, and I listened to once

again today, its words resounding in the depths of our lives. —SGI President Ikeda

HOW DO I REGISTER? You can register online at www.lionsofjustice.org.

ARE THERE AGE RESTRICTIONS TO ATTEND THE FESTIVAL? On the day of the festival, Sept. 23, 2018, you must at least be in middle school/junior high school up to age 39. Those under 18 must submit a minor consent form. You can find the form on lionsofjustice.org/faq. Please have the form signed by your parent/ legal guardian and email it to: registrations@sgi-usa.org.

Important: Your seat will be reserved after we receive your consent form.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE $20 REGISTRATION CHARGE? It secures your seat at one of the 50K Lions of Justice venues across the country. A ticket will be issued before the event. In addition, you will receive commemorative memorabilia at the event.

If you do not register in advance, you will not be able to attend the festival.

This fee is not tax deductible as it is not considered a contribution.

WHAT IF I WANT TO REGISTER WITH CASH?

You will be able to do so at select SGI-USA centers. Please contact registrations@sgi-usa.org.

IS THIS $20 CHARGE REFUNDABLE?

Yes. Should you need a refund for your ticket, email registrations@sgi-usa.org. Please reference your confirmation number.

WHAT TIME WILL THE FESTIVAL TAKE PLACE?

11 a.m. PT/1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET. Each location will be connected via simulcast for a portion of the meeting.

WILL THERE BE A TRAVEL PACKAGE FOR THOSE WHO LIVE FAR AWAY FROM THESE LOCATIONS? The locations were carefully chosen based on the criteria that youth around the country could travel to the venue and return home in one day. Please stand by for more details from your local SGI-USA organization regarding group travel arrangements.

For youth who require an overnight stay, we ask that you make those travel arrangements on your own. Please email registrations@sgi-usa.org if you have questions.

Thank you, and see you on Sept. 23!

To the precious members of the SGI-USA!

On Sept. 8, 1957, the Soka Gakkai peace movement reached a milestone when 50,000 youth gathered in Yokohama, Japan, to hear second Soka Gakkai President Josei Toda’s Declaration for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons. He wanted to communicate to the youth that one’s religious sense of purpose could not be fulfilled in isolation but must be part of one’s larger social and human mission. As such, he ultimately entrusted them with the responsibility to establish a society based on dignity and respect for all human life.

Echoing this call, 50,000 youth of America will gather on Sept. 23, 2018, based on our shared vow with SGI President Ikeda.

We kicked off this campaign in September 2016 in response to Sensei’s message earlier that month, in which he called on us: “Please promise with me to work hard over the next two years with our fellow members around the world to expand our network of Bodhisattvas of the Earth, and . . . make the triumph of mentor and disciple resound into the eternal future of the Latter Day of the Law” (Oct. 7, 2016, World Tribune, p. 3). What greater joy could there be than to stand up alongside President Ikeda at this crucial time to eternalize the foundation of the Soka Gakkai as a world religion for the happiness of all humanity.

Every campaign in the SGI is an expedient means to turn the wheels of our own human revolution and become happy. Gathering a great number of young people is a remarkable task in and of itself, but our mentor shares the true purpose of such efforts:

The meeting’s true significance and grandeur lay in the personal victory and achieve-ment each participant had realized in working toward it. Even the grandest event or ceremony can be seen as what the sutra describes as a “phantom city”—merely a mirage. Its real purpose is as a goal toward which each participant can work, toward which people can challenge themselves, triumph and build a real “city of life” in the depths of their hearts.” (The New Human Revolution, vol. 5, pp. 165–66)

Taking to heart President Ikeda’s guidance, we hope to unite with each of you as we make a shared pledge to our mentor and challenge our own human revolution, while awakening the hearts of many young lions who will stand up for truth and justice. For this is the way to build a true “city of life.”

In this 50K victory manual, we want to provide tools for you to use toward achieving your courageous goals for the 50,000 Lions of Justice Festival. Together with Sensei, let’s create many victories in the Year of Brilliant Achievement, both in our SGI-USA organization and personal lives.

We are honored to fight together with you! Thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Adin Strauss, SGI-USA General Director Akemi Bailey-Haynie, SGI-USA Women’s Leader Cliff Sawyer, SGI-USA Men’s LeaderDavid Witkowski, SGI-USA Youth Leader Olivia Saito, SGI-USA Young Women’s Leader Mike O’Malley, SGI-USA Young Men’s Leader

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FAQ

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Social MediaUtilize these exciting social media tools at our visits and meetings!

sgi-usa (o� cial)

sgiusa

www.LionsofJustice.org

#ITTAKESALIONFollow SGI-USA on Instagram @sgiusa and fi nd inspiring clips of youth advancing toward the festival as well as encouragement from SGI President Ikeda.

Share your eff orts toward 50K using the hashtag #ItTakesALion

SGIUSAmediaCheck out SGI-USA’s Youtube channel SGIUSAmedia. You’ll fi nd our new series, in which we interview youth on the streets of the 50K cities, as well as other dynamic content that can be shared at your next meeting!

Each youth who registers will receive this dynamic image in their confi rmation email. Repost on your social media accounts and let your friends know!

WHO: SGI-USA members and friends in middle/junior high school to age 39

WHAT:SGI-USA youth peace festival themed “50,000 Lions of Justice: Ushering in an Era of Hope and Respect”

WHEN: Sept. 23, 2018

WHERE: The festival will take place in nine cities:

East: New York, Atlanta, MiamiCentral: Chicago, Dallas, PhoenixWest: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu

WHY: To take a stand for peace and awaken countless individ-uals to the fundamental truth that every human being is valuable, irreplaceable and worthy of utmost respect.

Can I Get a Recap?

How Do I Get Started? SGI President Ikeda writes: “Chanting is only the fi rst step. The second factor is to use the best strategy and the most eff ective action . . . Only when both are perfectly harmonized can the impossible become possible. Then, and only then, will victory be ours.” (The Human Revolution, p. 1324)

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1. SET A GOAL How many Lions of Justice are you determined to raise and register for the festival? This includes youth members, guests and family.

2. MEMBERSHIP LIST Please maintain an up-to-date member-ship list so no lion gets left behind.

3. SUPPORT THE YOUTHWho are the youth you will be taking full responsibility to support? (Write their names in the chart on p. 5.)

4. HOME VISITATIONSHave you made a personal connection with those youth through home visitations? Based on genuine trust and friendship, let’s chant for their happi-ness and support them to challenge their personal dreams toward the festival and beyond.

5. REGISTRATIONLet’s help the youth register for the festival during home visitations and one-to-one dialogues.

I Awakened one lionLet’s continue to chant

Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to encounter youth who are seeking this humanistic

philosophy and help them begin their Buddhist practice with confi dence and attend

this historic festival.

Our Lions of Justice

NameAre they a member, friend or family?

Are they registered?

Are they connected to a district?

I will take full responsibility for supporting the following youth members, guests and family members

toward the 50,000 Lions of Justice Festival!

My Registration Goal:

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